Irish Boston History & Heritage

Portrait of W.B. Yeats by John S. Sargent, 1908 Courtesy of  John J. Burns Library  at Boston College    William Butler Yeats   addressed an audience at the Plymouth Theatre in Boston on September 28, 1911 on the subject, "History of the Irish National Theatre and its Purposes." As managing director of  Dublin 's   Abbey Theatre , Yeats was touring the  United States  to introduce a new literary movement  in  Ireland  that he hoped would be "the awakening of the mind of  Ireland ." The   Plymouth Theatre , located at Eliot Street (now Stuart) and  Tremont Street , was a brand new playhouse, described as "a cozy, compact and home like-arrangement, with the seats in all parts of the house as near the stage as possible."  The Abbey players christened the new theatre with their productions.   The Irish plays on opening night included The Shadow of the Glenn by John M. Synge, Birthright by T.C. Murray, and Hyacinth Halvey by Lady Gregory   Yeats

Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia One hundred and forty years ago today, public officials, military leaders and the people of Boston unveiled the Army & Navy Monument at Flagstaff Hill on Boston Common to commemorate Massachusetts men and women who gave their lives during the Civil War.   The unveiling on September 17, 1877 also marked the 247th anniversary of the settlement of Boston in 1630. Over 100,000 spectators lined the streets of Boston as 25,429 veterans marched along a 6 1/2 mile route through the city and up to Flagstaff Hill.  "All nationalities, all colors and conditions of men were represented," reported the  New York Times .  "The Irish, Scotch, English, Portuguese and others were out in large numbers and carried the blood-stained flags under which they fought.  The colored men also turned out in large numbers and stepped as proudly to the strains of martial music as the men who had so enthusiastically take up the case which led t