Latest Ireland News

From 4-leaf clovers to some unexpected history, all you need to know about St. Patrick's Day

Mar. 16, 2024 00:11 AM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — If it's March, and it's green, it must be St. Patrick's Day. The day honoring the patron saint of Ireland is a global celebration of Irish heritage. And nowhere is that more so than in the United States, where parades take place in cities around the country and all...

Hosting Ireland's prime minister, Biden celebrates his Irish roots (as he likes to do)

Mar. 15, 2024 15:13 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — With St. Patrick's Day this weekend, President Joe Biden got to dwell Friday on one of his favorite subjects: Ireland. Biden played host to Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the White House and then the two attended a luncheon at the U.S. Capitol as the two...

It's not what St. Patrick used, but today's three-leaved shamrock can make a nice houseplant

Mar. 12, 2024 10:36 AM EDT

St. Patrick is believed to have used a three-leaf clover to explain the complexity of the Trinity to nonbelievers in 5th century Ireland. Ever since, the shamrock has been revered by the Irish and held as a symbol of good luck. The word shamrock is derived from the Celtic word...

Chefs see a more confident, local Irish cuisine going well beyond meat and potatoes

Mar. 12, 2024 09:09 AM EDT

It may come as a surprise that one of Ireland’s most renowned chefs opened a Spanish tapas place for his first restaurant in Galway. That was 2008, though, a time when Jp McMahon saw — and felt — a lack of confidence in Irish cuisine. “We had kind of a sense of looking...

Ireland's Constitution says a woman's place is in the home. Voters are being asked to change that

Mar. 08, 2024 13:52 PM EST

DUBLIN (AP) — According to Ireland’s Constitution, a woman’s place is in the home. Irish voters will decide Friday — International Women’s Day — whether to change the 87-year-old document to remove passages the government says are outdated and sexist. The twin referendums...

Stories of migration from around the world are longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction

Mar. 05, 2024 15:46 PM EST

LONDON (AP) — Novels that give voice to the often unheard stories of migrants around the world are among the nominees for the 2024 Women’s Prize for Fiction. The 16-book longlist announced Tuesday for the 30,000 pound ($38,000) award includes works by writers from Ghana,...

Today in History: February 27, American Indian Movement occupies Wounded Knee

Feb. 27, 2024 00:05 AM EST

Today in History Today is Tuesday, Feb. 27, the 58th day of 2024. There are 308 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 27, 1973, members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the...

Icon PLC: Q4 Earnings Snapshot

Feb. 21, 2024 19:29 PM EST

DUBLIN 18, Ireland (AP) — Icon PLC (ICLR) on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter earnings of $216.4 million. On a per-share basis, the Dublin 18, Ireland-based company said it had profit of $2.60. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, came to $3.46 per share. ...

Berlin Film Festival brings Israeli-Palestinian tensions and other issues into the spotlight

Feb. 14, 2024 07:44 AM EST

BERLIN (AP) — The 74th Berlin International Film Festival opens Thursday with the world premiere of “Small Things Like These” starring man of the moment Cillian Murphy. Murphy, a front runner at next month's Oscars for his turn in “Oppenheimer,” plays a coal merchant in...

John Bruton, Irish leader who played a key role in Northern Ireland's peace process, dies at 76

Feb. 06, 2024 12:57 PM EST

LONDON (AP) — Former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, who played a key role in bringing peace to Northern Ireland, has died at the age of 76. Bruton’s family said he died Tuesday in a Dublin hospital after a long illness. “He was a good husband, a good father...