Riverdance 30: The New Generation

Riverdance Heartland Kick Line

For the past 30 years, generations of girls and boys have taken up Irish step dancing, thanks to Riverdance, one of the world’s most acclaimed theatrical shows.  Riverdance 30 – The New Generation, returns to the Boch Center Wang Theatre in Boston for eight performances from April 8 – 13, 2025.  It was 30 years…

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Celebrating 25 Years

Sphynx statue

In 2025, Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) celebrates its 25th anniversary as a distinctive cultural tourism organization that promotes culture and travel year round. To mark our quarter century, here are some exciting projects underway in the months ahead. We are grateful to the thousands of partners, members, advertisers and friends who have joined us…

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Camelot on Cape Cod

JFK and family in a golf cart

The John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum is the ideal place to learn about the legacy of President Kennedy and his deep connection to Cape Cod, where he spent magical summers with the Kennedy family and with his wife and children. Located on Main Street in downtown Hyannis, the museum has ongoing exhibits such as “Presidential…

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Literary Events

Niall Williams

The wellspring of Irish literature is gushing these days with inspiring new novelists, short story writers, poets and scholars publishing, reading and discussing their latest works. Irish folklore and heritage get top billing at the John J. Burns Library at Boston College on March 12. Editors Cormac O’Malley and Patrick Mahoney discuss their new book,…

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Settle Yourself at Lough Derg

A couple picnicking at a lookout spot

A cool way to experience Ireland is to ‘settle yourself,’ a common Irish phrase that means to get your bearings and get grounded. Choosing a single place to spend your vacation, whether it be a city, county, or province, is a novel way to experience Ireland at the ground level, to immerse yourself in nature…

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Road Trip on the Border

Enniskillen Castle

Tyrone and Fermanagh in the province of Ulster, and Sligo and Mayo in the province of Connacht are places knitted together by geography, landscape and enduring traditions. The drive from Dungannon in Tyrone to Westport in Mayo offers a thrilling glimpse of Ireland’s small villages and towns, of the daily rhythms of the people who…

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Merrimack Valley: Crossroads of America

Lowell Festival of Lights Fireworks

Just a half-hour drive from Boston lies the Merrimack Valley, a distinctive region in Massachusetts known for its natural beauty, ethnic cuisine and storied culture. And it may be best known for its prominent ties to American history, from the American Revolution to the Industrial Revolution to the High Tech Revolution. Today, there is no…

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The Revolutionary Irish

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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Dine Out Boston

Couple dining out

Dine Out Boston offers visitors and locals the perfect opportunity to discover why Boston is one of the culinary capitals of the world!  Taking place on February 23 to March 15, 2025, Dine Out Boston features dozens of participating restaurants offering prix fixe menus at multiple price points for lunch and dinner. From seafood and…

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Patriot Place Irish Festival Expands to Three Days, March 15-17, 2025

Girls Irish dancing

The 14th Annual Irish Festival at Patriot Place, one of the region’s most popular events each March, is expanding in 2025 as it goes from a one to three-day celebration of Irish culture in greater Boston on March 15-17.  The events at Patriot Place North Marketplace is free and open to the public and takes…

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Ten Ways To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Massachusetts

Woman playing bagpipes

Massachusetts is rolling out the emerald carpet for St. Patrick’s Day this March, as one of America’s most Irish-American states celebrates its distinct culture and ethnic heritage. The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has issued its annual recommendations for enjoying the region’s St. Patrick’s Day season in a fun and meaningful way. “Today, nearly 20%…

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The Ship of War and Angel Of Mercy (USS Jamestown)

USS Jamestown

On March 28, 1847, an American naval ship – the USS Jamestown – left the Charlestown Navy Yard on a humanitarian voyage that captured the world’s imagination. It was the height of the five year famine in Ireland (1845-49), and scores of Irish people were dying in the streets.  The magnitude of the despair, disease and the…

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All In The Family – Bridget’s: An Irish Tradition

Quality products at Bridget's

Thirty-five years ago, in 1987, Bridget Daly and her daughter Lorraine Ryan opened their first Irish gift shop in Plymouth, MA, aptly named Bridget’s – An Irish Tradition. Originally from Tullamore in County Offaly, the Irish mom and daughter had a good instinct that the shop would be a success and were well aware of the…

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Boston’s Fenway Park –An Irish-American Landmark

Fenway Park – home of the Boston Red Sox – is the nation’s enduring symbol of baseball, America’s favorite pastime.  Officially opened on April 20, 1912, the park has outlasted all other major league baseball parks, becoming a shrine for baseball lovers everywhere. Writing in the New Yorker Magazine in 1960, John Updike described Fenway Park as…

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Boston Celtics – the Green Team

Boston Celtics logo

Many people wonder why the Celtics wear shamrocks on their green uniforms and have a giant leprechaun smoking a cigar as their team logo.  And why the team mascot is a guy named Lucky who looks like he stepped out of a box of Lucky Charms? According to the Boston Celtic’s official web site, the…

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Holyoke Parade with Bridget Moynahan

Bridget Moynihan

Since 1952, the people of western Massachusetts have been celebrating Irish heritage and culture, as well as community pride, at the annual Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade. Now in its 72nd year, the 2.65 mile parade kicks off on Sunday, March 23rd at 11 a.m. from Kmart Plaza on Rt. 5 – Northampton Street and ends…

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Being Irish in Southie

South Boston’s distinction as the nation’s most Irish-American community goes back to the 19th century, when Irish immigrants first settled here. They formed a cohesive Irish-American neighborhood centered on family, faith and public service, a spirit that has endured for more than two centuries. Read about two South Boston traditions, the St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast…

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Visit the Christa McAuliffe Statue at the New Hampshire State House

On September 2, 2024, The Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Commission unveiled a Christa McAuliffe statue at the New Hampshire State House in Concord. The dedication took place on what would have been Christa’s 76th birthday, with support from the Governor’s Office and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. Photo Courtesy of McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Renowned artist, Benjamin Victor, was selected by…

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Actress Bridget Moynahan is Recipient of John F. Kennedy National Award from the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Committee

Actress Bridget Moynihan

Acclaimed actress, author, and model Bridget Moynahan is the 2025 recipient of the John F. Kennedy National Award, issued annually by the St. Patrick’s Committee of Holyoke, MA. The prestigious award is bestowed each year to Americans of Irish descent who have distinguished themselves in their chosen career and who demonstrates the values of family, faith and community…

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Ireland in Springtime: 2025

Apple blossom flowers at Long Meadow Cider in Co Armagh

Of course we love summer in Ireland, and autumn leading into the Christmas holidays and winter. But increasingly, springtime in Ireland is the sweet spot for more and more Americans, who have discovered the milder weather, the abundance of nature, smaller crowds and in general a chill vibe between March and June which fits their…

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Discover the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail

Scituate Lighthouse

An exciting new attraction celebrating local Irish history, heritage, and pride, while welcoming visitors to the area, has taken shape just south of Boston. The South Shore Irish Heritage Trail, unveiled in June 2021, offers a novel new way to enjoy one of Massachusetts’ most beautiful scenic drives while also learning about its rich ethnic heritage….

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The Irish 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…

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