The ICC held our annual Feast of St. Brigid Raffle Drawing on February 1, 2025. It was a fun and festive evening as everyone gathered to celebrate being together and hear the winners announced. Billy and Don of The Rising put everyone in a great mood with their fantastic Irish music. Thank you to all our ICC volunteers, board members, and staff who worked so hard to sell tickets throughout the year! And thanks to everyone who purchased tickets to support our non-profit mission, education and travel.

Winners were drawn for the first prize of a trip for two to Ireland or $5,000; the second prize 14k gold St. Brigid’s Cross pendant from Brian de Staic Jewellers; and two $50 gift certificates to the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub. Congratulations to Edward Rahilly of Feeding Hills who won the trip; and to Phoebe Malave of West Springfield who won the pendant.

Thanks to illustrator and Irish arts/history enthusiast Kathleen Joss who guided participants through a session of making a traditional St. Brigid’s Cross.

Brigid Raffle Winners Drawn

Join us in the Irish Cultural Center Book Club. We’ll enjoy good craic and delve into Irish and Irish-American literature, with guided discussion in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. This event is open to all.

Our meeting will take place on Thursday, February 13 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC. 

We are reading Last of the Donkey Pilgrims by Kevin O’Hara. Participants are encouraged to arrive a few minutes early to get settled, perhaps grab a drink, mix and mingle. You are welcome to stay after at the Trinity Pub to socialize with dinner or drinks. 

To Register
The Book Club is free to join. Please register ahead so we know how many people to expect. Register online >

Last of the Donkey PilgrimsAbout the Book
Kevin O’Hara’s journey of self-discovery begins as a mad lark: who in their right mind would try to circle the entire coastline of Ireland on foot―and with a donkey and cart no less?

But Kevin had promised his homesick Irish mother that he would explore the whole of the Old Country and bring back the sights and the stories to their home in Massachusetts. Determined to reach his grandmother’s village by Christmas Eve, Kevin and his stubborn but endearing donkey, Missie, set off on an 1,800-mile trek along the entire jagged coast of a divided Ireland.

Their rollicking adventure takes them over mountains and dales, through smoky cities and sleepy villages, and into the farmhouses and hearts of Ireland’s greatest resource―its people. Along the way, Kevin would meet incredible characters, experience Ireland in all of its glory, and explore not only his Irish past, but find his future self.

Available from several vendors online or your favorite local book shop. Or, check your local library.
• Amazon.com (new) >
• Better Worlds Books (used) >

Books for Upcoming Meetings
March 12, 2025: A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt (note change to Wednesday)

Six Nations Rugby on TV

Guinness Six Nations Rugby is back at the Trinity Pub for 2025! The Springfield Rifles Rugby Club and the ICC continue our tradition of hosting viewing parties for select matches during the tournament on our big screen tv. Come cheer on the Ireland defending champions!

Sponsored by the Springfield Rifles Rugby Club. The Trinity Pub will be open for all matches. The Irish House Restaurant opens at 1 pm for Saturday matches, with limited menu. Coffee and donuts are provided by the Springfield Rifles for early AM matches.

FRIDAY • JANUARY 31
France vs Wales @ 3:15 pm

SATURDAY • FEBRUARY 1
Ireland vs England @ 11:45 am

SATURDAY • FEBRUARY 8
England vs France @ 11:45 am

SATURDAY • FEBRUARY 22
Ireland vs Wales @ 9:15 am
England vs Scotland @ 11:45 am
Replay of Ireland vs Wales to immediately follow

SATURDAY • MARCH 8
Ireland vs France @ 9:15 am
Scotland vs Wales @ 11:45 am
Replay of Ireland vs France to immediately follow

SUPER SATURDAY • MARCH 15
Ireland vs Italy @ 10:15 am
Wales vs England @ 12:45 pm
France vs Scotland @ 4 pm

St. Brigid Raffle - Dingle and St. Brigid Cross

The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England is sponsoring this exciting raffle, with a first prize of a trip for two on an ICC group tour to Ireland OR $5,000 cash!

Cost is $20 per ticket. Cash, check or credit card accepted. Please call 413-333-4951 or visit the ICC/Trinity Pub to purchase tickets. Tickets must be purchased by 6:30 pm on February 1. Download printable mail-in order form >

The drawing will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at the ICC (St. Brigid’s Day). The Trinity Pub bar will open at 4 pm, with dinner service from 5–9 pm. We will enjoy live music by Billy Eagan starting at 6 pm. If you are planning on joining us for dinner, we encourage you to call 413-342-4358 and make a reservation.

The raffle event begins at 7 pm with welcomes from ICC officials, followed by the ticket drawings.

Those who attend will receive a free ticket for a chance to win one of two $100 gift certificates to the ICC’s Irish House Restaurant. You must be present to win one of these prizes. Cannot be used on the night of the drawing.

