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

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

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

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

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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America250 is Bringing “Our American Story” to Boston this Fall

America 250 Logo

America 250’s newly launched Our American Story, is coming to Boston this fall to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Founding of the U.S. Navy at Charlestown Navy Yard on October 13, followed by the 252nd Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 2025. Described as a groundbreaking oral and visual storytelling project, Our…

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Barry and Lafayette – Irish and French Heroes of the American Revolution

Commodore John Barry and Marquis de Lafayette, Catholic military heroes of the American Revolution, are memorialized side by side on Boston Common, in homage to their enormous contributions during the Revolutionary War. Born in September 6, 1757, Lafayette was a French nobleman who volunteered to serve in the Continental Army and soon became a close…

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Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival Celebrates 30 Years on July 19 in Northampton, MA

Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival

What began in 1994 as a one-time event to raise funds for an historic church in western Massachusetts is still going strong some three decades later.   On July 19, 2025,  the beloved Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary.  The milestone offers a moment to reflect on why Glasgow is readily hailed as one of the most…

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Who is Boston’s Logan Airport Named After?

Boston’s Edward L. Logan International Airport was named for General Edward L. Logan (1875-1939), a first generation Irish-American military leader, civic leader and municipal judge with family roots in Ballygar, Galway and South Boston. Edward was the oldest of nine children of Lawrence and Catherine (O’Connor), according to the late Michael Cummings of Milton, an expert on…

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George M. Cohan, Irish-American Song and Dance Man

George M. Cohan, (1878-1942), famed Broadway song and dance man whose songs helped define the World War I generation, was born in Providence RI on July 3, 1878.   A  statue honoring Cohan at the corner of Wickendon and Governor Streets in Providence  was created by noted sculptor Robert Shure, who also created  the Irish Famine Memorial in Boston and in Providence.  The…

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Welcome to JFK Library in Boston

Visitors to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum come from all over the world to be inspired and to remember one of America’s most beloved presidents, Boston native John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the JFK Library sits on a 10-acre site overlooking Boston Harbor…

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Ireland’s Marine National Park in County Kerry

Skellig Michael in Co. Kerry

Ireland’s first Marine National Park was created on Earth Day, April 22, 2024, as ministers, environmentalists, marine experts and local tourism officials gathered to share the exciting news. Called Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí – (Marine National Park, Kerry) the new Páirc is centered around Corca Dhuibhne in Co. Kerry and unites some of Europe’s…

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NE Free Jacks Rugby Team Win 2025 Championship

The New England Free Jacks won its third consecutive MLR (Major League Rugby) championship this weekend, defeating the Houston SaberCats at the Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, RI. More than 5,700 fans attended the match. The Free Jacks are the first ever MLR team to win three championship titles and the first to ever go…

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Boston Irish Famine Memorial Unveiled on June 28, 1998

History is replete with stories about refugees from around the world coming to Boston, Massachusetts, seeking help from tragedies of historic proportions that were too massive for them to face. Very often they were poorly received, as locals feared the burden these immigrants would have on society.  One of the most compelling chapters in the…

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Bloomsday Events in Boston + Dublin

Bloomsday is a literary celebration held every June 16th in countries, cities, pubs and college campuses around the world. It is a tribute to Ireland’s famous writer, James Joyce’s (1882 – 1941) and his novel Ulysses. First published in 1922, Ulysses follows the movements of the novel’s main character, Leopold Bloom, through a single day…

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Boston Harbor Hotel’s 2025 Summer in the City Music Series

The Boston Harbor Hotel is bringing back the popular Summer in the City music series at 70 Rowes Wharf along Boston’s waterfront. The free music concerts take place Tuesdays through Fridays, from June 6 to August 28. Organizers say the the series is returning in 2025 “bigger, bolder and more vibrant than ever, with a fresh…

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Take the MBTA Ferry to Explore Boston from the Harbor

MBTA Ferry Service

The MBTA’s Ferry Service in Boston Harbor is a terrific way to experience the beauty and hidden treasures of historic Boston Harbor, while also visiting downtown Boston, neighborhoods such as Charlestown, East Boston and South Boston, and surrounding cities and towns including Lynn, Winthrop, Quincy, Hingham and Hull. For daily commuters, taking the ferry is…

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Boston Tourism Group Releases Summer 2025 Travel & Culture Magazine

PR Cover Summer 2025

June 4, 2025 – The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) today released its 2025 summer/fall issue of Travel & Culture magazine, a free publication highlighting New England’s Irish and cultural communities, as well as travel tips for visiting the island of Ireland. Travel & Culture offers an array of New England concerts, music festivals, literary events, holiday…

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