John Lawrence Sullivan, born to Irish immigrants on October 15, 1858, in Roxbury, Massachusetts, grew into an embodiment of the American Dream for many Irish Americans. His parents, survivors of the Great Hunger in Ireland, instilled in him a profound sense of identity and resilience. Though he was an excellent student and his parents aspired for him to attend Boston College and become a priest, destiny had a different plan for Sullivan. Lured by the raw appeal of professional sports, Sullivan found his true calling in boxing, a sport then shadowed by legal ambiguities and often relegated to … [Read more...] about John L Sullivan: a Celtic Warrior and American Superstar
News
AOH Statement on U.S.–Ireland Trade and Tariff Concerns
The Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) has long stood as a voice for Irish American families, workers, and small businesses. In light of recent discussions surrounding tariffs on Irish imports and public comments about Ireland’s tax policies, we feel compelled to speak out. We acknowledge that there is a trade imbalance between the United States and Ireland, and that many U.S. companies have relocated operations to Ireland in pursuit of more competitive tax treatment. However, during his March 12, 2025, meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, President Trump stated: “They … [Read more...] about AOH Statement on U.S.–Ireland Trade and Tariff Concerns
From Donegal to Duffy’s Cut: The Forgotten Massacre of Irish Immigrants
On April 24, 1832, 57 Irish immigrants from the counties of Derry, Donegal and Tyrone boarded the barque John Stamp at the port of Derry to begin their voyage to Philadelphia. They had all taken different roads to arrive at this literal and emotional departure. John Ruddy was just 18 when he hugged his parents goodbye, knowing it was unlikely that he would see them again in this life. Catherine Burns was 29 and had already experienced a lifetime of sadness; she was a widow and traveling with her Father-in-Law, hoping for a better life in America. What united them all was their … [Read more...] about From Donegal to Duffy’s Cut: The Forgotten Massacre of Irish Immigrants
Breaking Rules, Breaking News: The Fearless Journalism of Nellie Bly
There was a time when mouse clicks and tweets did not drive reporters; they actually went out, sometimes at great personal peril, to find the news. One such reporter and a pioneer of investigative journalism was Irish American Nellie Bly. 21-year-old Nellie Bly as she appeared while reporting from Mexico Nellie Bly was born Elizabeth Cochrane on May 5, 1864 in Cochran's Mills, now part of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, Michael Cochran (Elizabeth would add the 'e' to the last name later), was the son of an immigrant from Derry who has started as a laborer and had … [Read more...] about Breaking Rules, Breaking News: The Fearless Journalism of Nellie Bly
“Never Lose Your Good Name”: The Life of ‘Bonanza King’ John Mackay
John Mackay, the “Bonanza King” William Shakespeare observed, “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” It speaks to the ironic tendency for society to notarize, even glorify, the darkest aspects of humanity while ignoring the noble. Nowhere is this clearer than in the case of Irish American John Mackay, the “Bonanza King.” John Mackay (pronounced Mackee) was born on November 28, 1831, on the outskirts of Dublin in the appalling poverty of pre-famine Ireland. In 1840, when Mackay was nine years old, the family emigrated to New … [Read more...] about “Never Lose Your Good Name”: The Life of ‘Bonanza King’ John Mackay
Daniel Daly: The Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor—and Deserved a Third
Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly, USMC, recipient of the Medal of Honor twice for engagements in two separate conflicts In the history of the Medal of Honor, the United States Highest award for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty", only 19 men have been awarded the medal twice. Among them is Marine Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, one of only two Marines to receive the Medal of Honor Twice for separate acts of heroism and nominated for a third. Daly was born in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, on 11 November 1873. He was slight of … [Read more...] about Daniel Daly: The Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor—and Deserved a Third
From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice Robes
The 1920s marks one of the darkest and least discussed chapters in American history. During this period, the Ku Klux Klan experienced a resurgence, propelled by various factors, including D. W. Griffith's controversial portrayal of the Klan in "Birth of a Nation" (originally titled "The Klansman"), a complex mix of patriotism and isolationism following World War I, and the adoption of modern marketing techniques. As a result, the Klan transcended its Southern roots, evolving into a nationwide movement with a staggering membership of six million. To sustain its rapid growth and appeal to a … [Read more...] about From Priest to Martyr, From Klan Robes to Justice Robes
