Irish Massachusetts

Today, Meet Boston, the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party Board of Advisors (BOA) and  Revolution 250 , a consortium of organizations working together to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the events that led to the American Revolution, officially kick-off the 250th commemorative anniversary year of the Boston Tea Party, a momentous event that forever changed the course of American history. The 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the “single most important event leading up to the American Revolution”, will occur on Saturday, December 16, 2023. Boston will not only be the first to mark the 250th anniversary of a landmark historic event in the United States’ journey to independence and the founding of a free nation, but also will be the epicenter, and on the world’s stage, in honoring the anniversary of the historic event that is the Boston Tea Party. “The Boston Tea Party helped spark the Revolutionary War and is one of the earliest milestones on the path to our natio

(December 19, 2022) — Michael Joyce, an Irish immigrant from Galway who was a central figure at the Mass State House in helping immigrants secure visas, jobs and education, is having a park in his honor at Marine Park in South Boston. This week, a groundbreaking took place with state officials and family and friends. The $1.4 million playground renovation project is a partnership between DCR, the Colin’s Joy Project, and the Joyce Family.  It will make the facility one of the largest in DCR’s diverse portfolio of 78 playgrounds across the state. Importantly, the new playground will include a variety of equipment for children of all abilities to experience.  “Playgrounds are incredibly popular locations throughout the state parks system, where children and their families come to play, socialize, and get active in an outdoor environment,” said Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Doug Rice. “We are thankful for the Joyce Family and the Colin’s Joy Project’s dedicatio

  (December 19, 2022) - News came from Washington DC today that Joe Kennedy III of Massachusetts is the new U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs.   The appointment ended months of speculation and calls from the Irish-American community, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians and others, to fill the important position.     Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken said in a statement :    "Today we are announcing the appointment of Joe Kennedy III as the U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. In this capacity, he will focus on advancing economic development and investment opportunities in Northern Ireland to the benefit of all communities as well as strengthening people-to-people ties between the United States and Northern Ireland. His role builds on the long-standing U.S. commitment to supporting peace, prosperity, and stability in Northern Ireland and the peace dividends of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.   "Joe has dedicated

The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has  released its winter 2022-2023 issue of  Travel & Culture , a compendium of holiday concerts, cultural events and literary activities taking place in Massachusetts and New England, as well as travel ideas for visiting Ireland this winter. Read the digital issue here . This issue has a feature story on GBH radio host Brian O’Donovan , whose annual live concert, “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn,” visits four cities in December as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. Other stories include Massachusetts Governor-Elect Maura Healey , who is proud of her Irish-American roots, and former Boston Mayor Ray Flynn , who launched the city’s Immigrant office 35 years ago this season.  Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail and the new South Shore Irish Heritage Trail are also featured.  Three new books about Ireland and Irish-America are also reviewed. This issue offers a selection of Christmas and holiday concerts at the  Irish Cultural Centre  in Canto

  The 14 th  annual Golden Bridges Conference Luncheon is taking place at the Seaport Boston Hotel in South Boston on November 18,    2022.  The annual event connects business, community, tourism and education leaders from Ireland's NorthWest with their counterparts in Boston and Massachusetts.   Purchase tickets to the luncheon here .  The conference showcases the best of Ireland's Northwest to an audience of influential Irish American business and political leaders keen to learn more about the region’s offering.  Ray O'Hanlon, editor of the Irish Echo in NYC, is the master of ceremonies.  Among the topics for discussion:  . American investment in Northwest Ireland . Northwest Ireland on the Rise . Corporate Relations and Engagement Among Colleges and Universities . Northwest Ireland: A New Era for Tourism Here is the full schedule of events , and a list of speakers .  On the evening prior to the conference, Golden Bridges is honoring several Boston-based leaders in busin

Irish-born and Irish-American veterans have a distinguished tradition of military service in Massachusetts, going back to the Revolutionary War in the 18th century. Here are four Boston monuments with Irish connections: Commodore John Barry  Plaque on Boston Common American naval hero of the Revolutionary War, Commodore John Barry was born in Tacumshane, County Wexford. Barry's ship, the Lexington, was the first to capture a British vessel under the American flag. After the war, President George Washington assigned Barry to help create the United States Navy.  Colonel Thomas Cass , 9th Irish Regiment in the Public Garden Dedicated to "the men of Boston who died in the Civil War," the Soldiers and Sailors Monument was unveiled with fanfare in 1876 before 25,000 people, many of them veterans. The acclaimed monument was created by Irish immigrant Martin Milmore. Lt. General Edward Logan  at Boston Logan International Airport South Boston native Edward L. Logan was Commander

