Ireland Travel, Irish Gifts, Celtic Symbols, Irish Festivals and News

The globe mourns at the loss of an icon who helped shape some of Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s most prominent civic institutions.

Chuck Ward, 54, died November 5, 2010, from mucosal melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Over a span stretching across three decades, Ward was involved in the Irish Fest, the Brewers, Summerfest, and the county parks in Milwaukee. He was elected president of the Irish Fest last year and planned to run for re-election this year. He had made nine trips to Ireland and was planning his tenth when his illness progressed, causing that trip to be canceled.

Take me to this news item: Chuck Ward’s Death Saddens Irish Americans >>

Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is finally after loads of drama and paper work hitting Broadway November 14 and open on December 21. The musical fronted by U2 front man Bono and guitarist The Edge will mark the first time duo have written a score for the stage. Both cite West Side Story and The Music Man as influential to the upcoming musical.

The show will feature spectacular aerial battles, web spinning and wall climbing. Acrobatic circus feats and unbelievable action sequences will be throughout the show with a reported $50 million budget (the money was the many reason for the production’s delays).

Take me to this news item: U2′s ‘Spider-Man’ to hit Broadway in December >>

Irish films up until recent tended to deal with the shadow of Irish political struggles. But a trend has many movies moving into Irish family dynamics; "The Runway", is not exception. This film though unlike many that focus on dysfunctional family dynamics is more of a feel-good film; it is inspired by the true events of a South American pilot crash lands his plane in a tiny Co. Cork field in 1983. The small town rallies together and tries against all odds to help to build a runway for the pilot so he can get back up into the air and back home.

Take me to this news item: "The Runway" a feel good film based on real life events >>

Five year and around $20 million invested, Bono and his wife Ali Hewson’s fair trade clothing line Edun is steadily tanking. The line was originally carried by hundreds of global stores but figures show the financial losses is bad as last years figures were down to just 67.

Last year, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton bought 49 percent of the company from the couple, allowing the couple to recruit new management and a new designer. Ali admits that, "We focused too much on the mission in the beginning. It's the clothes; it's the product. It's a fashion company. That needs to be first and foremost."

The couple did not want to manufacture in China finding that would send a contrary message to their free trade stance but currently 15% of the company’s products are manufactured in Africa, while 70% of the overall production is now created in Asia.

Take me to this news item: Bono’s clothing brand breaks down and moves manufacturing to China >>

New York bootleggers are being celebrated this month in the small town of Cairo, New York a once hotbed of illicit bootlegging activity. Cairo, a village with a population of 1,500 was home to one infamous Irish American gangster Jack "Legs" Diamond a man whose legend spans farther than his rap sheet.

Known to the public as Gentleman Jack, his legend was so tall due to him living so long on the run, avoiding near death numerous times. A gangster, assassin, playboy, flamboyant dance, bootlegger, and over all outlaw, Diamond lived under the radar skirting the Prohibition laws for most of his adult life.

Take me to this news item: Celebrating Infamous Irish American bootlegger Jack “Legs” Diamond >>

People having large families did not start with the Dougars or the Gosslins – Mary Frances Doherty of the Doherty has since the age of 17 till 42 has a child every year after their wedding. Every 13 or 15 months during their marriage she gave birth to a child – a grand total of 19 children.

This couple is also the owners of the Moville Clothing Company, one of Donegal’s oldest companies. Their brood spanned 11 daughters and eight sons which provided enough offspring to run the family business. The family initially lived in a three bedroom council house but never considered family planning.

Take me to this news item: Irish woman continuously pregnant for 25 years >>

Thirty-three dancers from the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance were trained and auditioned to represent Trinity on this year’s Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. This upcoming Monday, between 8:00 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. will have the group dancing on live national television on stations Milwaukee’s WDJT CBS 58, Madison’s WKOW ABC27 and Chicago’s WGN Channel 9. All performers have extensive backgrounds in solo competition, teams and performance and are well versed in performing.

The Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, now in its 45th year, reaches nearly 40 million viewers in North America alone. It plans to raise over $65 million during the day of programming.

Take me to this news item: Trinity Dancers to perform on Jerry Lewis Telethon >>

The annual ceremonies and dinner for The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame will take place September 15 at Hawthorne Race Course. Among the 2010 inductees are NCAA Champion Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski, future Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Thomas, Chicago Blackhawks Chairman “Rocky” Wirtz and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Hannah. Awards such as the Ray Meyer College Coach of the Year Award, the George Connor Lifetime Achievement Award, and awards and noted achievements based of the recipients’ careers will be handed out on this prestigious evening.

Proceeds from the 2010 Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner will benefit the Father John Smyth Standing Tall Foundation and the National MS Society, Greater Illinois Chapter.

This past Tuesday, actor Mick Lally passed away at 64. He had recently been admitted to a hospital where he died later in the morning. Known for his star turn in the TV series Glenroe playing Miley Byrne and more recently voiced a character in the Oscar-winning animation The Secret of Kells.

