The Irish government’s Emigrant Support Programme has awarded the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England a $64,500 grant for support of a new Executive Director position for the facility serving a regional constituency.

The grant will support a full-time position whose focus will be on completion of the facility on Morgan Road, expansion of patrons and donors, and support of events aimed at promoting the Irish culture across the region. The position will be filled in the coming weeks.

Announcing the grant are U.S. Congressman Richard E. Neal, Consul-General of Ireland Fionnuala Quinlan, and ICC President Sean F. Cahillane. The announcement comes after an application process supported by all three, and following months of work to ensure approval.

Neal has long been a liaison between the United States and Ireland, and has been active in establishing the ICC as a regional presence to promote Irish culture here.

“This is great news for the Irish Cultural Center,” said Neal. “Having an Executive Director position will be incredibly beneficial to the region as it will create great international ties and continue to foster Irish culture and education right here in Western Massachusetts.”

Emigrant Support Programme
ICC board member James Cannon, ICC Director Ellen Gallivan, board member Mary Ellen Lowney, Consul-General of Ireland Fionnuala Quinlan, ICC President Sean Cahillane and board member Jeanne Ahern at the Irish Consultate in Boston.

Quinlan has visited the center several times from the Irish government’s regional consulate office in Boston, and said the new position will ensure ongoing stability and new growth.

“We are is thrilled that Irish Cultural Center of Western New England has received such a resounding message of support with full funding for this grant proposal,” she said.

Cahillane agreed, saying the center looks forward to getting someone on board quickly to launch this newest phase of growth.

“I extremely happy and proud to see that the Irish government has great faith and confidence in our mission and recent progress,” said Cahillane, one of the ICC’s founding fathers who now serves as president of the board, and has been instrumental in the move earlier this year to West Springfield.

“Recent hard work and progress at our new facility in the City of West Springfield is a pleasant turn of fortunes. It is a testament of our hard work and their support that the Irish government is now giving money to an organization located on this side of ‘the pond’ as they say.”

West Springfield Mayor William C. Reichelt, who recently traveled to Ireland with a group of city leaders to formalize a new sister-city relationship with Dingle, County Kerry, congratulated the ICC.

He called the grant a “step in the right direction and embellishes the strong international relations the City of West Springfield has built with the Irish government.”

“Our new sister-city relationship has paved a way for two diverse communities to work together to bridge cultures and create a network of new possibilities,” he said. “The ICC is the platform and hub that our communities will use and it is vital that the ICC receives this grant money to ensure the constituencies are being properly represented.”

The ICC now has more than 900 Patrons, an active restaurant and pub – the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub are on the second floor of the four-level facility. The building includes office space on the third level. Works in progress include a library and genealogy center in the lower level and a banquet hall on the upper level.

The Irish government’s Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) is administered by the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department in Dublin, in partnership with our Embassies and Consulates abroad.

The ESP provides financial support to organizations engaged in the delivery of front line advisory services and community care to Irish emigrants. Key objectives are to celebrate, maintain and strengthen the links between Ireland the and global Irish, foster a more vibrant sense of community and of Irish identity, further the outcomes of the Global Irish Economic Forum, and to support business networks to connect Irish people to each other at home and abroad.

Since its inception in 2004, the Emigrant Support Programme has assisted over 400 organizations in 33 countries with grants totaling over €143 million. Grants ranged from small amounts for grass-roots groups, to major allocations awarded to voluntary and community organizations operating on a large scale.

Additional coverage on MassLive >

Wow! This was a year of great opportunity, progress and growth for the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England.

We strive to be one of your favorite non-profit groups, along with your college, church or favorite cause. Are you committed to promoting and preserving Irish heritage? As the year comes to a close, many people make additional charitable donations, and we gratefully ask that you consider increasing your support to the Irish Cultural Center.

Your support as a Patron this year and in prior years demonstrates that you have made a commitment to preserve, promote and cherish Irish culture and heritage. We look forward to your visit at our new home. The Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub will provide a welcoming atmosphere. Our Library/Museum is currently under construction and is nearing completion.

The ICC is an IRS Section 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. All donations are tax exempt. The distinguishing characteristics of the ICC are its emphasis on cultural and educational programming. The ICC also serves as a bridge between the Irish government, the citizens of Ireland and the Western New England region.

