Irish President Will Preside Over Famine Events Commemorations Set for May 5 and 6
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May 2012 Boston’s hometown VOL. 23 #5 journal of Irish culture. $1.50 Worldwide at All contents copyright © 2012 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. bostonirish.com Irish president will preside over Famine events Commemorations set for May 5 and 6 By the BiR StaFF Boston’s Irish community is prepar- ing to welcome Michael D. Higgins, the ninth and current President of Ireland, on his arrival in the city on Sat., May 5, for a whirlwind two-day visit that will coincide with Boston’s designation by the Irish government as the official site of the international commemoration of the Irish Famine. Higgins will preside over several famine-related events in Boston, and will deliver a lecture on the “Great Hunger” and its impact on Ireland and Boston at Faneuil Hall on th morning of his arrival. The Boston observance Donal and Rosa O’Connor with Sergio and his twin brother, Tadhg. Sergio has will precede by a week the official Irish been in a hospital every day since he was born in March of 2011. commemoration in Drogheda, Co. Louth, on May 13. Michael Higgins, 71, is a longtime Michael D. Higgins A SESSION FOR SERGIO Galway politician, a former head of the To speak on “The Great Hunger” Labour Party, a poet, a university profes- Irish musicians will gather to play for the sor, an author and a broadcaster. He was elected to the presidency last fall and took benefit of a Dublin boy, age one, who is facing office in November, succeeding two-term ‘Golden Door’ president Mary McAleese. critical – and expensive – surgery in Boston Boston’s Irish Consulate has an- By Sean Smith event for Sergio from 3-9 p.m. that will nounced that Higgins’s May 5 address was rarely Special to the BiR feature area Irish musicians, as well as will be followed by a musical program fea- Little Sergio O’Connor of Dublin may raffles and a complimentary buffet [see turing acclaimed Irish and local Boston not know it, but he’s got an awful lot of burren.com]. musicians, including Frankie Gavin, opened wide friends in the Irish music community As difficult as the past year or so has hat will be produced by WGBH’s Brian -- including Boston’s. been for Donal and Rosa O’Connor, they O’Donovan. The event will last approxi- in Boston Sergio, who along with his twin brother have been heartened by the caring and mately one hour and will be followed im- Tadhg turned one on March 5, was born compassion from a music community mediately by a short wreath- laying Brahmins offered a with several complications, the most they know quite well: Donal is the son of ceremony at the Boston Irish Famine serious of which is tracheo-oesophageal Mick O’Connor, a renowned music histo- Memorial at the downtown corner of chilly welcome to the fistula, a rare condition that prevents rian, flute-player and former member of School and Washington streets that will Famine Irish him from eating, drinking, and swal- the famed Castle Ceili Band. Among the feature a performance by the Boston lowing due to a hole in his esophagus. A musicians who have taken, or will take, Police Gaelic Column pipe band. By peteR F. StevenS part in fundraising events and initiatives complex series of operations at Children’s Consul General Michael Lonergan BiR StaFF Hospital in Boston offers the best chance for Sergio are Sean Keane of the Chief- said he encourages people “to attend of treating Sergio, and to put him on the tains, Noel Hill, Charlie Lennon, Matt what should be a wonderful event for Last in a four-part series road to a more normal life. Molloy and John Carty, The Dubliners, the entire community. This is the new It’s an expensive proposition: Sergio’s Colm Gannon, Damien Dempsey, Harry president’s first visit to the United In 1847, Boston was changing – and the parents, Donal and Rosa, must contribute Bradley and Mairead Ni Maonaigh. States and we are greatly honored and city’s Yankee population did not welcome more than $131,000 toward the treat- The legendary Barney McKenna also delighted that he has chosen to come to that change. Shiploads of Famine Irish ment, a figure that does not include the performed at a benefit concert shortly Boston and lead the commemorations were arriving in the harbor almost daily, expenses for the couple to stay in Boston before his death in late March. for the Great Irish Famine here in the and the streams of desperate Catholic im- (they flew into the city late last month) Of course, the Irish music community capital of Irish America. I am sure very migrants accounted for more than 37,000 during the run-up to