Irish Massachusetts

  The  Boston Irish Famine Memorial  was unveiled on Sunday, June 28, 1998, before 7,000 people, including the governor of Massachusetts, mayor of Boston and government officials from Ireland.   A Vietnamese and Rwandan were among the speakers of the day, an acknowledgment of modern day refugees who continue to seek solace in Boston. The effort was led by Irish immigrant and businessman Thomas J. Flatley , whose committee included representatives from Boston's Irish community, artist community and from academia.   The Memorial by artist  Robert Shure  juxtaposes an Irish family starving in Ireland with another Irish family striving for success in America.   Eight narrative plaques encircling the statues tell the story of the famine and the Irish triumph in America. The $1 million memorial park commemorates the 150 th  anniversary of the Irish Famine (1845-49), during which one million people died of starvation or disease a...

Today, the White House announced its intent to nominate 17 individuals to serve in key roles. Among the nominees is Massachusetts State Representative Claire D. Cronin , President Joe Biden ’s choice for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ireland.  “I am deeply honored to be nominated by President Biden for ambassador to Ireland, especially given the President’s and my own Irish roots,” Cronin said in a statement released by the White House Wednesday. “If confirmed, I look forward to serving as ambassador and working with our partners in Ireland on both the challenges and opportunities ahead of us.”  Cronin, whose maiden name is McLaughlin, has represented the Eleventh Plymouth District since November, 2012. A graduate of Stonehill College and Suffolk University Law School, Cronin is admitted to the Massachusetts bar and is also admitted to practice in U.S. District Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. Cronin is the first woman nominated for the Irish diplomatic ...

Statue of James Joyce in Dublin, courtesy of Tourism Ireland Bloomsday is a literary celebration held every June 16 in countries, cities, pubs and college campuses around the world. It is a tribute to Irish writer, James Joyce’s (1882 – 1941) and his novel Ulysses. First published in 1922 Ulysses follows the movements of the novel’s main character, Leopold Bloom, through a single day on June 16th, 1904, as he roams through Dublin, Ireland.   Here are some local resources for celebrating Bloomsday 2021 in Massachusetts, Ireland and online.  June 16  Bloomsday 2021: An Online Literary Festival  The Literacy Project in Greenfield, Massachusetts celebrates Bloomsday with Irish music and dramatic readings. Led by harpist Rosemary Caine, the music features Carolan tunes and classic Irish melodies on violins, flute and tin whistle, bodhran and guitar, plus dramatic readings by Michael Haley and by The Wilde Irish Women. In lieu of a cover charge, the Literary Proje...