Cross–Border Communion Cultural Center Sets up New Deal for Irish Festival Music, Dance, and Fun on Tap Over 3 Weekends
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May 2014 Boston’s hometown VOL. 25 #4 journal of Irish culture. $1.50 Worldwide at All contents copyright © 2014 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. bostonirish.com Cross–Border CommunIon Cultural Center sets up new deal for Irish Festival music, dance, and fun on tap over 3 weekends By Bir StaFF The Irish Cultural Centre of New England (ICCNE) in Canton is making a big change in the presentation of its annual Irish Festival this year. Since 1990, the non-profit organization has staged a three-day festival of Irish music, dance, and merriment over one weekend, usually early in the month of June. The event, once billed as the larg- est Irish outdoor celebration in the Northeast, was held in its early years on the cam- pus of Stonehill College off Route 138 in North Easton, and later was moved to the ICCNE’s Canton campus where it has taken place Boston’s Cardinal Seán O’Malley and seven other Roman Catholic bishops celebrated Mass and dis- for the last de- tributed Communion through the fence along the US-Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona, on April 1 to cade. Friday night will feature a “fare- commemorate the deaths of migrants in the desert and to pray for Congressional action on immigration This year, the well tour” performance by Black 47 and the Screaming Orphans. reform. Commentary by Peter F. Stevens and Bill O’Donnell, Pages 5 and 7. activities will Photo by George Martell/The Pilot Media Group take place on three successive weekends, beginning on Sat., May 31, with each weekend featuring a different theme. The event is branded “Boston Irish Festivals 2014 – Three ‘overwhelming support’ gives lift weekends of Irish music, dance, sports, food, shopping, entertainment, kids activities and more.” The schedule includes: to inaugural Team mr8 in marathon Saturday, May 31– Sports and children’s day, featur- ing a 5k road race (9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. start), despite a grueling morn- By Bill Forry (Continued on page 14) Editor ing: He had been hurting For some — like Har- since Mile 4 and was a ry Benzan— the final half-hour off his planned stretch of the marathon time. He was pretty sure ‘sister City’ pact on Boylston Street on he would finish, but he’d April 21 remains a blur. long-ago abandoned his original plan to hit the for Boston, Belfast Literally. He couldn’t The growing ties between the cities of Boston and see because of the tears deck on Boylston Street and do 27 push-ups at the Belfast in Northern Ireland will be affirmed later this streaming from both eyes month when the mayors of the two municipalities are as he neared the spot finish line. Still, as Benzan neared expected to sign a “Sister City” agreement. where his friends and Belfast’s Sinn Fein mayor, Mairtin O Muilleoir, neighbors were so cal- the end, the emotions and adrenalin took charge: He reached an agreement with Mayor Martin Walsh dur- lously and publicly at- ing a visit to Boston in March, according to a report tacked last year. dropped to his hands and knocked out the push- in the Belfast Telegraph. Benzan, one of the “The sister city agreement will explore academic, 100-plus runners on ups, accompanied by a few choice words for the business, and cultural links between the two cities,” the Team MR8— the mara- Telegraph reported. “Boston is the university capital thon team assembled in cowards who’d attacked Team MR8 marathoner Katy Kelly celebrated at his friends near this spot of the world, the Silicon Valley of life sciences, and the memory of eight-year-old hub of Irish America,” O Muilleoir told the newspaper. Martin Richard—coached the finish line with her husband Eddie Kelly.“Love last year. completely demolishes what the cowards attempted “It was one of the great- A source in Walsh’s office, who confirmed plans for young Martin on the soc- the agreement to the BIR, said the papers are expected cer fields of Pope John to try and do to us. That picture symbolizes that est honors in my life,” love perfectly.” Photo courtesy Katy Kelly to be signed before O Muilleoir’s term as Belfast mayor Paul II Park. He endured (Continued on page 9) expires in early June. 