Latest news with #Irish-Catholic
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How we get through the pain with humor when we lose a loved one
My brother Paul passed away two days after having an aortic dissection. He was pretty good guy … The longer one lives, the more experience one has with death and dying – and the better one gets at dealing with repetition, it gets a little easier. It's not anything anyone wants to get good at, but with practice emotions can better be kept in check, words can better be expressed – and the occasional use of humor (unintentional, usually) can help cut through the seriousness of the situation. Well-being: Take a path to community health, personal well-being with a garden | Mark Mahoney After the oldest brother of six siblings passed away in Daytona Beach, the living family members – two brothers and three sisters – were told of the deceased's daughter's arrangement to have the body transported to the family's hometown. The plan was for the brother's viewing and cremation to be held in Western New York. Shortly thereafter, the daughter reported that she had arranged for the deceased's pickup truck to be towed from Florida to Western New York. 'Are they going to tow the body in the truck?' said the youngest brother, eliciting laughter while not meaning to be funny. The deceased brother had many good qualities. He was honest and intelligent. He was very generous. A good father. A great grandfather. But he also had a reputation for sometimes being stubborn and difficult. He could be a challenge at times for the parents. The siblings were still not over their parents. They had lost both in recent years, the father losing his battle with kidney disease at 87 years old in 2017. For the mother, it was idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. She passed away at 88 in 2022. The mother, in her final days, was sharp mentally and keenly aware of her declining health. She had joked about her age with hospital nurses, pointing out that her children were all senior citizens. The siblings agreed that it was best that their mother had passed before her oldest son. 'She would have been so upset,' said one of the sisters. 'He could be a troublemaker, but I think he was her favorite.' 'I just hope he doesn't give them a hard time,' added a sister-in-law. 'What do you mean?' asked one of the brothers. 'Your parents in heaven, I mean …,' said the sister-in-law, eliciting laughter while not meaning to be funny. The mother came from a large Irish-Catholic family. One of 11 children, she outlived all but one. So over the years, the siblings had paid their respects to many aunts and uncles. Several years ago, when one of the uncles died, all the living uncles were gathered in an adjoining room at the funeral home. The uncles were drinking and chain smoking – and crying. Tears were flowing, really flowing – right up until the time one of the uncles (Uncle Larry, known for his dramatic flair) leaned back in his chair and flipped over backwards in it onto the floor. And then the tears stopped, suddenly, and turned to laughter. Roaring laughter. Wild, roaring laughter. If you're lucky enough to still be around when a family member, friend, or co-worker has passed – find something to laugh about. Mark Ryan is an RN who lives in Tallahassee. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: How humor and family can ease the pain of losing a loved one
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Photos show St. Patrick's Day celebrations at the White House through the years
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17 every year. Irish leaders traditionally visit the White House and gift the president with shamrocks. Ireland's prime minister met with Donald Trump amid an escalating trade war. The White House typically marks St. Patrick's Day with a visit from Irish officials and the exchange of a shamrock. This year, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office amid an escalating trade war between the US and the European Union. Photos show how St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated at the White House through the years. As President John F. Kennedy was America's first Irish-Catholic president, St. Patrick's Day held special meaning for him. In 1952, Ireland's ambassador to the US, John Hearne, sent President Harry Truman a box of shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, and a tradition was born. In 1961, Irish Ambassador Thomas J. Kiernan presented Kennedy with a basket of shamrocks and the Kennedy coat of arms with a family tree showing his Irish ancestry. Irish Ambassador William Patrick Fay pinned a cluster of shamrocks to President Richard Nixon's lapel in 1969. The Irish delegation also gifted him with a foot-high Waterford crystal vase engraved with a White House etching. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter received a Waterford crystal vase from Irish foreign minister Garret FitzGerald. FitzGerald went on to serve as Taoiseach, the prime minister of Ireland, from 1981 to 1982 and from 1982 to 1987. