Famine memorial on Deer Island to be unveiled in May

By Ed Forry
December 28, 2018
Ed Forry

BY ED FORRY
BIR PUBLISHER
Plans to establish a monument in Boston Harbor to memorialize some 850 Irish who sought refuge in the mid-19th century only to die in quarantine on Deer Island within sight of the city are nearing completion with a formal unveiling dedication planned for Memorial Day weekend.
About 25,000 Irish souls arrived in our harbor on “coffin ships” between 1847 and 1849, and health officials steered the vessels to Deer Island, where the passengers were placed in quarantine.

Christmas Celtic Sojourn arrives!

By Ed Forry
December 11, 2018
Ed Forry

WGBH's A Christmas Celtic Sojourn
kicks off this week with two sold out shows in Rockport!
Show producer Brian O'Donovan said, "Our first performance in Boston at the Cutler Majestic Theatre is on Friday, Dec 14 - tickets are going fast.
I cannot believe that the launch of our 16th year of producing Christmas Celtic is only a week away. With the two sold out shows in Rockport marking our first performances, our cast and crew is hard at work to bring you a program we are particularly excited about.

Irish Consulate details expanded online passport renewal service

By BIR Newsroom
November 30, 2018
BIR Newsroom

Casey McElmeel at Boston's Irish Consulate has shared information about an expansion of the online passport renewal service. In addition to online passport renewals, the expanded online service will now permit:
1) Online renewal of a child’s passport.
2) Passport cards for children (can only be purchased in a bundle together with a passport book).
3) Change of name during online passport renewal.
4) Observation to be recorded during online renewal.
5) Online replacement of passports with more than 12 months validity.

All across Ireland, Christmastime is a magical season

By Ed Forry
November 30, 2018

Shannon Airport was already in holiday mode when I traveled through in mid-November - proof positive that the Irish take Christmas very seriously and love to celebrate the season.

Two enormous, sparkling Christmas trees were erected at the end of the Aer Lingus counter. And, the night before departing, I joined friends for dinner at Bunratty Manor near the airport and it, too, was fully decorated with swags and lights galore.

THE BIR’S DECEMBER CALENDAR OF CELTIC MUSIC EVENTS

By Sean Smith, Special to BIR
November 30, 2018
Sean Smith, Special to BIR

Not surprisingly, holiday-themed performances – such as “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn” and the Robbie O’Connell-Rose Clancy “Celtic Christmas” benefit [see stories elsewhere in this issue] – are plentiful amidst this month’s offerings of Irish/Celtic music events in the Greater Boston area.

Starring role for concertina, tin whistle at ‘Celtic Sojourn’

By Sean Smith, Special to the BIR
November 30, 2018
Sean Smith, Special to the BIR

Former All-Ireland champion Brenda Castles, outstanding on both concertina and tin whistle, and The Fretless, a Canadian quartet that has championed the “chambergrass” folk-string ensemble sound, will make their debuts at this year’s “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn,” along with an up-and-coming Scottish singer with the singular name of Hannah Rarity.

I have to believe that there’s a reality beyond ‘breaking news’

By Ed Forry
November 30, 2018

By James W. Dolan
Special to the Reporter

I’m tired of “breaking news.” In an effort to gin up interest, the networks exaggerate the importance of almost every news broadcast, no matter how routine. What used to be “news bulletins” or just “reports,” are now promoted as seismic events as they compete for audience share. It’s the equivalent of pushing reporters out into hurricanes or snow storms to dramatize their impact.

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