We have worked steadfastly these past two years at our new location at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield. The 10-acre facility has enabled the ICC to establish a new home, a place in which to gather. We are making significant progress in our efforts to renovate and restore the building. Construction of the various elements of the facility have been ongoing and will continue in stages well into 2018.

We sincerely appreciate and thank you for your support of the Irish Cultural Center. Please donate online today – you will also receive a letter by mail if you’d prefer to donate by check. We wish you a wonderful holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Thank you,
Signatures

New Year's Eve from Ireland

*Update: We are completely booked for our first New Year’s Eve from Ireland. We are taking names and numbers if there are any cancellations. Please call if you would like to be notified: 413-342-4358.*

Join us at the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub on the evening of December 31 as we ring in the New Year at 7 pm local time, with a live stream of the ball drop in Ireland at midnight Irish time!

Festivities include a buffet from 5 – 7 pm with a selection of hearty appetizers, including potato skins, chicken guyons and colcannon flat bread, and decadent desserts. Plus, live music with Tim and Cindy starting at 6 pm. We’ll celebrate the New Year with a champagne toast at 7 pm as the ball drops in Ireland.

Cost is $25 per person, and includes buffet and champagne toast. Reservations are required – please call 413-342-4358. Pub will be open from 3 – 10 pm.

If you would like to join us and not have the buffet, we will be offering a smaller menu to accommodate you.

Download the flyer for more information.

New Year's Eve from Ireland

Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday donate

The Irish Cultural Center is participating in GivingTuesday this November 28! This global movement of generosity allows non-profits to join together and raise funds for the causes that matter to them. Please consider making a tax-deductible, year-end donation to the ICC on November 28. The ICC is a non-profit organization that has been recognized by the IRS as tax exempt, under Section 501(c)(3).

This is a time of great opportunity, progress and growth for the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England. We have moved to our new location at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield, allowing us to expand our program offerings for our Patrons and the community. The distinguishing characteristics of the ICC are its emphasis on cultural and educational programming. The ICC also serves as a bridge between the Irish government, the citizens of Ireland and the Western New England region.

Our new home provides an amazing opportunity for the ICC to expand into larger space, with a multi-level building and almost 10 acres of land. We opened the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub earlier this year, including a handcrafted bar with custom woodwork, bar and table seating, fireplace and snug, in the cozy atmosphere of a Dublin pub. The facility will also include our museum and library (which is currently under construction), a performance, banquet and lecture hall, and grounds with gardens and fields.

This is the perfect opportunity to make a tax-deductible, year-end gift. Your donation on GivingTuesday will add to our fundraising efforts for the refurbishment of the building and grounds. Your support as a donor demonstrates that you are a person who has made a commitment to preserve, promote and cherish Irish culture and heritage.

Whether you can donate $25 or $250, or any other amount, we value your contribution. Thank you for your support!

Giving Tuesday donate

 

The Moxie Strings

The Irish Cultural Center invites you to an afternoon of contemporary and Celtic rock-influenced fiddle and string music with The Moxie Strings. Diana Ladio, Alison Lynn and Fritz McGirr’s polished, high-energy shows and unique sound are redefining strings’ role in contemporary music. The Moxie Strings compose the majority of their instrumental pieces and arrange melodies from many traditions, resulting in a genre-blurring blend of ear-catching melodies and foot-stomping rhythms.

The Moxie Strings will perform on Sunday, December 3 at 3:00 pm at the ICC’s Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub at 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA. Doors open at 1:30 pm.

Tickets are limited for this intimate event. Advance purchase is highly recommended. Cost is $15 for ICC Patrons, $18 for general, $20 at the door. Tickets are available online or by calling the ICC at 413-333-4951.

When purchasing tickets, please give a name for your party and indicate how many people will be seated in your party. Seating is general admission; however, this will allow us to plan for room set up. Please let us know if special seating is required. The Irish House Restaurant’s menu and bar will be available before and during the show.

We are excited to host The Moxie Strings in their first western MA show!

