Irish Massachusetts

US President Joe Biden has proclaimed March 2023 as Irish-American Heritage Month in the nation, and calls upon Americans to "celebrate the achievements and contributions of Irish Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs." Read the full proclamation below or read it here .  "During Irish-American Heritage Month, I think of my great-great grandparents — the Blewitts of County Mayo and the Finnegans of County Louth. Like so many other Irish immigrants who sought a new beginning in the United States, they arrived on our shores with hearts full of hope and dreams of the future. With grit and determination, they worked hard. And as they built their lives, they helped build America — never forgetting where they came from, always remembering the courage and pride they brought with them from the old country, and passing these traits down to each new generation. "That pride lives on today in the hearts of Irish Americans across our Na...

Ireland's prominent writer Colm Tóibín is Boston College's Lowell Humanities Series on Wednesday, February 22 at 7 p.m. at Gasson Hall on the Chestnut Hill campus.   His topic is “Writing Thomas Mann: Fact into Fiction."  Here is the full schedule of spring lectures . Born in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, Tóibín lived in Barcelona from 1975-1978; out of his experience he wrote The South and Homage to Barcelona. Among his more recent, award-winning novels are: The Magician; House of Names; Nora Webster; and The Testament of Mary. He is the author of short story collections, two plays staged in Dublin, the memoir A Guest at the Feast, and non-fiction books. A contributor to the New York Review of Books and contributing editor at the London Review of Books, Tóibín’s writing has been translated into many languages. He has taught writing at numerous universities and is currently Mellon Professor in the Department of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and c...

This St. Patrick's Day season, take a self-guided walk along  Boston's Irish Heritage Trail , a fascinating 3-mile journey through 300+ years of the city's illustrious Irish history. The trail introduces you to Irish poets, politicians and patriots along with Irish women, sculptors and scholars who have impacted Boston and beyond. You can pick up a free copy of the Irish Heritage Trail map at the Boston Common Visitor Information Center , run by Meet Boston . The map is included in the current issue of Travel & Culture magazine, published by the Boston Irish Tourism Association and also free to visitors. The trail starts at the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Garden along Boston’s waterfront, proceeds through Government Center to Downtown Crossing, Boston Common and Back Bay, and ends at Fenway Park in the Fens.  Of the 20 sites along the Trail, 17 are outdoor stops in public parks, city squares and other public spaces, along with Boston City Hall, the Massachusetts State H...

As New England prepares to welcome St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Heritage Month throughout March 2023, the Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has compiled a selection of fun, entertaining and educational ways to celebrate the region’s robust Irish community, from concerts , dances, exhibits and lectures to parades, heritage tours, road races and cultural events. Full details are available at irishmassachusetts.com The most popular annual celebrations, and a rite of spring in New England, are the St. Patrick’s Day parades taking place in a dozen cities and towns between March 11 and March 19, 2023. Parades on Cape Cod and Newport kick off the marching season on Saturday, March 11, and Holyoke, Scituate and Boston finish up on Sunday, March 19.  Throughout March, touring musicians, singers and dancers perform at concert halls and cultural venues, while exhibits and lectures are slated at John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, the John F. Kennedy Museum in Hyannis, Cape...

Photo Courtesy of the Holyoke St. Patrick's Road Race St. Patrick's Day and Irish Heritage Month are big deals in Massachusetts, with hundreds of parades, concerts and festivities throughout the Commonwealth. One great way to celebrate is to sign up for an Irish-themed road race or fun run in the Bay State.  It's a healthy way to usher in spring and prepare yourself for the festivities ahead!   The  Boston Irish Tourism Association  has compiled this selection of road races you'll enjoy running (or walking) to celebrate Ireland's patron saint.  On your marks! March 5, Sunday The 30th Annual Claddagh Pub 4 Mile Classic Road Race   Lawrence  March 12, Sunday Irish Clover Five-Miler   Dracut  March 18, Saturday St. Patrick’s Road Race + Two Mile Walk    Holyoke  March 18, Saturday St. Patrick's 5K Marshfield March 18, Saturday Shamrock Stampede 5K Plymouth March 19, Sunday St. Patrick’s Day Road Race  South Boston F...

