In 2025, Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) celebrates its 25th anniversary as a distinctive cultural tourism organization that promotes culture…
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A cool way to experience Ireland is to ‘settle yourself,’ a common Irish phrase that means to get your bearings…
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Photo of Eugene O’Neill, courtesy of PBS, An American Experience Eugene O’Neill, one of the great American playwrights and winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, was born in a hotel on October 16, 1888 in New York City to parents Ella Quinlan and Irish actor James O’Neill. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in…
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Photo Courtesy of New York Public Library Archives Louis Sullivan, regarded as the Father of American Architecture, was born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 3, 1856 to an Irish father and a French-Swiss mother. The family lived at 22 South Bennett Street in Boston’s South End, and he attended local public schools, including English High…
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One of Massachusetts’ most notable Olympic champions, Harold Vincent Connolly, died on August 18, 2010 at age 79. His rise to stardom, from a frail and partially paralyzed child to an Olympian, has inspired generations of Bostonians and athletes around the world. Born in Somerville on August 1, 1931, Connolly was raised in Boston’s Brighton…
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Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz Twenty-five years ago, on Wednesday, July 23, 1997, Ireland’s President Mary Robinson officially helped dedicate the Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a tribute to the 150th anniversary of Ireland’s Great Hunger, known as An Gorta Mor. Nearly 4,000+ people attended the ceremony in the iconic Cambridge Common near Harvard Square, which also includes…
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Photo Courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command On June 12, 1775, a seminal naval battle of the American Revolution took place off the coast of Machias, Maine. That is the day when Jeremiah O’Brien (1744-1818) his four brothers and fellow townsmen from Machias created the “first act of Colonial piracy” in the war by…
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Newport, Rhode Island, the sailing capital of the United States, opened its first one-of-a-kind, interactive museum designed to share its beloved sport with the world this spring. The Sailing Museum opened its doors May 2022 to the delight of sailors and non-sailors alike. The museum’s 8,000 + square feet of exhibits chronicle the history of…
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A National Rededication Ceremony for the Shaw 54th Regiment Memorial took place on June 1, 2022 on Boston Common. The restoration of the bronze memorial, started in summer 2020, was led by sculptor Robert Shure at Skylight Studios in Woburn, MA. The restoration initiative was spearheaded by a unique partnership that included the National Park…
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On June 1, 1847, Mary Nelson became the first Irish immigrant to die at the new quarantine hospital at Deer Island. She died of typhus fever and was six years old. During the first ten days of June, 1847, other deaths included: Mary Connelly, age one on June 3; Mary Flaherty, age 21, on June…
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On Sunday, May 30, 1913, Massachusetts Congressman James Michael Curley laid the corner stone for the new Hibernian Building on Dudley Street in Roxbury, before a crowd of over 5,000 people. Curley was joined by numerous Irish leaders from the city, state and nation, including members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, which organized the project in 1906 to create…
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Three years ago today, a memorial commemorating 800+ Irish immigrants buried on Deer Island in Boston Harbor was unveiled on Saturday, May 25, 2019, several miles off the coast of Boston. Speakers included Boston Archdiocese Sean Cardinal O’Malley and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Gene O’Flaherty was the master of ceremonies, City of Boston’s Chief Archivist…
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Visitors to Ireland talk of making a pilgrimage home, of finding their roots, of reconnecting to an integral part of their nature. Part of the appeal has to do with Ireland’s ancient, spiritual dimension stretching back in time. Druids in love with nature, Monks transcribing scripture during the Dark Ages, medieval clans and colonial invasions…
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Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands represents a beautifully unspoiled part of Ireland knitted together by the majestic Shannon River and its scenic tributaries and waterways. The 224 mile Shannon, the island’s largest river, has countless recreational opportunities, from swimming and fishing to kayaking, canoeing and river cruising, where you get to see the natural wonders of Ireland’s…
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From mid-September, autumn is a special time in Ireland, when the crowds thin out and the island reverts back to the locals. It is a perfect time for intrepid travelers to experience Ireland in its autumnal glory, with plenty of outdoor activities and cultural events to enjoy. Walking Walking festivals are popular in Ireland year…
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In May, Congressman Stephen F. Lynch of the MA 8th Congressional District was honored by Massport Authority with the 2022 Maritime Champion award for his lifelong advocacy of maritime activities in the Port of Boston and Boston Harbor, and for his support for small businesses along the waterfront and the men and women who work…
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She may be gone but she is certainly not forgotten. Rose Kennedy Fitzgerald (1890-1995), who held the Kennedy family together through tragedy and triumph for much of the 20th century, is permanently enshrined along Boston’s waterfront. Born in Boston’s North End, Rose was the daughter of Boston’s gregarious Mayor John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald and Mary Josephine Hannon. The mother of President John F. Kennedy,…
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July 23, 2022 marks the 25th anniversary of the Cambridge Irish Famine Memorial, unveiled on Cambridge Common in front of 4,000 people. Ireland’s President Mary Robinson spoke at the ceremony, equating the process of “looking back and remembering” the Irish famine with an equally passionate resolve to solve “modern famine and hunger and inequalities in…
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Visitors to Ireland quickly learn that the Irish people love sharing their beloved island with travelers from across the globe and are delighted to make everyone feel welcome. But now more than ever, the Irish are mindful of the importance of preserving, protecting and respecting these precious natural wonders. Sustainable travel is a concept that…
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Belfast, a city of undeniable musical chops and outrageously gifted musicians, has been officially named as a UNESCO City of Music in November 2021. The prestigious honor puts Belfast in the company of musical bastions like Glasgow, Liverpool, Kingston, Havana and Kansas City, and confirms what many of us already know: this city rocks! World-renowned…
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Did you know that 70 million people around the world claim Irish ancestry, including 30 million in the U.S. alone? The Irish Diaspora is a testament to the intrepid Irish who by necessity or adventure bravely explored new frontiers. There are countless joys to visiting Ireland but researching your family tree is clearly one of…
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The City of Cambridge has a long and illustrious history of Irish settlers, dating back to the 19th century when Irish immigrants settled in East Cambridge, Cambridgeport and in North Cambridge. Here are some significant landmarks and institutions that reflect the strong Irish presence over generations. Irish Famine Memorial On Wednesday, July 23,…
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One of America’s most acclaimed sculptors of the 19th century was actually an Irish immigrant. Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907) was born on March 1, 1848 on Charlemount Street in Dublin at the height of the Irish Famine, when millions of Irish were fleeing Ireland to places like Boston, New York, Montreal, St. John and other eastern port cities….
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The town of Milford Massachusetts has its own iconic Irish Round Tower, built in the 19th century by Irish immigrants who came to the Blackstone Valley Region to work in the rock quarries and on railroad construction. The Milford tower is about 65 feet high and 16 feet in circumference. Early media reports suggest that the…
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The public fascination with the Kennedy children during the John F. Kennedy administration was a world-wide phenomenon that tapped into pop culture and the advent of television during the 1960s. This special exhibit at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston examines this phenomenon in detail. First Children: Caroline and John Jr. in…
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Dublin, Ireland is gearing up for massive literary festivities this year, as the city celebrates the centenary of James Joyce’s novel, Ulysses, first published on February 2, 1922. Hailed as a masterpiece work of fiction by literary critics everywhere, Ulysses is set in Dublin and revolves around a single day in the life of Leopold Bloom…
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