Chief O’Neill: The Book, Coming This Summer
Walsh Whiskey, based in Carlow, produce a fine single malt whiskey called Writers’ Tears. It is my favourite tipple at this time, and not just because of the flavour. The Read More …
Saint Patrick’s Day
What would Chief O’Neill have made of some of the more outrageous aspects of modern Saint Patrick’s day? I remember, as a teenager in the 1980s, visiting downtown Chicago to Read More …
East At Glendart
Nineteenth century figures who came from the Far West and loved the Far East.
The Green Fields Of America
The story of Chief O’Neill owes a great debt to his great-granddaughter Mary Lesch. It was Mary who followed through on family stories and hunted down her famous ancestor’s unpublished Read More …
The New Policeman
The story of O’Neill as a new policeman is described in my book Chief O’Neill. I am pleased to announce that the relevant section is excerpted in the latest issue of the Celtic Junction Arts Review which you can read here: https://celticjunction.org/cjac/arts-review/#policeman
The Grassy Green Pillow
On a recent visit to West Cork, I had the fortune to properly explore Tralibane and the surrounding area. I was bowled over by the hospitality of the people there, Read More …
Bantry Chief O’Neill Festival 2019
Bantry is a beautiful town in West Cork, not too far from Tralibane where Francis O’Neill was born. This year’s 2019 Chief O’Neill festival kicks off tomorrow (September 6) in Read More …
The Day the Chief was Assassinated
In 1897, Mark Twain was reported to have made this famous statement upon being confronted with his obituary by a reporter in London. Francis O’Neill, a few years later as Read More …
The Tragedy of Tralibane Bridge
If you closely read O’Neill’s work, Tralibane bridge turns out to be personally very important to him, as a place and a tune.
Francis O’Neill Irish Arts Week July 29-August 2, 2019
It’s coming up! This year’s Francis O’Neill Irish Arts Week is only 2 weeks away. This will be the 9th annual Irish Cultural Summer program at the Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago.