'You Have a Story to Tell'
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October 2014 Boston’s hometown VOL. 25 #10 journal of Irish culture. $1.50 Worldwide at All contents copyright © 2014 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. bostonirish.com BIR will MaYOR MaRTIN J. WaLSH GOES ‘HOME’ TO CaRNa honor 7 at ‘You have a story to tell’ By Bill Forry people leaving the west of Ire- luncheon Editor land. You know my parents’ Mayor Martin Walsh re- story and as I look out across turned to Carna, Co. Galway the room, it’s your story, your on Tues., Sept. 23, where family’s story,” Walsh told on Oct. 24 he attended a ceremony to an overflow crowd of several launch a planned Emigrants hundred who packed into a Mayor Martin Walsh, Commemorative Center in tent next to the ruined build- the town of his father’s birth. ing, which dates to the late S.B.’s Burke family, The mayor dedicated a foun- 19th century. “The people dation stone at the site and left the west of Ireland, not pledged to help support the to get away from the land, Katherine Craven centre by working to raise as people thought it was, but funds and awareness in the they actually left the west of The Boston Irish Reporter, the region’s Boston Irish community. Ireland to strengthen their leading chronicler of all things Irish- The mayor was joined at own land here in their native American, will host “Boston Irish Honors the ceremony by former Irish areas,” he said. 2014,” its annual anniversary luncheon, Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Then, to great applause, on Fri., Oct. 24, at 11:45 a.m. in the main Liam Cosgrave, age 94, he pledged: “I’m here today ballroom of Boston’s Seaport Hotel. who in the 1930s attended Boston Mayor Martin Walsh unveiled a stone marker at to tell everyone that I’m here the site of a planned Emigrant Commemorative Centre in The 35-member luncheon committee is primary school on the site to commit to you that we will chaired by Peter Meade, former director Carna, Co. Galway. Máirtín Ó Catháin, the chairperson of build this center and we will of the planned centre. The the group planning the centre, is at left. Bill Forry photo of the Boston Redevelopment Authority. mayor and his traveling open this center.” The 2014 honorees are: The Burke party, including partner Lor- “It’s a great pleasure to Family – Jacquelyn, John, Paul, Dennis The emigrant centre is to the community. In a ceremony rie Higgins and mother Mary be built overlooking the sea that preceded the unveiling meet Mayor Walsh because and Michael; Katherine Craven; and Walsh, visited six schools in I knew the family,” said Cos- Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. on what is now a dilapidated of the foundation stone bear- Rosmuc and Carna, the Irish- parish hall and former school ing Mayor Walsh’s name, he grave. “He deserves the height “We are especially pleased that this speaking villages where his of praise for the success he year’s honorees have agreed to share near St. Mary’s, a Catholic and his family were hailed as parents grew up. He left the church where Walsh’s father prime examples of the gen- made of himself, and his fam- their stories with us,” said BIR publisher Connemara region the next ily contributed as well. Mayor Ed Forry. “In keeping with our heritage, was baptized. The centre, erations of Connemara people day for a fast-moving swing which is scheduled to be built who left this region over the Walsh is typical of people from the newspaper will recognize special to the north, with stops in this area who when they went achievements in business and public over the next two years, will centuries to seek better lives Donegal, Derry, Belfast, and feature a visitor’s facility and abroad. abroad, they left their mark. service, and salute an estimable family after that, Dublin. that shares our common roots in Boston library and meeting rooms for “You know the story of (Continued on page 7) and Ireland. “The Burkes are an exemplary family, and their story is a wonderful example Hailing the Eire Pub, and Dot’s Irish roots of our Boston Irish culture. In a similar vein, Katherine Craven has a legion of admirers for her roles in several public Irish Heritage Fest agencies. A former staffer in the House Ways and Means committee and the set for Oct. 12: Let mother of four, she was chief of the state’s School Building Authority, and oversaw the music, fun begin the University of Massachusetts’s $3.8 Dorchester’s Irish Heritage Festival is billion five-year capital plan. This spring, back for its fourth year, with a full slate she was named chief administrative of- of