The ICC held our inaugural Celtic Music Festival on July 24, 2022. This free afternoon festival showcased traditional and popular Irish music along with Irish dancing, in our Trinity Pub and on the outdoor patio.

A traditional Irish music session led off the festival, featuring the weekly Trinity Pub session players. Local Irish/Americana group The Stout Porters played reels, jigs, and modern Irish classics. Dancers from the Cassin Academy of Irish Dance performed in the pub. Boston’s Erin Óg headlined the festival, playing traditional Irish folk and ballads. 

The North Elm Butcher Block supplied delicious food options with their truck, and the Trinity Pub was open for cold drinks on a hot day.      

Mary Ellen Lowney, on the ICC Events Committee, acknowledged everyone who came out to enjoy the day in the heat. “It was a really fun day with lots of enthusiasm from all attendees, with the music and dance well appreciated. A great turnout in spite of the hot, hot weather!

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers who helped set up and run the festival, to our Events Committee, and restaurant staff.

Tom Landers, who is on the ICC Board of Directors and plays with The Stout Porters, said “I just wanted to acknowledge the great work yesterday. Couldn’t have been set up any better than it was. We had fun and were happy to be part of it. Thanks for having us.” 

Thanks to our festival sponsors: Mass Cultural Council, Consulate General of Ireland/Boston, Two Weeks Notice Brewing Company, and West of the River Chamber of Commerce, plus our Presenting Business Sponsors, Westfield Bank and Freedom Credit Union.

See news coverage from WWLP 22 News and WesternMass News.

Visit our Facebook gallery for more photos >

The ICC presents DIY Thursdays this August – these fun activities take place at the Trinity Pub. Advanced registration for both events is required. Food and drinks will be available for purchase at the Trinity Pub (not included in event price).

Succulent Garden Workshop on August 18
The Flower Shed is bringing their Succulent Bar to the ICC! Join us on the outdoor patio for a fun interactive succulent planting workshop, on Thursday, August 18 at 7 pm. Class starts off with a brief overview of succulent care, planting demonstration, and Q & A session. You’ll receive tips and tricks on keeping your succulent garden alive and thriving. Guests then select a vessel, (1-3) 2″ succulents, and planting tools. No green thumb needed; the plant bar specialist will guide you through the planting process. Cost is $25 per person. Purchase advance tickets (required) >

Beer & Wine Glass Painting Party on August 25
Join us for an Irish-themed Beer & Wine Glass Painting Party at the ICC on Thursday, August 25 from 7–9 pm. Get ready for Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day with lots of St. Patrick’s and Irish-themed designs to choose from. Make some for yourself or as a unique gift. Instructor MaryBeth Reed from Paint Craze will guide you through the process of custom painting your glasses. Cost is $25, which includes your choice of all materials to paint your choice of 2 glasses. Purchase advance tickets (required) >

The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England announces our rescheduled Celtic Music Festival on Sunday, July 24. Traditional and popular Irish music along with Irish dancing will be presented in our Trinity Pub and on the covered outdoor patio, located at the ICCWNE at 429 Morgan Road in West Springfield, MA.

Free admission, takes place from 12–6 pm. A traditional Irish music session begins in the pub, featuring the weekly Trinity Pub session players. Local Irish/Americana group The Stout Porters plays outside on the patio, with reels, jigs, and modern Irish classics. Dancers from the Cassin Academy of Irish Dance perform in the pub. Headlining the festival on the patio is Boston’s Erin Óg, traditional Irish folk band and balladeers. “Think Wolftones meet Dubliners meet Clancy Bros. and you have the Irish folk band that is Erin Óg!” ~ Joe O’Shea, O’Shea’s Olde Inne

Schedule
12–1:30 pm (pub): Trad Irish Session
1:30–3 pm (patio): The Stout Porters
3:15–3:45 pm (pub): Cassin Academy of Irish Dance
4–6 pm (patio): Boston’s Erin Óg

The entertainment takes place in the Trinity Pub and on the covered outdoor patio. Guests are welcome to bring chairs or blankets for additional seating on the grass. The North Elm Butcher Block food truck will be here. and the Trinity Pub bar will be open.       

