Today, we hear the story of an American congressman who changed the lives of thousands of Irish people, the foundation created to honor his legacy, and the big event this fall that will celebrate that legacy.

To tell the tale, we have two Irish individuals who benefited from the Morrison Visa program, spearheaded by Congressman Bruce Morrison: Feargal O’Sullivan, CEO of the outsourced sales and marketing firm USAM, and Elaine Brennan, Executive Director of Global Strategic Partnerships for Northwell Health.

Since Morrison Visas helped thousands of young Irish people, Elaine, Feargal, and a stellar group of diaspora leaders created the Morrison Legacy Foundation and will honor the Congressman at the Morrison Visa 30th Anniversary Celebration, Wed., Oct. 1, at the legendary Rainbow Room, high atop New York’s Rockefeller Center.

Get all the details at the links below.

With that, we wrap until the fall when we’ll come back strong on September 7th in an episode with former U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland, Joseph Kennedy III.
Talk to you then!

Links
Morrison Legacy Foundation

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram

Elaine Brennan

• LinkedIn
• Northwell Health

Fergal O'Sullivan

• LinkedIn
• USAM Group

Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 25; Total Episode Count: 128

In his third appearance on Irish Stew, historian Dr. Damian Shiels joins Martin Nutty for a wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation. Now living in Finland, Damian shares the personal story behind his move abroad, driven by Ireland’s rising cost of living and the opportunities remote work provides.

The episode explores Damian’s latest projects, including "Transatlantic", a new podcast he co-hosts with Finn Dwyer, which dives deep into the historical connections between Ireland and America.

Damian also discusses his groundbreaking new book, Green and Blue: Irish Americans in the Union Military, 1861–1865. The culmination of 15 years of research, the book offers a powerful and detailed examination of the Irish experience during the American Civil War, revealing the socio-economic realities and identities of Irish soldiers in Union ranks.

Throughout the episode, themes of immigration, identity, and racism are explored, connecting past and present. Damian and Martin reflect on how understanding the history of the Irish diaspora can illuminate today’s pressing issues—from housing crises to evolving notions of Irish identity, both at home and abroad.

Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 24; Total Episode Count: 127

The Smuggler is back and rhyming its way through Ireland, so we updated our earlier episode with actor Mick Mellamphy with news of his Irish tour of Ronán Noone’s award-winning one-man tour de force this July.

Set on a wealthy American island enclave and performed in rhymed verse, The Smuggler follows Irish immigrant Tim Finnegan as he’s pulled into the local criminal underworld after a fatal crash stirs tensions between locals and migrants.

It's a raucous, interactive experience, with the edge of a thriller and the serious subtext of immigration and identity, playing in Listowel, Cork, Belfast, and Dublin (details below).

With roots in both Dublin and Cork, Mick is a well-known New York actor and artistic director of the Origin Theatre who enjoys rockstar fame as the performance capture actor for the cheeky Irish gunslinger Sean MacGuire from the massively popular video game Red Dead Redemption 2, aka RDR2.

Mick leaves us with a wee sample of The Smuggler as he slips into the conflicted character of Tim Finnegan, but to get the full experience, catch Mick on tour in Ireland this July.

Original episode published January 2023

Links

The Smuggler

• Facebook
• Schedule and Venues
  • St John’s Theatre, Listowel (July 11)
  • The Cork Arts Theatre (July 16-19)
  • The Harrison Hotel, Belfast (July 23-25)
  • J.R. Mahon’s, Dublin (July 28-30)

Mick Mellamphy

• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Origin Theatre/1st Irish Festival

Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 23; Total Episode Count: 126