Reflections on St. Joseph Day
Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture and that has seemed too little for those who made up legends about him. We know he was a carpenter, a working man, for the skeptical Nazarenes ask about Jesus, "Is this not the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55). He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24). Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal … [Read more...] about Reflections on St. Joseph Day
Unsinkable & Unstoppable: The Real Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown
Young Margaret Tobin Brown Margaret Tobin Brown, famously known as the "Unsinkable Molly Brown," is often celebrated in popular culture for her flamboyant personality and heroic actions on the Titanic. However, this portrayal barely scratches the surface of her remarkable life and achievements. While she is invariably portrayed as an outspoken, humorous, flamboyant woman of America's West, these depictions, though rooted in truth, do a disservice to the complexity and depth of her character and contributions. She is even known to history as "Molly", a name she never used in life. Born … [Read more...] about Unsinkable & Unstoppable: The Real Margaret ‘Molly’ Brown
The Sullivan Brothers: Irish-American WWII Heroes Who Inspired a Nation
DID YOU KNOW that in the annals of America's heroes, there is scarcely a brighter entry than that of the fighting Sullivan brothers? Born in Waterloo, Iowa to Railroad conductor Tom Sullivan and his wife Alleta, George, Francis, Albert, Joseph, and Madison grew up the best of friends in the closeness of an Irish family and matured into patriotic Americans. It was no surprise, therefore, that when Pearl Harbor was attacked, the Sullivan brothers headed straight for the nearest U.S. Navy recruiting office. Navy policy discouraged family members from serving together, but the Sullivans … [Read more...] about The Sullivan Brothers: Irish-American WWII Heroes Who Inspired a Nation
St Patrick’s Day 2025 Reflection
St. Patrick St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. He was born in Roman Britain and when he was fourteen or so, he was captured by Irish pirates during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. At the time, Ireland was a land of Druids and pagans but Patrick turned to God and wrote his memoir, The Confession. In The Confession, he wrote: "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, … [Read more...] about St Patrick’s Day 2025 Reflection
Who Was St. Patrick? The Real History Behind Ireland’s Patron Saint
Each year around March 17, the name of St. Patrick appears in every major publication in the civilized world - sometimes with honor and sometimes with scorn - often due to the conduct of those who celebrate his memory at affairs which bear his name. Of the many things written about this holy man, some are true, some misleading, and some false. St. Patrick was Italian; St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland; St. Patrick was the first to bring Christianity to Ireland - all of these statements are false! Let’s take them one at a time. Some claim St. Patrick to be Italian … [Read more...] about Who Was St. Patrick? The Real History Behind Ireland’s Patron Saint
Reflection for the 2nd Sunday of Lent- March 16, 2025
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear the story of Jesus’s Transfiguration. During our Lenten journey, we are called to be transformed and hear God’s voice tell us, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” Like those first disciples, we can become afraid but we acknowledge how good it is to be here with the Lord. Do you remember a time when someone or something changed before your eyes and even though you were afraid, you saw the beauty of that moment? Jesus’s transfiguration is a glimpse of transformation to which we are all called to experience in the resurrection. However, we are … [Read more...] about Reflection for the 2nd Sunday of Lent- March 16, 2025
“Uncommon Virtue is a Common Irish American Value”
It has been said of those that fought at the battle of Iwo Jima that “Uncommon Valor was a Common Virtue.” It could also be said of many Irish American families that “Uncommon Virtue is a Common Value”. Both are illustrated in the story of William G. Walsh and his family. Firefighter Dennis Walsh, killed when the floor of a burning building collapsed while fighting a fire William G. Walsh was born on April 7, 1922, in Maine to a young mother who gave the child to her grandmother to raise. When the grandmother herself fell ill, she entrusted the baby to her friend Mary Walsh from Roxbury, … [Read more...] about “Uncommon Virtue is a Common Irish American Value”
