Irish Massachusetts

This year's  Newport Restaurant Week  in Newport, Rhode Island takes place from November 3-12, 2024, with incredible opportunities to enjoy culinary delights at affordable prices.  More than 60 restaurants in Newport and nearby Middletown, Jamestown, Portsmouth, Bristol and Tiverton are participating in this year's Restaurant Week, offering prix-mixe menus, gift cards promotions and BOGO deals.   First debuted in 2006, Newport Restaurant Week has become one New England's most popular annual events for visitors who love good food, ambiance and pricing.   In addition to the extraordinary cuisine, visitors come to Newport for its coastal beauty, historical destinations and cultural amenities. Read more about Newport here .   For year-round information on visiting Newport, go to DiscoverNewport.org   

  On Sunday, October 29 at 2 p.m. renowned scholar, research and writer  Padraig O'Malley discusses his new book, Perils and Prospects of a United Ireland at the Scituate Public Library, 85 Branch Street, Scituate, MA 02066.  The event is  sponsored by the Eire Society of Boston . Based at the McCormack Graduate School of Public Policy at University of Massachusetts in Boston, where he holds the Joe Moakley Chair of Peace and Reconciliation, O'Malley is a leading expert on reconciliation between feuding factions, in Northern Ireland, South Africa, the Middle East, Central America and elsewhere around the world.    In his new book, O'Malley interviewed 97 political leaders, academics and political influencers, focusing on the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Good Friday Agreement, Brexit, Unionism and Nationalism, as well as the economics of reunification or continued partition, and the wide range of Northern Irish identities. Read the book review from the Boston Irish Touri

(Source: JetBlue Press Release) JetBlue today announced a "Celtic Combo" for American travelers, featuring two highly popular transatlantic destinations, Dublin, Ireland and Edinburgh, Scotland, beginning March 2024.  Read full press release .  Daily seasonal service from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to Dublin Airport (DUB) begins March 13, 2024, and continues through September 30, 2024.   Additionally, JetBlue is running the daily service from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Dublin Airport, running March 13 through September 30, and to Edinburgh Airport (EDI), running from May 22, 2024 through September 30, 2024.  These new destinations mark JetBlue’s fourth and fifth transatlantic markets. The award-winning carrier currently offers daily nonstop service to London, Paris and Amsterdam from New York and London and Amsterdam from Boston. “The success of our transatlantic service proves customers don’t have to choose between great service

Today, Global travel authority Lonely Planet unveiled its annual  Best in Travel 2024 , a hotlist of trending destinations for the coming year, including County Donegal on the west coast of Ireland and other iconic places to visit.  To mark its 50th anniversary, this year's Best of Travel has expanded from the top 10 best cities, countries, and regions to include two new categories -  best value and best sustainable destinations - for a total of 50 locations across the globe offering amazing experiences to enjoy in 2024. Read the Press Release here . "Our picks for this year seek to both inspire and follow the instincts of 2024's traveller," said Executive Editor Nitya Chamber.  "Best in Travel is Lonely Planet's heart and soul of travel inspiration, responding to the enthusiasm of travelers who want to explore the world in a way that is authentic, led by local guidance and has sustainable values at its core. With new takes on iconic destinations and 50 fresh

Four-star Killeavy Castle Estate in County Armagh has won the prestigious AA Hotel of the Year in Northern Ireland. The AA Hospitality Awards are a symbol of excellence in the UK's hospitality industry, recognising outstanding establishments across various categories in the sector, seeking out and celebrating the very best in hospitality across Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Killeavy Castle Estate was built in the nineteenth century and opened in 2019 as a hotel after massive refurbishment and investment. The secluded country estate includes the renovated Killeavy Castle, a hotel complex with bar, restaurant, spa facilities, a walled garden and a self-catering gate lodge all located in 365 acres of gorgeous woods and farmlands in the stunning Slieve Gullion area. The AA Hospitality Awards inspector commended the hotel on how the original coach house and mill blend seamlessly into the newer locations and on the relaxed nature of dining with its focus on local produce.

