December 2015 Boston’s hometown VOL. 26 #12 journal of Irish culture. $1.50 Worldwide at All contents copyright © 2015 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. bostonirish.com Beannachtaí na Nollag Christmas Blessings by Mary McSweeney Our experienced residential team is hard at work making sure you get the very best rate on the loan that’s just right for you. If you are looking to purchase or refinance your home, trust EBSB to put you in the mortgage program that fits you best. From ARM’s to Fixed rates including MassHousing programs, let us do the hard work so you can enjoy your home. WE KNOW Call one of our Mortgage Specialists today at 978.977.7100 or visit ebsb.com. MORTGAGES NMLS # 457291 Member FDIC. Member DIF. Page 2 December 2015 BOSTON IRISH RePORTeR bostonirish.com The Jesuit, Catholic College Preparatory School for boys grades 7 - 12 You are Cordially Invited to Attend a Community Reception for Prospective Families at the Kroc Community Center Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch Speak with faculty and staff along with current parents and students to learn more about & dinner every day of the week BC High’s distinctive approach to forming young men who will embrace the world and create Kitchen open nightly positive changes to better society. until 10:45 p.m. If you wish to attend RSVP to Theresa Flaherty at [email protected] GeRARD’S ADAMS CORNeR 617-474-5056 772 - 776 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02124 150 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA www.bchigh.edu/admissions 617-282-6370 PAINTINGS OF IRELAND BY MARY MC SWEENEY Geraghty ASSOCIATES PROPERTY MANAGERS Studio and 1-Bedroom Apartments Available in the desirable Cedar Grove section of Dorchester. Studios reasonably priced; 1-bedroom units; heat and hot water included. Short walk to the Red Line. Free off-street Parking. “Ballybunnion Golf Course” Washing Machines STUDIO & GALLERY and Dryers in building. RT. 6A, CUMMAQUID (BARNSTABLE) Call Michael at 617-364-4000 CAPE COD GERAGhTY Associates, INC. 508 362 6187 www.marymcsweeney.com Property Managers P.O. Box 52, Readville, MA 02137-0052 Tel: 617-364-4000 Fax: 617-364-3157 bostonirish.com December 2015 BOSTON IRISH RePORTeR Page 3 academic disciplines will need to change as well.” Catholic Memorial students talk politics Organizers for the nine students’ trip to the Seaport were Catholic Memo- rial President Peter Folan and history with presidential candidate Martin O’Malley teacher Thomas Jordan ‘92, with Jordan serving as the group’s chaperone. He told both parties often sit low on the polls at By Peter F. StevenS musician whose repertoire leans Trad, Griffin that the event offered “a unique this juncture of the race. Mitt Romney BIr StaFF can point to unquestionable Gaelic roots. opportunity for our students to not only is a case in point. O’Malley’s backers A few weeks ago, nine Catholic Memo- The focus of O’Malley’s appearance at see the political process in action, but assert that his success in dealing both rial students in their junior year had the Seaport, according to Catholic Me- also to witness how technological inno- with gun control and immigration as gov- the opportunity to meet a presidential morial’s Susan Griffin in her article “A vation and entrepreneurship are just as ernor of Maryland provide him hands-on candidate and talk with him face to face Lesson in Government and Innovation,” important in government as they are in experience, and that since 1976, four of at the District Hall in Boston’s Seaport was all about ways of “improving govern- the private sector.” the nation’s last six presidents – Jimmy district. The presidential hopeful, who ment performance through the use of in- Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, sat down privately with the students at novative technologies. Local technology first met with the Catholic Memorial and George W. Bush – first served as the third Civic Innovation Pitch Compe- start-ups applied to make their ‘pitch’ students and then introduced them to governors. All four defeated so-called tition, was Democrat Martin O’Malley, before a panel of tech professionals. The Gov. O’Malley. The students, all of the Washington insiders for the top job. the former governor of Maryland and winners will receive mentoring from each them from the Class of 2017, were Matt In one way, O’Malley already has a pro- mayor of Baltimore. of the judges.” Moriarty, Cody Ciesielski, Matt Mar- verbial leg up on his fellow competitors. The students spoke with a politician O’Malley’s background fit seamlessly cantano, Trevor Grinsell, Mike Caron, A musician himself, O’Malley has been for whom there has