This week marks the 104th anniversary of the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic in the early morning hours of April 15, 1912. With the ship’s final port in Europe in Cobh, Ireland (then called Queenstown,) one does not have to dive too far into the story of the R.M.S. Titanic to find Irish connections. TheRead more..
Dublin City Council recently unveiled a plan that, if accepted, will radically change traffic patterns in front of Trinity College and allow for easier flow of pedestrians. Under the proposed changes, College Green, the major thoroughfare that flows directly to the college’s gates, will be transformed into a large pedestrian plaza. A new, wider pedestrianRead more..
The March 10th election of the Irish Parliament’s, called the Dáil, failed to decide on a new Taoiseach, despite four candidates facing the vote: Enda Kenny, Fine Gael, the majority, center-left party leader and current Prime Minister; Fianna Fáil, the majority center-right party, leader Míchaél Martin; Sinn Féin, the Irish Republican party, president, Gerry Adams; and Richard Boyd Barrett,Read more..
In February, the Centre for Secure Information Technology (C.S.I.T.) at Queen’s University Belfast received a royal award for its work in strengthening cyber security. Chancellor Tom Moran, Vice-Chancellor Professor Patrick Johnston, and Head of Cyber Security, Professor John McCanny accepted the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education, bestowed at Buckingham Palace by the PrinceRead more..
Ireland’s first-ever Catholic radio station, Radio Maria Ireland, launched in February. It will offer 24-hour, 365-day programming without advertisements that will cover three main areas: prayer, religious instruction, and social development. The station is supported entirely by its listeners and friends, and it joins the World Family of Radio Maria, whose main headquarters are inRead more..
Tralee, the capital of County Kerry, has reached the ripe old age of 800. Founded in 1216 by John FitzThomas Fitzgerald, the town will kick-off the celebration with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade as the first of the “Tralee 800” events that will run throughout the year. The town commissioned Abbey Cummings of Kerry CountyRead more..
Dublin breakout writer Colin Barrett talks to Julia Brodsky about his angst- and anguish-ridden debut short story collection, Young Skins. ℘℘℘ Colin Barrett’s debut collection of short stories, Young Skins (Black Cat), hit the Dublin scene in 2013 and earned the 32-year-old Mayo native a score of major accolades, including the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award,Read more..
On September 3rd this year, the photograph of Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian three-year-old whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach, ran across the front pages of newspapers world-wide, putting a horrifying human image to the crisis that has embattled Syria for almost five years. Many periodicals, such as the Irish Times, debated whether or notRead more..
Three-time major champion golfer Pádraig Harrington announced in February that he had undergone treatment for skin cancer. As he told Matt Cooper of Today FM’s The Last Word: “I had a number of skin cancers removed off my face. When you get a symptom, do something about it. Don’t ignore it.” Harrington mentioned getting the cancerous spotsRead more..
As of midnight on March 25th, 2015, Kathleen Hayes Rollins Snavely is the oldest ever Irish-born person in the world, having reached the age of 113 years and 38 days (and counting!). This record was previously held by Anne Scott of County Tyrone, who passed away in 1996 at the age of 113 years andRead more..