Irish Boston History & Heritage

A monument in memory of Mayor Patrick A. Collins (1844-1905) was unveiled in Boston's Back Bay on November 2, 1908 by public officials, church leaders, family and friends, and by thousands of citizens who admired Collins during his illustrious life in Boston.  The monument was revealed to the assembled crowd by Paul Collins, son of the Mayor, who had difficulty pulling off the protective cloth because of unusually high winds and severe weather.   Boston's Catholic Archbishop O'Connell said the opening prayer and Mayor George A. Hibbard officially accepted the monument from Jerome Jones, president of the Collins Memorial Committee. Because of the severe weather that day, the speaking portion of the event was then moved indoors to the nearby Hotel Somerset.  Inside the hotel, former Governor of Massachusetts John D. Long gave a powerful oration, saying in part, "It is not the discharge of a perfunctory duty, but a labor of love, to take my part in this tribute to Patri...

The American premiere of "Long Day's Journey Into Night" by American playwright Eugene O'Neill was performed at The Wilbur Theatre from October 16-27, 1956, and was described as "one of the splendid. dramatic accomplishments of the decade." Boston Globe theater critic Cyrus Durgin wrote the glowing review of the production, director and actors, and to the playwright himself. "As matters have turned out, this the last play left to us by the late Eugene O'Neill. More than that, it is a great play, with three its roles supremely well acted, and it has been staged with comprehension 'and a sensitivity which are absolute. At the final curtain the house rang with cheers--something almost unheard a Boston theater in this reviewer's time. "The acclaim obviously was directed at Frederic March, Florence Eldridge and Jason Robards Jr., but it must also have included the creator of this piercingly emotional drama. Long Day's Journey Into Nig...

  Reprinted from the Boston Business Journal October 20, 2003 By Michael P. Quinlin It was St. Brendan who carried the first planeload of Aer Lingus passengers from Boston to Ireland 45 years ago, on Oct. 5, 1958. In those days, when the skies were still considered the heavens, Aer Lingus christened each of its carriers after a saint. And who better to transport Boston dignitaries across the ocean than a plane named for the Irish monk who, according to lore, discovered North America back in the sixth century? Boston was in a state of urban renewal in the late 1950s, transforming itself from "a hopeless backwater" to a modern metropolis. Logan International Airport was fast becoming a gateway for the burgeoning travel industry, and airport officials accurately envisioned Boston one day becoming a gateway to the world. The inaugural flight that bright fall day was an Irish affair start to finish. Business leaders, journalists and travel agents with Irish names tagged along, pro...

  The monument honoring Matthew Thornton was unveiled on September 29, 1892 in Merrimac, NH at his former home along the Merrimack River. Several thousand people were present at the ceremonies. He was one of the three men from New Hampshire to sign the Declaration of Independence, joining Dr. Josiah Bartlett of Kingston and Brig. Gen. William Whipple of Portsmouth.  Thornton has been described as a physician, soldier and patriot, who agitated against the Stamp Act of 1765, presided over the Provincial Congress in 1775, served in the State Senate, and was an associate justice of the Superior Court.    The monument was placed next to the cemetery where he was buried and across from the homestead where he lived in his final years.  New Hampshire Governor H. A. Tuttle spoke at the ceremony. Born in the Ulster Province in Ireland in 1714, Matthew was the son of James and Elizabeth Thornton, who emigrated to New England in 1717 in the first wave of Scots-Irish P...

 

Paul Revere Statue, courtesy of  Digital Commonwealth On September 22, 1940, the bronze statue of Paul Revere was unveiled at the Paul Revere Mall on Hanover Street in Boston's North End. A number of Revere's ancestors and descendants were present at the unveiling, along with many North Enders who returned to their neighborhood for the occasion. Some 10,000 people attended. Orator and Boston City Councillor Henry L. Shattuck gave a stirring patriotic tribute on the eve of World War II, telling the audience, "It is well we should honor and celebrate the achievements of Paul Revere and of our other heroes. It is just and fitting that we should sing their praises and take pride in their deeds. But that is not enough. These patriots did not live for their country and die for their country in order that we might live softly. They looked to us, their descendants, to pick up and carry on the of liberty." Thomas Cass Bronze Plaque, courtesy of IrishBoston.org   In addition t...