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave FitzGerald a hat embroidered with the words "Very Important Irishman." Reagan also accepted the traditional shamrock gift. Reagan was visited by a man dressed as a leprechaun on St. Patrick's Day in 1986. The leprechaun presented Reagan with a personalized shamrock. President George H.W. Bush received a bowl of shamrocks from deputy prime minister of Ireland Brian Lenihan in 1990. The reception took place in the White House Rose Garden. First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton wore a green dress for St. Patrick's Day in 1995. President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton posed with Irish Prime Minister John Bruton and his wife, Finola Bruton, in the Grand Foyer of the White House. President Bill Clinton received a bowl of shamrocks from Prime Minister John Bruton in 1996. The two men also wore shamrock lapels. In 2001, President George W. Bush accepted the traditional gift in the Roosevelt Room. First lady Laura Bush wore a green jacket in honor of St. Patrick's Day. President Bush, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi were serenaded by the United States Air Force Reserve Pipe Band in 2007. The group walked down the steps of the House of Representatives on their way to the White House for the shamrock ceremony. Michelle Obama wore a green Michael Kors dress to the White House St. Patrick's Day reception in 2011. Obama stood onstage with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny's wife, Fionnuala Kenny. In 2012, the White House fountain on the South Lawn was dyed green for the occasion. President Obama also visited a bar and attended a St. Patrick's Day lunch at the Capitol. First lady Melania Trump wore a green animal-print sheath dress designed by Brandon Maxwell to greet the prime minister of Ireland in 2018. She paired the dress with Christian Louboutin snakeskin heels. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar wore shamrock lapels on St. Patrick's Day in 2018. When asked if he would visit Ireland, Trump said, "I would love to visit Ireland soon, I will come, I love it, I have property there, I will go." President Joe Biden continued Obama's tradition of dyeing the fountain green for his first St. Patrick's Day in the White House. St. Patrick's Day had special significance since Biden was the first Irish Catholic president since Kennedy. He is known for often quoting Irish poets in his speeches. In 2021, Biden held a virtual meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, where he accepted the traditional shamrock from afar. Like many of his predecessors, Biden wore a green tie and shamrock lapel. Vice President Kamala Harris also held a virtual meeting with Martin. The meeting went virtual again in 2022 after Martin tested positive for COVID-19. The Taoiseach was supposed to meet with Biden in person in the Oval Office and attend the yearly St. Patrick's Day Friends of Ireland lunch hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Capitol Hill. Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was able to meet with Biden in person on St. Patrick's Day in 2023. Former One Direction member Niall Horan, who is Irish, performed at the Shamrock presentation. During Trump's second non-consecutive term, Martin visited the White House amid a brewing trade war with the European Union. During their Oval Office meeting, Trump said that Ireland "took our pharmaceutical companies" and that the European Union "was set up in order to take advantage of the United States." Martin countered Trump, saying that the trade relationship between the two countries is "a two-way street." The day after Martin's visit, the EU announced tariffs of its own on more than $28 billion worth of US goods. In response, Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on European alcohol and called the European Union "one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States" in a Truth Social post. Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Celtic Cross ceremony: the Sunday before Saint Patrick's Day tradition in Savannah
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – It's a Sunday before Saint Patrick's Day tradition – starting the morning with mass at St. Johns Basilica Cathedral and ending with the Celtic Cross ceremony at Emmett Park. 'It's where we honor our past, present and future Irishmen. The ones that have come before and the ones like my children that are being raised now. ' It's a ceremony that's usually filled with Irish-Catholic families marching in celebration toward Emmett Park to watch as the traditional wreath is mounted in front of the Celtic Cross monument. The weather this year left those celebrations indoors. But Grand Marshal, Jay Burke, and members of the Saint Patrick's Day committee ignored the rain and still marched to the monument to honor the Irish-Catholic heritage by lying the wreath. 'It's a tradition. We do this to honor our ancestors. It started in '83. And it's one of those things that we look forward to every year,' said Burke. It's also a tradition that Burke says his father would thank him for carrying out. 'I was born and raised a catholic and I was fortunate to go to a catholic school and grammar school and high school. And I love my heritage. If it wasn't for him, you know, growing up around town, this day probably wouldn't be possible.' Now a week away from Saint Patrick's Day, Burke said the momentum is really starting to pick up. With only one more traditional ceremony before the big parade, Burke is sad for it to be nearing its close but can't wait for anyone – no matter Catholic, Irish, or whatever religion or culture folks align with – to celebrate the holiday with them. 'Like they say, everyone's Irish on Saint Patrick's Day,' said Burke. 'All our families come together. All cultures come together. And it's a great feeling because Savannah is such a warm, loving place to live and grow up.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Caroline Kennedy and RFK Jr. Fit Into the Kennedy Family Tree
