What Marc Antony said about Julius Caesar in his famous play about the Roman dictator, “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones,” is also true about Long Island City’s legendary Irish mayor Paddy Battle Axe Gleason. A deeply polarizing figure, Gleason was attacked by his enemies for his alleged corruption, buffoonery,…

DOMHNAIGH -- On June 20, 1763, one of the most famous revolutionary leaders in Irish history, Theobald Wolfe Tone, was born at 44 Stafford St., now called Wolfe Tone St., in Dublin. Tone was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and called to the…

The sun was getting low in the western sky on a sweltering hot Thursday, June 16, 1921, near Rathcoole, County Cork. The Irish Volunteers of what had been the 2^nd Cork Brigade, but was now the 4^th Cork Brigade, listened and watched intently to their east. “Paddy” O’Brien, who…

LUAIN -- On June 14, 1690, William of Orange, King of Holland, and recently declared King of England, arrived in Belfast with his fleet. The Catholic King James II had been tolerated by the Protestant nobility for a time because all his possible heirs were…

The Black & Tans 1920-1921 – A Complete List, Short History and Genealogical Guide by Jim Herlihy.

Rightfully described as ‘Ireland’s foremost authority on the history of Irish policing and police…

MÁIRT -- On June 8, 1853, John Mitchel escaped from Australia, eventually making it to the United States. Mitchel, a member of the Young Ireland Party, was born in Comnish, Co. Derry. John was the son of a Presbyterian minister. He obtained a…

There in New York, we see from this article how the Irish Regiments were remembered and the parades…

Up to 1971 Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day, and Decoration Day has been celebrated each year to remember the Fallen, officially from 1868 in Arlington Cemetery. In a speech that day on May 30, 1868, by future President James A.Garfield, a former General, addressing a crowd of 5000 he said - "Hither our children's children shall come to pay their…

MÁIRT -- On June 1, 1866, the Fenian Brotherhood undertook the most famous action of its history: the invasion of Canada. Mexican and…

MÁIRT -- On May 25, 1798, in Co. Wicklow, as the British authorities began to receive news of people rising up in several parts of the island, anxious loyalist militia units committed two massacres of men they suspected of being rebels. In Dunlavin, 28 or…

What’s not to love about spring vegetables!  Everyone welcomes asparagus, spinach, and pencil-thin spring onions for salads, soups and side dishes, but I love them in cheese-filled tarts and quiche. Make your own crust, use refrigerated or frozen pie crusts, prepared puff pastry, or make one…

LUAIN to MÁIRT -- On May 17-18, 1918, the British government began arresting all the leaders of Sinn Fein that it could round-up. Britain desperately wanted to impose conscription on the Irish to replace its tremendous losses in the trenches of…

Three thousand feet above Moreuil Wood, southeast of Amiens, in northern France, Captain George Edward Henry “McIrish” McElroy, peered down through a gap in the clouds. McElroy had already shot down two German Albatross fighter planes in his British S.E. 5a (Scout Experimental-5a) earlier, his…

On 10th May 1916, the "Daily News" posted a letter from the Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, in which he condemned the ongoing execution of the leaders of the Easter Rising: "My own view is that the men who were shot in cold blood, were prisoners of war, and that it was, therefore, entirely…

LUAIN -- On May 10, 1806, James Shields (left) , who would have one of the most remarkable careers in…

DOMHNAIGH -- On May 2, 1870, Father Francis Duffy, World War I chaplain of the 69th New York, was born in Cobourg, Ontario. Francis moved to New York at age 22 to teach at St. Francis Xavier College but quit to enter the seminary. Father…

MÁIRT -- On April 27, 1779 Irish-born (County Donegal) U.S. Navy Capt. Gustavus Conyngham , "The Dunkirk Pirate," was captured by the British…

Every April 23 we remember with great pride another in the long line of Irishmen who despite all the odds stacked against them, nevertheless decided to take a stand against an oppressive enemy. So set aside a little time today and read his fascinating full story at the link at the end of this…

You like cheesecake. Your mother likes carrot cake. Your son likes brownies. If you’ve ever faced a dessert dilemma — or just looking for a fresh idea for your next special occasion meal or afternoon tea — dessert in a jar is your solution. In addition to making an impressive presentation, these…

On 20 April 2020, we said farewell to a highly innovative Irishman who changed the world with his singular vision and desire to make the world a better place through the medium of music. His grandfather (The O'Rahilly) was an important figure in the quest for the independence of Ireland, a leader in the…