Kit DeFever is a Califonria born, Midwest raised New York Photographer. For thirty years he has had a major NYC studio.
His client list includes Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, Belks, Famous-Barr, LS Ayres, Madamoiselle, Marie Claire, Stern, JWT, Campbell Ewald and others.
When not photographing for his fashion accounts Kit is usually found in Ireland or Alaska.
For over a decade, Tom Deignan has written the weekly “Sidewalks” column for The Irish Voice newspaper. He also writes columns about movies and history for Irish America and is a regular book reviewer for the Newark Star-Ledger. He is the author of Irish American: Coming to America.
As an author and filmmaker, Mary Pat Kelly has told various stories connected to Ireland. Her award-winning PBS documentaries and accompanying books include To Live for Ireland, a portrait of Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume and the political party he led; Home Away from Home: The Yanks in Ireland, a history of U.S. forces in Northern Ireland during World War II; and Proudly We Served: The Men of the USS Mason, a portrayal of the only African-American sailors to take a World War II warship into combat, whose first foreign port was Belfast. She wrote and directed the dramatic feature film Proud, starring Ossie Davis and Stephen Rea, based on the USS Mason story.
She’s written Martin Scorsese: The First Decade and Martin Scorsese: A Journey; Good to Go: The Rescue of Scott O’Grady from Bosnia; and a novel, Special Intentions. She is a frequent contributor to Irish America Magazine.
Mary Pat Kelly worked in Hollywood as a screenwriter for Paramount and Columbia Pictures and in New York City as an associate producer with Good Morning America and Saturday Night Live, and wrote the book and lyrics for the musical Abby’s Song. She received her PhD from the City University of New York.
Born and raised in Chicago, she lives on Manhattan’s Upper West Side with her husband, Web designer Martin Sheerin from County Tyrone.
A frequent feature writer for Irish America, Sharon is a freelance writer who lives and works in West Kerry, Ireland. Much of her writing is concerned with the changing face of modern Irish culture.
Edythe has served as culinary historian for Irish America since 1994. Her continuing feature series “Sláinte!” traces the histories of traditional Irish food, drink and celebration, liberally laced with a wealth of folklore, mythology and popular customs. Edythe owns The Heritage Kitchen, a specialty food business producing sweets and savories based on historical recipes.
Michael Quinlin is author of Irish Boston (Globe Pequot Press) and editor of Classic Irish Stories (Lyons Press). He founded the Boston Irish Tourism Association, created Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail, and formed MassJazz to promote the vibrant jazz scene in Massachusetts. Mike lives in Milton, Massachusetts with his wife, Colette, and son, Devin.
Turlough McConnell is a producer and writer with over two decades experience as a creative program executive in the Irish-American market. For Irish America magazine, Turlough produces special feature supplements, overseeing content, design and all aspects of production. Recent subjects include a major feature on Boston College and the John J. Burns Library; a development profile Titanic Belfast, and the book, Celebrating 250 Years of the New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
As President & CEO of Turlough McConnell Communications, (TMCC), Turlough produces live events, multi-media products and documentary films of interest to Irish America, including exhibitions such as the international tour of Fighting Irish: Celebrating Irish Prizefighters (on tour from 2006), now on view at London’s City Hall as part of the 2012 Olympics. For TMCC, he curated the Ireland’s Great Hunger art exhibition in New York (2011), and serves as advisor to the emerging Irish Mission at Watson House Museum in New York City and Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University Connecticut.
tmcconnell@irishamerica.com
Aliah O’Neill earned her MA in Irish and Irish- American Studies at New York University in January 2010. She graduated in May 2008 with degrees in English and Philosophy from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. She currently resides in Brooklyn where she spends her time writing and listening to music.
A former senior editor at Irish America magazine, Declan currently works as a Web Producer for Men’s Fitness. He has also worked at AOL News as a Homepage Editor/Producer and at IrishCentral.com as a Sports Editor. A freelance sports writer, Declan is the boxing reporter for the Irish Voice. He has also worked as a sports columnist for the Irish Mail on Sunday and freelances frequently for papers in Ireland.
Kara is Director of Editorial & Partnerships for Cookstr, a technology company based in Manhattan that focuses on the intersection between food, lifestyle and health. She does freelance food journalism and is an award-winning fiction writer. Kara graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2009, where she studied creative writing and completed her undergrad thesis on technoethics.
Sade is a freelance photographer, videographer, writer and musician from Bronx, NY. Her relationship with Irish America magazine began in early 2011, photographing events such as the Hall of Fame, Wall Street 50 and Business 100. She also photographed Martin Hayes and the Gloaming for the February/March 2012 cover story. She is a recent graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University majoring in Anthropology, Film Studies and minoring Political Science. She currently works for ABC Disney Television Group at The View.
Sade.C.Joseph.-ND@abc.com