About The Moxie Strings

Hailed by The Grand Rapids Press as “top-notch, instrumental wizardry,” The Moxie Strings offer listeners the unique opportunity to experience some of the world’s best-known instruments through a young, progressive lens. Diana Ladio and Alison Lynn, often joined by percussionist, Fritz McGirr, all hold Bachelor of Music degrees in music performance, which have given each the technical foundation to explore the limits of his/her instrument and helped the group build a reputation for musical excellence. Alison performs on a newly-invented, electric cello, and Diana on a contemporary 5-string violin, both through a variety of audio effects pedals. Fritz performs on a mix of world percussionist instruments and drum kit.

Soon after forming in 2007, The Moxie Strings were inspired not only to perform, but also to teach. Moxie clinics focus on musical self-discovery and the importance of incorporating socially and culturally relevant genres of music in the music classroom. During most clinics, The Moxie Strings perform for students on electric instruments, teach music by ear, and introduce non-classical playing styles. The Moxie Strings deliver their message in a fun, accessible way, and stand before students as the illustration of the many opportunities that music holds. We are excited that The Moxie Strings are able to hold a clinic for students at West Springfield High School while they are here visiting the ICC!

Presenting Sponsor
Westfield Bank
Gold Sponsor
Freedom Credit Union

 

 

 

Green Sponsors
The Big EAllen St Package Store

 

 

 

 

All sales are final. Refunds are given ONLY in the event of cancellation by performers.

The Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub has new expanded hours! Starting Tuesday, November 7, we will be open Wednesday through Saturday: the pub from 3:00 – 10:00 pm, and the kitchen from 4:30 – 9:00 pm. Stop by for a mid-afternoon pint or join us for an early dinner. You now have more opportunity to enjoy our full menu, Irish hospitality and Dublin pub atmosphere. View our menu.

House of Hamill

The Irish Cultural Center invites you to an afternoon of eclectic fiddle and original music with House of Hamill Brian Buchanan (of Enter the Haggis), and Rose Baldino (of Burning Bridget Cleary). Their intimate, relaxed performances have been extremely popular in their many years of playing for the ICC, and will include new fiddle tunes and unique original compositions, plus new life breathed into traditional and contemporary songs.

House of Hamill will perform on Sunday, November 12 at 3:00 pm at the ICC’s Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub at 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA. Doors open at 2:00 pm.

Tickets are limited for this intimate event. Advance purchase is highly recommended. Cost is $15 for ICC Patrons, $18 for general, $20 at the door. Tickets are available online or by calling the ICC at 413-333-4951.

When purchasing tickets, please give a name for your party and indicate how many people will be seated in your party. Seating is general admission; however, this will allow us to plan for room set up. Please let us know if special seating is required. The Irish House Restaurant’s menu and bar will be available before and during the show.

We are excited to host House of Hamill as our debut concert event in our new home!

About House of Hamill

In 2014, Brian joined Rose onstage at the Folk Alliance conference in Kansas City. The two performed with virtually no rehearsal for over an hour, and their connection was powerful and immediate. A few months later Brian moved from Canada to Philadelphia, and as a tribute to the first tune Rose ever taught to Brian, House of Hamill was born.

Brian and Rose are both accomplished traditional fiddle players and classical violinists, and have over 25 years of writing and performance experience between them. Together, they write unusual new fiddle tunes while also breathing new life into traditional and contemporary songs. Both are confident and unique lead vocalists, and the blend of their two voices in harmony is hypnotic and irresistible.

Whether House of Hamill is covering one of their favorite songs in a new way or stomping through a set of original jigs and reels, their chemistry onstage is always engaging and often hilarious. You’ll leave with tired feet, a huge smile, and a new appreciation for the versatility of folk instruments in a modern context.

House of Hamill’s debut album, Wide Awake, is a collection of original songs and instrumentals spanning a diverse range of influences and styles.


Presenting Sponsor

Westfield Bank

Green Sponsors
The Big EAllen St Package Store

 

 

 

 

All sales are final. Refunds are given ONLY in the event of cancellation by performers.

Saint Brigid's Day Raffle

The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England is sponsoring this exciting raffle, with a first prize of a trip for two on one of the ICC’s group tours to Ireland in 2018!

The drawing will take place on Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 pm at the ICC. Tickets will be drawn for first and second prizes (winner need not be present), with additional drawings for two $100 cash prizes (must be present to win). At 6:00 pm, before the raffle drawing, there will be the making of Saint Brigid crosses (as materials and space allow), and a short talk about Saint Brigid by Irish FLTA Paul Snee. Please call 413-342-4358 if you would like dinner reservations at the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub.

