Binghamton's flag raising for Saint Patrick's Day
Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham joined members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians to raise the Irish flag.
Kraham talked about his own Irish heritage, saying his ancestors immigrated to America in 1859 and once worked as the fire chief in Cooperstown.
After raising the flag, everyone in attendance sang the Irish national anthem, 'A Soldiers Song.'
Kraham says there's never been as small a country that's made as big of an impact as Ireland.
'The sons and daughters of Erin came to our shores seeking a better life. These courageous immigrants built families here, they build strong communities and they helped forge Binghamton's future and our nation's future,' says Kraham.
The AOH is hosting its annual Saint Patty's Day celebration tonight at 148 Main Street in Binghamton until 9 p.m.
Featuring live music by the Shambles.
Kraham also encourages people to go out tonight, and responsibly support their local Irish pubs.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Boston Globe
12 hours ago
- Boston Globe
‘Just a jumble of bones.' How a baby grave discovery has grown to haunt Ireland
One of the boys, Franny Hopkins, remembers the hollow sound as his feet hit the ground. He and Barry Sweeney pushed back some briars to reveal a concrete slab they pried open. 'There was just a jumble of bones,' Hopkins said. 'We didn't know if we'd found a treasure or a nightmare.' Hopkins didn't realize they'd found a mass unmarked baby grave in a former septic tank — in a town whose name is derived from the Irish word meaning burial place. It took four decades and a persistent local historian to unearth a more troubling truth that led this month to the Advertisement The Tuam grave has compelled a broader reckoning that extends to the highest levels of government in Dublin and the Vatican. Ireland and the Catholic Church, once central to its identity, are grappling with the legacy of ostracizing unmarried women who they believed committed a mortal sin and separating them from children left at the mercy of a cruel system. Word of Hopkins' discovery may never have traveled beyond what is left of the home's walls if not for the work of Catherine Corless, a homemaker with an interest in history. Advertisement Corless, who grew up in town and vividly remembers children from the home being shunned at school, set out to write an article about the site for the local historical society. But she soon found herself chasing ghosts of lost children. 'I thought I was doing a nice story about orphans and all that, and the more I dug, the worse it was getting,' she said. Mother and baby homes were not unique to Ireland, but the church's influence on social values magnified the stigma on women and girls who became pregnant outside marriage. The homes were opened in the 1920s after Ireland won its independence from Britain. Most were run by Catholic nuns. In Tuam's case, the mother and baby home opened in a former workhouse built in the 1840s, for poor Irish where many famine victims died. It had been taken over by British troops during the Irish Civil War of 1922-23. Six members of an Irish Republican Army faction that opposed the treaty ending the war were executed there in 1923. Two years later, the imposing three-story gray buildings on the outskirts of town reopened as a home for expectant and young mothers and orphans. It was run for County Galway by the Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic order of nuns. Mothers and their children carried that stigma most of their lives. But there was no accountability for the men who got them pregnant, whether by romantic encounter, rape, or incest. Around the time Corless was unearthing the sad history, Anna Corrigan was in Dublin discovering a secret of her own. Advertisement Corrigan, raised as an only child, vaguely remembered a time as a girl when her uncle was angry at her mother and blurted out that she had given birth to two sons. To this day, she's unsure if it's a memory or dream. While researching her late father's traumatic childhood confined in an industrial school for abandoned, orphaned, or troubled children, she asked a woman helping her for any records about her deceased mom. Corrigan was devastated when she got the news: before she was born, her mother had two boys in the Tuam home. 'I cried for brothers I didn't know, because now I had siblings, but I never knew them,' she said. Her mother never spoke a word about it. A 1947 inspection record provided insights to a crowded and deadly environment. Twelve of 31 infants in a nursery were emaciated. Other children were described as 'delicate,' 'wasted,' or with 'wizened limbs.' Corrigan's brother, John Dolan, was described as 'a miserable, emaciated child with voracious appetite and no control over his bodily functions, probably mental defective.' He died two months later in a measles outbreak. Despite a high death rate, the report said infants were well cared for and diets were excellent. Corrigan's brother, William, was born in May 1950 and listed as dying about eight months later. There was no death certificate, though, and his date of birth was altered on the ledger, which was sometimes done to mask adoptions, Corrigan said. In a hunt for graves, the cemetery caretaker led Corless across the street to the neighborhood and playground where the home once stood. A well-tended garden with flowers, a grotto, and Virgin Mary statue was walled off in the corner. It was created by a couple living next door to memorialize the place Hopkins found the bones. Advertisement Some were thought to be famine remains. But that was before Corless discovered the garden sat atop the septic tank installed after the famine. She wondered if the nuns had used the tank as a convenient burial place after it went out of service in 1937, hidden behind the home's 10-foot-high walls. 'It saved them admitting that so, so many babies were dying,' she said. 'Nobody knew what they were doing.' When she published her article in the Journal of the Old Tuam Society in 2012, she braced for outrage. Instead, she heard almost nothing. That changed, though, after Corrigan, who had been busy pursuing records and contacting officials from the prime minister to the police, found Corless. Corrigan connected her with journalist Alison O'Reilly, and the international media took notice after her May 25, 2014, article on the Sunday front page of the Irish Mail with the headline: 'A Mass Grave of 800 Babies.' The article caused a firestorm, followed by some blowback. Some news outlets, including The Associated Press, highlighted sensational reporting and questioned whether a septic tank could have been used as a grave. The Bon Secours sisters hired public relations consultant Terry Prone, who tried to steer journalists away. Despite the doubters, there was widespread outrage. Corless was inundated by people looking for relatives on the list of 796 deaths she compiled. It is expected to take two years to collect bones, many of which are commingled, sort them, and use DNA to try to identify them with relatives like Corrigan. Advertisement Some people in town believe the remains should be left undisturbed. But Corrigan hopes each child is found. 'They were denied dignity in life, and they were denied dignity and respect in death,' she said. 'So we're hoping that today maybe will be the start of hearing them because I think they've been crying for an awful long time to be heard.'