Thanks to our Sponsors
Festival Sponsors: Mass Cultural Council, Consulate General of Ireland/Boston, Two Weeks Notice Brewing Company. Business Grant: West of the River Chamber of Commerce. Presenting Business Sponsors: Westfield Bank and Freedom Credit Union. 

The Irish Cultural Center was honored to recently receive a $1,000 business grant from the West of the River Chamber of Commerce. Pictured Left to Right: Robin Wozniak, WRC Executive Director; Laura Hurley, ICC Chief Advancement Officer; Jamie Smith, Westfield Bank (past Chairwoman of WRC).

The Irish Cultural Center was honored to recently receive a donation of $25,000 from Flynn Financial Partners, Ltd. for the Multifaceted Media Center. Pictured Left to Right: Laura Hurley, Advancement Officer; Timothy Flynn, co-owner of Flynn Financial; Ed Sullivan, ICCWNE Board of Directors.

The Irish Cultural Center is linking up with Irish historian, Sean Murphy, to introduce our community to live, weekly online Irish history courses. Sean presents two monthly topics, divided into four-week modules. Courses are presented on Zoom. Each student will receive an electronic copy of each presentation.

The first topic is a general history of Ireland from ancient times to the present day. The course module for June 2022 is The Irish Free State 1922-1937. Takes place on Thursdays, June 9, 16, 23 & 30 from 7:30–9:00 pm. Download course flyer.

The second topic is a general history of each of the thirty two counties in Ireland. Featured in June 2022 is County Wicklow. Takes place on Thursdays, June 9, 16, 23 & 30 from 6:00–7:30 pm. Download course flyer.

To Enroll
The enrollment fee is $80 for each four-week course. Please contact Sean directly for information or to enroll in his course(s) – send an email to [email protected] or call 508-790-0438.

About Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy was born and reared in Dublin and came to live on Cape Cod in 2005. He has a passion for his homeland and loves to share his knowledge and interest about his heritage through classes, workshops and conversation. He is a teacher of Irish history, music, and dance. Over the past twelve years he has taught courses at the Irish Cultural Center of New England in Canton, Cape Cod Sons of Erin, Cape Cod Cultural Center, the Cotuit Center for the Arts, and at venues on Nantucket. He leads a traditional Irish music session in O’Shea’s Old Inne in West Dennis every Sunday night. He speaks on Irish cultural and historic issues at libraries, and at private and community events across the Cape and beyond.

The Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub is hiring! We are urgently looking to add servers and cooks to our team, part time permanent positions. Please contact General Manager Sheri Hannifan for all the details if you or someone you know is interested. Call 413-342-4358 or email [email protected].

Lá na Gaeilge (Irish Language Day) took place virtually on Saturday, May 7, 2022. It was hosted by Irish Fulbright Scholar, Réaltín Mc Elhinney. This annual bilingual program represents a joint commitment by Elms College and the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England to celebrate the Irish language and culture with the community.

Réaltín is from Inis Eoghain, County Donegal, an area which was proudly represented throughout the program. We were honored to have a wealth of experts to celebrate and showcase the importance of many aspects of the Irish language and culture through history, heritage, food, and Irish traditional music. We want to extend a huge thanks to all the presenters who gave their time and talents to join us. Go raibh míle maith agaibh!

The presentation was recorded, and is available for all to view.

> Watch Section One on YouTube 
Greeting by Paula Melvin, Tánaiste of Conradh na Gaeilge. Paula is also the Chairperson of the Conradh’s Development Subcommittee. At the local level, she co-founded the Pobal Gaeilge 15 branch in Dublin 15, which played an integral role in the establishment of Coláiste na Tulchann and have organised some of the largest events worldwide for Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia.