FIRST PRIZE
An all expenses paid trip for two people on a group tour to Ireland hosted by the ICC in 2018. Winner may select group tour of choice – learn more about our May (two seats are being held on this sold-out tour), September or October tours. Prize is transferable to another party.

SECOND PRIZE
A 14K Gold Saint Brigid’s Cross necklace crafted by Brian de Staic Jewellers of Dingle, Ireland. Retail value €500.

Cost is $20 per ticket. Cash, check or credit card accepted. Please call 413-333-4951 or visit the ICC.

Download flyer:
Saint Brigid's Day Raffle

Soap Opera ConfidentialPlease join us for readings from the essay collection Soap Opera Confidential: Writers and Soap Insiders on Why We’ll Tune in Tomorrow, As the World Turns Restlessly by the Guiding Light of Our Lives. Local authors Tommy Shea, Suzanne Strempek Shea, and Elizabeth Searle will read from the anthology on Saturday, October 7 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Irish Cultural Center. Free and open to the public.

This special event features the book’s co-editors, Suzanne Strempek Shea (This Is Paradise) and Elizabeth Searle (We Got Him), essay contributor Tommy Shea (Dingers), and, by Skype from Co. Galway, essay contributor Nuala Ní Chonchúir (Miss Emily, Joyride to Jupiter).

Soap operas have captured loyal, often lifelong viewers since the first American daytime serial debuted in 1949. In this collection of 30 new and five classic essays and recollections, authors and soap opera insiders delve into the passion for television melodrama that compels viewers to tune in tomorrow. The contributors include iconic soap star Thorsten Kaye, journalist Leigh Montville, authors Elinor Lipman and Ann Hood, and editors of Soaps in Depth magazine. They explore the soap phenomenon from a range of perspectives and consider the appeal of a venerable genre in which, as novelist Jacquelyn Mitchard observes, “everyone’s life was more depressing than mine.” Copies of Soap Opera Confidential and other books by all four authors, will be available for sale before and after the presentation.

Suzanne Strempek SheaSuzanne Strempek Shea’s six novels and five works of nonfiction include This Is Paradise: An Irish Mother’s Grief, an African Village’s Plight and the Medical Clinic that Brought Fresh Hope to Both. She’s freelanced for publications including the Boston Globe, Yankee, the Irish Times, Down East, Golf World and ESPN the Magazine. A resident of Western MA, Suzanne teaches in the Stonecoast MFA program and is writer in residence at Bay Path University, and has led workshops throughout the USA and in Ireland. She directs Bay Path’s annual summer writing seminar in Dingle. www.suzannestrempekshea.com

Elizabeth SearleElizabeth Searle is the author of five books of fiction, including her 2016 novel We Got Him and her story collections Celebrities in Disgrace and My Body to You. Her theater work, Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera, drew national media and was produced in cities including Boston, Los Angeles and New York City. Her novel A Four Sided Bed is being adapted as a feature film. Elizabeth teaches at Stonecoast MFA and is a lifelong soap fan. She lives in Arlington, MA. www.elizabethsearle.net

Tommy SheaTommy Shea’s nearly 40 years at the Republican newspaper in Springfield, MA, included 20 years of writing a thrice-weekly column the Boston Globe said “chronicles little-noticed acts of kindness and grace perpetrated by everyday people.’’ In 2003, he received the New England Associated Press News Executive Award. In 2004, he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His latest book, written with Joshua Shifrin, is Dingers: The 101 Most Memorable Home Runs in Baseball History (Skyhorse Press). www.tommysheastadium.com

Nuala Ni ChonchuirNuala Ní Chonchúir has published five short story collections, the most recent Joyride to Jupiter. A chapbook of short-short stories, Of Dublin and Other Fictions, appeared from Tower Press in the U.S. in 2013. Nuala’s critically acclaimed second novel, The Closet of Savage Mementos, appeared in 2014.  Her novel Miss Emily, which she researched at and set in Emily Dickinson’s home in Amherst, was longlisted for the 2016 M. M. Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction. She lives in East Galway, Ireland. www.nualanichonchuir.com