Irish lives in America

by  Liz EversNiav Gallagher

€ 19.95

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Book Details

Published by Royal Irish Academy

November 2021

PB

Number of pages: 344

ISBN: 9781911479802

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The Irish struck out across America’s frontiers, built its railroads, fought on both sides of the civil war, captured its major historic moments in print, paint and bronze, led many of its religious denominations, policed its streets, set up its banks, educated its masses, entertained America on its stages and screens and in its sporting arenas, and made ground-breaking contributions in science and engineering.

This collection documents fifty Irish people who made an indelible mark on American society, politics and culture. People like the pirate Anne Bonney and Gertrude Brice Kelly, one of New York City's first surgeons, feature alongside more familiar names such as Maureen O'Hara, Maeve Brennan, Rex Ingram and the architect of the White House James Hoban.

About the Dictionary of Irish Biography: The Dictionary of Irish Biography, a research project of the Royal Irish Academy, is the most comprehensive and authoritative biographical dictionary yet published for Ireland. It comprises over 10,000 lives, which describe and assess the careers of subjects in all fields of endeavour, including politics, law, religion, literature, journalism, architecture, music and the arts, the sciences, medicine, entertainment and sport.

This book is also available on JSTOR. For more information, institutions can visit Books at JSTOR or contact participation@jstor.org.

You can buy the eBook here.

‘This [is a] compact and accessible paperback… . The promise of further thematic collections based on this model suggests that the [Royal Irish] Academy is doing its best to establish a recognisable popular brand which can help disseminate scholarly historical research as widely as possible.

The initial impression may be that this is volume is distinctly traditional… . However, closer inspection suggests that this is not a text likely to have been crafted half a century ago. The editors’ approach is markedly inclusive in a number of ways. … there are many individuals included here who either challenge … easy constructs or challenge the reader to consider how ethnic identity was experienced or projected in the past. … Overall, one is struck by the rich diversity evident in the experiences of these 49 individuals and warmly applauds the efforts of the editors and the initiative of the Royal Irish Academy in presenting them to a wider audience.’

Patrick Fitzgerald, Familia: Ulster Genealogical Review (38) 2022.

Events

• US book launch, 10 February 2022. YouTube
• US book launch, 10 February 2022. SoundCloud
• Book launch, 24 November 2021, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. YouTube
• Book launch, 24 November 2021, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. SoundCloud

In the media

• 27/03/2022 Irish Times
• 19/03/2022 RTÉ Radio 1 - The Business (starts at 3.27)
• 01/12/2021 IrishCentral (USA) - Book of the month
• 28/11/2021 RTÉ Radio 1 - The History Show (starts at 33.08)
• 24/11/2021 Irish Examiner
• 23/11/2021 Books Ireland Magazine
• 20/11/2021 Leitrim Observer
• 18/11/2021 Irish Echo (USA)
• 18/11/2021 Westmeath Independent
• 16/11/2021 Sligo Champion
• 16/11/2021 Irish Independent
• 16/11/2021 Antrim Guardian