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Dear
Supporter,
It's been another great year at the New York Irish Center ("the Center"), and as 2011 comes to an end we'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!
We have lots of exciting things to look back on in 2011: new programs and memorable events for all ages, getting stuck in to our major capital project to install an elevator serving all floors of our building, making new friends all around us, and bringing a great set of new volunteers on board. We've even had great outdoor lighting installed so our wonderful building extends the same warm fáilte (welcome) in the evenings as it does during the day.
And we keep improving, so look for great things from us next year, including a new website very soon!
From all of us here at the Center, we wish you the very best in 2012.
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"You Are Home"
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Excellent Events
At The Center!
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photo: Niall McCue
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Originally scheduled for that night in August when Hurricane Irene decided to visit New York City, the Guggenheim Grotto
played instead to a packed house in November. The GG are are an amazing up and coming duo from Dublin, now based in New York, and we strongly recommend you give them a listen. Opening act was the very amazing duo, The Oarsmen.
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At end of November we launched the exhibit: "Celebrating 250 Years of the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade", which previously hung at the Irish Consulate in Manhattan. There was also a signing event of the companion book (which makes a great holiday gift) by 2011 Parade Grand Marshall Mary Higgins Clarke, historian John T. Rigde, and Lynn Bushnell of Quinnipaic University Press. Also receiving appreciations were the LAOH's Bridie Mitchell and Joe King of Antun's. Consul General Noel Kilkenny and his wife Hanora were also in attendance for a great night at the Center.
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photo: Felicitas Maxwell
NYIC Board Members James McHugh and Patrick (Paraic) Feeney having their books signed by best-selling author Mary Higgins Clarke and historian John T. Ridge. Our thanks to Sidetracks and the Banc Café for their sponsorship of the event.
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photo: Felicitas Maxwell
Rosemary Cooper, traditional Irish dancer and regular in the Center's classes, gives a solo performance for the crowd.
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It was quite a throng of children and young parents that came along to our recent Christmas Party. Kids were treated to yummy food donated by LICs Chimney Cake and the Food Cellar, face-painting, crafts, music by Christel Rice and her students, dance performance by Niall O'Leary and his School of Irish Dancing, and last but not least, a visit by the big fat lad himself.. Santa!
Ho, Ho, Ho!
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IRISH MOVIE NIGHT
In July we launched our monthly Irish Movie Night, to great success. Thanks to
super work by our Chris Deignan, we're drawing a regular following each month and to date we've shown such classics as Waking Ned Devine, My Left Foot and The Van.
For our Movie Night in September as part of the very popular 1st Irish Theatre Festival, we screened Mickeybo & Me, incorporating a reading from the original play upon which the movie is based. It was a first on three fronts for the Festival: first time it had a participant outside Manhattan, first time it featured a movie, and first time the Center was involved, of course. We look forward to future collaborations with the great team at Origin Theatre Company.
In October we screened The Pipe, a documentary about a controversial gas pipeline in County Mayo, and witnessed an interesting community dialogue among our attendees, as reported in the Irish Echo.
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The Center recenly hosted a reading of Luaithreach Angela , the Irish translation of Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, with translator Padraig Breathnach and Alphie McCourt doing the honors, and Pat Carroll as MC.
Alphie McCourt flanked by Paul Finnegan (right), the Center's Executive Director, and by Galwegian Dave Ward and his niece Layla (left). [photo: Felicitas Maxwell]
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OUR COMMUNITY - HELPING OUT & GIVING BACK
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New York’s Restaurants:
Sharing in the Giving
at the
New York Irish Center
38 Restaurants now participating!
>>Learn More<<
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COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
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Many Irish community associations and organizations hold their meetings at our Center. This commentary below was penned by Dave (Daithi) McLoughlin - a leader in promoting the Irish language in New York.
CLUB LEABHAR NUA EABHRAC
(The New York Irish-Language Book Club)
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Bailíonn Club Leabhar Nua Eabhrac go ráithiúl chun leabhair Gaeilge nua-aimsire a phlé agus é sin trí Ghaeilge, ar ndóigh. Bíonn fáilte roimh dhaoine a bhfuil an leabhar roghnaithe léite acub. Roghnaítear na leabhair le comhthoil an ghrúpa ag an gcruinniú, arist, trí Ghaeilge. Tar éis bearna blianta go raibh muid gan spás, chuir Lárionad Éireannach Nua Eabhrac fáilte mór romhainn, agus fuair an Club baile nua compordach i LIC, agus é le leabharlann bheag. Foirfe dúinn! Cé go bhfuilimid mór leis na leabhair, is tabhachtaí an caint agus an chuideachta. Tar éir ár gcruinnithe, go teacht tábhairne sa comharsanacht linn le haghaidh tuillidh cainte agus cúpla píonta. Táimidne an-bhuíoch don Lárionad, óir is aobhinn linn ár mbaile nua! [Tuilleadh eolais ar an Idirlíon:ClubLeabharNYC. Scríobh chugann ag ClubLeabharNYC@gmail.com.]
Club Leabhar Nua Eabhrac, the New York Irish-language Book Club meets quarterly to discuss contemporary Irish-language books, and that through Irish, of course. People who have read the selected book are welcome. Books are chosen by consensus of the group, again, through Irish. After a hiatus of years that we were without a space, the New York Irish Center mightily welcomed us and the Club found a new comfortable home in Long Island City, and that with a small library. Perfect for us! Although we are enthusiastic about the books, the talk and the camaraderie are most important. After our meetings, we’re off to a pub in the neighborhood for more chat and a couple of pints. We are most grateful to the New York Irish Center, for we love our new home! [Further information on the Internet: tinyurl.com/ClubLeabharNYC. Write to us at ClubLeabharNYC@gmail.com.]
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ABOUT THE NEW YORK IRISH CENTER
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Located in a beautiful waterfront neighborhood on the East River and easily accessible from every part of New York City and the tri-state area, we are truly a center for anyone who wishes to connect to New York's Irish community. We are right near the exit of the Mid-Town Tunnel, and only ONE STOP from Grand Central on the #7 subway line. There is also convenient parking close by. So whether you're from Ireland, have Irish ancestors, or are Irish at heart, there's a "céad míle fáilte" (hundred thousand welcomes) here for you!
You can learn all about us by watching our short video.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2011-2012
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Sean Mackin
Chairman
Michael O’Sullivan
Joint Vice-Chairman
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Rev. Colm Campbell
President
Rory McCreesh
Joint Vice-Chairman
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Michael Breslin
Sean Downes
Mark Fox
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James Meegan
Mary Meegan
Patrick Reilly
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Patrick Feeney
Corina Galvin
Kathleen Mattessich
Howard Maxwell
James McHugh
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Bridie Mitchell
Doreen O’Brien
Paul O’Brien
Pauline O’Brien
Breda Prendergast
Ciaran Staunton
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