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 May 2014 BOSTON IRISH REPORTER Worldwide at www.bostonirish.com ImmIgratIon Q & a IrIsh InternatIonal ImmIgrant Center renewing a green card An agency accredited by US Department of Justice 100 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110 Why not naturalize, too? Telephone (617) 542-7654 Fax (617) 542-7655 Q. I’ve been a US legal permanent resident for almost Website:iiicenter.org Email: [email protected] ten years, and my green card is expiring soon. What is the current procedure for renewing it? Galway J-1 IWT A. Immigrants filing applications to renew perma- student is now Irish nent resident cards with a ten-year term of validity, American Partner- commonly known as “green cards,” need to file Form ship intern I-90 (which can be downloaded at uscis.gov) with US By Noor HaSSaN Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The For Conor Kelly, it form can be mailed or sent by courier to the addresses was love of big cities that shown in the instructions. For most applicants, the brought him to Boston. submission also can be made on-line; go to uscis.gov and After graduating from the follow the instructions for electronic filing of Form I-90. Galway-Mayo Institute of Applicants receive by mail a notice for a biometrics Technology with a degree (fingerprint and digital photograph) processing appoint- in Business and Informa- ment at a local USCIS Application Support Center. tion Technology, Conor Important: Applicants are being instructed to take applied for the 12-month to their biometrics appointments the records of any J-1 Irish Work and Travel arrests, convictions, or any other involvement in crimi- visa through the Irish nal matters since last being granted legal permanent International Immigrant resident status. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center. He had already Mayor Walsh with IIIC staff and three guest speakers. (ICE) officers have been attending these appointments spent three summers in and reviewing the documentation supplied by appli- Boston on the J-1 Summer computer design skills,” to help: support, and all our other cants. Some applicants have been detained because Program, and had friends said president Joe Leary. Landlords – Let us sponsors. Thanks also to of the criminal records they submitted or because an and family already here Conor is loving his in- know if you have apart- our three brilliant guest ICE background investigation detected criminal convic- so it was the natural city ternship; he talked about ments or rooms available speakers, Paul Jennings, tions or outstanding arrest warrants. Accordingly, it of choice. one of his most recent proj- to rent from late May until Berlange Gauthier, and is imperative that you obtain legal advice before your Conor was thrilled to ects where he designed a end of August. Employ- Grace Kelly, for sharing biometrics appointment if you have any issues involv- return on the J-1 IWT marketing letter for an up- ers – Contact us with their stories of coming to ing past or pending criminal proceedings anywhere to experience our unique coming golf tournament, summer job openings. America. in the world. city: “Galway is consid- “I am really excited that Volunteers – Lend a IIIC’s Solas Awards IIIC can help you with the Form I-90 renewal filing ered a small city, so I something I designed will hand in IIIC’s cyber cafe Celebration October process, as well as the application for getting a new wanted to experience a reach such a large audi- this summer. Help the 30 – Save the Date green card when the original has been lost or stolen, or bigger city like Boston ence. It makes me proud.” J-1 summer students get On October 30, the Irish when the card contains incorrect information. and to take advantage of Throughout college, Conor settled into life in Boston. International Immigrant Note: Holders of two-year conditional permanent all the opportunities it held part time positions, Meet and assist young Center (IIIC) will hold resident cards based on marriage to a US citizen don’t and now he is eager to people from Ireland, enjoy its annual Solas Awards file Form I-90 to remove the condition; they use Form apply what he learned to Irish tea and catch up Celebration at the Boston I-751 instead. By the way, anyone who has been a legal his internship. He takes on all the happenings in Park Plaza Hotel. 2014 permanent resident long enough to be eligible for US advantage of any chance Ireland! marks the center’s 25th citizenship really ought to consider applying to become to attend local sporting We would love to hear year of assisting immi- a US citizen as soon as possible. IIIC can help you with events. He thoroughly from you. Please contact grants from Ireland and the all aspects of the naturalization application process. enjoyed the basketball Blair Kahn at 617-542- from 120 nations as they For a free, confidential consultation on this or any game at Boston Univer- 7654, Ext. 18 or by e-mail integrate into American other aspect of immigration law, visit one of our legal sity organized by the IIIC at J1summer@iiicenter.