It is difficult to think back to the Irish film “The Commitments” without remembering the stunning vocals by Andrew Strong playing lead singer Deco Cuff. Over 15 years later, Strong has proved himself already to be far more than the man behind Deco Cuff, though the label of the film was no simple task to shake.

The latest news from around the country

Senator Chris Dodd has landed in further controversy over his Irish cottage which may have been appraised at a value far too low.

Tthe U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (UCSIS) recently announced that it has begun the process of archiving old alien records that will eventually become part of the U.S. National Archives.

Every Memorial Day weekend in a little town in the Catskills called East Durham, an Irish style Woodstock takes place. The “Emerald Isle” of the popular New York vacation region is home to the annual East Durham Irish Festival, and this year, the festival’s 32nd, despite spots of rain and the cloudy economy, was as fun-filled and musical as ever.

Memorial Day is less than two weeks away, which also means the kickoff of the busiest season for Irish festivals. In this era of bailouts, buying a ticket to a festival this summer provides a stimulus package to our culture that will reap immediate benefits to your family.

A Kansas City police dog is the co-grand marshal of Kansas City’s 36th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade next

IT certainly hasn't been smooth sailing for the ambitious Broadway production of The Pirate Queen produced by John McColgan and Moya Doherty.

It has managed to stay afloat despite the nearly universal pans from the professional critics while entertaining a number of people who have seen it and given standing ovations to the cast.

From my own informal sampling and I have seen it twice myself I sit squarely in the middle on its achievements plus and minus.

IT'S summer and you know what that means. Sunscreen. Lots of sunscreen lathered atop your freakishly white skin.

Body of War, the critically acclaimed anti-war documentary film from talk show host Phil Donahue and filmmaker Ellen Spiro, is set for release on April 9. CAHIR O'DOHERTY talks to the legendary Irish American host about the path to the war in Iraq and its unforeseen consequences.

AT the White House on Sunday President George W.

Best known for his searing portrait of the Hell's Kitchen Irish gang The Westies, author T.J. English has now turned his attention to the broader story of Irish-American organized crime in "Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner, who feels that America can do absolutely fine without any immigration at all – at least that’s the impression he left after a recent appearance on "Meet the Press" – should check out the Web site of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (www.uscis.gov), and check out some of the new U.S. citizen stories the site regularly features.

THOUGH a proposed November 6 fight in Westbury, Long Island is off, undefeated Derry native John Duddy (25-0, 17 KOs) is slated to fight Michi Munoz (21-2, 14 KOs) at the Roseland Ballroom on either November 13 or November 21.

"The November 6 date is dead and buried. We are not going ahead with that," Duddy's promoter Eddie McLoughlin of Irish Ropes told the Irish Voice.

A crowd of admirers awaited Peter Quinn when he came to Glucksman Ireland House, NYU on October 16th to launch Overlook Press's new edition of his award winning novel, "Banished Children of Eve," the tale of Irish-Americans in New York during the Civil War.

Many had read the much praised novel that celebrated writer William Kennedy called "terrific ..

It's green in the heartland, in more ways than one. The Elders routinely bring Emerald Isle vibes in this country's midsection, and they have just released the tempting Racing the Tide. Since forming in 1998, the Elders have brought their musical mix of roots rock, powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch songwriting to festivals, pubs and theaters across the U.

I was speaking with a friend of mine who organizes ethnic festivals on the Eastern Seaboard. She was lamenting about the state of the festivals in general. Smaller attendances mean smaller budgets mean less funding to draw the big artists that pack the people in.

Once again Irish artists on both sides of the pond created innovative music for any musical palette. If you do not like something on this year's best of list, you probably don't like music!

For you last minute shoppers out there, I can't think of a better stocking stuffer than these great discs.

Happy holidays to all Irish Voice readers!

Various Artists, "Rootstomp Volumes 1 and 2": Spearheaded by Toronto's Enter the Haggis, "Rootstomp" is a smoking hot collection of the finest contemporary Celtic music sampled from both sides of the Atlantic.