Irish Massachusetts

Battle between USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere, 19 August 1812, by Michel Felice Corne   Courtesy U.S. Navy - Naval History and Heritage Command, 80-G-K-26254 The City of Boston and Commonwealth of Massachusetts are rolling out a royal welcome for the fleet of tall ships coming to Boston Harbor this week to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. A variety of events, free and open to the public, are taking place, including concerts, boarding of tall ships, US Navy Elite parachuting, US Coast Guard and Air Force activities like the Blue Angel flyover , an international tug-of-war, and a 4th of July parade . You can see a full schedule at OpSail Boston or by visiting BostonUSA.com . A cornerstone of the celebration is the USS Constitution , which is permanently stationed at the Charlestown Navy Yard and run by the National Park Service .  Nearby is the USS Constitution Museum . In addition to the Charlestown Navy Yard, many of the tall ships are bei...

The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism has issued Worldfest 2012 , its 4th annual summer schedule showcasing the rich cultural diversity and heritage of Massachusetts. Ranging from the Italian feast days in Boston's North End and the Wompanoag PowWow on Cape Cod, to the Worcester Latin American Festival and the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival , these festivities celebrate dozens of different ethnic and racial communities throughout Massachusetts. Read the WorldFest press release here. You can also find a schedule of Irish and Scottish festivals taking place in the region this summer at IrishMassachusetts.com/festivals .  For information on visiting Massachusetts, go to MassVacation.com .

Granary Tavern , an exciting new restaurant specializing in local foods, friendly staff, historical ambiance and beautiful views of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, opened this week at 170 Milk Street in downtown Boston.  The 250 seat restaurant combines the historic elements such as granite blocks and exposed beams with contemporary lighting, design and function. The Granary Tavern is part of the Glynn Hospitality Group , a family-owned company that includes some of the city's most popular restaurants and pubs.  See the menu here . Follow Granary Tavern on Facebook , and find directions here . Find year round details on cultural activities in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com . 

John Curran (1938-2012), an Irishman with a generous heart and a golden voice, died on Wednesday, June 21, 2012 after battling heart disease for many years.  He was 73. He is survived by his wife Kitty, their four children, Sean, Tricia, Deirdre and Maura, seven grandchildren, and extended family in Ireland, including siblings, Donal, Maureen and Marion.    Born in Waterville, Kerry and raised in Crosshaven, Cork, Curran emigrated to Boston in 1955 at age 16.  Shortly after he met his future wife Kitty Ryan, from Ballinagare, Roscommon, on a bus in Cambridge, where John attended Rindge Tech and Kitty was a student at Cambridge Latin.  They married in 1960.   He had a successful career as a food broker, working with larger supermarkets and food suppliers. John frequently described Kitty as the love of his life, as he testified at the Charitable Irish Society gathering in 2009, where he received the prestigious Silver Key Award.  ...

The I rish Cultural Centre in Canton is celebrating the Life & Times of Irish balladeer Liam Clancy with a screening of a film documentary about his life entitled The Yellow Bittern . Clancy was a founding member of the Irish group, the Clancy Brothers and was an influential figure in Irish music circles over the past fifty years.  Bob Dylan described Clancy as "The best ballad singer I ever heard in my life." The documentary begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for general public and free for ICC members. A traditional Irish music session follows the filming, and musicians are invited to join in. See schedule of upcoming events at the ICC . Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .

The Jolly Beggars The Worcester Irish Festival is taking place on Saturday, June 23, 2012, from noon to 11:00 p.m., at the Hibernian Cultural Center at 19 Temple Street in downtown Worcester. Headlining this year's festival are the Jolly Beggars , Tom Lanigan Band and Billy Egan & the Rising .  Irish gift shops are displaying their wares, and check out the Irish Soda Bread table. Admission is $5, and children under 12 go free. For year round details on Irish activities in Massachusetts and the New England region, visit IrishMassachusetts.com For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and CentralMA.com .

Cliffs of Moher, County Clare Ireland is jumping with activities throughout the island.  Jump into Ireland , a new campaign by Tourism Ireland, is offering an array of great packages, travel ideas and a veritable feast of festivals, special events, sightseeing and cultural opportunities that make Ireland such an ideal travel destination in 2012. Here is just a sampling of what’s going on this summer all across Ireland. You can find full details on everything Ireland has to offer by visiting DiscoverIreland.com/us June 30: The year of the Titanic continues in Northern Ireland this summer with the Land of Giants festival on June 30 at the Titanic Slipways. It may be the biggest outdoor arts event ever to take place in Northern Ireland.  June 30 - July 8: The Volvo Ocean Race Grand Finale comes to Galway City, a fitting finish for the world-famous sailboats. A Race Village showcases global cultures from each of the race’s stopovers, and expect plenty of Iri...

