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, August 20 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC (note change from usual date).

We are reading Holding: A Novel by Graham Norton. 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 >

In addition to our regular dinner menu, we offer a specially priced Book Club Buffet at $16.50 per person, plus tax and tip. Guests of Book Club attendees are also welcome to partake in the buffet. Choose this option at registration.

About the Book
From Graham Norton—the BAFTA Award–winning and hugely popular BBC America television host—comes a charming debut novel set in an idyllic Irish village where a bumbling investigator has to sort through decades of gossip and secrets to solve a mysterious crime.

The remote Irish village of Duneen has known little drama, and yet its inhabitants are troubled. So when human remains—suspected to be those of Tommy Burke, a former lover of both Brid and Evelyn—are discovered on an old farm, the village’s dark past begins to unravel. As a frustrated P.J. struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his professional life, he unearths a community’s worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regrets.

Darkly comic, at times profoundly sad, and “especially inviting because of its tongue-in-cheek wit” (Kirkus Reviews), Holding is a masterful debut.

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

Upcoming Meetings
• September 10, 2026: The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr
• October 15, 2026: The Country Girls: Three Novels and an Epilogue by Edna O’Brien (first book only)

Enter the ICC’s Countdown to Summer Raffle, and win 2 tickets on our Red Sox Bus Trip! Raffle tickets are $10 each or 3 for $20. The drawing is on Sunday, July 19 at the ICC during our World Cup Final watch party. Visit the ICC or Trinity Pub to purchase.

Winner receives 2 tickets for the ICC’s Red Sox Bus Trip on August 23 ($360 value), plus 2 ICC baseball caps. The bus trip is an easy, convenient and fun way to get to Boston and enjoy the game with family and friends. Winner does not need to be present.

Learn more about the ICC’s Red Sox Bus Trip on August 23 >

If you have already purchased tickets on the bus trip and win the raffle, you will be reimbursed for 2 tickets.

The Trinity Pub is the place to be for all the FIFA 2026 World Cup action! See our viewing schedule: 

Friday June 12
9 pm – USA vs Paraguay

Saturday June 13
3 pm – Brazil vs Morocco

Sunday June 14
4 pm – Netherlands vs Japan

Wednesday June 17
4 pm – England vs Croatia

Thursday June 18
6 pm – Canada vs Qatar

Friday June 19
3 pm – USA vs Australia
6 pm – Scotland vs Morocco

Saturday June 20
4 pm – Germany vs Ivory Coast

Sunday June 21
12 pm – Spain vs Saudi Arabia
3 pm – Belgium vs Iran

Wednesday June 24
3 pm – Switzerland vs Canada
6 pm – Scotland vs Brazil

Thursday June 25
4 pm – Ecuador vs Germany
7 pm – Sweden vs Japan

Friday June 26
3 pm – Norway vs France
8 pm – Spain vs Uruguay

Saturday June 27
5 pm – Panama vs England
7:30 pm – Portugal vs Columbia

Thursday July 9
4 pm – France vs Morocco (Quarter Final)

Friday July 10
3 pm – Belgium vs Spain (Quarter Final)

Saturday July 11
5 pm; Norway vs England (Quarter Final)

Wednesday July 15
3 pm – Teams TBD (Semi Final)

Sunday July 19: FINAL
3 pm – Teams TBD

The Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub has launched our summer menu with more apps, new sandwiches, burgers, and limited entrées. New on Sundays is our Pub Bites Menu. Join us for light bites in the pub or on the patio (light bites only on these days).

*Update* We offer our regular summer dinner menu on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Check out our new menu >

Follow for updates on upcoming Thursday night events and dinner specials all summer! 

The Irish Cultural Center is excited to offer a Tin Whistle Workshop Series taught by Ellen Redman this summer. This 6-week series is open to all, with no experience needed. 

Begin your journey into Irish music with the tin whistle. Often called the “gateway” instrument to Irish traditional music, it is one of the easiest to play initially. We will start with the basics of the instrument and some simple tunes, then progress on to some polkas, jigs and hornpipes. 

At the end of the six weeks, you can try your hand sitting in a session playing the tunes we practiced. Learn something new this summer at the ICC!