Irish music and dance performances, ficer at Babson College. family entertainment, and cultural “And I am delighted,” said Forry, “to activities, as well as food and vendor acknowledge the leadership role of my booths. The festival will take place on longtime friend Marty Walsh as he nears Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Florian completion of his first year as Boston’s Hall (55 Hallet Street) and the John chief executive. Mayor Walsh has served McKeon Post AmVets 146 (4 Hilltop on our honors luncheon committee each St.); there will be a suggested donation and every year, and he truly embodies the at the entrance of $5 per person, or $20 spirit of the very best of what it means per family, to support the event. to be Boston Irish. Among the acts appearing this year “It will be an honor and privilege to tell will be acclaimed Maine-based tradi- their stories at our Oct. 24 luncheon,” tional Irish trio The Press Gang; inno- Forry said. vative dancer and choreographer Brian Luncheon tickets are at $150 each; Cunningham; Medford resident George a table of ten is $1,500. More informa- Keith, a mainstay of Boston’s Irish music tion on sponsorship and ticket sales is It was come one, come all as the Eire Pub celebrated 50 years as a mainstay of scene; and TR Dallas, one of Ireland’s available at bostonirish.com, via e-mail the Adams Village neighborhood with a birthday party on Sept. 16. The local best-known country singers. to [email protected], or by phone landmark, named for the Irish word for Ireland, was founded by Irish-born As always, the Irish Heritage Festival at 617-436-1222. Tom Stenson, a native of Co. Sligo. Ed Forry column is on Page 4. (Continued on page 11) Photo courtesy Bill Brett BANKMT. WASHINGTON BANKH FREE ‘APP MOBILE BANKING’ Y APP Download Our App Today: .Now Available: Mobile Deposits .View Account Information .Transfer Funds Part . ners In Bill Pay Com munity Banking Member FDIC Member DIF Page 2 October 2014 BOSTON IRISH REPORTER bostonirish.com BRETT’S BOSTON By Harry Brett Exclusive photos of Boston Irish people & events There was action and good fellowship aplenty at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton over Labor Day weekend as the facility played host to the 2014 finals of the North American Gaelic 1. Games that involved 2,500 competi- tors and some 120 teams playing more than 100 games. 1.) Mike McDonagh, Canton; 2.) Fraser Coleman, Brighton; 3.) Action on the field in Canton 4.) Gary Kelly, Enna Rourke, Chris O’Donoghue all of Quincy; 5.) Martin O’Connor, Jamie Kehoe, both of Brighton; 6.) Cornelius Cunnea, W. Rox- bury; John O’Driscoll, Quincy; 7.) Liam, Alana (5 yrs.); Becky, Liam Jr, (3 yrs.), Worcester; 8.) Pat and Theresa McNulty, Fermanagh, Ireland; 9.) Ryan Nugent (6 yrs.) and dad, Peadar Nugent, Braintree; 10.) Aogan O’Fearghail, Pres. elect of the G.A.A; Bernie O’Rielly, Newton; 11.) Fans; 12.) Margaret Monagle, Canton; Lorna Lindsay, 2. 3. Donegal; Cheryl Ramsey Kelly, Tyrone; 13.) Robert Comerford and Maureen Malloy, both of Quincy; 14.) Rosai Slevin, Aisling Slevin, Ais- ling McHale, Kelley Aylward, all of Vancouver, Canada. 5. 7. 4. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. bostonirish.com October 2014 BOSTON IRISH REPORTER Page 3 Good news from Ireland Tourism Minister Donohoe: Visitors from United States up 18 percent in summer ’14 By Bill Forry ous year— a figure that 4.5 percent, he said. in August, for instance, Editor is approximate to about Stephen McNally, pres- was up by 70 flights per In remarks to a Boston 450,000 new tourists. ident of the Irish Hotels peek over last August. “It audience on Sept. 26, “We’ve had about one- Federation, noted that shows that there are a lot Ireland’s chief tourism fifth more American tour- the numbers released more visitors coming in,” minister hailed newly ists this summer,” said by the Irish government McNally said in noting released figures showing Donohoe, who told his are in line with what the that aside from America, a big jump in summer audience at the Boston industry’s figures show as the biggest tourist sources tourists from the United Harbor Hotel that he well. “From the Irish ho- for Ireland are Britain, States as the latest in- had been awakened to tels point of view it’s been France, and Germany. dicator of a recovering the good news in a text a tremendous year. We’ve Shannon Airport is economic situation in the message. Donohoe was had a record number of also experiencing strong country. visiting the US as part of visitors which is fantas- growth after a period of Paschal Donohoe, TD, a Tourism Ireland tour to tic,” said McNally.