June 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Quinlin
irishmassachusetts@comcast.net
FREE TRAVEL & CULTURE MAGAZINE CELEBRATES
NEW ENGLAND AND IRELAND THIS SUMMER AND FALL
(BOSTON) --Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) is releasing today its 2024 summer/fall issue of Travel & Culture magazine, a free travel publication highlighting Irish and Celtic festivals, concerts and cultural and sporting events taking place in New England, as well as travel tips for visiting Ireland this summer and fall.
This issue features a new exhibit on John F. Kennedy Jr. at the Kennedy Museum in Hyannis, Cape Cod, preparations by the City of Quincy to celebrate its 400th birthday in 2025, plus a roundup of Celtic, Irish and Scottish festivals such as Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival in Northampton and Rockport Celtic Festival in Rockport, plus dozens of cultural events and concerts across New England for plenty of New England summer fun.
A sports roundup includes Gaelic Athletic Association summer leagues at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, professional rugby matches in Quincy, polo, tennis, golf and sailing competitions in Newport, RI and summer road races near iconic landmarks such as Bunker Hill Monument and Plymouth Rock.
A story on Flynn Cruiseport Boston in the city’s Seaport District features the 2024 schedule of cruises along the New England and Canadian coastlines, plus cruises to Bermuda, the Caribbean and the Panama Canal.
Local Irish-American history is featured in this issue, including the South Shore Irish Heritage Trail, a perfect way to explore nine towns south of Boston, from Weymouth to Duxbury, and to learn about Plymouth’s special Irish connections going back to the Mayflower.
The Boston Irish Heritage Trail celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer as one of Boston’s premier walking trails. As part of this milestone celebration, the trail is adding new landmarks in Boston’s downtown and neighborhoods, with plans to expand to greater Boston cities and towns, and eventually to include all of Massachusetts.
Other news items include an inaugural Revolutionary Irish Trail underway to chart the Irish and Scots-Irish role in the American Revolution, a recent visit by Mass Humanitiesto attend Frederick Douglass Week in Belfast and Cork, and the American Ireland Historical Society’s new executive director Dr. Elizabeth Stack. New albums by local artists and three local gift shops are also featured.
Visiting Ireland from New England has never been easier, thanks to enhanced new air routes, including daily Aer Lingus flights from Boston to Shannon and Dublin, and connecting flights to the major cities in Europe. Group tour companies such as Cara Group Travel and Brack Tours, offer perfect options for American travelers who want a full-fledged itinerary from start to finish. Two upcoming group groups, both in October, include Cara Group Travel’s Wild Atlantic Way tour with the Irish Cultural Centre, one of New England’s most vibrant cultural groups, and Brack Tours’ Musical Tour of Northern Ireland with noted fiddler Rose Clancy.
Ireland’s new Marine National Park is featured in this issue. Announced in April on Earth Day, Páírc Náisiúnta na Mara in Co. Kerry embodies 70,000 acres of lands and seas, which are regarded as some of Europe’s most ecologically valuable natural habitats.
The Ireland section also features a roundup of the island’s best fall events, from food festivals and foliage treks to arts and music festivals that range from opera and chamber music to jazz and traditional music.
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About BITA
In 2024, Boston Irish Tourism Association celebrates its 24th anniversary as a year-round, cultural tourism organization that promotes cultural activities in New England states with a focus on the Irish-American community. BITA’s Travel & Culture magazine is published in March, June and November. The color magazine is distributed free at visitor kiosks and cultural venues throughout Massachusetts and parts of New England, and is available in digital format online. BITA also oversees the Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024 as one of Boston’s premier walking trails.
For further details on festivals and concerts, as well as year-round Irish and cultural venues, hotels and, gift shops, plus travel stories about Ireland, visit IrishBoston.org.
EDITORS: photos or interviews are available upon request.
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