Irish Massachusetts

There are great times ahead, times when you can wrap yourself up in the warmth of home. When you can enjoy the things that matter most from reconnecting with family and friends to immersing yourself in the beauty of those crashing coastlines and green patchwork fields. When the time is right, an especially warm welcome awaits you on the island of Ireland. Ireland.com

This week Tourism Ireland shared its plans for restarting overseas tourism in 2021 at a virtual event, called ‘Ready for Recovery’,  attended by hundreds of tourism companies from around the island of Ireland and overseas.   After a devastating 2020 – with COVID-19 causing havoc for the travel and tourism industry across the globe – 2021 will see the restart of international travel. Tourism Ireland is actively planning for that restart. The organisation has a three-phase plan to restart, rebuild and ultimately redesign demand. The priority for next year will be to RESTART tourism to the island of Ireland. Right now, Tourism Ireland is planning a significant kick-start campaign, which will be launched when the time is right, possibly around St Patrick’s Day 2021 – to drive bookings and revenue for tourism businesses. It will deliver a very clear ‘book now’ message to create demand for summer holidays here, in order to save businesses and create jobs.   Minister for Tourism, Culture, Art

  A Christmas Celtic Sojourn , one of New England's most popular Christmas shows over the past 17 years, is going online in 2020, joining with its partner theatres for shows from  December 15 – 20, 2020. Hosted by GBN radio host Brian O'Donovan, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn features  magnificent lineup of musicians, singers, and dancers from around the world sharing Celtic, Pagan, and Christian traditions to celebrate the music of the season. This year, the show takes place in a series of unique performances especially built for December and partnering with the venues around New England where the show would normally be presented.  Each show will be in real time, and available on-demand from December 21st until January 2nd specially for those who buy tickets. Virtual showtimes and dates include: Tues. Dec. 15, The VETS, Providence at 7:30pm EST Wed. Dec. 16 The Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA at 7:30pm EST Thurs. Dec. 17 The Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford, MA at 7:30pm EST Fri.

Dingle Slea Head Tours offers this virtual tour of the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. Here they explore the wild landscapes, rich history and colourful characters of the region.     National Geographic described the Dingle Peninsula as "the most beautiful place on the Earth." Find out about Ireland's traveler health and Covid-19 update .  For information about visiting Ireland when the time is right, go to Ireland.com .

US Congressman Jim McGovern and former US Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power are among the honorees in the 2020 New Englanders of the Year.   The ceremony is scheduled to take place online on October 24, 2020, and is hosted by the New England Council.  A Worcester native,  Congressman McGovern  represents the Massachusetts 2nd Congressional District in Central Massachusetts.  He was first elected in 1996 and has served 12 consecutive terms.  Prior to that he worked for US Congressman Joe Moakley from South Boston. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is slated to introduce Congressman McGovern for the award.  Power , a native of Dublin, Ireland who now lives in Massachusetts, is a Pulitzer Prize winning author who served with distinction in the Obama Administration. From 2013-17, she was the 28th U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nation, and a member of President Obama's cabinet.  Former US Ambassador to NATO and Greece, Nicholas Burns will introduce Power for

  The  John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum  in Boston, Massachusetts holds a virtual forum  from 6 - 7:30 on Monday, October 19, 2020 entitled The 2020 Elections: What's Next?  The forum includes Kimberly Atkins , senior opinion writer at  The Boston Globe ;   EJ Dionne ,  Washington Post  columnist and political commentator; and  Janet Hook , staff writer at  The Los Angeles Times.     Washington Post  columnist  Karen Tumulty is the moderator. Register for this free virtual  Kennedy Library Forum  to receive an email reminder with a viewing link before the event. Here is a  schedule of upcoming Forum events  hosted by the JFK Library. Read more about the  Irish connections of the Kennedy family  here.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary, the Irish Film Festival of Boston (IFFB)is hosting a 2-day Drive-In event on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 the Irish Cultural Center in Canton.   The two films include the New England premier of A Bump Along the Way and the North American premier of The Last Right .   Presented in partnership with Ireland's Consulate General in Boston and the Irish Cultural Center of New England, this event showcases a selection of the new talents, voices and perspectives that have emerged from the Irish film industry in recent years.   The cost to attend the drive-in is $50 per car per evening. This event follows the health and safety guidance issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Covid-19 regulations and guidance including masking and social distancing.  Space is limited, so please visit the website to book your tickets to  A Bump along the Way (Friday) and/or The Last Right (Saturday).   The Irish Film Festival of Boston is one o