San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Timeline: Grim history of Ireland's mother and baby homes
Exhumation of a mass grave has begun in Tuam, Ireland, at the site of a former mother and baby home — one of several that once operated across the country. The burial site, which could hold the remains of nearly 800 infants and young children, has forced the country and the Catholic Church to contend with its decades-long legacy of shunning unmarried mothers and separating them from their children left at the mercy of a cruel system. Extensive maltreatment that contributed to the deaths of thousands of children has been gradually revealed over time. Here is a timeline of developments related to Ireland's network of mother and baby homes. 1800s 1846 — The Tuam workhouse opens on six acres to house 800 'inmates' who were destitute. 1900s 1921 — County Galway opens a mother and baby home in a former workhouse in Glenamaddy that is run by Bon Secours Sisters, a Catholic religious order. 1922-23 — The home is occupied by British troops during the Irish Civil War. Six members of an Irish Republican Army faction that opposed the treaty ending the war were executed there in 1923. 1925 — The Children's Home in Glenamaddy closes and reopens in the converted Tuam workhouse as a home for. 1961 — The Tuam home closes. 1970s — Two boys discover bones in an underground chamber on the grounds of the derelict home. Locals believe the grave includes victims of the Irish famine and create a memorial garden. 2000s 2012 — Local historian Catherine Corless publishes an article in the Journal of the Old Tuam Society that reveals many children died in the home. She later finds records of 796 deaths with no burial records. She reveals that the bones found in the 1970s were in the location of a defunct septic tank. May 2014 — The Irish Mail publishes a story about nearly 800 unaccounted dead babies at the home and the possibility some are buried in the sewage tank. International news coverage leads to a public outcry. June 2014 — The Irish government announces it will investigate mother and baby homes across Ireland, including Tuam. February 2015 — The Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes is formally established. March 2017 — A test excavation by the commission confirms 'significant quantities' of human remains of infants in underground chambers at the Tuam site. Tests show they ranged from 35 weeks to three years old. 2018 — The Irish government pledges to carry out a full forensic excavation and enact legislation to allow for the recovery and potential identification of remains. October 2018 — Government officially approves a full forensic excavation of the Tuam site. The cost is estimated at 6—13 million ($7-15 million) euros. January 2021 — The Commission's final report finds that about 9,000 children died in 18 institutions, including Tuam, from 1922 to 1998. Prime Minister Micheál Martin issues a state apology. 2022 — Ireland passes the Institutional Burials Act, giving legal authority to excavate, recover, and identify remains from sites such as Tuam. 2023 — The Director of Authorised Intervention is established to oversee the Tuam excavation. June 11, 2025 — The site is secured, and pre-excavation work begins. July 14, 2025 — The excavation team begins its dig to recover remains. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Time Business News
4 days ago
- Time Business News
Immigration Solicitor Ireland
Navigating the complexities of Irish immigration law can be overwhelming. Whether you're applying for a visa, seeking residency, or dealing with deportation issues, having the right immigration solicitor by your side can make all the difference. This guide explains how to find the best immigration solicitor in Ireland to handle your case efficiently and effectively. Immigration solicitor Ireland is constantly evolving and involves detailed procedures that can be confusing for applicants. An experienced immigration solicitor can help you by: Explaining your legal rights and options Preparing and submitting accurate applications Representing you in hearings or appeals Communicating with immigration authorities on your behalf Avoiding costly mistakes that could delay or deny your application Immigration solicitors in Ireland typically assist with: Work permits and employment visas Family reunification and spousal visas Residency and citizenship applications Student visas and study permits Deportation and removal orders Asylum and refugee claims Stamp renewals and extensions Selecting the best solicitor for your immigration needs is crucial. Here are key factors to consider: Ensure the solicitor specialises in immigration law. Check their experience with cases similar to yours. Look for membership in relevant professional bodies, such as the Law Society of Ireland. Read client testimonials and online reviews. Ask for personal recommendations from trusted sources. Choose a solicitor who explains the process clearly and answers your questions patiently. Good communication reduces stress and confusion. Ask about fees upfront. Some solicitors offer fixed fees for certain services or flexible payment plans. Beware of unusually low fees, which might indicate subpar service. Consider solicitors who are easy to contact and responsive. A local solicitor in Ireland can be more accessible for meetings and updates. What is your experience with cases like mine? What are the likely outcomes of my application? How long will the process take? What documents will I need to provide? How do you charge for your services? How will you keep me updated on my case? Discuss your immigration goals and circumstances. Receive advice on the best legal route. Understand the documentation and evidence needed. Your solicitor will prepare your application carefully. They will double-check for errors and completeness. The solicitor liaises with the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) or other authorities. They update you on any developments or requests. If your application is refused, your solicitor can advise on appeals or judicial review. They can represent you in court if necessary. Higher chances of application success Faster processing times due to properly completed applications Peace of mind knowing your case is in expert hands Support with complex or sensitive cases Choosing the best Immigration solicitor Ireland is a critical step towards achieving your immigration goals. Do your research, ask questions, and pick a trusted expert who will guide you confidently through the process. TIME BUSINESS NEWS