Abe Lincoln surrounded himself with Irish aides in the White House. They were called his “mick clique.” Despite his affection for the Irish, they never voted for him in great numbers. But they fought his war.

Recent Golden Globe winner Jessie Buckley of Killarney, Co. Kerry is descended from a woman who played a role in the 1916 Rising and War of Independence in Ireland. How her genealogy can be a teachable moment.

We’re Irish. We like to read and we like to talk. Join us at Kells Restaurant Thursday 11.20 at Six P.M. for an evening of book talk.