The Quiet Girl , an Irish-language film that has been nominated for ‘Best International Film Feature’ at the upcoming Oscar Awards on March 12, 2023, is being released in the United States starting February 24. More than 60 theaters around the country are premiering the film, including 11 theaters throughout New England.  Filmed in Counties Meath and Dublin, the film is a quiet meditation on rural country life in Ireland and beautifully captures the nuances of farm life and small towns. The Irish language dimension of the film captures the essence of Ireland and its longstanding traditions of culture and heritage.  Here is the official trailer. Locations for The Quiet Girl in New England Massachusetts Amherst, MA - Amherst Cinema Arts Center 3/10/23 Boston, MA - AMC Boston Common 19, 3/2/23 Brookline, MA - Coolidge Corner Theatre - 3/3/23 Cambridge, MA - Landmark Kendall Square Cinema - 3/3/23 Dennis, MA - Cape Cinema - 3/10/23 Williamstown, MA - Images Cinema - 3/17/23 Co...

Newport, Rhode Island welcomes the 35th Annual  Winter Festival  on February 17 - 26, 2023, featuring 10 days of live music, foodie contests, kid-centric activities and more than 150 events.  Visit  Newport Winter Festival  website for full schedule.  Touted as New England's largest winter extravaganza, the Newport Winter Festival includes its renowned chili cook-off, hot drink contest, Burger Bender, and Polar Pineapples. Family entertainment includes illusionist David Garrity, the Toe Jam Puppet Band, Rainforest Reptile Show, plus, comedians and jugglers.  On Tuesday, February 21, children bring their favorite Teddy Bear and listen to musical storyteller Christopher ‘Kavi’ Carbone share captivating stories and songs of the wonders of winter, while having tea for adults and milk and cookies for children presented by the Newport Harbor Hotel. Festival bracelets are only $10 and provide over $500 in savings! Festival bracelets also provide discount...

South Boston Parade, Photo Courtesy of the Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes + Drums (February 15, 2023) - The   Boston Irish Tourism Association   has issued its Annual  Schedule of Saint Patrick's Day parades   taking place in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut in March 2023.   Attended by millions of residents and visitors, these annual parades honor the patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick, while also celebrating the arrival of spring.    The parades are also part of Irish Heritage Month celebrations taking place in Ireland, the United States and Canada and in dozens of countries around the world.  The US Census reports that the New England region has the highest percentile of residents claiming Irish ancestry in the United States.  Here is the schedule to date. Check back for updates and new entries at  IrishMassachusetts.com . Cape Cod, MA/ Saturday, March 11 at 11 a.m.   Hartford, CT/ Saturday, M...

Image courtesy of Tourism Ireland Film fans from around the world know Ireland’s reputation as a favorite film location for numerous feature films, documentaries, shorts and television series.    From classic films like The Quiet Man and Ryan’s Daughter to modern hits like Star Wars and Game of Thrones and the television series Derry Girls. Ireland’s distinctive scenery, famous hospitality and bevy of fine actors and actresses, make it an ideal place for producers and directors.   These films are great for the tourism industry since they remind visitors from North America and elsewhere of Ireland’s breath-taking locations of historic and natural beauty.   Ireland’s own film industry has burgeoned in recent years too and is now poised to take center stage at the 2023 Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars. This year’s event takes place on March 12 in Hollywood and has generated great excitement in Ireland.  According to the LA Times, “a quarter of this y...

The New England region has the most residents claiming Irish ancestry in the United States by percentage, according to information released by the U.S. Census.  New Hampshire is the leading state, with 20.2% of all residents designated as Irish, with Massachusetts a close second with 19.8% of residents.  Closing out the top five are Rhode Island (17.6%), Vermont (17.0%) and Maine (16.6%).  Across the country, 31.5 million, or 9.5% of the population in the United States, claims Irish ancestry, notes the US Census in its latest report. The number of foreign-born US residents who reported Ireland as their birthplace was 118, 539, according to 2021 figures.  According to Boston.com , Plymouth County has the second-highest percentage of Irish descendants in the US, at 30.1%. Barnstable County on Cape Cod is ranked fourth with Irish descendants at 26.5% while Norfolk County comes in sixth with 25.6%. Middlesex County has 19.4% of residents claiming Irish ancestry, and "has...

The Massachusetts Marketing Partnership (MMP) has named Jere Shea as the new Director of the  Massachusetts Film Office . He replaces longtime director  Lisa Strout , who ran the Office from 2011 until her retirement in fall 2022. Shea has been serving as acting director since then. “We are delighted to fill this important position with Jere Shea, whose experience in the film industry and state government is invaluable to continuing Lisa’s extraordinary work over the past decade,” said Executive Director Keiko M. Orrall of the  Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism . “Massachusetts continues to beckon film studios and film producers from across the country, and we want that interest to grow in the years ahead.” “It’s an honor to serve the Commonwealth in support of the Massachusetts film and television industry,” said Shea. “It’s no coincidence that so many great films and tv shows have been made here. We have the talent, the training, the experienced crew base and c...