Category: Latest News

The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England will hold its fifteenth Lá na Gaeilge (Irish Language Day) on Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Elms College in Chicopee, MA. It is an opportunity for those with an interest in this ancient language, which is now enjoying a resurgence, to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of this vital component of Irish culture. The program consists of two classes available at four levels: a beginner’s class, a class for those who have an introductory knowledge of Irish, an intermediate-level class and a class for advanced learners. Download a registration form.

This year’s theme is the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising (Éirí Amach na Cásca), an armed insurrection for independence from British rule which took place in Ireland during Easter week, 1916.

As well as formal classes, Lá na Gaeilge consists of workshops (one on Tin Whistle, another on Dance), and Cómhrás (opportunities for conversation and dialog at the learner’s appropriate level).  A keynote address will be given by Dr. Thomas Moriarty, retired history professor at Elms College, on the 1916 uprising. Also participating will be Síle Dolan, of Cloghan, County Offaly, this year’s Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, who is teaching introductory and intermediate level Irish at Elms College. Lá na Gaeilge concludes in a seisiún with an opportunity for participants to display their musical talents, and all are encouraged to bring their instruments and voices.

Lá na Gaeilge begins with registration at 8:30 am and concludes at about 5:00 pm. The cost is $50 per person, and $40 for ICC members. The cost for college-age and under students is $15. The price includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day. Lá na Gaeilge is a unique opportunity to encourage and promote Irish language learning at all levels. Registrations are due by April 25 – please download a registration form. For further information contact the ICC office at 413-265-2537 or email at [email protected].

The History and Art Departments at Elms College are producing the exhibition “Of Terrible and Splendid Things: A Commemoration of the Easter Rising of 1916.” The exhibition marks the centenary of the Easter Rising as a pivotal event in modern Irish history, leading to the creation of a modern Irish state that ultimately achieved independence from the British Empire. Curated by Elms faculty and students, the exhibition uses photographs, memorabilia and other documents to explore the context of the Rising and its impact, both in Ireland and here, in the Irish-American communities of Western Massachusetts.

The exhibition is open daily (excluding college holidays) from March 7 – 31 in the Borgia Gallery (Dooley Campus Center) at Elms College, from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Please join us for a Gallery Opening Reception on March 21, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm.

The event has received generous support from both the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, James A. Curran Division 1.

Walk proudly with us behind the ICC banner in the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade on Sunday, March 20! We invite all our members and friends to join us as we march with the West Springfield contingent this year, to celebrate our upcoming move to our new location.

RSVP to [email protected] or 413-265-2537. Please let us know if you would like to march, to make sure you receive more detailed information such as meeting time, etc. as we organize for this celebration of all things Irish.

Parade Details
The parade is a 2.9 mile walk through Holyoke. We will meet at the K-Mart parking lot on Route 5, Northampton Street, Holyoke, the morning of March 20. The parade will start at the parking lot just before noon, and ends at Holyoke City Hall. Marchers should arrange for their transportation at the end of the parade. We will be wearing our Irish sweaters or green jackets, with dark trousers.

This year’s parade promises to be another outstanding one. The Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade is the second largest in the country, with 200,000 onlookers regularly lining the parade route, and a total audience of 400,000. Learn more.

The ICC thanks the Chicopee Parade Committee for all the years of friendship and hospitality that they have shown our organization.

The Irish Cultural Center is partnering with the high schools of West Springfield, MA and Dingle, Ireland to cooperatively conduct an exciting educational and cultural exchange program between our two countries.

This year’s arrangement for the exchange program is sending West Springfield High School students to the Dingle Peninsula in April.

Twenty three young women in 10th and 11th grade at West Springfield High will participate in this unique experience, in the program’s second year.

The cohort of students will be traveling to the Dingle Peninsula along with trip chaperones, visiting many Irish  locations over their April vacation, such as the Blasket Islands, Blarney Castle, Limerick, Killarney Castle, and more. While in Dingle, the students will stay with host families who will provide a taste of Irish culture, including hiking, boat tours, local foods, and pottery making.

Many of their hosts are families of Dingle students who visited Springfield last year, the first year of this cultural exchange. The students were on a basketball team, many of them musically talented, and had the chance to experience Irish culture in our western MA community, and to take part in cultural and athletic activities.

The West Springfield students traveling to Ireland this year have a broad array of talents. Some are athletes as well, and will have the chance to take part in sporting events in Dingle. All of the students in this well-rounded educational exchange program will be able to experience the culture of Ireland, the arts, music, history, and daily life.

With the visit of the Dingle students last year being such a positive experience, the idea of an exchange program with the two communities was developed. The ICC is a proud co-sponsor of this endeavor, which supports our mission of cultivating a connection with Ireland, through the arts, culture, history, and education.

For many of the students, this is their first time flying and visiting another country. The opportunity to experience Ireland first-hand on such a personal level will be the adventure of a lifetime. National Geographic Magazine lists the Dingle Peninsula as one of the most beautiful places on earth. West Springfield High will be launching fundraising activities for this 10-day trip, with more information to come.

We are excited to report that we are making significant progress in the redesign and refurbishment of the Irish Cultural Center’s new facility at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield. The former Elks Lodge property has been leased to us by the City of West Springfield for 20 years. The 10,000 square foot building and 9.8 acres of land will allow the ICC to expand our program offerings for our members and for the overall community. We are on track to move into the administrative offices by the beginning of March.

