Irish Massachusetts

New Englanders love to usher in the New Year with outdoor activities that welcome winter!   The annual plunge along the New England coast every New Year's Day has been a fun and thrilling regional tradition for over a century, having its roots in South Boston, while the First Day hike is a more recent tradition started in 1992 in Milton, MA.   Here are few ideas for getting out and about on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.   Enjoy! FIRST DAY SWIMS   Courtesy of Discover Newport Newport Polar Bear Plunge Easton's Beach 175 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI Noon | 401-846-0028 |  discovernewport.org Celebrate the New Year with a plunge into the waters at Easton’s Beach. The Newport Polar Bears invite anyone crazy enough to join them for a swim in the Frosty North Atlantic Ocean. The charity this year is  A Wish Come True, which receive all proceeds from the swim and the after-swim-party at the Atlantic Beach Club at the east end of Easton's Beach. Courtesy of Boston...

Photo: James Higgins Congratulations to the recipients of the 2024 Irish and Irish-American Business 100 , selected annually by Irish America Magazine , a national publication based in New York City. An event honoring the recipients was held on Monday, December 16, 2024 at the Metropolitan Club near Central Park. The magazine's co-publishers, Niall O'Dowd and Patricia Harty, served as masters of ceremony, and Mary Cucinell, VP of marketing and operations, organized the evening events for more than 300 guests, who came from across the US and from Ireland.  Keynote speakers were Managing Director and Head of Abbey Capital (US) Helen Doody and Vice President of BNY Global Financial Services Brian Ruane.  Ten business leaders from greater Boston were represented in the Business 100 in 2024, including: Jim Brett, President and CEO of the New England Council Sharon Cunningham, President & CEO of VICO Infrastructure Company  Kathleen McQuade Ellmore, Co-Founder an...

Congratulations to Tim Cahill, who has been named the new president and CEO of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce , the region’s largest chamber, effective January 1, 2025.  The Chamber serves more than 1,100 members over 25 communities in the South Shore region. He replaces Peter Forman, who is leaving the chamber after 20 years of service on December 31, 2024. See full press release here. Cahill, a resident of Quincy, has had a successful political career, serving as treasurer of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2011.  He was Norfolk County Treasurer for six years and a member of the Quincy City Council for 16 years.  Since July 2017, Cahill has served as president and executive director of the Quincy Chamber of Commerce, representing 500+ commercial, retail and small businesses.  He was concurrently executive director of the Quincy Economic Development Corporation. During his tenure at Quincy Chamber, Cahill in 2018 established a lasting connection with the Cork...

U.S. Ambassador Cronin with students at Scoil Eoghain in Moville, Co. Donegal, in May 2024.  For the Irish American Partnership, the future of Ireland is all about its youth.   The belief that Ireland’s future is all about its youth was on full display this fall when the Irish American Partnership (IAP) distributed $600,000 in grants to primary schools, universities, and community groups over a three-day Leadership Mission to Ireland. This year, the Partnership focused particularly on rural schools in counties Galway and Mayo. The grants brought the Partnership’s year-to-date funding for Ireland to over $2.5 million. In addition to targeted grants to primary schools through the O’Neill Schools Grants Program, monies were distributed to Atlantic Technological University Mayo campus in Castlebar, University of Galway, Druid Theatre, and The Mary Robinson Centre in Ballina. Partnership President and CEO Mary Sugrue said the Leadership trip “allowed us to evaluate our funding and ...

Hancock-Adams Common, Downtown Quincy December is a magical month in the City of Quincy, MA, where the spirit of Christmas and holiday festivities is everywhere. All through the month,  enjoy the holiday lights displays and colorful Christmas trees at Hancock-Adams Common in the city center.  A few blocks down Hancock Street, the Generals Bridge and Park also has a colorful light display and Christmas tree that sparkles. Quincy Welcome Center On Saturday, December 14, check out the Quincy Welcome Center at 259 Hancock Street between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.  to shop for holiday gifts and Quincy-themed merchandise.  Nearby, don't miss Santa's Mailbox on Hancock-Adams Common, where kids can drop off letters to Santa Claus.   The Marina Bay Holiday Market takes place Sunday, December 15 from noon to 4 p.m. with lots of gift ideas from local vendors and shops along the marina, which is encapsulated by beautiful Christmas lights overlooking the Bay.  Kids can take pho...

