West Springfield resident Lynn McCarthy has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Irish Cultural Center of Western New England. McCarthy happily committed to serving, and especially being named to the Cultural Events and Marketing, Communication and Public Relations Committees.

Born and raised in West Springfield, McCarthy is the daughter of Janet McCarthy and the late Derry McCarthy.

McCarthy recently retired from her full-time job at Effectv, which is the advertising arm of Comcast. She has worked part time for the Town of West Springfield Recreation, teaching Yoga and Aerobics for many years. She also now also teaches at the West Springfield Senior Center, along with some bartending duties at the Tatham Social Club.

ICC President Sean Cahillane welcomed McCarthy to the board that oversees all aspects of the organization, now in its 26th year.

“Lynn McCarthy has the kind of dedication and energy that we love at the Irish Cultural Center,” Cahillane said. “She has already made a big difference, and we look forward to working with her in the future. Lynn will serve on our Marketing Committee; with her experience this will be a premier appointment as we strive to open up our Community Performance Center on the top floor. Lynn will also work on the Events Committee creating new attractions and bringing a variety of quality cultural events to the ICC to be enjoyed by the wider community.”

McCarthy is a board member of the St. Patrick’s Parade Committee and was the West Springfield Parade Marshal in 2016. She is a past member of the Recreation Commission, Town Meeting Member and the Conservation Commission. She was awarded the Distinguished Alumni Award from West Springfield High School in 1989, and the Recreation Award from Park and Rec in 2011.

McCarthy has also been very active as a Local Program Coordinator for the West Springfield Special Olympics Program for over 25 years, running 4 basketball teams, 2 softball teams, 2 flag football teams and a cheering squad throughout the year. She was inducted into the Special Olympics Massachusetts Hall of Fame in June 2023.

This board appointment highlights McCarthy’s involvement in Irish events, visiting Ireland, and loving everything about its culture and history. “Our family has been instilling our Irish Pride and Heritage all my life, so this is a perfect relationship to work with the Irish Cultural Center – they have come so far, but there is still so much to do!”

McCarthy says that “giving back” is her passion. And as the old Irish quote goes “I should go anywhere I like to, even if I haven’t been invited, since I haven’t been un-invited!”

The Irish Cultural Center of Western New England holds its 24th annual Lá na Gaeilge (Irish Language Day) on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The event will take place in Berchmans Hall 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.

Lá na Gaeilge begins with registration at 8:30 am and concludes at about 5:00 pm. The cost is $50 per person / $45 for ICC Patrons / $15 for students aged 21 and under. Includes lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

Registrations are due by May 2. To register:
• Register and pay online (service fee will apply) >
Or
• Download and mail in a registration form with payment >
(mail in registrations must be received by April 28)

Lá na Gaeilge is a unique opportunity to encourage and take part in Irish language learning at all levels, from very beginner to advanced. As well as instructional classes, Lá na Gaeilge includes a choice of workshop (tin whistle, hurling, or traditional Irish font), raffle, and a lecture on the ‘Women of the Gaelic Revival’ given by Édith de Faoite, Elms FLTA. The event concludes with music session.

Learn more and see the full schedule >

Join us at the ICC for a special evening with award-winning Irish author Caoilinn Hughes on Tuesday, April 22. Visiting from Ireland on her book tour, Caoilinn will join us for a presentation, including readings and a lively Q&A. The ICC’s Book Club also chose her latest novel, The Alternatives, as April’s book club selection.

All are welcome to attend this free event – whether you’re a Patron, a Book Club member or simply a fan of great literature!

We kindly ask that you register in advance.

Register here >

Join us for this special literary event:
• Doors open at 4:30 pm
• Author talk takes place from 5:30–6:30 pm
• The Trinity Pub bar will be open for service
• Following the talk, enjoy complimentary pizza and salad; feel free to bring a dessert to share if you’d like (please note: the kitchen will be closed)

We look forward to welcoming you for an engaging and enjoyable evening!

About the Author
Caoilinn Hughes’s latest novel is The Alternatives, a New York Times Editor’s Choice. Her second novel, The Wild Laughter won the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award and was longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, and her debut Orchid & the Wasp won the Collyer Bristow Prize and was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award. Her short stories have won the Irish Book Awards’ Story of the Year, The Moth Story Prize, and an O.Henry Prize. She was recently the Oscar Wilde Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin and a Cullman Center Fellow at New York Public Library.

