The Irish American

Posted by Patricia Harty at 9/8/2009 5:42 PM EDT
Posted by Patricia Harty at 9/8/2009 5:42 PM EDT

Labor Day is kind of like Christmas -- people have forgotten the meaning of it. They just want the presents, the birth of Christ gets lost somewhere in the wrappings.

The significance of Labor Day gets lost too -- in the sandwiches at the beach on the last day of summer. But as you throw another hot dog on the Barbie, spare a thought for McGuire, Maguire, Jones, Quill and Sweeney –- to name just a few of the many great Irish labor leaders.

Posted by PatriciaHarty at 8/28/2009 6:37 PM EDT
Posted by PatriciaHarty at 8/28/2009 6:37 PM EDT

A sailboat moves slowly down the river its canvas furled.

It's out there all on its own in the quiet of the early morning.

Posted by PatriciaHarty at 6/5/2009 3:27 PM EDT
Posted by PatriciaHarty at 6/5/2009 3:27 PM EDT

She held the two-year-old baby girl in her arms. The child was so light she was afraid that she would crush her or move in such a way as to press against her sores.

She had never been this close to starvation before.

Posted by Patricia Harty at 5/15/2009 4:13 PM EDT
Posted by Patricia Harty at 5/15/2009 4:13 PM EDT

Could an Irish-American Stanford University law professor be the next Supreme Court Justice?

When Kathleen Sullivan, Stanford University law professor, and former dean, was asked in a 2000 interview with Elgie Gillespie for Irish America magazine, about the possibility of following in Sandra Day O'Connor and William Brennan's footsteps, she said:

Posted by Patricia Harty at 5/4/2009 4:08 PM EDT
Posted by Patricia Harty at 5/4/2009 4:08 PM EDT

Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird has a famous Irish ancestor or two. He also has an Irish Disney connection, which means that when the movie is made – and you know there's going to be a movie – perhaps we will see it on the Disney Channel. Here’s the story:

Going on the theory that every good horse has Irish bloodlines, I did a little investigation okay, a lot of “mining” into Mine That Bird's, and sure enough found that “the Bird” is not just any little horse, but is the descendant of a famous Irish ancestor called Birdcatcher.

Posted by PatriciaHarty at 3/25/2009 1:22 PM EDT

When I was young, a visit by two Frenchmen caused great excitement in our house.

They were distant cousins – descendants of Oliver Harty who was born in Knockainey, Knocklong, County Limerick in 1746 and left for France as a lad of sixteen.

Posted by PatriciaHarty at 3/20/2009 4:40 PM EDT

Lingering signs of St. Patrick's Day -- a tapestry of John F. Kennedy in an Arabic carpet store window; a display of nylon scarves festooned with shamrocks in a wholesale shop; a bedraggled young man with green T-shirt who doesn't look like he made it home.

It's Tuesday morning, March 18, but let me take you back to March 15, Sunday afternoon.

Posted by PatriciaHarty at 3/19/2009 3:21 PM EDT

“The robins came - that's a sign of luck,” my cousin whispers in my ear as the men start to shovel the clay.

Sure enough, I look up and see a pair of robins swoop down over the heads of those gathered and then fly off together.