Lally was born in 1945 and reared in Tourmakeady, Co Mayo. His career started in teaching, having taught history and Irish for six years in Tuam, from 1969-75. After that stint he founded the Druid Theatre in Galway in 1975 along with Garry Hynes and Marie Mullen. After rising up to become an acclaimed stage actor he secured a part in the premiere of Brian Friel’s play Translations in Derry in 1980. But he became a household name for the role in the long-running soap opera Glenroe.

Take me to this news item: Actor Mick Lally passed away Tuesday. >>

18-year-old Dublin man Jonathan Byrne, of Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Dublin appeared before Dublin District Court this past Monday under charges in connection with the murder of 12-year-old Irish schoolgirl Michaela Davis last Saturday.

Byrne was arrested at 11.30 PM on Sunday night and charged at Blanchardstown Garda Police station. Examination of Davis found that she had been attacked, sexually abused and strangled. Judge Patrick Clyne ruled to keep Byrne in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court today.

Byrne was said to have made no reply to the charges, and did not object to legal aid for a defense solicitor.

Take me to this news item: 18-year-old Irishman charged with child murder in Dublin. >>

An Irish soldier saved a young Adolf Hitler and fought on both sides during World War I according to a recently found long-lost memoir. Dubliner Michael Keogh’s story began in 1914 when he joined the British Army…to later in 1916 be captured by the Germans.

During this he was persuaded by pro-German Irish members of the Roger Casement Brigade. He eventually joined a Bavarian regiment and met Hitler in September 1918 near Ligny as they were both in the same regiment.

The memoir of his life disappeared while he was on his deathbed in 1964. The missing files were found in the UCD archives and given back to the family in 2004.

Take me to this news item: Irish soldier saved young Adolf Hitler’s life >>

This Wednesday the town of Ennis plans to mark the first anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s visit to his ancestral town. The Irish town of Ennis is a town with which the famous boxer has ancestral links with. In 2009 Ali, the three-time World Heavyweight Champion visited the Clare County Capital to a crowd of 15,000 to visit the ancestral home of his great grandfather Abe Grady.

While he was there he was named the first Honorary Freeman of Ennis recognizing not only his ancestral links to the town but his overall career achievements and was given a Civic Reception.

Take me to this news item: Ennis to have a Muhammad Ali Tribute this Wednesday >>

It has been long believed that the island of Skellig Michael was first inhabited around 1,200 years ago by Irish monks. The monks were not only originally though to be the first, but also the last settlers to the island before the arrival of light keepers in the 1820’s. New evidence points that Skellig Michael’s settlement history may be far more complex than previously thought.

According to archaeologist Michael Gibbons, his discovery of steps and stairways on the rock’s northern and southern flanks support earlier settlers. They lead off or link into the three main existing stairways that could be the remains of a (preexisting) fort above the existing monastery.

Take me to this news item: The first Skellig Michael settlers may had not been Irish Monks >>

Irishman Seán Lester was honored for being one of the sane voices that opposed the growing Nazi power base in Gdansk. He was one of the first non-Germans to outspokenly oppose the rising Nazi influence. He and his family endured being shunned by German friends, their house being under surveillance and their phone being tapped.

The outspoken man was honored by the same city in Gdansk City Hall, where his daughter was present to take the reward on his behalf. He began as a journalist on regional newspapers, and later took on roles with the Freeman’s journal in Dublin, the Department of External Affairs and the high representative job in Danzig. He passed away in 1959 after retiring in Connemara.

Take me to this news item: Irish man Seán Lester honored in Gdansk where he spoke out against the Nazis. >>

This wasn’t a case of the kitty chasing the bird but rather the tweet chasing the cat. A cat had managed to travel by Dart from Malahide to Dublin’s Pearse Street station last Wednesday morning undetected. The five-month old Lilou managed to make her way undetected far into the city center before she was handed in by a concerned passenger at 11am.

The owner by Iarnród Éireann, posted a plea on twitter. The cat christened “Dart” was tracked down using CCTV back to Malahide in north Co Dublin. Footage revealed that she boarded the train at 10.30am.

Take me to this news item: Tweets solve mystery of the missing kitty. >>

The Red Head Convention was held in the town of Crosshaven, County Cork. What you didn’t know there was such a thing? Well Ireland is showing redheads that the admiration for the fiery red heads of legend is honoring those of the red mane in their own festival. The first annual gathering happened during last weekend.

The Red Head Convention drew 300 redheads from all over the country, the event raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society. Events that the red heads took part in where light hearted events such as a carrot-tossing competition, redhead speed-dating and contests relating to so-called ginger characteristics.

Take me to this news item: First festival of Irish redheads showing the love for those of the fiery mane. >>

The Irish town of Ballynagran in Co.Wicklow plans on becoming one of the world’s first rural zero carbon districts. Over the next ten years the town plans to use completely green means of power, transport and production. Almost seven hundred houses will take part in the imitative using electric vehicles; rainfall harvesting to save on water; windmills and solar panels.

The town also in hoping to completely eliminate carbon emissions will use community allotments and orchards for food production. The voluntary committee behind the plan has been given a €150,000 start up grant towards the project allowing them to hire a full time project manager.