On Sunday, September 20, 2020, the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) joined with Scituate Selectman John Sullivan and other local leaders in Scituate, Massachusetts to unveil a monument to Ireland's Easter Rising of 1916. The monument, which is located at the band gazebo on Cole Parkway in Scituate, features the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, the famous document that was read aloud by Irish patriot Padraig Pearse on the steps of the Dublin Post Office in 1916, calling for an Ireland independent from Britain. Ireland's Consul General in Boston Laoise Moore was the featured speaker at the Scituate ceremony. "The Easter Rising in 1916 was a hugely significant event in Irish history," Consul General Moore told the Scituate Mariner newspaper.  "While the Rising itself did not immediately lead to the creation of the Irish Republic, it set in train a series of events which ultimately led to the creation of the Irish Free State, and after that the Republic." 

  Nathan Gourley & Joey Abarta The Irish Cultural Centre of New England has some great activities lined up for the weekend of September 19-20, 2020, to celebrate Halfway to St. Patrick's Day. On Saturday, September 19, enjoy a traditional Irish music session at 5 p.m. with uilleann piper Joey Abarta and fiddler Nathan Gourley.  Then at 6:30 p.m., enjoy Barry Hynes, Amanda Biagi and Dave Barry. On Sunday, September 20, enjoy lunch in the outdoor big tent at 1 p.m., followed by music by Devri at 2 p.m.  For dining reservations, please call 781 821-8291 or email iccpub@irishculture.org. 

Labor organizer and women's rights advocate Margaret Lillian Foley (1873-1957) was born to a working class Irish-American family  at Meeting House Hill in Dorchester, Boston's largest neighborhood.    With only a high school education from Girls' High School in Roxbury, Foley had a daring personality and a "voice like a trumpet."    She worked in a hat factory organizing women workers and was a board member of the Women's Trade Union League, founded in Boston in 1903 by Mary Kenney O'Sullivan as part of the American Federal of Labor.  As equal rights issues moved from the workplace to the political front, Foley became involved with the campaign to let women vote in all government elections, becoming  a member of the Massachusetts Women's Suffrage Association.  During this time, she earned and enjoyed the nickname The Grand Heckler for her willingness to confront male politicians in public settings such as the Boston Stock Exchange an

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the 19th Amendment (August 26, 1920) giving women the right to vote, here's our shout-out to   Mary Kenney O'Sullivan  (1864-1943) , tireless labor organizer and suffrage leader during her accomplished life.  Born in Missouri to Irish immigrants, Mary worked in Chicago and New York as a union organizer before moving to Boston’s South End in 1893. She organized rubber makers, shoe makers and garment workers, shops where women were paid poorly and suffered bad working conditions.  When her husband John O’Sullivan died, she continued her work, creating the National Women’s Trade Union League and taking part in the Bread and Roses Strike in Lawrence, MA.     She wrote an important broadside, Why the Working Women Need the Vote , that was widely circulated and an influential part of the debate.  The Massachusetts State House has a plaque entitled Hear Us, honoring Kenney and five other women.    Th

A corridor of 900 feet of interpretive signs is now encircling a section of Boston Common where the famous Colonel Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial, part of a $3 million restoration of the city’s most famous statue. The interpretive signage tell the story of the American Civil War, the 54th Black Infantry, the Shaw Memorial and the immigrant sculptor who created the masterpiece, Augustus Saint-Gaudens.  In addition, the panels include handwritten letters by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, and initial sketches and portraits by Saint-Gaudens. Boston’s most iconic public monument, the Shaw Memorial, was officially unveiled on May 31, 1897.  The homage to the 54th Black Infantry Regiment of Boston is considered one of America’s most significant Civil War memorials.   It was the first public monument to accurately depict black soldiers in military uniform. A group of partners have come together to oversee and fund the restoration, including the National Park Service ,  City of Bos

The Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge MA has a new exhibit titled,  Rose O'Neill: Artist & Suffragette , on display through September, 2020. The exhibit is timely since 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of American women formally given the right to vote, a cause to which O'Neill was devoted. Born in Wilkes Barre, PA, Rose O'Neill (1874-1944) and her family moved to Nebraska when she was young, and grew up in an artistic household where creative expression was encouraged and prized.  A self-taught illustrator, O'Neill moved to New York City at age 19 and soon her work was being published in leading magazines such as  Harper's, Cosmopolitan  and  Good Housekeeping,  as well as  Puck Magazine.  In 1909 O'Neill created the popular characters the Kewpies dolls, elf-like figures that were immediately popular with the general public.  The merchandising of Kewpie dolls made O'Neill a millionaire, according to the exhibition notes. O'Neill be