First Prize
Winner may choose an all expenses paid trip for two people on a 2025 group tour to Ireland hosted by the ICC OR a $5,000 cash prizeView our Spring Tour. Additional tour destinations and schedules are currently to be determined. Prize is transferable to another party.

Second Prize
A 14 karat gold St. Brigid’s Cross Pendant designed and crafted by renowned Dingle, Ireland jeweler Brian de Staic. Retail value €699.

Lá Fhéile Bríde, or St. Brigid’s Day, is also Imbolc, the Celtic festival celebrating the beginning of spring and the returning of light. The St. Brigid’s Cross was traditionally woven from rushes, and used to keep houses safe from evil when hung above the door.

A St. Brigid’s Cross workshop led by illustrator Kathleen Joss takes place from 5–7 pm. Learn more about this event >

Greetings to our ICC Patrons, families and to our many friends! We at the ICC wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year.

This year has been one of excitement, changes and growth for the ICC. We finished the year with our annual month-long holiday celebration of eight Christmas Caroling dinners, ending with our traditional New Year’s Eve From Ireland. These mostly sold-out events were a huge success, and also a big undertaking.

There are many people to thank for the smooth operation of these productions, including Events Coordinator Conor Driscoll, Irish House Restaurant General Manager Mike Ratte, Laurette Ratte and Chef Anthony Padilla for their hard work in planning, preparation and management, and Katie Doe for online prep and promotion. West Springfield’s Bev Browne always does a magical job of decorating our restaurant and pub for the holidays, creating a warm, joyous and comfortable atmosphere. Lenny and Lisa keep the restaurant in tip top shape.

Exciting improvements have been happening with the building all year. With concerns for creating a building with long term energy efficiencies and reducing operational cost, the ICC undertook two big improvements. The very old and compromised roof was replaced by a new membrane roof with energy efficient insulation. A sustainable and renewable solar energy system was installed – the 190 solar panels with all the required electric wiring cost around $300,000. The system was made operational on December 31.

The Community Performance Center ceilings and walls are in the process of completion. This work is being funded by a $200,000 grant from the Mass Cultural Facilities Fund Council and our matching $200,000 in ICC funds raised as part of the Capstone Capital Campaign. Thanks to our grants writer extraordinaire, Joanne Dooley for her work on this and other grants that she has successfully applied for. A big thank you to all our generous Patrons and Capstone Capital Grant donors.

The ceilings and walls were designed with the talents and dedication of ICC board member Will Carey and Bev Browne with Dan McGrath’s guidance. This performance venue is going to be a gorgeous space that we can all be proud of for decades to come. We are looking forward to the ICC becoming part of the performance circuit of Irish entertainment that travels between Boston and New York. You are welcome to visit the ICC and ask for a tour of the in-progress fourth floor space.

Throughout the year, our Events Committee planned and presented cultural and educational programming. From history lectures, music performances and family-focused celebrations, to arts & crafts nights, Irish language workshops and rugby excitement, these are events for the whole community to enjoy. The ICC Book Club has been a huge success in bringing people together and engaging them with Irish-American literature. The club is open to all and managed and promoted by ICC board member Caroline Morrissey and Kathy Kelly.  We look forward to even more events in the coming year. Our Events Committee is steered by Conor Driscoll and Katie Doe; supporting the efforts are Mary Ellen Lowney and ICC board member Rose Boyle.

So many volunteers make the ICC’s efforts and programs work, keeping the Irish arts and culture alive. There are too many to mention here but know that everyone’s contributions are greatly appreciated.  

A huge thanks to Administrative Director Ellen Gallivan, who is on top of the day-to-day operations here at the ICC and keeps everything together running smoothly.

The New Year will present new challenges, opportunities and changes for the ICC, including the significant undertaking of a strategic plan. Our board members will be taking on new projects, and we are all excited to start 2025 at the ICC. Lots of good things have happened over the years – indeed, the ICC celebrated its 25th anniversary this year – and many more good things are to come!

Sean Cahillane
President, Irish Cultural Center of Western New England

Join us in the Irish Cultural Center Book Club. We’ll enjoy good craic and delve into Irish and Irish-American literature, with guided discussion in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. This event is open to all.

Our meeting will take place on SUNDAY, January 19 from 12–1 pm at the ICC. Please note date and time change, as this meeting includes a special presentation with the author Nuala O’Connor via Zoom.

We are reading Nora: A Love Story of Nora and James Joyce by Nuala O’Connor. 

To Register
The Book Club is free to join. Please register ahead so we know how many people to expect. Register online >

NoraAbout the Book
Dublin, 1904. Nora Joseph Barnacle is a 20-year-old from Galway working as a maid at Finn’s Hotel. She enjoys the liveliness of her adopted city and on June 16 – Bloomsday – her life is changed when she meets Dubliner James Joyce, a fateful encounter that turns into a lifelong love. Despite his hesitation to marry, Nora follows Joyce in pursuit of a life beyond Ireland, and they surround themselves with a buoyant group of friends that grows to include Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and Sylvia Beach.