the operation and extends well beyond Ireland’s shores. The many members of our community here ragged men, women, and children fleeing for a months-long period of after-care. Burren’s owners and founders, Tommy will want to come along and be part of “the Great Hunger” (An Gorta Mor) in Fortunately, musical friends in Ire- McCarthy and Louise Costello, are musi- what will be a wonderful event both at 1847 – “Black ‘47” – alone. They prayed land have already given considerable cians themselves and long-time friends Faneuil Hall and the Famine Memorial, that their exodus from the old country to support to the family, and this month of the O’Connors. So organizing a benefit to which all are welcome.” Boston had led them to what one termed their counterparts in Boston will have for Sergio in the metropolitan area that In announcing Higgins’s visit, Jimmy “the Golden Door.” It proved instead a a chance to offer assistance. On May will serve as a temporary home for the Deenihan T.D., the Irish Minister for door to more struggle for most of the 20, The Burren in Somerville’s Davis O’Connor family seemed a natural, and Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and immigrants. Square will hold a special fundraising (Continued on page 15) (Continued on page 3) (Continued on page 15) Page 2 May 2012 BOSTON IRISH RePORTeR Worldwide at www.bostonirish.com ADVERTISEMENT New 415 Neponset Ave. Office Building is Dedicated Local advertising execu- Linda Dorcena Forry and tive John Carroll proudly District 3 City Councillor showed off his new three- Frank Baker for the event. story professional office In the photo below, John building at Neponset Circle Carroll is pictured with his last Saturday, April 21 dur- wife Jennifer and Mayor ing a ribbon-cutting and Menino at the ribbon cut- dedication ceremony at ting. Photo top right shows the 415 Neponset Avenue the completed building, and building. He was joined by a below that Mayor Menino gathering of family, friends speaks at the dedication and local civic and political as an appreciative Carroll leaders, among them Mayor looks on at left. Thomas Menino, State Rep. THE EIRE SOCIETY OF BOSTON The Gold Medal Awards 2012 GOLD MEDAL DINNER & AWARD CEREMONY The Eire Society cordially invites you to attend the seventy-fifth annual Gold Medal Award Dinner honoring the 2012 Gold Medal Award Recipients Ronan Tynan & Seamus Mulligan On Thursday May 10, 2010 6:00 p.m. Reception followed by dinner The Hampshire House, 84 Beacon St., Boston $125 per guest. Invitations in the mail Information: Connie Koutoujian, 781-899-3140 Worldwide at www.bostonirish.com May 2012 BOSTON IRISH RePORTeR Page 3 Tourism Ireland launches its ‘Jump In’ brand at Hub parley Don’t just come and evening of Irish music and make the trip.” see the island of Ireland theatre as a group of ac- This year’s St. Patrick’s in 2012 but “Jump In.” tors engaged with tourism week celebrations kicked That was the message as providers on a mythical off a wonderful year of Tourism Ireland launched journey around the is- cultural festivals through- its new brand to a gather- land. In launching the new out the country such as ing of Boston travel trade brand, Tourism Ireland’s the Galway Arts festival, partners and industry Vice President of Market- The Wexford Opera festi- media at the Boston Ex- ing, Alison Metcalfe, said, val, The Dublin Theatre change Conference Center “We are delighted to be Festival, and the Cork last month. here in Boston profiling Jazz festival. 2012 is also “Jump into Ireland” de- everything that is good a year when Northern scribes the joyful immer- about a trip to Ireland. Ireland is taking center sion of a trip to Ireland, From our sunny South- stage with a series of that sense of uplifting joy east Coast, to Northern spectacular occasions. that comes with taking Ireland, to the historic Titanic Belfast, the larg- part in Ireland’s diverse city of Dublin, there is a est Titanic visitor experi- iconic experiences and its raft of wonderful things to ence in the world, opened welcoming people. see and do and we would its doors last month; the This theme will domi- encourage US vacationers new visitors centre at the nate Tourism Ireland’s to include Ireland on their UNESCO world heritage advertising, consumer, calendar for 2012 site at the Giant’s Cause- and trade promotional “Our trade partners way will open in the fall; activities, co-operative also carry with them an and the European Tour’s campaigns and media out- important message this Irish Open golf tourna- reach in 2012, and also be evening about the unique ment will return to Royal a focus for extensive social nature of a trip to Ireland Portrush.