Popular Irish singer Grace Foley is performing a live Facebook concert for the Irish Cultural Centre of New England at 4 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, July 7. A native of Killarney, County Kerry and c lassically trained since the age of 14, Grace has studied with some of Ireland’s   leading professionals, including the late Aine Nic Ghabhann, James Nelson of The Celtic Tenors and renowned Irish soprano Virginia Kerr.  She sings a range of Irish songs, contemporary melodies and classical classics. Learn more about the Irish Cultural Centre of New England , which has recently reopened its outdoor dining facilities.  For reservations,  contact 781-821-8281 or email kryder@irishculture.org 

Maestro Keith Lockhart Due to COVID-19, this year's Boston Pop s concert is a spectacular 3-hour broadcast: A Boston Pops Salute to Our Heroes.  It takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 4, and can be viewed on Bloomberg TV, at Bloomberg.com, and on Boston's Channel 7, WHDH. Leading the celebrations is Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart joined by Bloomberg's Kim Carrigan, Janet Wu, and Joe Shortsleeve. Find more information here . This year's show features previous musical performances from recent years including Andy Grammer, Leslie Odom Jr., Rhiannon Giddens, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Arlo Guthrie, and more. Rita Moreno and Amanda Gorman contribute moving narration and poetry accompanied by the masterful Boston Pops.  The show includes newly-created recorded virtual performance pieces by Boston Symphony and Boston Pops players as well as the Middlesex County Volunteer Fifes and Drums. Many friends of the Boston Pops also share special video mes

Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith passed away on June 17,2020 at her home in New York City.  The JFK Foundation issued the following statement: "Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith was an inspiration and a role model for our family. She played a central role in the Irish Peace Process, was a longtime Trustee at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and carried forward our family’s work on behalf of people with intellectual disabilities as the founder of Very Special Arts. "With her husband, Stephen E. Smith, and her beloved brother Ted, she played a vital role in the life of the JFK Library, helping to establish the Library on Columbia Point and generously supporting the JFK Library Foundation. "Jean was always coming up with good ideas - and making sure that other people executed them. She was the person who first suggested that the JFK Library Foundation present an annual Profile in Courage Award as a way of honoring her brother’s memory. Thirty years later, the A

Community leaders from Boston's Irish community are holding an online discussion of Black Lives Matter at Noon on Friday, June 19, 2020. The event is being sponsored by Irish Network Boston, Boston Irish and Rian Immigrant Center.   Among the panelists are Massachusetts State Senator Nick Collins, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins, Ireland's Consul General Laoise Moore, Hon. Linda Dorcena Forry and Bill Forry, and Ronnie Miller.   Cristela Guerra, WBUR Arts and Culture reporter, is moderator.  To participate, please RSVP to msmith@riancenter.org.  Learn more about Rian Immigrant Center . 

The Consulate General of Ireland and the Irish Cultural Centre are celebrating the works of Irish author James Joyce with a luncheon at the Centre at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, 2020. Tickets to the event are $20 and include a three-course lunch as well as songs and music by Maureen and Gerry McNally, and a special appearance by the 'Here Comes Everybody Players.' Bloomsday is an annual celebration around the world that pays tribute to Dublin-born James Joyce, whose novel, Ulysses, is proclaimed as one of the world's literary masterpieces. In that novel, Leopold Bloom is the main character who wanders around Dublin on June 16 as the novel unfolds over 18 episodes.  Dublin has a James Joyce Center  dedicated to Ireland's most famous writer.  Read more about Dublin, named as a City of Literature by UNESCO For information on traveling to Ireland, visit Ireland.com.

With Phase II of Reopening Massachusetts now underway, the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton is introducing outdoor dining, beginning on Sunday, June 14.  Reservations are required.  Please call 781-821-8291  or Email:  kryder@irishculture.org to make your reservations. Sunday, June 14 “Bloomsday Luncheon” | 1 p.m. -3:30 p.m. (Deadline for reservations is Friday, June 12 at Noon) Friday, June 19 – Two Seatings | 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (Deadline for reservations is Wednesday, June 17 at 3pm) Saturday, June 20 – Two Seatings | 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (Deadline for reservations is Thursday, June 18 at 3 p.m.) Here is more outdoor dining information from the Irish Cultural Centre: “Our top priority is the protection of our members and patrons. Your safety, health and comfort is of vital importance to us. We have initiated a number of new procedures to better protect you, these procedures comply with all local and state COVID-19 regulations. They incl