Mass Convention Center Authority CEO Marcel Vernon Joins FIFA World Cup 26 Boston Honorary Board

October 15, 2025

Boston 26, a non-profit organization responsible for FIFA World Cup 26 tournament preparations and celebrations in the Boston region, has welcomed Massachusetts Convention Center Authority CEO Marcel Vernon, Sr. to the FIFA World Cup™ Boston 26 Honorary Board. “Marcel’s leadership and decades of experience in Boston’s convention and tourism landscape aligns perfectly with our mission to create…

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A Project to Restore John Barry’s Bronze Plaque in Boston

October 8, 2025

Since uncovering a missing bronze plaque to Commodore John Barry, tucked away in a Charlestown Navy Yard warehouse since 1981, we have been working with the Boston Art Commission and Boston National Historical Park for approval to refurbish the damaged bronze and find a suitable public setting for it in the Navy Yard in 2026,…

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Kevin White, Boston’s Larger-Than-Life Mayor

September 25, 2025

Kevin Hagan White, one of Boston’s most beloved and impactful mayors of the 20th century, was born on September 25, 1929 in Boston, the son of Irish-Catholic parents Joseph White and Patricia Hagan. He was raised in Jamaica Plain. Born into a political family – both of his grandfathers were well-known politicians – White followed…

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Belfast’s ‘Friendship Four’ Collegiate Hockey Supporters Gather in Boston to Mark 10-Year Anniversary + Announce 2026-28 Lineup

September 23, 2025

Government officials, collegiate hockey representatives and tourism officials gathered at the Massachusetts State House in Boston today to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Friendship Four ice hockey tournaments in Belfast, Northern Ireland and to announce upcoming schedules for 2026, 2027 and 2028. Launched in 2015, the Friendship Four is the first and only…

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The Quincy Ferry Offers a Delightful Ride across Boston Harbor

September 21, 2025

This summer we hopped on the MBTA’s Ferry Service in Marina Bay, Quincy and took a memorable trek across Boston Harbor. The boat was filled with local residents and commuters. And we met tourists from around the world who had discovered the MBTA ferry, a hidden gem for visitors seeking a special experience on their…

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The 71st Annual Galway International Oyster + Seafood Festival returns September 26-28, 2025

September 8, 2025

 The 71st Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival returns September 26-28, 2025 with a vibrant new citywide format. This year, the festival brings Galway’s world-famous oyster celebrations together with Galway Docklands Festival – a dedicated maritime zone showcasing the city’s seafaring traditions, family fun, and waterfront experiences. From the Latin Quarter to the Docklands, Galway…

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The Original Boston Celtics

September 8, 2025
Major General John Sullivan

In the early 18th century, Irish and Scottish settlers began infiltrating Boston’s solidly Puritan stock, coming by the boatload as congregations, or as stragglers wandering up from New York or down from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Long before basketball was invented, these were the original Boston Celtics! The wave of immigration from the island of Ireland…

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Ireland Gets Spooky

September 1, 2025
ireland, puca festival

Did you know that Halloween began in Ireland? The annual tradition originated centuries ago, when  Ireland’s ancient Celts celebrated October 31 as Samhain, when spirits could visit the real world. The tradition eventually turned into Halloween, which is now celebrated throughout Europe and North America. DERRY HALLOWEENOctober 28-31 Derry Halloween is a dazzling street celebration…

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Cillian Murphy’s New Film, Steve, Premiers at ‘Sounds from a Safe Harbor’ Festival in Cork City, September 11-14

August 16, 2025

Sounds from a Safe Harbor, a biennial festival of music, dance, art, theatre and conversation, takes place on September 11-14, 2025 in Cork City, Ireland.   The festival was co-founded by Irish movie actor Cillian Murphy, who recently portrayed the “father of the atomic bomb” in the hit film Oppenheimer.  In addition to his acting talents, Murphy is also…

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Boston Irish in the American Revolution

August 13, 2025

During the American Revolution, Irish and Scots-Irish immigrants from New England played a pivotal role in helping to win the Revolutionary War. The Boston Irish Heritage Trail gives a glimpse of these Revolutionary Irish heroes through landmarks on Boston Common, the Massachusetts State House, Granary Burying Ground, Copley Square Park, Bunker Hill Monument and Dorchester…

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Massport – Going Above and Beyond

August 12, 2025
Cruiseship in port at Flynn Cruiseport Boston

“Going Above and Beyond” is the credo at Boston’s Logan International Airport, says Massport CEO Rich Davey, who adds that this continual quest for excellence applies across all of Massport’s properties. With a revenue of over $1.25 billion, Massport’s mission is to connect Massachusetts and New England to the world and further the Commonwealth’s economic, transportation…

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Nativist Boston Mob Burns Down Ursuline Convent in Charlestown on August 11, 1834

August 11, 2025

On August 11, 1834, the Ursuline Convent in Charlestown, Massachusetts, a Catholic-run boarding school for girls of all denominations, was set afire by workmen furious about the growing presence of Irish Catholics in the town.  About a dozen frightened nuns and some 57 young female boarding students, still in their nightclothes, rushed from their beds…

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John Boyle O’Reilly, Boston’s Beloved Irish Immigrant

August 10, 2025

John Boyle O’Reilly, the famous Irish rebel who lived in Boston from 1870 until his death, died suddenly at his home in Hull, Massachusetts on August 10, 1890, from an accidental overdose of medication.  He left behind his wife Mary (Murphy), four daughters, Mary, Elizabeth, Agnes and Blainid, and legions of friends, colleagues and admirers around the world. He was 46. His…

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Greater Merrimack Valley CVB is Renamed Revolutionary Valley

August 9, 2025
Revolutionary Valley

The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitor’s (GMV CVB) Bureau, one of the 16 designated tourism districts in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, recently announced a new name for the organization and new branding in June, 2025. The Greater Merrimack Valley CVB is henceforth known as ‘Revolutionary Valley.’ GMV CVB was first formed in 1992 in…

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The Revolutionary Irish and Scots-Irish in New England

August 1, 2025

When the American Revolution erupted in June, 1775, the Irish and Scots-Irish living in New England quickly joined the colonial side to fight for American independence. After all, they knew sometime about revolution, and about meeting the British in battle. Here are a few of their names.  Major General John Sullivan was the son of…

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Immigrant Patrick Keely, Pioneering Architect of American Cathedrals

August 1, 2025

Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, Photo by Elkus Manfredi Patrick C. Keely (1816-1896), regarded as one of the great neo-Gothic church architects of the 19th century, designed more than 600 churches and 16 cathedrals throughout the United States between 1846-1896.  Born in Thurles, County Tipperary on August 9, 1816, Keely was the son…

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