Around the Town

BY CLARK BOOTH SPECIAL TO THE BIR Clearing the decks soon to be draped in holly as the clock runs out on what’s been another banner year in sports – especially if you hail from New England! ••• The scorecard for 2013 is stunning! A spectacular... Read more
For the last 26 years, Robert O’Neill has been the director of the John J. Burns Library at Boston College. Now, as he prepares to retire this month and head for the warmer clime of Arizona, he leaves a deep legacy. The library, under his and his staff’... Read more
The John J. Burns Library and The Center for Irish Programs at Boston College in collaboration with The John Boyle O’Reilly Society of Ireland, The Charitable Irish Society, and The Eire Society of Boston will be opening an exhibit entitled “John Boyle O’... Read more
“The Irish Immigrant Experience” The effect on viewers was immediate…“Stop, I need to take a closer look!” The photo accompanying this article greeted visitors at a recent Irish festival. The 1939 study of Roxbury’s Emerald Isle Orchestra elicited many... Read more
The Boston Irish Reporter hosted its fourth annual Boston Irish Honors on Fri., Oct. 25, at the Seaport Hotel on the South Boston waterfront. The event, which marked the 23nd anniversary of the BIR, drew more than 300 persons to the mid-day luncheon. In... Read more
Before the gloves came off late in the Boston mayoral race – City Councillor At-Large John Connolly pointing to negative mailers from an outside group trashing his upbringing and state Rep. Marty Walsh accusing the Connolly campaign of phone calls testing... Read more
It was the socio-political equivalent of a late-summer thunderstorm: low-levels of thunder and lightning followed within hours by a fast-clearing sky. The clouds began gathering on the edge of the horizon back in late May after state Rep. Linda Dorcena... Read more
BY SEAN SMITH After a one-year hiatus, the Irish Heritage Festival is set to return on Columbus Day weekend to Dorchester – in a new, albeit temporary, location. The free festival will take place on Sunday, October 13, from 11 a.m.-8 p.m., with music and... Read more
Current and past All-Ireland senior champion and prize-winning musicians will perform at Waltham High School when the annual Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann “Echoes of Erin” North America tour makes its stop in the Boston area on Oct. 12. Throughout its more... Read more
Jane Richard: The Richard family— whose eight-year-old son Martin was killed in the Patriot’s Day bombing at the Boston Marathon— last month released this photo of seven-year-old Jane Richard, who is now using a prosthesis to replace part of her left leg... Read more
Aer Lingus has announced plans to expand round trip transatlantic service from Ireland to the US next year, including the addition of daily Boston flights to Shannon beginning on March 9, 2014. The airline announced the 2014 commencement of direct service... Read more
BY TOM MULVOY MANAGING EDITOR WATERVILLE, Ireland – “The wind is coming from the north and east, and that’s pretty unusual for us at this time of year,” said the fellow next to me on the putting green at the Waterville Golf Links at the southwest edge of... Read more
July marks a key moment for a man who had a huge impact on Boston and beyond BY PETER F. STEVENS BIR STAFF The date July 9, 2013, marks the 147th anniversary of an event that eventually pushed a remarkable Irishman to Boston. On that summer day in 1866,... Read more
Following are excerpts taken from the commencement address given by Mr. Enda Kenny TD, Prime Minister of Ireland, at Boston College on May 20: As leader of the people of Ireland, Munitir na hEireann, I’m honored to speak here today and be admitted to the... Read more
After 24 years as executive director of the organization she founded, Boston’s Irish International Immigrant Center, Sister Lena Deevy has stepped down. Her energetic and committed stewardship of the IIIC has been recognized by Ireland and America with... Read more
US, Canada help boost Irish tourism to healthy numbers More gains seen for 2013 as ‘Gathering’ takes hold BIR Staff More than one million people from the US and Canada – a 3 percent increase on the previous year – visited the island of Ireland in 2012... Read more
Charitable Irish to honor AFL-CIO’s John J. Sweeney at 276th anniversary dinner The Charitable Irish Society of Boston will welcome John J. Sweeney, president emeritus of the AFL-CIO, as its honored guest and keynote speaker at the society’s 276th... Read more
By Jackie Gentile Special to the BIR It can be difficult for those recovering from alcohol or drug abuse to find a place that not only welcomes them, but also helps them navigate their return to their community and their families. The Gavin Foundation in... Read more
The Irish International Immigrant Center (IIIC) announced last month that after 24 years as executive director of the center, Sister Lena Deevy LSA has decided to step down from her day-to-day responsibilities, and to take up the role of executive... Read more
By Patrick E. O’Connor St. Stephen Church, circa 1960 The 150th anniversary of the establishment of St. Stephen Church on Hanover Street in the North End was remembered with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 23 with Auxiliary Bishop Robert F.... Read more

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