The refurbishment of the building and grounds is taking place in two phases. Phase One includes the main level, including meeting area, entry lobby and offices, the Traditional Irish Pub, outdoor deck, parking lot, athletic field, and nature trail. Completed work includes upgrades to the heating and AC systems, plumbing, electrical wiring, carpentry, and painting. The building project is coming together quite nicely, including fresh paint, flooring and furnishings now being completed.

Phase Two will follow later, and will include the upstairs Performance Center and Lecture Hall, and the Cultural Center Museum and Library with genealogy research resources center.

The ICC will soon be launching a capital campaign to raise funds for the capital improvements required for Phase One and Phase Two; the funds will be used to refurbish and furnish the facility. The Irish Cultural Center is moving forward, expanding our event offerings, travel trips to Ireland, community outreach and member benefits, thus fulfilling our promise of keeping the Irish arts alive.

Our 2016 Membership Campaign is now in full swing! Please download and return our renewal form. Or, you can easily join online using PayPal. I encourage you to help the ICC grow its membership; seek out a friend or family member and ask them to join.

We value our members and thank you for your support; we want you to be part of this future process with us. Please visit our website, subscribe to our emails, and join our Facebook page, for updates and photos posted throughout this exciting transition.

On behalf of the ICC Board of Directors,
Sean F. Cahillane
President
Irish Cultural Center of Western New England

Design renderings for the new building, sunset, and the board of directors.

The Irish Cultural Center invites you to an afternoon of Irish fiddle and folk music with the group House of Hamill, comprised of Brian Buchanan (of Enter the Haggis), and Rose Baldino (of Burning Bridget Cleary). This duo proved extremely popular in their last appearance for the ICC. Their intimate, relaxed performance will include trad Irish sets and songs, and original compositions.

House of Hamill will perform on Saturday, February 20 at 3:00 pm at the Collegian Court Restaurant, 89 Park Street in Chicopee, MA.

Tickets are limited for this intimate event. Advance purchase by February 18 is recommended. Cost is $15 for ICC members, and $18 for non-members. Tickets are available online or by calling the ICC at 413-265-2537.

You may purchase food and drinks at the Collegian Court during the show. Parking is available in the Collegian Court lot, on street, and at the Center Street Chicopee Savings Bank, which is a short walk across the street to the restaurant. Please note the direction of one-way streets when planning your visit.

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.

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

I am writing to ask current members to renew your membership for 2016, or for new members to join the ICC for the first time.

Your membership enables the ICC to provide a wide range of programming, including Celtic Adventures for Kids summer camp; Irish film series; two annual tours to Ireland; our Annual Breakfast; Irish Christmas celebrations; and Irish language classes taught by an Irish Fulbright foreign language teaching assistant. This year, we were excited to present Leo and Anto of The Saw Doctors, and we hosted an extremely popular three-show summer Concert Series, showcasing traditional Celtic music and introducing new artists to this area.

Our 2016 Membership Campaign is now in full swing! Please download and return our renewal form. Or, you can easily join online using PayPal. I encourage you to help the ICC grow its membership; seek out a friend or family member and ask them to join.

The ICC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization. Membership dues and charitable donations are vital to help the ICC pay operating expenses, develop new programs, expand and exhibit our collection of cultural artifacts, and continue to provide high quality events for the community. We also offer options for sponsorship, additional charitable donations, and bequests.

This is a time of great opportunity, progress and growth for the ICC. As you know, we will soon be moving to our new facility at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield. We have been working steadily at our new location, and are making significant progress in our effort to refurbish the building and grounds. We are currently in the design phase of the first round of restoration, including the offices, playing fields, and the Irish pub, and will continue to update you throughout this exciting transition.

The ICC provides unique opportunities to support and actively participate in Irish culture. We sincerely appreciate your support, and thank you for your continued commitment to the Irish Cultural Center.

Regards,
Sean F. Cahillane
President
Irish Cultural Center of Western New England

The Irish Cultural Center is participating in GivingTuesday this December 1! This global movement of generosity allows nonprofits to join together and raise funds for the causes that matter to them. Please consider making a donation to the ICC on December 1 – you can also make a donation before the event and it will be scheduled to count for the GivingTuesday total.

The ICC is in the running to win a category based Golden Ticket, during the Arts & Culture hour of 3:00 – 4:00 pm. The nonprofit with the most unique donors during this time wins $500. Please help increase our chances by donating during this time!

This is a time of great opportunity, progress and growth for the Irish Cultural Center. In due time, we will be moving to the former Elks Lodge property at 429 Morgan Road, allowing us to expand our program offerings for our members and the community.

This new site will provide an amazing opportunity for the ICC to expand into larger space, with a multi-level building and almost 10 acres of land. The facility will include a performance, banquet and lecture hall, a museum and library, three larger offices, a traditional Irish pub, grounds with gardens and athletic playing fields.

Your donation this GivingTuesday will add to our fundraising efforts for the refurbishment of the building and grounds. We value your contribution and thank you for your support!

The ICC is sponsoring a bus trip to see Cherish the Ladies: Celtic Christmas at the UMassAmherst Fine Arts Center on Thursday, December 10. Cherish the Ladies create an evening that includes a spectacular blend of virtuoso instrumental talents, beautiful vocals, captivating arrangements, and stunning step dancing. Their continued success as one of the top Celtic groups in the world is due to the ensemble’s ability to take the best of Irish traditional music and dance and put it forth in an immensely entertaining show. Celebrate the season with this special Christmas concert!

Cherish the Ladies: A Dash for the Presents / Joy to the World / Parnell’s March