Dates and Time
Wednesdays – June 17 & 24; July 8, 15 & 29; August 5 (note week breaks)
5:15–6:00 pm

Cost
$200 ICC Patron / $230 General. Whistles and materials will be provided. 

Register by June 15
• Purchase and complete registration online (service fee applies) >
• Visit the ICC or call 413-333-4951 to pay by cash, check or charge and register

Location
Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA
(use the patio entrance to the Irish House Restaurant)

The ICC’s Irish House Restaurant hosts an open trad session on Wednesdays from 6:30–9 pm. Stay for dinner and trad tunes after class!

Can’t make the summer workshop, but interested in future classes? Email Executive Director Caroline at [email protected] and she will keep you in the loop for future planned workshops. 

About the Instructor
Ellen Redman, (Irish flute and tin whistle) is both a classically trained flutist and accomplished traditional Irish flutist and whistle player. Inspired by the flute playing of Kevin Crawford and Nuala Kennedy and with nurture and encouragement from Boston fiddlers Larry Reynolds and Seamus Connolly, she found a new direction and passion in her musical life and in 2006 and 2007 qualified for the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil. Ellen is an instructor of classical and Irish flute at Smith College and teaches Irish flute and whistle at the Connecticut Academy of Irish Music. She is a flutist with the Springfield Symphony and co-hosts a weekly session at the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England, as well as guest-hosting sessions around New England. She is also the director of The Wailing Banshees, a traditional Irish group she formed at Smith College, and frequently appears in and around the region with the band Banish Misfortune and her trio, Last Night’s Fun.

Class size is limited to 10; a minimum of 4 is required for workshop to move forward.

Five-Week Writing Workshop: Stories, Heritage, and the Moments That Shape Us

This five-session weekly series offers time, structure, and encouragement for writers who want to explore their personal stories, family history, or heritage. Each week, participants will respond to guided writing prompts, bring memories to life on the page, and receive support to keep going.

Sometimes the heart of a story begins with one remembered detail, a family voice, a meaningful place, or a moment that still lingers. Come with a project in mind, or simply arrive ready to discover what calls out to be written.

The workshop will be facilitated by Theresa Chamberland of StoryCatcher Studios, who brings a decade of experience guiding adults as they explore and shape their personal stories. 

No writing experience is required, only a willingness to follow where memory leads. Participants are encouraged to bring whatever writing tools they are most comfortable with – paper and pen, laptop, tablet, etc. 

Schedule
Mondays: July 6, 13, 20 & 27, August 3
1:30 – 3:30 pm

Please register by 12 pm the day before the workshop.

Cost and Registration
• $120 ICC Patron / $135 General
• Visit the ICC or call 413-333-4951 to pay by cash, check or charge and register
• Purchase and complete registration online (service fee applies) >

Location
Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA
(use the patio entrance to the Irish House Restaurant)

This same series will be offered in September. Registration info will be available later this summer.

Participants who enrolled in one of the previous one-session workshops on June 15 or June 22 will receive $15 off enrollment in this 5-week workshop session.

About Theresa Chamberland
“That’s an incredible story! You should write that down or record it!” This is a statement Theresa has often said to many friends and acquaintances. Humans are full of incredible stories and we love them because they contain our personal experience, perceptions and our histories. Stories and the tellers who share them express a wide variety of unforgettable character, humanity, humor, heartache, and joy that is found everywhere in our life experience. A lifetime of sharing and hearing amazing stories has inspired Theresa to help people record their stories in print and video through her StoryCatcher Studios.

A minimum of 4 is required for workshop to move forward, otherwise the class will cancel and refunds will be issued.

Stories, Heritage, and the Moments That Shape Us: A One-Session Writing Workshop with Two Date Options

Join Theresa Chamberland of StoryCatcher Studios for a welcoming one-session writing workshop focused on personal stories, family history, heritage, and the moments that shape our lives. Through guided prompts, participants will write, reflect, and discover what calls out to be written in an encouraging and welcoming atmosphere.

Sometimes the heart of a story begins with one remembered detail, a family voice, a meaningful place, or a moment that still lingers. Come with a story in mind, or simply arrive with curiosity.

No writing experience is required, only a willingness to follow where memory leads. Participants are encouraged to bring whatever writing tools they are most comfortable with – paper and pen, laptop, tablet, etc.

