Irish Massachusetts

Three Catholic immigrants whose military and naval valor helped win the Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783 have been honored with public memorials by the City of Boston.  The three memorials pay homage to Ireland's John Barry, Poland's Tadeusz Kościuszko and France's Marquis de Lafayette, and are located close to each other in two iconic downtown parks, the Boston Common and adjoining Boston Public Garden.  All three were unveiled in the 20th century.    John Barry, Ireland Born on March 25, 1745 in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland, Barry emigrated to Philadelphia at age 15 and became a successful maritime merchant.  When the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, Barry immediately contacted George Washington and volunteered to serve on the colonial side. In March, 1776, Barry was commissioned to command the ship USS Brig Lexington and a month later, in April, 1776, the Lexington captured the British ship Edward, marking the first American naval...

The  JFK Hyannis Museum  on Cape Cod is pleased to feature the 1962 documentary, "A Tour of the White  House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy ," during the month of February, 2026. The film chronicles the First Lady's extensive restoration project, which sought to restore the building’s historical integrity using period-appropriate furnishings and artifacts.  Originally broadcast on February 14, 1962, the program provided unprecedented public access to the residence and remains one of the most-watched specials in television  history. Mrs. Kennedy’s dedication to preservation not only professionalized the management of White House collections but also earned her a prestigious Trustees Award . Located at 97 Main Street in Hyannis on Cape Cod,  t he JFK Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout February. PM  

  Thomas E. McGrath, president of the South Boston Citizens’ Association , shares the following update on plans for the 250th anniversary of Evacuation Day on March 17, 2026 at Dorchester Heights in South Boston. "The day will begin with the Evacuation Day Mass at St. Augustine Chapel at 9:00 a.m..Following the Mass, wreaths will be laid in honor of the first Chief Marshal of the Evacuation Day/St. Patrick’s Day Parade, as well as Officer Barney McGinniskin, who was the first Irish-born officer on record to serve in the United States in 1851, the year he joined the Boston Police Department. "Immediately after the wreath-laying ceremonies, we will join the procession mustering at the Boys & Girls Club. The procession will proceed along Mercer Street, up Telegraph Street, and into Dorchester Heights for the 250th Anniversary Evacuation Day ceremony and the rededication of the Dorchester Heights Monument. "The plan includes a tented event at Dorchester Heights, along wi...

First organized on November 5, 1871, the   Rev. James T. O’Reilly OSA Division Eight of the Ancient Order of Hibernians has been promoting Irish culture and heritage in Essex County, MA ever since. Its annual Irish Heritage Month each March offers a spectrum of Irish music and dance, lectures, exhibits, and social gatherings.   Here is the 2026 schedule.   Sunday, March 1, 2026  “AN AFTERNOON OF IRISH MUSIC WITH BRIAN CORCORAN”   Lawrence Heritage State Park Visitors Center, 1 Jackson St, Lawrence, MA @ 2 pm.  Monday, March 2, 2026   IRISH FLAG RAISING Across from City Hall – Common St. @11 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2026  154th SAINT PATRICK’S DAY BANQUET AND DANCE  Lawrence Lodge of Elks, 652 Andover Street, Lawrence, MA. 6 pm – 11 pm  Sunday, March 8, 2025  OPENING of the EXHIBIT - "THE PEMBERTON MILL: THE WORST INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT IN MASSACHUSETTS HISTORY” Lawrence Heritage State Park Visitors Center, 1 Jackson St, Lawrence, M...

On February 1st each year, Ireland celebrates the extraordinary life of St Brigid, Ireland's matron saint and beloved figure who bridged the Celtic and Christian traditions of the island in the 5th century.    She shares a name with Brigit, a Celtic goddess from whom many legends and folk customs are associated. Born around 451 A.D. in Ireland, Brigid's life straddled the transition between pre-Christian Celtic beliefs and Christianity.  She is patroness of poetry, learning, healing, protection, blacksmithing, livestock and dairy production. The Book of Lismore, a 15th century Gaelic manuscript of religious material relating to Ireland's saints, writes this about St. Brigid:  "For this was Brigid's desire: to satisfy, the poor; to expel every hardship; to relieve every misery. Now never hath there been one more bashful, modest, gentle, humble, more sage, more harmonious than Brigid. She is the Prophetess of Christ; she is Queen of the South; she is the Mary of the ...