  Photo of the Abigail Adams Statue Unveiling, Courtesy of Carl Stevens, WBZ (November 5, 2022) – ‘Remember the Ladies’ was the theme in the City of Quincy today as city, state and federal officials gathered alongside historians, educators and local residents to unveil the new statue of Abigail Adams at the Hancock Adams Common. Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch was joined onstage by US Congressman Steven Lynch and keynote speakers Catherine Allgor, president of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and Danielle Allen, professor of political philosophy at Harvard University. In the audience was former US Congressman Bill Delahunt, and various elected officials from Quincy. Today’s ceremony honored the legacy of the Second First Lady of the United States of America, Abigail Adams, whose role as a defining voice of the Revolutionary War era has been praised in recent years. She was the wife of America’s second President John Adams and mother of the sixth President John Quincy Adams. Abigail

  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 America's oldest commissioned ship, the USS Constitution , was first launched on October 21, 1797, and is  berthed in the Charlestown Navy Yard.  The USS Constitution is operated by the US Navy , a partner of the National Historic Parks of Boston . Known as Old Ironsides for its durability during battle, the USS Constitution was commanded in the War of 1812 by Commodore Charles Stewart, who was awarded a congressional gold medal for his leadership. Commodore Stewart was the grandfather of Ireland’s famous Home Rule leader, Charles Stewart Parnell and poet Fanny Parnell . Of the many Irish sailors served on the Constitution, Irish-born  Daniel Hogan was perhaps the most famous, according to the USS Constitution Museum . During a heated battle with the British frigate Guerriere, the American flag was shot from the mast

The beautiful walled city of Derry-Londonderry celebrates the ancient Celtic spirits of Samhain - otherwise known as Halloween  - on October 28 – 31 2022.  Now established as the biggest Halloween festival in Europe and voted the world's best Halloween destination in a poll by USA Today, Derry Halloween expects to welcome 90,000+ visitors to its wonderfully wicked witch’s brew of enchanting entertainment. The origins of Halloween lie in the mists of pagan Ireland over 2,000 years ago, when the ancient festival of Samhain was celebrated to mark the beginning of winter, according to Tourism Ireland. At that time the veil between our world and the Otherworld was believed to be at its thinnest, allowing spirits and demons to easily pass between the two. Derry Halloween features  these ancient spirits, such as Cailleach Queen of Winter and goddess of the cold and wind, will be roaming the streets of the city as well as the nearby town of Strabane. Within the walls, the City of Bones

Photo of Eugene O'Neill, courtesy of PBS, An American Experience Eugene O’Neill, one of the great American playwrights and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature , was born in a hotel on October 16, 1888 in New York City to parents Ella Quinlan and Irish actor James O’Neill. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1936, the highest literary honor in the world, and also won several Pulitzer Prizes for his plays. O’Neill spent his formative years in New London, CT at Monte Cristo Cottage, the family’s summer home on Pequot Avenue. Later in life, O’Neill also spent considerable time in Massachusetts, taking a playwriting course at Harvard in 1914, then forming a troupe on Cape Cod called the Provincetown Players, which produced his play Bound East for Cardiff, in 1916. In between, O'Neill led an adventurous life. As a sailor, shipping out of Boston, he traveled around the world, then headed down to Honduras to prospect for gold. He worked for awhile in Buenos Aires,

Reverie Road , an Irish traditional quartet, performs at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI on Saturday, October 22 at 8 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 in advance, or $24 the day of the concert.  Featuring Winifred Horan and John Williams, both formerly of Solas, and Katie Grennan and Utsav Lal,  Reverie Road offers a powerful mix of curated gems including distilled airs, upbeat reels and jigs, as well as original soundscapes that weave the roots of the Irish musical traditions with fresh new departures. Read more about the band here .  . Winifred Horan is an American violinist and fiddler of Irish descent. After classical training, she played with the all-female Celtic music ensemble Cherish the Ladies before co-founding the award winning and renowned American Irish band Solas.  . Accordionist John Williams, also a co-founder of Solas, is internationally regarded as one of the foremost players of Irish music today. With five All-Ireland titles to his credit, John is the

  Our best wishes and sincere thanks to  Massachusetts Film Office  Director Lisa Strout, who retires this fall after capping off a distinguished and successful career in the film industry and in state government that spanned four decades. During her tenure at the MA Film Office which began in June 2011, Lisa helped make Massachusetts one of the top-tier film locations internationally, facilitating  more than 280 film, television, and streaming productions  in Massachusetts, generating billions of dollars in spending across the Commonwealth and supporting thousands of jobs while strengthening the local film industry. A native of Lexington, MA, Lisa graduated from Berklee College of Music and has spent most of her career in the film industry, starting in commercials, then working as a film location scout in New York, Los Angeles and Boston. She led the successful New Mexico Film Office for seven years before coming back to Boston to head up the Massachusetts Film Office. In September, t

