Until the late 1880s, Christmas was hardly merry for Boston’s Irish

By Peter F. Stevens
December 3, 2019
Peter F. Stevens

BIR History

From 1800 to 1850, Irish immigrants could scarcely have picked a worse place than Boston to celebrate Christmas. The Puritans loathed “Popish” Yuletide rituals so much that, in 1659, the Massachusetts General Court had enacted laws against honoring the day. Anyone caught toasting the occasion suffered a five-shilling fine.
Above all, for the Mathers and other Puritan luminaries, Christmas celebrations symbolized “Papists” and their church.

Boston Friends Luncheon supports GPA players

By BIR Newsroom
December 3, 2019
BIR Newsroom

A luncheon in support of the Boston Friends of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) drew a large gathering to Fenway Park’s State Street Pavilion on Fri., Nov. 8. Sam Kennedy, president & CEO of the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Sports Management, offered remarks at the luncheon, along with Bill Powers, founder and CEO of Cambridge Mobile Telematics.
Later, Kennedy and Powers joined Boston Friends of the GPA Chair- man Aidan Browne and GPA CEO Paul Flynn for a panel discussion on leadership and adversity.

Here's the Christmas 2019 Issue

By Bill Forry, Editor
December 3, 2019
Bill Forry, Editor

This is the final edition of the Boston Irish Reporter as a monthly publication. Beginning in January, 2020, the newspaper will transition to new, seasonal schedule. We will publish our first 2020 edition in the beginning of March as our Spring/St. Patrick’s edition. Subsequently, we intend to publish summer, fall, and winter editions.

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