> Watch Section Two on YouTube
Pádraig Ó Dochartaigh, Glór Inis Eoghain. Pádraig is a proud native of the Inishowen peninsula in north Donegal. His grand uncle was one of the last Gaelic speakers in the peninsula and he hailed from the Urris area. Pádraig has spent many years teaching Gaeilge in a community school in the Inishowen peninsula and now is a lecturer in Gaeilge in the Ulster University, Magee Campus, Derry City.

> Watch Section Three on YouTube
Clodagh Warnock. Clodagh was a founder member of the highly acclaimed band Déanta, playing fiddle, bouzouki and bodhrán. Clodagh has performed and taught workshops at major festivals throughout the world. She is a current committee member of the Inishowen Traditional Music Project, and a co-founder of the Ceolan School of Music in Moville. She is joined today to play some tunes by some of her former students.

> Watch Section Four on YouTube
William Mc Elhinney. William is from Inishowen, Co Donegal, where he created the multi award winning heritage company Wild Strands in 2016. He is known as The Seaweed Man and has presented widely on the topic of Irish Food Culture, particularly our forgotten heritage foods, especially seaweed. He established the experiential Wild Strands Caifé in Malin Head in 2018 inspired by a modern sustainable take on Irish Heritage food.

> Watch Section Five on YouTube
Manchán Magan. Manchán is a writer and documentary-maker. He writes occasionally for The Irish Times on culture and travel, presents the RTÉ podcast The Almanac of Ireland, and is author of the award-winning, best-selling Thirty-Two Words For Field, and his new illustrated book Tree Dogs, Banshees Fingers and other Irish Words for Nature. He has made dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4, RTÉ  and Travel Channel. 

The Irish Cultural Center is linking up with Irish historian, Sean Murphy, to introduce our community to live, weekly online Irish history courses. Sean presents two monthly topics, divided into four-week modules. Courses are presented on Zoom. Each student will receive an electronic copy of each presentation.

The first topic is a general history of Ireland from ancient times to the present day. The course module for May 2022 is the Anglo Irish Treaty and Civil War in Ireland. Takes place on Thursdays, May 12, 19, 26 & June 2 from 7:30–9:00 pm. Download course flyer.

The second topic is a general history of each of the thirty two counties in Ireland. Featured in May 2022 is County Fermanagh. Takes place on Thursdays, May 12, 19, 26 & June 2 from 6:00–7:30 pm. Download course flyer.

To Enroll
The enrollment fee is $80 for each four-week course. Please contact Sean directly for information or to enroll in his course(s) – send an email to [email protected] or call 508-790-0438.

About Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy was born and reared in Dublin and came to live on Cape Cod in 2005. He has a passion for his homeland and loves to share his knowledge and interest about his heritage through classes, workshops and conversation. He is a teacher of Irish history, music, and dance. Over the past twelve years he has taught courses at the Irish Cultural Center of New England in Canton, Cape Cod Sons of Erin, Cape Cod Cultural Center, the Cotuit Center for the Arts, and at venues on Nantucket. He leads a traditional Irish music session in O’Shea’s Old Inne in West Dennis every Sunday night. He speaks on Irish cultural and historic issues at libraries, and at private and community events across the Cape and beyond.

Celebrate the opening of our outdoor patio with a summer party!
Thursday, May 26 from 6–10 pm 

Buffet from Bueno Y Sano
Good From the Start Fresh Mex. Chips and salsa, main course buffet, and dessert.

Live Music
Freddie Marion will sing and DJ with tunes from Santana, Jimmy Buffet and more.

Tickets
$50 for ICC Patrons / $55 for Non Patrons
Price includes meal, 2 crafted tequila drinks, 1 Dos Equis with main meal, and server gratuity.
Tickets are non-refundable.
Seating is limited; advance tickets required.
Tickets must be purchased by the end of the day on Tuesday, May 24 – for tickets, please call 413-342-4358.