With their wealth and power, the Kennedy family has been touted as the closest thing to royalty in America. Having left their homeland of Ireland in the 1840s to escape the potato famine, the Kennedys—starting with Boston-born Patrick Joseph 'P.J.' Kennedy—built their future from the ground up and became heavily involved in the Democratic Party in Boston. Three generations later, the Kennedy name has expanded its political reach to both the national and world stage, producing a U.S. president, a U.S. attorney general, five members of the U.S. House and Senate, and a number of publicly appointed and elected government officials. Now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is in line to lead the Health and Human Services Department as part of President Donald Trump's cabinet. His nomination has elicited opposition, including from his cousin Caroline Kennedy. As senate hearings for RFK Jr.'s nomination continue, here's a look at a dozen notable Kennedy family members who've helped shape the American political landscape and contributed to their family's legacy of public service.1888–1969 The patriarch of the Kennedy political dynasty, American businessman Joseph Patrick Kennedy was a prominent Irish-Catholic Democrat whose political ambitions were ultimately lived out through his sons John, Robert, and Ted. Outside of being a wealthy investor in real estate, alcohol, and entertainment, Joseph briefly served as a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission chairman and an American ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was a testament to public service, though he did leave a controversial legacy behind over his anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi leanings. Read More About Joseph P. Kennedy1890–1995 A staunch Catholic, matriarch Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy grew up in a wealthy and political Irish-American household. Her father, John F. Fitzgerald, was the mayor of Boston. After a lengthy courtship with Joseph Kennedy Sr., which was partially due to her father's disdain for him, the couple married in 1914 and went on to have nine children. Before Rose died at the age of 104, she was honored with the rank of Papal countess by Pope Pius XII for her exemplary religious life and devotion to Catholicism. Read More About Rose Kennedy1917—1963 After the tragic death of his older brother, Joseph Kennedy Jr., John F. Kennedy took up the political mantle for the next generation of Kennedys. The Harvard graduate became a decorated Naval officer in World War II. After serving as a U.S. representative and senator for Massachusetts, JFK reached the highest office of the land in 1961. At 43, John became America's youngest elected president. John launched his administration at the bleakest point of the Cold War. He later authorized the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and led the country through the Cuban Missile Crisis, which almost brought the United States and the Soviet Union to nuclear war. After JFK's assassination in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took over the administration and brought forth many of the late presidents's civil rights and tax proposals. Read More About John F. Kennedy Related: Inside John F. Kennedy's Lifelong Admiration of Winston Churchill1929—1994 As wife to John F. Kennedy and the youngest first lady of the United States, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis became an international fashion icon and transformed the White House through her various restoration projects. A graduate of George Washington University, Jackie and then-Congressman JFK met in 1952 and were married the following year. The couple had three children, two of whom survived. When JFK was assassinated in Dallas, Jackie's blood-stained pink dress and pillbox hat became a symbol of the tragedy. Known for her love for the arts and culture, she helped shaped the 'Camelot Era' mythology. Jackie later married Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis (to much controversy) and became a book editor in New York City. Read More About Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis1925—1968 As the seventh child of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy went on to follow in his big brother JFK's footsteps, serving in the Navy and graduating from Harvard. After receiving his law degree from the University of Virginia, Bobby briefly worked at the Justice Department but left his post to help John win a U.S. Senate seat in 1952. Under JFK's presidential administration, Bobby became the 64th U.S. Attorney General and built his reputation on fighting organized crime, advocating for civil rights, and shaping America's foreign policy with Cuba. After John's assassination, Bobby became a U.S. Senator in 1964 and ran as a presidential candidate of the Democratic Party in 1968. While campaigning in California that year, he was gunned down by a young Palestinian man, Sirhan Sirhan, who said he killed the senator for being a supporter of Israel. Read More About Robert F. Kennedy1932—2009 The ninth and last child born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy, Edward 'Ted' Kennedy spent more time in American politics than any Kennedy family member to date. Ted prepared himself to live up to the Kennedy name by boasting the same Ivy League pedigree as his brothers before him. He then earned his way into the vacant U.S. Senate seat representing Massachusetts that his brother John left behind when he was elected president. Ted's political career was in deep peril after the infamous Chappaquiddick incident in 1969 that