I'll Be Home: The Writings of Jim McGrath

As the Times Union’s chief editorial writer for nearly 18 years, the late Jim McGrath drew on his upbringing in a working-class Boston neighborhood as inspiration for his journalism. Born into a family whose immigrant roots lay in what Jim always called the "Irish Potato Genocide," he had a particular affinity for writing about Ireland. His work on the Irish peace process, Gerry Adams, and the persistent prejudices that Irish Americans still face are as relevant today as they were when Jim wrote them 20 years ago. Jim’s former editor, Howard Healy, and his widow, Darryl McGrath, talk about Jim’s editorials and essays on Ireland from the 2019 book published by SUNY Press, I’ll Be Home: The Writings of Jim McGrath