Irish Massachusetts

(November 29, 2023) -- Today the Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) released its 2023-2024 winter 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 online digital magazine here . This issue details Christmas holiday activities throughout New England in  December , from Rockport, MA to Newport, RI, plus special events at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton and the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI.  Ideas for Christmas shopping, including the new Irish collection at the Museum Store at the JFK Library in Boston, are also included. Throughout the winter, upcoming concerts and special events are featured and leading up to Irish Heritage Month next March , including the New England parade schedule and a profile of the famous Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day parade. A story on Boston Logan Airport’s newly renovated

  (November 17, 2023).  The Boston Irish Tourism Association  (BITA) has issued its annual schedule of St. Patrick's Day parades throughout New England.  The 2024 parade calendar runs from March 9 through March 24 in 11 cites across the region, as part of the nation's celebration of Irish Heritage Month each year.   BITA will continue to update the schedule as more cities and towns finalize their dates.  According to 2020 data recently released by the US Census Bureau , New England is the most Irish region in the nation, based on the percentage of residents who claim Irish ancestry.  For example, 28.2% of all  Massachusetts residents , or 1.521, 205 million people, claim some level of Irish ancestry, according to the latest report.  New England's Irish community has been celebrating St. Patrick's Day for centuries, starting as early as 1737, when the newly formed Charitable Irish Society held a procession on Tremont Street in Boston.  The parades quickly became a way t

Bridget's -An Irish Tradition gift shop in Norton, Massachusetts, presents a dazzling pre-holiday showcase of Irish made jewelry from Solvar Jewellers of Dublin, Ireland from Noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 11, 2023.  For holiday shoppers,  it is a perfect chance to meet the expert, view rare pieces and place timely special orders.   Bridget's is also holding a free raffle for the chance to win a stunning sterling silver pendant. In addition, Bridget's is offering light refreshments, complimentary gift wrapping, special weekend discounts, free gifts with purchase and more. Formed in 1987 by Bridget Daly and her daughter Lorraine Ryan, Bridget - An Irish Tradition carries a full inventory of high-quality, hand-made clothing from Ireland and a variety of other Irish products including jewelry, gift items and food. The gift shop has been an integral part of the Irish-American community in Massachusetts for nearly four decades.  Read more about Lorraine and Bridget . Bri

  The Dublin Book Festival takes place on November 8-12, 2024 in bookstores, libraries, cultural institutions and schools throughout Ireland's capital city. Founded in June 2006, the annual festival highlights Irish publishing by featuring books published in Ireland, their authors, editors and contributors. More than 80 events are taking place over the five day festival. Here is complete schedule of events . According to the organizers, The Printworks at Dublin Castle is the primary hub of the festival, where authors, publishers and audiences mingle over the weekend. The Winter Garden is a space where audiences gather to relax and read, browse the bookshop, enjoy the café and meet authors at book signings. Dublin is the fourth city in the world recognized by UNESCO as a City of Literature. Read details . Dublin Book Festival is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and various other government entities, tourism and cultural groups. See sponsors here. If you haven't been

National Geographic Traveler in the UK has chosen two iconic places on the island of Ireland - the city of Belfast and the Wild Atlantic Way - as among the 30 coolest destinations of 2024. Writers Rory Goulding and Connor McGovern note, "Ahead of the new year, we’ve crossed the world to find the 30 most exciting destinations for 2024. With landmark hotels opening, ambitious rewilding projects under way and new train routes making travel easier than ever, there’s a lot to choose from for your next trip." Read the entire story here , and the article's description of Belfast and Wild Atlantic Way below.  Belfast City Hall, Photo Courtesy of Discover Northern Ireland   Belfast, Northern Ireland A long-promised year of culture comes to the home of the Titanic If city pride in Belfast is like a flower that’s managed to grow in difficult soil, then 2024 should see a super-bloom thanks to the Northern Irish capital’s year of culture. It’s been years in the making — the 2010s saw