resulted in the accidental drowning death of Mary Jo Kopechne, though the senator persevered. After a failed attempt to win the 1980 presidential nomination, Ted continued his life of public service and became known as 'The Lion of the Senate.' He was a symbol of American liberalism and one of the longest-serving senators in the country's history, winning nine elections to the chamber. His legislative record is remembered for its advocacy for social and economic justice and, toward the end of his life, universal health care. Read More About Ted Kennedy1921—2009 Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the fifth child born to Joseph and Rose Kennedy, was deeply affected by her sister Rosemary's psychiatric institutionalization. Rosemary had undergone a disastrous lobotomy for an intellectual disability before being sent away. Decades later, Shriver became a champion for children with disabilities. In 1968, she established the Special Olympics and, later that year, hosted the First International Special Olympics Summer Games in Chicago. The Games provided children with physical and intellectual disabilities an opportunity to compete in athletics on a larger, organized scale. In 1984, the Stanford-trained social worker was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work. From 1953 until her death in 2009, Eunice was married to Sargent Shriver, a former U.S. Ambassador to France and U.S. vice presidential candidate. The couple went on to have five children.1957—present The only daughter of John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Caroline Kennedy has lived her life under the radar despite the scrutiny and fame surrounding her family. She attended Harvard as an undergraduate like her father and went on to graduate from Columbia Law School. In 1986, she married artist Edwin Schlossberg, with whom she has three children. Caroline has continued the Kennedys' legacy of public service in various ways, including by establishing the Profile in Courage Awards to honor elected officials who have demonstrated political courage. She also has represented the United States abroad, serving as the ambassador to Japan and later to Australia. Read More About Caroline Kennedy1960–1999 While the Kennedy name had produced many Harvard alums, John F. Kennedy Jr. paved his own way and attended Brown University for his undergraduate studies. After earning his law degree from New York University School of Law, he briefly served as a Manhattan assistant district attorney and dabbled in acting before ultimately becoming co-founder of George, a magazine fusing the world of politics and entertainment, in 1995. After marrying fashion publicist Carolyn Bessette in 1996, JFK Jr.'s life was cut short three years later when the plane he was flying crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. He, Carolyn, and her older sister Lauren all died in the accident. Read More About John F. Kennedy Jr.1954—present As the first-born son of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was 9 years old when his uncle John was assassinated and 14 when he lost his own father. In honor of his dad, RFK Jr. attended Harvard and got his law degree at the University of Virginia. He also earned his masters of Law degree at Pace University, where he would later teach. As an environmental lawyer and activist, Robert Jr. worked at the Natural Resources Defense Council as a senior attorney from 1986 until 2017 and the Hudson, New York waterways nonprofit called Riverkeeper as its chief prosecuting attorney from 1984 until 2017. He has also authored multiple books and published essays regarding environmental issues. RFK Jr. has come under fire from both the public and his family in recent years for his anti-vaccine stance and past behavior. He ran for president in 2024 but eventually dropped out and backed Donald Trump, who prevailed in the race. Read More About Robert F. Kennedy Jr.1955—present The second child of Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Maria Shriver has built a successful career as an award-winning broadcast journalist, philanthropist, and children's book author. After graduating from Georgetown University in 1977, Shriver embarked on her broadcast career, working at both CBS and NBC. She later met and married actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who like his famous in-laws had political ambitions of his own. After Schwarzenegger won the governorship of California, Shriver served as its first lady from 2003 to 2011. The couple, who has four children together, divorced in 2011. Related: Meet Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Children1967—present As the youngest child of Ted and Joan Bennett Kennedy, Patrick Joseph Kennedy hadn't even completed his undergraduate degree at Providence College in Rhode Island when he beat a longstanding incumbent for a seat in the state's House of Representatives in 1988. At 21, he became the youngest Kennedy elected to office. In 1995, he took to the national stage as a House Representative for Rhode Island's 1st Congressional District and continued to serve in seven additional terms, finishing his tenure in 2011. An advocate for mental health, Patrick—who has publicly discussed his own struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder—has founded and continues to work with various organizations to bring attention to drug addiction and promoting research for brain diseases. You Might Also Like Nicole Richie's Surprising Adoption Story The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother Queen Camilla's Life in Photos