Praise for The Alternatives
“Exuberant. . . . to categorize this novel into a tidy box undermines the daring genius of its author. . . . Hughes’s prose is like a virtuosic jazz number — loose, free and surprising. . . . A bold, beautiful, complex novel.” —New York Times Book Review

“The Alternatives contains multitudes. Its mysteries and complexities reward a second reading. . . [its] ending is a stunner. And Olwen, Maeve, Nell and Rhona make it unforgettable.” —Star Tribune

“Told with biting wit and warmhearted insight, The Alternatives by award-winning Irish author Caoilinn Hughes reflects our collective yearning to make sense of our lives.” —Real Simple

The Irish Cultural Center of Western England was honored to take part in Ambassador of Ireland Geraldine Byrne Nason’s visit to Western Massachusetts during the Holyoke St Patrick’s Parade celebrations. Delegates from the ICC attended the Holyoke Parade Committee’s Ambassador’s Award Breakfast on March 23, along with Ambassador Byrne Nason and Consul General of Ireland Síghle Fitzgerald.

The ICC hosted Congressman Richard Neal at a lively post-parade reception at its Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub, along with the ambassador, consul general, state and local officials, and the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Parade community. Ambassador Byrne Nason and Consul General Fitzgerald enjoyed dinner and a tour of the continued progress being made at the ICC, including the Community Performance Center. The Performance Center’s completion is being supported in part by a grant from the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme, which focuses on supporting cultural, community and heritage projects that foster a vibrant sense of Irish community and identity.

ICC President Sean Cahillane said of the visit, “We built this beautiful gathering place to showcase our wonderful Irish culture and heritage. We host our neighbors and visitors from near and far away with Irish hospitality. A memorable day was had by all; we were honored to host the ambassador, the Boston consul general and all our Patrons.”

The ICC would like to thank Ambassador Byrne Nason and Consul General Fitzgerald for their support of Irish heritage in Western New England, and the Irish Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Programme for its continued support in the advancement of the ICC’s programming and capital projects.

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, April 10 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC.

We are reading The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes. 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 >

About the Book
The Flattery sisters were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties—all single, all with PhDs—they are each attempting to do meaningful work in a rapidly foundering world. The four lead disparate, distanced lives, from classrooms in Connecticut to ritzy catering gigs in London’s Notting Hill, until one day their oldest sister, a geologist haunted by a terrible awareness of the earth’s future, abruptly vanishes from her work and home. Together for the first time in years, the Flatterys descend on the Irish countryside in search of a sister who doesn’t want to be found. Warm, fiercely witty, and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland’s most gifted storytellers.

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

Books for Upcoming Meetings
May 8, 2025: The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden

The Irish Cultural Center’s Trinity Pub is now open on Sundays by popular demand!

Starting March 9, the Trinity Pub is open to the public on Sundays from 12–6 pm for drinks only (no food service). 

Soak up the authentic Irish pub atmosphere on Sunday afternoons throughout the year, whether you’re happy in a seat at our custom handcrafted bar or enjoying the sun out on our large scenic patio. 

Enjoy a relaxed Sunday afternoon laughing with friends and family, watching sports on our big screen tv, or just savoring a pint or two. 

The Trinity Pub is a gathering place for anyone wanting to experience the welcoming atmosphere of a traditional Irish pub and the Irish community. We are open to the public, making the Trinity Pub the perfect spot for your new Sunday local. 

Enjoy a variety of favorite pub beverages – Guinness, IPAs and imported lagers, plus a Sunday special and Ed Sullivan’s Dingle Bloody Mary. 

On Sundays the Trinity Pub is bar-only for drinks, with no food service. We’ll have chips available, or if you’re looking for a heartier snack, place a delivery order for pizza or wings.

You’ll see some familiar faces behind the bar, as we welcome Sunday Celebrity Bartender Managers Ed Sullivan and Lynn McCarthy, with help from Hungry Hill’s Sean Fitzgerald, former Fire Chief Bill Flaherty and the Rifles Rugby Club’s Conor Driscoll.

If you’re looking for a warm and welcoming place full of Irish hospitality, a Sunday afternoon at the Trinity Pub is just the spot. We hope to see you here.