On Saturday, October 28, at 3 p.m,  Blackstone River Theatre presents The Music of Jimmy Devine , a special concert in honor of one of Rhode Island's most beloved Irish traditional musicians.   Admission is $15  and goes toward the newly established Jimmy Devine Scholarship Fund, which will provide fiddle classes and lessons by well-known Irish fiddlers, including former students of Jimmy including Tina Lech and Sarah Blair.  The concert features a number of Jimmy's musical colleagues and friends, including Mark Roberts, Teddi Scobi, Patrick Hutchinson, Benedict Gagliardi, Armand Aromin, Sarah Blair, Tina Lech, Mance Grady, Bob Drouin and Alan Bradbury. Hannah Devine, Jimmy’s daughter, is also performing.  The concert features music that Jimmy composed as well as some of the tunes he loved to play.  Joining the musicians are hey step dancers Kevin and Maureen Doyle. Born in New York to Irish immigrant parents, Jimmy Devine was a positive force in Irish traditional music through

  Congratulations to Mary M. Lynch, who has just been named Grand Marshal of the 2024 Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade, taking place on Sunday, March 17, 2024. The Holyoke native grew up with her 10 siblings on Linden Street,to the late Raymond and Mary Feyre. She owes her love and appreciation of her Irish heritage to her Mother and is blessed to have traveled to Ireland numerous times with her mother, siblings, children and nieces. “Mary Lynch is most deserving of this esteemed honor,” said Parade President Hayley Dunn. “Not only has she served on nearly every subcommittee, but she has held several leadership roles and is instrumental in the overall success of the Parade. Her calm and friendly demeanor has welcomed many new members and all look to her guidance each Parade weekend. Mary’s love of heritage, family, education and community makes her the perfect choice for Grand Marshal. I am thrilled to have Mary Feyre Lynch lead the 71st Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade on March 17, 2024.”

The sparkling Lú Festival of Light  in Drogheda, County Louth, Ireland is taking place during the Halloween season over two long weekends this year, October 27-31 and November 2-4, 2023. The free festival features a magical mix of lights, color and sound to illustrate the myths and legends from Ireland’s mythological past, including the legends  of Boann, the Salmon of Knowledge, Amergin, the Gods of Newgrange and more. The light display illuminates Drogheda’s Old Abbey, St Peters Church, St Dominic’s Bridge, the former Methodist Church garden and St Laurence’s Gate.  The festival features an array of on-street performances including stilt walkers, face painters and fire breathers, together with cafes, bars and restaurants in the area staying open late. There is also a family-fun area with a Viking Encampment at the Old Abbey carpark. Drogheda, gateway to the Boyne Valley was one of the first settlements in Ireland’s Ancient East and is home to many of Ireland’s ancient tales. The Bo

  The 4th Annual Boston Irish Beer Festival is coming to the Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston in Canton, MA on Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.. Parking is free. Tickets to the event are available online or at the event. Children under 12 go free. The all-day event on the Centre's 46 acre campus features live music and singing, children's activities,  beer tastings, and family fun that highlight Irish culture and heritage.  Children's activities include face painting and  arts and crafts. The festival also features a thrilling Viking show, where attendees witness exciting reenactments of ancient legendary warriors. Participants can also test their archery skills with bow and arrow. The popular mascots from the New England Revolution and The Battalion will also make an appearance. The main attraction of the day is the variety of breweries offering tastings of their finest brews, including authentic Irish ales and stouts, local craft brews, and u

Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today celebrated the upgrade and expansion of Terminal E, the airport’s international terminal at Boston Logan International Airport, and also marked the airport's 100-year anniversary with a new exhibit.  Read press release . The improvements were made in part thanks to a $62 million grant by the FAA as a part of the new Airport Terminal Program.  The grant was announced in September 2022 when President Joe Biden joined the Massachusetts congressional delegation and airport officials to celebrate the funding.  Along with four new gates at Terminal E, improvements include a new, state-of-the-art TSA 7-lane security checkpoints; an expanded Arrivals Level curb; expanded ticketing area; 100,000+ sq. footage of modern hold room and concession space; enhanced outbound baggage handling system and baggage claim capacity; and advanced amenities and diversified seating options to enhance the passenger experience. Once through the new security checkp

