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The enigmatic Seán MacBride was born on January 26th, 1904, the son of nationalist, political activist and poetic muse, Maude Gonne. His father, Major John MacBride was a volatile man of action who had served in the Boer war against the Briti…

Robert Boyle (1627 - 1691), considered by many to be the Father of Chemistry, was born on this day in Lismore Castle in Waterford. He was the 4th son of the enormously wealthy Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, and Catherine Fenton Lismore Castle …

Sybil Connolly was born in Swansea, Wales on January 24, 1921. On her father's death, John, in 1936, the family relocated to his native Waterford. During those years, Sybil showed a flair for fashion and design and was apprenticed to a London dressm…

John Field (1782 - 1837), is considered by many to be Ireland’s most influential classical composer. Field is credited with the creation of the nocturne, a musical form usually written for the piano and evocative of the night.  Field w…

Born on this day in 1930, Éamon de Buitléar became a fixture on Irish television, particularly for his iconic series, Amuigh Faoin Spéir (Out Under the Sky), focusing on the Irish natural world.  Have you listened to our…

Irish Stew listener Danny Leavy shared this account of the Irish in New York and the work underway to preserve and exhibit an Irish American artifact. Up until the end of the American Revolution, Catholic worship was prohibited, but due to some per…

Our 31 Guests It's Christmas Eve in New York - the Winter Solstice has come and gone. It's that time when we all start to look back at the past year and be thankful for the good things that happened despite the challenging times we live in. A Note…

Natalie Nugent O'Shea with (top to bottom) Emer Rocke, Ted Smyth and Ciaran Canon During the first 2 seasons of Irish Stew, we've talked with a number of current and former members of the Irish diplomatic community (DFA)  who make reference to…

Liza Donnelly has drawn cartoons for the New Yorker for over 40 year years. She is a legend in the business working for a legendary publication. Naturally when cohost John Lee mentioned that he had met Liza at an Irish Business Organization speaking…

Ted Smyth carved out two successful careers in the Irish diplomatic core and corporate America. My cohost John Lee had gotten to know Ted at Irish Business Organization events and cajoled Ted into coming onto the podcast  I was delighted…