Annie Moore: The Brave Irish Girl Who Took the First Step Though Ellis Island
The statue of Annie Moore and her brothers at Cobh, Ireland During its period of operation from 1892 till 1954, over 12 million immigrants entered through the immigration station at Ellis Island, a name that was to become synonymous with the “Golden Door” and the “American Dream”. It is estimated that today over forty percent of the United States population can trace their ancestry to an immigrant that entered Ellis Island. On New Year’s Day Morning 1892 on the deck of the steamship Nevada stood three adolescents, Annie Moore and her brothers Phillip and Anthony. They were perhaps … [Read more...] about Annie Moore: The Brave Irish Girl Who Took the First Step Though Ellis Island
Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Neal Introduce Legislation to Establish National Museum Honoring Irish American History
Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), along with the Friends of Ireland Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Richard Neal (MA-1) and Congressman Mike Kelly (PA-16) and bipartisan members of the Caucus, introduced legislation to establish a commission to study the creation of a National Museum of Irish American History. This landmark initiative will lay the groundwork for a permanent institution dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and showcasing the profound contributions of Irish Americans throughout our nation's history. "As a proud Irish American and descendant of … [Read more...] about Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Neal Introduce Legislation to Establish National Museum Honoring Irish American History
King Kelly: The Irish American Who Transformed 19th-Century Baseball
In the early days of baseball, Irish Americans dominated the sport and helped shape it into America’s national pastime. Many young men, hardened by the strenuous labor of the few jobs available to them, found solace in the new game. Their physical strength and competitive drive made them natural stars, and they soon became key innovators. Among them, none left a greater mark on the game’s formative years than Michael “King” Kelly. Michael Joseph Kelly was born in Troy, New York, on December 31, 1857, to Irish immigrants. When the Civil War broke out, his father enlisted in the Union Army. … [Read more...] about King Kelly: The Irish American Who Transformed 19th-Century Baseball
Courage, Sacrifice, and Loyalty: The Foley Family
At the young age of 32, Thomas Foley was already an 11-year decorated veteran firefighter of the FDNY and a legend. He was a larger than life individual who embraced life to the fullest and seemed to excel at everything he tried from powerlifting to skydiving. Having learned to ride horses on visits to his grandfather's farm, he even excelled as a competitor on the rodeo circuit. With boyish good looks, Thomas Foley was featured twice by People Magazine and appeared in the FDNY's "2003 Calendar of Heroes." At one awards ceremony where Thomas Foley was being honored, he responded to a … [Read more...] about Courage, Sacrifice, and Loyalty: The Foley Family
The Angel of Andersonville: The Selfless Heroism of Fr. Peter Whelan
Whelan was born in 1802 in Loughnageer, County Wexford. Little is known about his early life before he attended Birchfield College in Kilkenny, where he studied classics and mathematics. He later emigrated to America, answering God's call for priests to support the newly established Archdiocese of Charleston, where he was ordained in 1830. Over the next thirty years Fr. Whelan was a tireless shepherd of a flock which, as a result of the waves of Irish immigration caused by the Great Hunger, was growing exponentially. He helped build the first Catholic Church in Charlestown and also the … [Read more...] about The Angel of Andersonville: The Selfless Heroism of Fr. Peter Whelan
Thomas Francis Meagher and the Irish Brigade: The Patriot Who Fought for Two Nations
Thomas Francis Meagher (colorization by Hotpot.ai ) Thomas Francis Meagher's life is a testament to the resilience, ambition, and dedication of the Irish people, both in their homeland and in America. Born in Waterford in 1823, Meagher was raised in an affluent household and received a classical education at Clongowes Wood College and Stonyhurst College in England. Here, he developed his skills in rhetoric, history, and philosophy—an education that would shape his later role as a statesman and orator. Despite his privileged upbringing, he was drawn to the cause of Irish independence. A … [Read more...] about Thomas Francis Meagher and the Irish Brigade: The Patriot Who Fought for Two Nations