Celtic Woman Traveling around New England for the holidays?  Here are some places to enjoy live Christmas, Irish and Celtic music in local concert halls and churches.  Happy Christmas.  Nutcracker Ballet at Rosecliff, Photo Credit: Island Moving Company Newport, Rhode Island  celebrates Christmas all month long with caroling in the streets, concerts and dance recitals in the grand mansions, and plenty of dining and hotel specials. On December 14 the Museum of Newport Irish History holds its annual Christmas Open House with music, food and Celtic-style, made-in-Rhode-Island Christmas ornaments for sale. Quincy Choral Society In Quincy , the Quincy Choral Society performs The Messiah at Wollaston Church on December 15. In Quincy’s city center, the Hancock Adams Common holds a religious gathering with sacred music at the Creche on December 15 and a Menorah Lighting on December 26. In Milton , the Eustis Estate holds its Holiday Cheer event on December 19, with live musi...

Marina Bay.  Photo: Discover Quincy  Quincy, Massachusetts has become the go-to place for thousands of Irish expats who have settled in the Boston area over the past 25 years.   With beautiful outdoor amenities plus plenty of history, culture, and ethnic cuisine, this coastal city of 100,000 residents offers a less expensive, more expansive lifestyle for Irish and like-minded immigrant groups seeking a mid-sized alternative to congested Boston.  Mayor Thomas Koch says Quincy is proud of its “27 miles of coastline and beaches, acres of beautiful parks, the most interesting and diverse dining scene outside of Boston, rock-climbing and hiking at the Blue Hills Reservation, and world-class golf courses.” The rugged coastline and multicultural dining especially resonate with Ballyshannon native, Seamus ‘Slim’ Langan, a musician with the popular band Devri who also does solo gigs around Boston.  “What I like about Quincy is how close I am to the water, as I come ...

The Boston Celtics hoist the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on Monday, June 17, 2024 Photo courtesy of the NBA Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for hoisting Banner 18 at the rafters at TD Garden. It was an incredible season and here’s to the quest for Banner 19 in 2025!   The Larry O’Brien trophy was presented courtside at TD Garden to the Boston Celtics organization by NBA Commission Adam Silver on Monday, June 17, the night the Celtics became the coveted NBA champions.  And on Friday, June 21, the 25.5″ inch-tall, 30-pound trophy was hoisted by Celtics star Jason Tatum along the three-mile victory parade route, attended by more than one million people. Many basketball fans are wondering, who is Larry O’Brien, for whom the National Basketball Association (NBA) Championship Trophy is named. Here is a quick sketch of Mr. O’Brien. The Kennedy Connection Larry O'Brien, 1961, Courtesy of JFK Library Lawrence Francis O’Brien (1917-1990) was born in Springfield, Massachuse...

  The Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston has abundant reasons to be joyful this holiday season, as it celebrates an important milestone. In 1989, a group of Irish and Irish-Americans came together to discuss a year-round headquarters for Irish culture in greater Boston and New England.  After a decade of fundraising, scouting for and then purchasing land in the Town of Canton, the group enlisted hundreds of volunteers, who pitched in on weekends and after work to clear the land and build the facility.  On October 17, 1999, the Irish Cultural Centre officially opened its doors. This 25th anniversary milestone is being celebrated on December 14 at the Centre’s Annual Open House, when members will congregate to reflect upon their remarkable journey. Since 1999, the Centre has blossomed as a dynamic and vibrant cultural hub for the Irish community, offering year-round programs in education, entertainment and sports, celebrating holidays from St. Patrick’s Day to Christma...

  Photo courtesy of Boston Irish Tourism The City of Quincy , led by Mayor Tom Koch , kicked off a colorful and joyful holiday season this weekend as city officials, neighborhood groups, cultural organizations and tourism advocates rolled out three vibrant days of festivities over the weekend. Photo courtesy of Boston Irish Tourism It began on Friday, November 29, with the annual Christmas Tree lighting on Hancock Adams Common. The spectacle featured a musical performance by award-winning singer Michelle Brooks Thompson . Other entertainments at the tree lighting include stilt walkers, jugglers, fire shows and Victorian carolers. The City of Quincy offered free popcorn, apple cider donuts, coffee and hot chocolate, while Montilio's Bakery offered pizza and desserts. A giant screen played favorite holiday movies throughout the event. Photo courtesy of Boston Irish Tourism The Quincy Chamber of Commerce's   Kilroy Square Holiday Market  on Cottage Street had hundreds of a...