been a recent uptick into the event’s theme. Throughout his Matt Demmler, Aidan Gallegos, John “endorsed” in song by the Corrigan Bros, in the polls. O’Malley, battling to deliver career as the governor of a large state McLaughlin, and Preston Zhang. an Irish rock band. Their song is simply his message against frontrunners Hill- and the mayor of a major city, he has It’s not every day that high-school entitled “Martin O’Malley for President.” ary Rodham Clinton and US Sen. Bernie been at the forefront of melding politics students have the opportunity to meet Back when Barack “O’Bama” mounted Sanders in the 2016 Democrat presi- with technical innovation. in private with a presidential candidate. his first campaign for the Oval Office, dential campaign, has been lauded by Griffin writes, “Science, technology, All seven juniors add the sit-down to the Corrigan Bros recorded “Nobody’s many in the media and by various party engineering, arts and math…and in- their scholastic resumes, and someday More Irish than Barack O’Bama.” The leaders for a far more specific message terdisciplinary learning…are integral – whether in 2016 or another election song not only went viral – viewed by than Clinton and Sanders on such vital parts of CM’s curriculum. The chance to cycle – they might be able to say they more than 1.3 million people – but it also issues as gun control and immigration. see the connection between government met personally with “President Martin introduced Obama in a sense to the Irish O’Malley remains a longshot in the and innovation at the O’Malley event O’Malley.” race. Still, as his supporters point out, American community, some 40 million demonstrated that as new professions eventual presidential candidates from strong. O’Malley, a guitar-strumming emerge, traditional boundaries between Hurling match draws Smiling faces and rugged play dominated the scene at Fenway Park on Nov. 22 as Galway beat Dublin in an exhibition hurling match under drizzly skies. 30,000 to Fenway Park Photos courtesy of Fenway Sports Group The event was billed as “the world’s quarter, the Dublin goalie was felled fastest field sport” in a return to Boston’s by an injury, and a bit of a brawl broke Fenway Park as a team from Galway met out between the two squads. After that, the lads from Dublin in a “friendly” hurl- the largely American crowd got into it, ing match Nov. 22 on the field at Boston’s and loud cheers and dramatic “oohs own cathedral for sports. And the game and “aahs” could be heard as the action more than lived up to expectations. went up and down the field, as the lead Our city’s revered baseball field was changed hands several times. transformed into a football gridiron for an Finally, the Galway team mounted a American college football game between 19-point fourth quarter surge, and hung Boston College and a nationally ranked on for the win. Notre Dame on Nov. 21. That Saturday The game was played in a chilly drizzle night, a sold-out crowd of almost 40,000 – “The Irish brought their weather with filled Fenway for a game that ended in them,” one wag said – and after it was an unexceptedly close 19-16 win for the over, a stage was rolled out onto the squad from South Bend. right field grass and the local rockers The next day saw the Irish hurlers The Dropkick Murphys gave a boisterous take the field for a highly competitive 45-minute concert. match in which 2015 All-Ireland final- Later that week the Red Sox opened the ist Galway squeezed out a 50-47 victory field again for four traditional Thanks- over the Dubliners. giving high school football rivalries, fea- The 30,000 in attendance were mostly turing Xaverian - St Johns Prep and BC quiet throughout the first 15 minutes of High - Catholic Memorial on the holiday the match, as the sport was unfamiliar eve, and Needham-Wellesley, followed for many who were seeing their first by Latin-English on Thanksgiving day. hurling match. But early in the second ABOUT PAGe 1 The full color print by Mary McSweeney is numbered and signed by the artist for just $85.00, including ship- ping and handling. Hurry - New England orders must be placed by December 16 to assure delivery before Christmas. To order, please make checks payable Beannachtaí na Nollag More than 400 business leaders gathered at St. Anselm College on Oct. 28 for a “Politics and eggs” event featuring former US senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a candidate for the to: Boston Irish Re- 150 Mt. Vernon St., Democratic nomination for president next year. Clinton took up discussed a variety of issues on the porter and send this Suite 120, Dorchester national campaign agenda, including healthcare, education, and the economy.