Irish Massachusetts

Irish communities across the United States are celebrating f Lá Fhéile Bríde, St Brigid’s Day on February 1, 2021, marking the coming of spring and the life of St. Brigid.  In Massachusetts, the Irish Cultural Centre of New England and the Consulate General of Ireland in Boston present an afternoon of music, song, stories and exploration of Irish traditions at the Cultural Centre, located in Canton, about 10 miles from Boston.  Register for this free event by contacting mdoohor@irishculture.org or calling 781 821-8291.  According to the Embassy of Ireland USA in Washington, DC:  "Like many of Ireland’s other Christian feast days, Brigid predates Christianity – her roots lie in the Celtic festival of Imbolc, the feast of the goddess Brigid, celebrated at least five millennia ago. In old Irish, Imbolc means "in the belly", a reference to lambing and the renewal Spring promises. "Brigid was a triple goddess – of healing, fire, and of poetry – and the saint who took h

Boston native, history teacher and astronaut Sharon Christa Corrigan McAuliffe died thirty-five years ago, on January 28, 1986,  when the shuttle Challenger she was on exploded shortly after lift-off.  To honor her memory as the first teacher selected for space, the U.S. Mint is releasing a commemorative  silver dollar coin of McAuliffe  in 2021.  In 1985, Christa was selected from more than 11,000 applicants as the first teacher to participate in a space mission. The world watched in excitement that day as McAuliffe and her fellow astronauts lifted off at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, but that excitement turned to horror and grief as the spacecraft exploded seconds later. Read  NASA's account of the disaster .  She was later awarded the Medal of Honor by President Ronald Reagan and since her death has continued to inspire new generations to learn about space exploration.  Christa Corrigan, photo courtesy of NASA Born in Boston, Sharon Christa Corrigan was the eldest of fi

Discover Ireland shared this  #HappyNewYear greetings from Dublin! "We enter 2021 full of hope and optimism for the year ahead – we can't wait to welcome you back to Ireland soon." 💚 #FillYourHeartWithIreland 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 .