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PDX HIBERNIAN INDEPENDENT 15 January 2026

More than an email. Less than a newspaper. Delivered every Thursday. Published by the Portland Hibernian Society.

MEETING TONIGHT - Kells Restaurant - Downtown Portland - 6 PM - Tell us about your Irish Roots - PDX Hibernianism 2026 Coming Events

Which of the 32 counties do you come from?

Knowing where we came from

What is it about the Irish that makes so many of us more curious about our heritage than the average American? Businesses like Ancestry.com and 23andMe report a disproportionate number of ancestral traces lead back to a small island off an island in the North Atlantic. Websites that cater to Irish-American audiences count on lots of clicks when they post articles about Irish Genealogy.

We share that curiosity. Tonight at our monthly meeting we’ll discuss how to explore your Irish roots. Been there and done that? Tell us what you found out.

Here’s an origin story about how a young Irish woman who responded to the call of rebellion when she was 18 in 1914 then went on to hold important positions in the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence and the Civil War. Who knew that a century later her great granddaughter would win a Golden Globe?

In Ireland, one of our newest Hibernians, Rob Sullivan, would be what’s called a barrister or solicitor. Here he’s a lawyer. Rob has a keen interest in his Irish ancestry. His advice may save you a lot of time.

No host dinner at Six P.M. PHS Business and Presentations at Seven P.M.

Folks in Killarney knew Jessie would make it big

"We were telling the story of probably the most famous Brit that ever lived and we have a Chinese director, a lot of Irish, a mostly Polish crew beside our British family." What Jessie Buckley said when she won the Golden Globe.

Actors talk about how it's great just to be nominated for one of those movie awards. That may be, but there's nothing like actually winning one. Buckley, nominated for a Supporting Actor Oscar in 2021, won a Golden Globe Sunday night for her performance in Hamnet, becoming the first Irish woman to win the Globe in the Drama category. (Saorsie Ronan won one in 2018 in the Musical or Comedy category.) Her win was big news all across Ireland, and especially in County Kerry. From Killarney Today.com. Experienced Kerry musical director and drama teacher Oliver Hurley said when Jessie Buckley was just a teenager, he predicted that she would one day be an Oscar winning actress. We'll find out if she's nominated for an Oscar on January 22.

Irish-influenced movie score also wins Golden Globe

“I’m obsessed with Irish folk music, my kids are obsessed with it, my first name is Irish,” said Ryan Coogler, son of Oakland CA and director of Sinners. That obsession resulted in Irish music playing a part in the score for his movie, for which Ludwig Göransson won the Golden Globe the other night for Best Score. “The music was the key,” said Jack O'Connell, who plays Remmick the Irish American vampire. “It’s not often you get a script from America that incorporates traditional Irish music – not just popular Irish music, but the real deal, the genuine stuff.” Darren Holden and Brian Dunphy of Irish band The High Kings are featured in the score, with ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’ and ‘Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?’ Read more here.

Trump's plan for ballroom in Doonbeg challenged

As you’ve probably heard, President Trump is building a new ballroom. It is rising where the East Wing of the White House once stood. It will be 22,000 square feet, have 40-foot ceilings and seat 1,000 guests. Despite opposition, Mar a Lago North is getting built. Don’t ask how much it will cost. Meanwhile in the West of Ireland, Trump Inc. Is having a harder time building a ballroom for its hotel in Doonbeg, Co. Clare. The Clare County Council has done what no planners in D.C. could do by delaying the ballroom plan while the fate of some tiny snails is debated. A glass half full kind of person might read this as good news for the economy of South Clare County. Enough Irish people and blow-ins are spending money on weddings and conventions at Doonbeg to warrant adding a (small in Trumpian terms) ballroom. Two years ago they were seeking permission to build pickle ball courts.

Grok alarms Irish parents

If you lived in Ireland these days and had even a passing interest in the news you would know what Grok is. In America, not so much. Grok is the AI feature Elon Musk has attached to X (nee Twitter). Grok is AI that can produce porn on demand. Lawmakers, regulators and even the Taoiseach in Ireland are expressing serious concerns about Grok. Fianna Fáil TD Peter 'Chap' Cleere said he was "absolutely sickened" by the concerns around Grok. "It's a feeling that is shared by thousands of parents." Niamh Smyth, Minister of State with responsibility for Artificial Intelligence said Grok should be banned in Ireland if X fails to abide by Irish law regarding the creation of sexualised images of both children and adults. Micheal Martin has scheduled a sit down. “I am convening a meeting with a number of Government ministers relevant to this issue with the Attorney General.” As for Elon Musk, "They want any excuse for censorship," he said.

Ireland eyes Chinese beef eaters

Speaking of business conditions in Ireland, how much should we read into Ireland's and China's leaders getting reacqainted? From Reuters: For the first time in 13 years Ireland’s leader has travelled to China. Taoiseach Micheal Martin is trying to improve relations and has “recently downplayed Irish intelligence warnings portraying China as a ‘hostile state actor’, preferring instead to adopt a long-term and strategic understanding of China.” One goal of this trade mission was to convince the Chinese government to lift its ban on importing Irish beef to China. Beef exports were banned in2024 due to a case of mad cow disease. Irish beef used to fetch top dollar in Chinese butcher shops.

PDX Hibernian Calendar

Thursday February 19 - Our next PHS meeting at Kells Restaurant (of course). Presentation: Ireland’s Craft Industries. From Irish lace to Waterford Crystal to Arlow Pottery to Hanna Hats, hear the stories of how these indigenous industries built by Irish workers and owners conquered the world.

Saturday March 7 - The 28th Annual Hibernian Saint Patrick's Day Banquet.

Upstairs at Kells. 7 P.M. Book your table at tonight's meeting.

Don't forget about Saint Brigid.

Your own Irish Origin Story