Historic Bowen’s Wharf in downtown Newport, RI, is hosting the 31st annual  Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival , on Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, 16, 2022, according to Discover Newport .  The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. This year's Festival offers fresh, local seafood, including fish tacos, lobster rolls, stuffies, chowder, fried calamari, clams and oysters.  Signature cocktails and cold beer are also available.  The festival features continuous live music - folk, surf rock, Caribbean and blues - plus plenty of room for dancing. Cafe-style seating is set up throughout the Wharf and proceeds from festival bars benefit  Oliver Hazard Perry , RI’s 200-foot official sailing education vessel. The Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival has been named one of the “10 Fabulous Fall Festivals on the Coast” by  Coastal Living Magazine . For more information about all that Newport has to offer,  visit  DiscoverNewport.org .

  Photo: The Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, from Condé Nast Traveler story (Getty Images) Ireland has been crowned the Friendliest Country in Europe by the annual Condé Nast Traveler's Readers Choice Awards for 2022. The prestigious honor puts Ireland atop other iconic destinations such as Spain, Italy and Portugal. Here are the ten friendliest countries in Europe .  In selecting Ireland, Condé Nast Traveler writes: Countless global reports have continually dubbed the people of Ireland as some of the friendliest and most welcoming to visitors in the world, and our readers feel the same; voting it into the top spot for the friendliest countries in Europe. Of course, the breweries and lively atmosphere of Dublin are a must, but there are plenty of more natural discoveries to be made here for those willing to venture a little further. Giant's Causeway in County Antrim, for example, is an area of around 40,000 interlocking basalt columns - formed during an ancient volcanic erup

Irish writer Bram Stoker, author of the famous novel, Dracula, is being honored in his native city Dublin this October.    The  Bram Stoker Festival  returns to Dublin (28 –31 October) after a two-year hiatus to celebrate Count Dracula and his creator in a weekend of ghastly thrills, spine-chilling spectacles and fun-filled frights.  Stoker (November 8, 1847- April 20,1912) was born in Dublin and wrote 15 novels and several short story collections during his distinguished career as a writer.  His famous vampire character  was inspired by the city and Ireland’s tales of the neamh-mairbh, the walking dead.  The festival offers multiple opportunities to dress up in ghoulish garb, to watch film screenings, discuss the novel or simply stroll through the city on a walking tour of Dublin’s dark side or to visit the buildings that fired Stoker’s imagination.  These include the architecturally imposing Trinity College Dublin, which Stoker attended, Marsh’s Library, the oldest public library in

The 2022 Weymouth Irish Heritage Day takes place in Weymouth, MA on Sunday, September 25, starting at 11 a.m. with a parade on Union Street followed by an Irish festival at Stella Tirrell Park. The parade starts at Hamilton School and ends at The Cottage Bar.  Groups participating in the parade include: Weymouth 400, The Shriners, The Boston Senior Crusaders, Sons of The American Revolution, Great American Marching Band, the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail, the Weymouth Girls Basketball and Softball teams and more. Among the performers throughout the day are Silver Spears, led by Weymouth's own Tim O'Leary, singer Finbar Doyle, Devri, the Forbes School of Irish Dancing and the Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes & Drums.  For year round details on Irish cultural events in greater Boston, Massachusetts and New England, visit IrishBoston.org .

Adam G. Hinds Congratulations to Adam G. Hinds, the new chief executive officer and executive director at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate has selected, starting on Monday, September 26, 2022. A former United Nations negotiator for nearly 10 years based in the Middle East during the Obama Administration, Hinds has been the elected Massachusetts State Senator since 2017, representing the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District. Hinds served as an aide to U.S. Representative John W. Olver and was leader of two Berkshire County social service organizations. In 2020, Hinds was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the Democratic Party, but lost in the primary to Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll.   Bruce A. Percelay, chairman of the Kennedy Institute Board of Directors, said, “Adam’s government, political, and nonprofit experience here and abroad made him an ideal candidate for CEO. Among the 160 candidates we considered, Adam stood out as exceptionally

Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland On Thursday, September 15,  Tourism Ireland   led a delegation from   The Shannon Airport Group   to Boston to share the latest details on exploring Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, while also extolling the ease of access through  Shannon Airport .   The delegation also visited New York.  The visit to the United States by The Shannon Group is part of a $1 million campaign to drive business from New York, New Jersey and Boston in to Shannon Airport, which  currently offers daily non-stop transatlantic flights to  Boston's Logan International Airport ,   John F. Kennedy International Airport  in New York  and  NY Newark  on Aer Lingus and United. Companies Visiting Boston  Irish partners joining The Shannon Airport Group on this trip included Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort, Burren Ecotourism Network, Caherconnell Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations, The Doolin Ferry Co, Shannon Heritage and The Savoy Hotel, Limerick. Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Irela