Cost and Registration
• $25 ICC Patron / $30 General
• Purchase and complete registration online (service fee applies)
• Visit the ICC or call 413-333-4951 to pay by cash, check or charge and register

The same workshop is offered on two different dates.  

Option #1
Monday, June 15 / 1:30 – 3:30 pm
• Purchase and register online > 

Option #2
Monday, June 22 / 5 – 7 pm
• Purchase and register online >

Please register by 12 pm the day before the workshop.

Location
Irish Cultural Center, 429 Morgan Road, West Springfield, MA
(use the patio entrance to the Irish House Restaurant)

About Theresa Chamberland
“That’s an incredible story! You should write that down or record it!” This is a statement Theresa has often said to many friends and acquaintances. Humans are full of incredible stories and we love them because they contain our personal experience, perceptions and our histories. Stories and the tellers who share them express a wide variety of unforgettable character, humanity, humor, heartache, and joy that is found everywhere in our life experience. A lifetime of sharing and hearing amazing stories has inspired Theresa to help people record their stories in print and video through her StoryCatcher Studios.

A minimum of 4 is required for workshop to move forward, otherwise the class will cancel and refunds will be issued.

Participants who enroll in one of these one-session workshops will receive $15 off enrollment in the upcoming 5-week workshop session.

Join us at the ICC for Stories Off the Page, a special literary event on Thursday, June 11 from 4–5 pm. This one-hour public reading features memoir and creative writing selections by writers from Theresa Chamberland’s Springfield Museums classes, where she has facilitated writing workshops for the past ten years. It offers a glimpse into the kinds of stories and writing that often grow from memoir workshops.

This event is free and open to all. Please register ahead > 

The ICC’s Trinity Pub bar will be open for purchase. The Irish House Restaurant is serving their Pub Bites menu this evening (light snacks) starting at 5 pm.

About Theresa Chamberland
“That’s an incredible story! You should write that down or record it!” This is a statement Theresa has often said to many friends and acquaintances. Humans are full of incredible stories and we love them because they contain our personal experience, perceptions and our histories. Stories and the tellers who share them express a wide variety of unforgettable character, humanity, humor, heartache, and joy that is found everywhere in our life experience. A lifetime of sharing and hearing amazing stories has inspired Theresa to help people record their stories in print and video through her StoryCatcher Studios.

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, June 11 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC.

We are reading How the Irish Won the American Revolution: The Forgotten Heroes of America’s War of Independence by Phillip Thomas Tucker. 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 >

In addition to our regular dinner menu, we offer a specially priced Book Club Buffet at $16.50 per person, plus tax and tip. Guests of Book Club attendees are also welcome to partake in the buffet. Choose this option at registration.

About the Book
When the Continental Congress decided to declare independence from the British Empire in 1776, 10 percent of the population of their fledgling country were from Ireland. By 1790, close to 500,000 Irish citizens had immigrated to America. They were very active in the American Revolution, both on the battlefields and off, yet their stories are not well known. The important contributions of the Irish on military, political, and economic levels have been long overlooked and ignored by generations of historians. However, new evidence has revealed that Washington’s Continental Army consisted of a far larger percentage of Irish soldiers than previously thought – between 40 and 50 percent – who fought during some of the most important battles of the American Revolution

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

Upcoming Meetings
• July: Summer Hiatus
• August 20, 2026: Holding: A Novel by Graham Norton (note date change)
• September 10, 2026: The Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr
• October 7, 2026: book TBD (note date change)

Posted May 14, 2026 – We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Chef Anthony Padilla for his service to the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub as he moves on from this position. Anthony has been an important part of our team, and we are grateful for the time, talent, and energy he has shared with the ICC community. We wish him the very best in his future endeavors. He will be missed, and we hope our paths cross again down the road.

As the saying goes, the only constant is change, and with change comes the need to adapt. As we welcome the warmer weather and a new season, the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub will also be embracing a fresh summer menu and updated schedule. As we continue to grow and evolve, we are excited to roll out new seasonal offerings and a renewed kitchen approach designed to best serve our guests. Stay tuned for updates – we look forward to welcoming you this summer.

Schedule changes this week:
Friday, May 15 – Spring Fling Pizza Party; no regular dinner menu
Saturday, May 16 – Limited dinner menu
Sunday, May 17 – Closed for private event