Historical Happenings

On several occasions in the past, we have denounced revisionists who alter the presentation of history to suit their own purposes. Equally provocative is anything that tends to support the Divide and Conquer tactics originated by the Brits ages ago to separate the Irish into quarreling communities to keep them from uniting against the Crown. No less culpable are those who unwittingly propagate such hypothetical theories without first determining the accuracy of their content. Their intentions may not be as malicious, but the results are certainly no less damaging. One recent example was … [Read more...] about How Long Must We Wear This?

Maj. Gen. McClellan's Peninsula Campaign at the outbreak of America’s Civil War was aimed at capturing the rebel capitol at Richmond. It was beaten back in June, 1862. Union forces made it back to relative safety, but suffered almost 16,000 casualties during a strategic retreat. Lee's army had taken the offensive, but lost close to 20,000. Convinced that McClellan no longer posed a threat to Richmond, Lee moved his army into northern Virginia and headed for Washington; in their path was the railroad town of Fairfax Station. Many Irish immigrants had signed on to build America's railroads, so … [Read more...] about Fairfax Station

On June 17, 1864, at the Washington Arsenal a staff of young Irish immigrant girls was busy crimping lead balls into shells of gunpowder for small arms use by the Union Army in the Civil War.  Just before noon, some shells placed outside a window to dry in the sun exploded throwing sparks through the open window into the arsenal’s east room. According to the Washington Star, Friday, June 17, 1864: A terrible catastrophe occurred at the Arsenal which has cast a gloom over the whole community.  While 108 girls were at work in the main laboratory making cartridges for small arms, a quantity of … [Read more...] about The Immigrant Girls of the Arsenal Memorial

He was a man admired and admonished.  He represented an age and a culture that many could relate to, yet just as many wished to forget.  To some he was the epitome of the rebel, born to the poverty of a Dublin slum, who rose to become an international literary figure.  To others he was the opposite of all that was noble about the Irish. In reality, he was a product of his environment, born in working class Dublin to Stephen and Kathleen Behan on Feb. 23,1923.  His mother's extensive repertoire of Irish ballads served him well in later years.  At age 16, Irish Republican principles led him to … [Read more...] about Brendan Behan

Ed and Grace Corrigan met at Crosby High School in Waterbury Ct in 1940. In 1946 they were married just as Ed was entering Boston College. They agreed that children would have to wait, but love changed that as Ed was entering his sophomore year. On Sept 2, 1948 - their first child was born.  They baptized her Sharon Christa Corrigan, and called her Christa. When she was only 6 months old, Christa contracted a severe illness that hospitalized her for 28 days. She recovered, but hospital and medical bills took the family's savings. Boston Mayor Michael J Curley, a legendary benefactor of the … [Read more...] about Christa Corrigan McAuliffe