But as their life unfolds, Nora finds herself in conflict between their intense desire for each other and the constant anxiety of living in poverty throughout Europe. She desperately wants literary success for Jim, believing in his singular gift and knowing that he thrives on being the toast of the town, and it eventually provides her with a security long lacking in her life and his work. So even when Jim writes, drinks, and gambles his way to literary acclaim, Nora provides unflinching support and inspiration, but at a cost to her own happiness and that of their children.

With gorgeous and emotionally resonant prose, Nora is a heartfelt portrayal of love, ambition, and the quiet power of an ordinary woman who was, in fact, extraordinary. (text from Amazon)

Available from several vendors online or your favorite local book shop. Or, check your local library.
Amazon.com (new) >
Better Worlds Books (used) >

Upcoming Dates and Titles
February 13, 2025: Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man’s Journey Through Ireland by Kevin O’Hara
March 13, 2025: A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt

Meet Santa at the ICC

Visit with Santa Claus at the Irish Cultural Center! Bring your children or grandchildren to meet Santa on Saturday, December 14 from 4–6 pm in our beautifully decorated pub. Please be prepared to take your own photos. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies during your visit. This free event is open to the public.

Giving Tuesday

GivingTuesday is a Global Generosity Movement on December 3, 2024. There are two ways to support the Irish Cultural Center on this day of giving! 

Click to Donate to Giving Tuesday        Click to Become an ICC Patron

We are so proud of what the Irish Cultural Center has accomplished in the past 25 years as an organization, and we look forward to expanding in the years to come with your help. The ICC is a gathering place, connecting people to each other and helping us all to preserve American-Irish heritage and culture.

Your support allows us to share Irish arts and culture in the community by providing in-person events, virtual events, and educational programming. A traditional Irish music seisiún, concerts, Irish language classes, children’s events, book readings, Irish-oriented lectures, political discussions, international relations, sports, and student international exchange are all examples of what we offer, most of them free, and all available to the public.

The latest phase of construction at the ICC is our Community Performance Center. This space will provide total accessibility for all and welcome the public to a variety of concerts and cultural programs by touring professionals as well as regional performers.

Without financial donations, these achievements would not be realized. In these uncertain times, financial support is more vital than ever to help keep the ICC going into the future. GivingTuesday is the perfect time to make a one-time tax-deductible gift in any amount. 

This is also the perfect day to become an ICC annual Patron. A Patron is a person who has made a commitment to preserve, promote and cherish our Irish culture and heritage. The success and continued growth of the ICC is only possible because of the enthusiasm and sustaining commitment of our Patrons. Learn more about Patron levels and benefits.

We are so thankful for your support.

New Year's Eve from Ireland

This event is now sold out.

Join us at the ICC’s Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub on December 31, 2024 from 5–9 pm as we ring in the New Year with a live broadcast of the ball drop in Dublin, Ireland.

Gather together and enjoy a delicious upscale buffet dinner, with multiple main course offerings, a selection of side dishes, and decadent desserts.

At 7 pm we’ll celebrate the New Year with a champagne toast while watching the live stream ball drop from Temple Bar in Dublin. We are excited to have Jimmy McArdle, an original member of the Irish folk band The Bards, and Jerry Murphy, Holyoke’s accomplished accordion player, providing great Irish music and entertainment throughout the evening. 

Tickets
This event is now sold out. $65 ICC Patrons / $70 General – includes buffet, music and complimentary champagne toast. Advance tickets are required; tickets are non refundable.

Seating includes tables with regular chairs and taller bistro-style. Please let us know if accessible seating is required. If you have any questions, please email Conor Driscoll at icceventcoordinator@gmail.com.

Join us in the Irish Cultural Center Book Club. We’ll enjoy good craic and delve into Irish and Irish-American literature, with guided discussion in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere. This event is open to all.

Our meeting will take place on Thursday, December 12 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC. 

We are reading The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods. Participants are encouraged to arrive a few minutes early to get settled, perhaps grab a drink, mix and mingle. You are welcome to stay after at the Trinity Pub to socialize with dinner or drinks. 

To Register
The Book Club is free to join. Please register ahead so we know how many people to expect. Register online >

The Lost BookshopAbout the Book
“The thing about books,” she said “is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.” On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found. For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives. But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder…where nothing is as it seems.

Available from several vendors online or your favorite local book shop. Or, check your local library.
Amazon.com (new) >
Better Worlds Books (used) >

Books for Upcoming Meetings
January 19, 2025 (Sunday at 12 pm): Nora by Nuala O’Connor – Special Book Club Presentation with author via Zoom