Take me to this news item: Rural communities in Ireland are going green. >>

Clare Island off the coast of County Mayo may become a new testing ground for the reintroduction of the Irish language. The 20-year Strategy to increase the number of speakers of the Irish Language from 87,000 to 250,000 proposed by the Gaeltacht Affairs needs a more proactive strategy according to Fine Gael’s shadow spokesman Frank Feighan.

Since it is situated between the gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas of Achill Island and Connemara, Feighan said that the Island is very suitable for their pilot project on reintroducing the Irish language. Island resident Doctor Peter Gill agrees with this sentiment, saying that 'under the surface of the visible culture is the invisible one… shown recently with the resurgence of traditional music and dancing and singing on the island.'

Take me to this news item: Clare Island may become Irish language reintroduction point. >>

Church bells rang out today across the village of Campile, County Wexford. The bells ring due to today being the World War II 70th Anniversary of the German bomb attacks. When four Luftwaffe bombs were dropped over the Shelbourne Co-op in Campile in 1940, blast three women were killed. The public met at the site of the former creamery to remember the three dead amidst the ringing church bells.

The guests compromised of the survivors, relatives and in a show of empathy, the German Ambassador, Busso von Alvensleben, and Fisheries Minister, Sean Connick.

Mr Connick said in regards to the event that “These were three women who went to work and never came back – we should never forget them.”

Take me to this news item: Wexford town remembers the three killed in WWII bomb attack in 1940. >>

Have you heard of the inaugural Paddy Games? Well a few weekends ago the highly unusual sporting event took place in the Mardyke Arena in Cork City. The event isn’t your normal competitive affair. Events such as running backwards, the three-legged race blindfolded with Wellington boots, the doggy paddle (replacing unnatural swimming strokes like the butterfly) and field events involve bicycle tires and toilet rolls were the highlights of the day.

More spectacle than sporting event, the Paddy Games allows silly sport fanatics to join in the fun hoping to represent Ireland on an international level. The aim of such an odd competition is to bring back the fun into sports.

Take me to this news item: The Silly Paddy Games >>

The internet Diaspora outreach project, Gateway Ireland has been awarded €23,000 by the Department of Foreign Affairs. The project was announced last September at the Global Irish Economic Forum held at Farmleigh. This was one of many grants announced to seven Irish-based organizations, totaling €728,000. Each organization’s goal is to promote the welfare of Irish emigrants and greater engagement between Ireland and the global Irish community.

It had been announced in the Department of Foreign Affairs' last budget that funding to organizations working with emigrants was being cut by 14% in 2010, even as emigration rose significantly.

Take me to this news item: Gateway Ireland awarded €23,000 in grants. >>

Saint Patrick High School of Illinois is celebrating its 150th Anniversary school year on Mon., Aug. 23 (7:50 a.m.). The all boy’s school was founded at Adams and Des Plaines in 1861, five years after Old St. Patrick’s Church was established. Established as Chicago’s oldest all-male Catholic high school, the school also was Illinois’ first high school to implement mandatory drug-testing. Due to this it has developed a reputation for instilling moral and academic excellence in students from all over the city and surrounding suburbs.

The 150th Anniversary Committee has planned several events for the banner year including a school wide mass that will also involve members of the community on Wed., Sept. 29 at 11 a.m.

Take me to this news item: Saint Patrick High School hitting 150th Anniversary Year >>

Already a list of actors and actresses are in the running to play out the famed marriage – err marriages – of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. The duo had married for about 10 years before divorcing, and then tried again a year latter remarrying in a union that lasted all of 10 months.

Irish actor Colin Farrell is reported to be in the running for the role of the famed legendary Welsh actor (though rumor is that Russell Crowe also is looking at it) and a possibly cat fight is brewing for the spot of Taylor’s role from both Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Take me to this news item: Actors and Actresses vying for roles in an Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor biopic. >>

Yesterday, Spike Island had its first public tour of the island; guided walking tour of the former Cork Harbor military fortress and prison. Cork county manager Martin Riordan expressed hope that the island would be opened up to the public for visits this summer earlier this year. The council has now issued a license to two Cobh-based companies to bring tours to the island, ferry operator Marine Transport and tour company Titanic Trail Ltd. that will last until October 31st.

“Ever since the Government indicated it was handing over the island to Cork County Council, there’s been a huge call from the public to open it and the number of calls has increased since the Spike Island exhibition opened in Cobh Heritage Centre earlier this month,” Cork County Council administrative officer Rose Carroll stated in regards to the decision.

Take me to this news item: Spike Island opened to public this past Saturday. >>

Recently, George Clooney took to the stand in a Milan court. He is in court suing a group of three con-men who used his name to front a fashion business. The courtroom as expected was full of spectators wanting to get a picture of the heartthrob. After getting his legal team and himself safely into the court room, the court pressed on with a translator.

Only one of the defendants was present. Clooney testified that the photos being used as evidence were doctored to show as if he was conversating with the two men. He even greeted the defendant as he recognized him from the photograph: “This is the first time I've ever seen him …So I'd like to say hello, nice to meet you.”.

Take me to this news item: George Clooney wows the crowds while heading to a Milan court. >>