Jose McIntyre's famous block party is celebrating its 20th anniversary in downtown Boston this Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m.  Tickets are $10 and available online .  Celebrated as Boston's distinctive Irish-Mexican restaurant and pub, the annual Block Party takes place on Central Street behind Jose McIntyre's .  Proceeds from the event benefit Men With Heart s, a local non-profit that fights against breast cancer.  Jose McIntyre's is run by the Glynn Hospitality Group , a family-run business with roots in County Galway. Find year round details on Irish activities in greater Boston by visiting IrishBoston.org For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .

The Rock & Blues Concert Cruises on Boston Harbor continues this week as Carbon Leaf performs on Friday, June 22, 2012.  The boat boards at 7:00 p.m. and departs at 8:00 p.m. from the World Trade Center Pier in Boston's Seaport District on Northern Avenue. Tickets are $27.50 leading up to the concert, and $33 the day of the show.  You can order tickets online .  This is a 21+ show. Hailing from Virginia, Carbon Leaf is a unique blend of folk-rock, Americana, Celtic, bluegrass, rock and pop, one of the great independent bands of this age.  Joining Carbon Leaf on the Cruise, and opening the show, is the Jason SpoonerTrio . Here is a full schedule of Rock & Blues Concerts this summer.  For year round details on cultural activities in greater Boston, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . Find visitor information by going to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com . 

The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has issued its annual summer Travel & Culture Guide , featuring a round-up of festivals, concerts and cultural activities taking place in Massachusetts , New Hampshire and Quebec City , many of them with an Irish and Celtic flair. The 28-page color magazine, distributed free at visitor kiosks and cultural venues throughout Massachusetts, provides details on traveler amenities like hotels and travel agencies, pubs and restaurants, gift shops and retail shops, museums and cultural associations.  The Guide includes a section on traveling to Ireland in 2012, plus a round-up of the best festivals taking place in Ireland throughout the season.  Here is a list of distribution outlets to pick up your free copy. BITA was formed in 2000 to promote cultural tourism year round.  It publishes three issues of Travel & Culture Guide in March, June and October.  BITA also created Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail ...

Guided tours of the Boston Irish Heritage Trail are starting up next Saturday,  June 16, 2012, leaving at 2:00 p.m. from the Visitor Center on Boston Common along Tremont Street, the Boston Irish Tourism Association has announced. The 75 minute walk takes you to over 300 years of Boston Irish history, from the colonial times, through the 19th century Famine immigration era, to the Civil War, and up to the present time.  Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children, and can be purchased online or at the Visitor Center the day of the walk. The summer schedule is as follows: Every Wednesday and Thursday, from June 20 through August 30 Every third Saturday of the month (June 16, July 21, August 18) All tours leave at 2:00 p.m. from the Boston Common Visitors Center. For more information about the Irish Heritage Trail and the tour itself, please call the Boston Irish Tourism Association at 617 696 9880 or email to irishmassachusetts@comcast.net . For year roun...

Gaelic Storm   Have you noticed how many people in Massachusetts have freckles? That’s because we’re the most Irish state in America, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with nearly 24% of all state residents claiming Irish ancestry. You’ll find many of us  – with or without freckles – at this year’s Boston Irish Festival , taking place June 8-10, at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, about 10 miles from Boston. And everyone’s welcome, you don’t have to be Irish! Now in its 22 nd year, the festival takes place on the spacious 46-acre grounds of the Centre, tucked away off Route 138 , not far from the interstate highways. It boasts state-of-the-art athletic fields, walking trails, a children’s play area, and an authentic Irish cottage built by craftsmen to traditional specifications – thatched roof and all. The festival’s main draw, of course, is great Irish music, on fiddles, accordions, pipes, flutes and guitars, taking place on various stages th...

The ever popular Rock and Blues Concert Cruises kick off on Saturday, June 2, 2012 with a double-billing of two great bands - Adam Ezra Group and Max Creek with special guest Jamie Kent . The cruise, aboard the Provincetown II, departs from the World Trade Center Pier at 7:30 p.m. at 200 Seaport Boulevard in South Boston.  Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Bay State Cruise box office on the pier.  This is a 21+ show, since alcohol is being served aboard the ship. The Rock and Blues Concert Cruises run from June 2 through August 26, and include eleven great concerts.  Check out the full schedule here . You more details on cultural activities in greater Boston this summer, check out irishboston.org . For visitor information, go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .