Explore New England
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….
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…
Newport, Rhode Island sparkles between December and March, when the historic port city takes a step back from the excitement of summer and returns to a more easygoing cadence. It is a perfect time for visitors to enjoy this magical place, where iconic seasonal activities invite you in, and where the charm and beauty never…
For visitors seeking the true spirit of Christmas, make your way to Quincy, Massachusetts, a city bursting with holiday magic from Thanksgiving through Christmas. Among the holiday glad tidings: Christmas tree lightings, visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus, caroling and concerts, outdoor ice skating and plenty of holiday markets, craft fairs and retail shopping. Quincy…
Born 180 years ago on June 28, 1844, John Boyle O’Reilly helped shape the history or Ireland and America in the late 19th century in powerful ways. Today, O’Reilly’s stature as a seminal figure in Irish and Irish-American history is particularly evident in his beloved birthplace of Dowth, County Meath; in Freemantle, Australia where he…
Get ready New England and the world, as Quincy, Massachusetts prepares to commemorate its 400th anniversary, and you are invited! “In 2025, Quincy celebrates the 400th anniversary of its settlement,” says Mayor Thomas Koch. “400 years of the people and ideas that have shaped America. 400 years of history, diversity and culture. 400 years of…
The City of Quincy is opening its newly designed Welcome Center this week, part of a concerted effort by city leaders, tourism officials, historians and businesses to prepare for the 400th anniversary of the city’s founding in 2025. The innovative and interactive Welcome Center is a key component of the city’s celebration, and has been specifically designed to offer an…
As part of Ireland’s annual National Famine Commemoration taking place in Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford on Sunday, May 19, 2024, the Boston Irish Tourism Association has compiled information on ten Irish Famine Memorials throughout New England. These memorials were erected between 1914 and 2019 and built by local Irish communities to commemorate the Irish Famine of the 19th century, which…
The Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial is a permanent memorial in the capital city of Providence that commemorates the victims and survivors of Ireland’s famine years in the mid-19th century. The memorial occupies a prominent location at Dyer’s Landing along the River Walk in Providence. Created by sculptor Robert Shure of Skylight Studios, the Memorial was dedicated…
The family of President John F. Kennedy has deep roots in Massachusetts, dating to 1848, when all eight of JFK’s eight great-grandparents arrived in Boston, escaping the Irish Famine that was devastating Ireland. From Boston, Cambridge and Brookline to beautiful Cape Cod and the cities of Springfield and Holyoke in western Massachusetts, the Kennedy legacy…
The Garden of Remembrance commemorating Ireland’s uprising of 1916 was officially unveiled at Forest Park in Springfield, MA on Sunday, May 15, 2016. It was the first memorial in the United States to recognize the 100th anniversary of Ireland’s Easter Rising of April, 1916, where Irish rebels attempted to overthrow British forces occupying Ireland. Congressman Richard…
Worcester’s proud Irish community is front and center for Irish Heritage Month in March, as annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations bring out the marching bands, bagpipers and step dancers, along with live music and dance performances, community theater, dining specials and plenty of conviviality! Monique Joseph, the president of Discover Central Massachusetts, describes the region…
Savvy travelers know well the special pleasures of visiting an iconic destination in the off-season, between December and March. Here in New England, one of our favorite places to visit is Newport, Rhode Island, which is among the region’s most charming seaside cities, any time of year, but with a special seasonal magic to warm your…
To mark the 150th anniversary of the first permanent Irish Catholic settlement in Worcester, Massachusetts, the city’s Irish-American community erected a Celtic Cross on Worcester Common on September 18, 1977. The 15 foot high memorial, weighing over 13,000 pounds and made of Barre Vermont granite, was designed by Joseph Calcagni. It features patriotic, religious and family symbols pertinent to Worcester, America and Ireland. At the…
A graveside event honoring Gaelic poet Patrick F. Hagerty (1870-1936), was held at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Springfield MA on Sunday, June 20, 1953, by members of Clan Na Gael and IRA Veterans of America, according to a story in The Boston Globe. Hagerty, whose Irish name was Pádraig Ó hÉigeartaigh, played a pivotal role in the…
Considered one of America’s great places to visit, Boston is steeped in riveting history and robust culture. Full of distinctive neighborhoods, college campuses and international cuisines, every step you take in Boston brings a new adventure and a thrilling discovery. The Walking City Boston’s natural beauty is enticing, especially in spring, when the city undergoes an environmental…
New England is fortunate to have a vibrant sporting scene, ranging from our professional sports teams and collegiate programs to plenty of grass roots and seasonal sports. Let’s start with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), which formed in Ireland in the late 19th century to perpetuate the country’s ancient games such as hurling, camogie and…
Newport, RI, a magical year-round vacation destination, comes alive each March as the city celebrates St. Patrick’s Day and Irish Heritage Month. And no wonder: Rhode Island ranks 3rd in the nation in percentage of residents claiming Irish ancestry at 17.9%, according to the U.S. Census. Newport’s Irish connections date back to the 18th century,…
A journey to Newport, RI is a magical experience any time of year: winter, spring, summer or fall. This stunning coastal city overlooks Newport Harbor, Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, with breathtakingly beautiful seascapes and landscapes that stop you in your tracks. The downtown streets are lined with art galleries and museums, amazing…
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…
The magnificent Swan Boats at the Public Garden lagoon were created in 1877 by two Irish immigrants, Robert Paget and his wife Julia (Coffey) Paget. A boatbuilder by trade, Robert developed a catamaran propelled by foot pedals to sail around the quarter mile lake. He designed a swan to cover the captain pedaling the boat,…
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…
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….
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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Irish Boston Partners
These organizations promote Irish Culture in New England.