The Irish Cultural Center has linked 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. On enrollment, participants will receive the Zoom link, a copy of each week’s PowerPoint presentation, and additional background materials. The courses may be taken as recordings if Thursday presents access difficulties for any reason. Participants also have a half hour one-on-one session with Sean to answer any questions on the course content.

The first topic is a general history of Ireland from ancient times to the present day. The course module for March 2025 is The Rise of Sinn Fein and the Irish War of Independence. Takes place on Thursdays, March 13, 20, 27 & April 3 from 7:30–9:00 pm.
• View course information and register >

The second topic is a general history of each of the thirty two counties in Ireland. Featured in November 2024 is The History of County Antrim and Belfast City. Takes place on Thursdays, March 13, 20, 27 & April 3 from 6:00–7:30 pm.
• View course information and register >

To Enroll
The enrollment fee is $100 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 register at www.irishhistory.online. March Special! Sean offers a 2 for 1 deal for new students. This offer is only available by contacting Sean directly by email.

About Sean Murphy
Sean Murphy was born 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.

Join us for a season of St. Patrick’s fun with Irish culture, music, dance, food and drink at the ICC’s Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub. Plus, check our events calendar for all our regular live music events and Six Nations Rugby throughout the month.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8
• 3–4:30 PM Pop Up Gaeltacht >
Open to anyone with an interest in the Irish language. Practice your ‘cúpla focail’ just in time for St. Patrick’s Day!

MONDAY, MARCH 17 • St. Patrick’s Day
The Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub opens at 1 pm with a full bar and a special St. Patrick’s menu. The kitchen closes at 9 pm. We strongly recommend table reservations – call 413-342-4358. 
• 4–6 PM Cassin Academy of Irish Dance >
• 6–9 PM Ireland Parish Band >

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
• 6:30–9 PM Trad Irish Music Session >

THURSDAY, MARCH 20
• 5–5:45 PM Philadelphia Aqua String Mummers Band >
• 6–9 PM Rosie Caine Trio >

FRIDAY, MARCH 21
• 4–6 PM Cassin Academy of Irish Dance >
• 6–9 PM Last Night’s Fun >

SATURDAY, MARCH 22
• 5–8 PM Al MacKay Band >

THURSDAY, MARCH 27
• 6–8 PM Paint & Sip: Get your tickets >
Paint an Irish fiddle and shamrocks. Advance tickets required. 

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 Wednesday, March 12 from 5:30–6:30 pm at the ICC. Note the date change to Wednesday.

We are reading A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt. 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 >

About the Book
Malachy McCourt left behind a childhood of poverty and painful memories of his father and mother in Limerick, Ireland, when he followed his brother, Frank, to America in 1952.

In A Monk Swimming, McCourt recounts the decade that followed. With not much to his name other than his sharp wit and knack for storytelling, McCourt was unsure what he would do after arriving in New York City. Although McCourt gained success, money, women, and, eventually, children of his own, he still carried memories of the past with him. So, he fled again. He found himself in the Manhattan Detention Complex, otherwise known as the Tombs. McCourt’s journey also took him to Paris, Rome, and even Limerick again, until finally he was forced to grapple with his past.

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

Books for Upcoming Meetings
April 10, 2025: The Alternatives by Caoilinn Hughes
May 8, 2025: The Wilderness Way by Anne Madden

The ICC held our annual Feast of St. Brigid Raffle Drawing on February 1, 2025. It was a fun and festive evening as everyone gathered to celebrate being together and hear the winners announced. Billy and Don of The Rising put everyone in a great mood with their fantastic Irish music. Thank you to all our ICC volunteers, board members, and staff who worked so hard to sell tickets throughout the year! And thanks to everyone who purchased tickets to support our non-profit mission, education and travel.

Winners were drawn for the first prize of a trip for two to Ireland or $5,000; the second prize 14k gold St. Brigid’s Cross pendant from Brian de Staic Jewellers; and two $50 gift certificates to the Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub. Congratulations to Edward Rahilly of Feeding Hills who won the trip; and to Phoebe Malave of West Springfield who won the pendant.

Thanks to illustrator and Irish arts/history enthusiast Kathleen Joss who guided participants through a session of making a traditional St. Brigid’s Cross.