Three families, the Ryans, the Fitzgeralds, and the Cullens, sometimes called the Irish Mafia, helped develop the town, especially in the postwar era.

NEWYORKER: Fussbudget

The seven Botanic Inns businesses still being run by the administrators are: the Apartment, the Kitchen Bar, McHugh's, the Parador, Molly Browns, Denvirs and Ryans Bar.

BBC: Botanic Inns: Administrators KPMG sell six bars

The Ryans were major road builders, and today Ryan, Inc.

NEWYORKER: Fussbudget

Each time a PlayStation 2 or Nintendo GameCube makes its way atop another television, or another family subscribes to an online game service, what passes for entertainment today--our movies and our stars, the Steven Spielbergs and Meg Ryans--fades just a bit, and we edge just a bit forward from our position as couch potatoes into couch possibilities.

FORBES: Choice Bits