Looking for a unique way to celebrate Halloween in New England this year? Make your way down to Newport, RI, the beautiful coastal city, where you can enjoy ghost tours, a candlelight walk, film screenings and visits to the mansions and museums.  Discover Newport has put together these suggestions for making the most of Halloween this year:  Halloween Movies at Jane Pickens Theater Ghost Tours A Coggeshall Halloween Halloween Youth Celebration by L.E.A.D In Search of Tzotz Film Screening with Jason Jaacks The Candlelight Walk with Ghosts Tour Halloween Art Pop Up at Rejects Beer Co. Night at the Mansion Halloween Haunt Cabinet of Curiosities: A Night at The Mansion Midnight in the Garden ACT II Cars + Coffee: Trunk or Treat Find more information about visiting Newport any time of year. 

  The well-traveled readers of Condé Nast Traveler, a premier magazine for intrepid tourists, has named Ireland as the friendliest country in Europe for 2023 . Ireland, which scored 94.5 out of 100,  bested other European nations like Denmark,  Portugal, Iceland, Romania and Norway.  In its introduction to the awards, Conde-Nast writes, "I t is a fact unspoken that one of the most essential ingredients in the recipe for a memorable holiday is the people we meet along the way. Friendly locals who extend a warm welcome and are keen to help you fall in love with their home just as they have can turn an average escape into an unforgettable one. Here, as voted for by you in our Readers' Choice Awards 2023, are the  friendliest  countries across Europe – where an open-armed reception is always on the itinerary." Here is the Conde-Nast description of Ireland:  "Countless global reports have continually dubbed the people of  Ireland  as some of the friendliest and most welco

FIQ!   by Groupe Acrobatique de Tanger The internationally renowned  Belfast International Arts Festival  (BIAF) returns to the world stage on October 12 to November 5, 2023, in more than 30 venues across the city.     The festival features an eclectic program of events that include leading artists, writers, thinkers and cultural observers.  This year the festival opens simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic with Cahoots NI performing  The Vanishing Elephant  at the New Victory Theatre on Broadway in New York, while Gary Mitchell’s new play,  Burnt Out,  is staged at Belfast’s Lyric Theatre.   City of Belfast The festival’s signature events include  An Evening with The Belfast Ensemble and Marc Almond , a special two-part event that sees the ensemble joined by Canadian soprano Rebecca Caine in the first half to perform music from the award-winning  Abomination: A DUP Opera , and international pop icon Marc Almond in the second to perform the multi-award-winning song cycle,  Ten P

Boston’s  Edward L. Logan International Airport  was named for General Edward L. Logan (1875-1939), a first generation Irish-American, military leader, civic leader and municipal judge with family roots in Ballygar, Galway and South Boston. Edward was the oldest of nine children of Lawrence and Catherine (O’Connor), according to the late Michael Cummings of Milton, an expert on the Logan Family. Edward’s father Lawrence immigrated to Boston from Ballygar, County Galway, in 1858, and became a successful businessman at a young age when he became president of the Boston Brewing Company in South Boston. The family resided at 560 East Broadway in South Boston. In 1898 during his senior year at Harvard University Logan enlisted in the 9th Irish Regiment of Massachusetts when the Spanish American War broke out in Cuba, joining his father Lawrence, who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the regiment. Edward stayed stateside at Camp Dewey in Framingham taking charge of reenlistment, while the regiment

Illustration by Leonard Everett Fisher The annual memorial mass to commemorate the Brig St. John takes place on Sunday, October 8, at 1 p.m., at St. Anthony's Parish Church in Cohasset, Massachusetts, followed by a wreath-laying and dedication ceremony at nearby Cohasset Central Cemetery.  The event is organized by the Plymouth chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which placed the original 16 foot Celtic Cross at the cemetery on May 30, 1914.   Dr. Catherine Shannon is giving the keynote speech, and Father Michael McNamara is celebrating the mass.  Music is being presented by bagpiper Paul Boyle and by Gaelic singer Mairin Ui Cheide.    The event recalls the tragic ship wreck of the Brig St. John on October 7, 1849, off the coast of Cohasset as 127 Irish famine refugees, along with a crew of 16 sailors, were trying to come ashore in the middle of a violent storm.  The boat was destroyed on the rocks and the majority of people on board drowned. Read more about the incident h