New York Irish Center: Newsletter December 2010

NEW YORK IRISH CENTER NEWSLETTER
718-482-0909 - 1040 JACKSON AVE QUEENS - NYIRISH.ORG

Just One Stop From Grand Central on the #7 Train!

AUTUMN-WINTER 2010

Dear Friend of the Center:
Welcome to our latest update. It's been a busy year at the New York Irish Center and as 2010 draws to a close we'd like to wish all our friends and supporters a Happy Christmas and a great 2011.

Looking forward to seeing you here at the Center next year!

Nollaig Shona Dhuit!

Paul Finnegan
Executive Director.

RECENTLY AT THE CENTER

Luka Bloom gave a fantastic performance at the Center on October 5th. Luka showed a packed house how brilliant a singer, songwriter and guitar player he is, and proved why he has a huge and loyal following all over the world.

[See Videos on the Wall of our Facebook Page]

The afternoon of December 12th saw a large crowd of kids and parents for our Annual Childrens' Christmas Party. Santa dropped by with gifts and there was fun and entertainment for all. Here longtime Center member, Ken Natton, recites 'Twas the Night Before Christmas to a rapt audience. (Photo: Niall McCue)

I'll Live Til I Die: From Ireland, a celebration in talk and story and song of the iconic Delia Murphy took place on December 3rd. Our thanks to Carmen Cullen, Gerry Anderson and Máirín O'Donovan for a lovely evening. The troupe followed up their night at the Center with a performance at the Irish Embassy in Washington.(Photo: Niall McCue)

The Cill Cais Players came by on Oct 24th to perform two one-act plays: In the Shadow of the Glen by Synge, and Peggy O'Reilly's Purse by Seamus Burke. A packed house enjoyed great food and highly entertaining theatre. Our thanks to Pat Browne and the Cill Cais troupe for a wonderful afternoon at the Center.

A scene from Peggy O'Reilly's Purse.

In November we hosted Aisling Arts, with their new play Wake; written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Bryn Mannion. The story follows three generations of an Irish American family as the children try to excavate their parents’ stories and come to a truer sense of their family’s history. The play was warmly received by our neighbors here in Long Island City, Queens.

The members of the Irish Network NYC,IN-NYC, had a great evening at the New York Irish Center on September 29th and learned of many new initiatives and volunteer opportunities. (Photo: Niall McCue)

Volunteering at the
NY Irish Center

The spirit of volunteerism has made the New York Irish Center what it is today.

In 2003, when Fr. Colm Campbell secured a building at 1040 Jackson Ave in Queens, establishing the New York Irish Center, it was a forgotten group, Irish Seniors, that formed its original backbone. The building was in need of tremendous renovation, and being rich in skills after a lifetime in the trades, they rolled up their sleeves and went to work painting walls, wiring telephones,carting rubble and staffing the office. Now, several years on, "the Center" is a lovely, welcoming place, and along with people of all ages from the community in the region, the Seniors can call it home. To this day, many of the programs offered by the Center could not happen without the continued efforts of Senior volunteers.

And yet, there are many others, of all ages, who volunteer with the Center these days. And it is the mixing of generations that brings great joy to those who come to the Center. Case in point: our Saturday morning computer training sessions for Seniors are entirely run and managed by volunteers from "younger" generations, many of them successful professionals themselves.

The Center continues to expand the scope of volunteer participation in its mission. There are multiple programs for all ages under consideration - Irish Movie Nights, Vendor Showcases, GAA Classic Evenings and home visits to our Seniors, to name just a few. Assistance is needed to get them off the ground. The Center encourages all those wishing to help out in the community to get in touch. If you would like to be involved, email the Center at failte@newyorkirishcenter.org
or sign up for our updates.

A 'HEADS UP' FOR 2011
Our plans to construct an elevator in our Center are in their final stages, with work expected to start in the early part of the new year. This project has been made possible through generous grants from the Emigrant Support Programme of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, along with supporting grants secured by New York Assemblywomen Catherine Nolan and Marge Markey, not to mention vital contributions from people like you. The renovations that accompany the installation of the elevator will be extensive, so we are counting on our members to be patient and understanding while the work is in progress. ASHLEY DAVIS PERFORMS AT THE CENTER- JAN 15th >>BOOK TICKETS ON THE CENTER'S WEBSITE<< DINNER DANCE 2011 After a great dinner dance last May, we are going back to Terrace on The Park next year. Mark your calendars for FRIDAY APRIL 8th. Details on our honorees, our journal and reservations will become available after the turn of the year.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
MAURA MULLIGAN EDUCATOR/WRITER TEACHER OF THE IRISH LANGUAGE
Every Tuesday night at the New York Irish Center, adult students from all walks of life–lawyers, actors, teachers and nurses–gather eagerly to interact with each other through the medium of the Irish language (Gaelic or Gaeilge). If you were to ask them what it is like to be learning Gaelic (Irish) as adults, they’d tell that Maura Mulligan’s classes are not only instructional, but fun as well. For example, Thanksgiving dinner was celebrated through the medium of Irish (trí mheán na Gaeilge). Some students were responsible for the Gearú Goille (appetizer) while others took care of the Brollach Turcaí le búiste (turkey with stuffing). It was all topped off with Milseog agus fíon (desert & wine). Rumor has it that the classes are now learning a few Carúil Nollag (Christmas Carols). If you pop in on the Wednesday before Christmas, you might just hear them at our Senior Lunch. A writer, Maura is seeking to publish her recently completed memoir. In addition, she recently published a story, “Lá Aonaigh i gCill Cheallaigh” in an Irish language magazine, AN GAELl. (There’s a copy in the Center's library). Her classes were featured in the Queens Chronicle recently. You can read the article here. In addition, Maura was featured in the September /October issue of Irish America Magazine. Check out Maura's website to learn about classes starting in February 2011. You can also view pictures of Samhain and her monthly Ciorcal Comhra (conversation circle).
ABOUT THE NEW YORK IRISH CENTER
"It's a family away from family. I enjoy the conversation and the friendliness of the people." -Catherine O'Brien "I like to come to every function that I can in the Irish Center. It's a great, great place altogether." -Frank Gordon You can learn all about us by watching our short video.
In November we proudly elected our new Board for another term, consisting of important leaders in New York's Irish Community.

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