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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183238Z
CREATED:20260415T161523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183238Z
UID:10001101-1788372000-1788377400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-4/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202927Z
CREATED:20260724T201725Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202927Z
UID:10001123-1788454800-1788462000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: September
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-september-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-sept-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T183336Z
CREATED:20260731T183154Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T183336Z
UID:10001132-1788463800-1788469200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "TransAtlantic" by Colum McCann
DESCRIPTION:In the National Book Award–winning Let the Great World Spin\, Colum McCann thrilled readers with a marvelous high-wire act of fiction that The New York Times Book Review called “an emotional tour de force.” Now McCann demonstrates once again why he is one of the most acclaimed and essential authors of his generation with a soaring novel that spans continents\, leaps centuries\, and unites a cast of deftly rendered characters\, both real and imagined. \nNewfoundland\, 1919. Two aviators—Jack Alcock and Arthur Brown—set course for Ireland as they attempt the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean\, placing their trust in a modified bomber to heal the wounds of the Great War. \nDublin\, 1845 and ’46. On an international lecture tour in support of his subversive autobiography\, Frederick Douglass finds the Irish people sympathetic to the abolitionist cause—despite the fact that\, as famine ravages the countryside\, the poor suffer from hardships that are astonishing even to an American slave. \nNew York\, 1998. Leaving behind a young wife and newborn child\, Senator George Mitchell departs for Belfast\, where it has fallen to him\, the son of an Irish-American father and a Lebanese mother\, to shepherd Northern Ireland’s notoriously bitter and volatile peace talks to an uncertain conclusion. \nThese three iconic crossings are connected by a series of remarkable women whose personal stories are caught up in the swells of history. Beginning with Irish housemaid Lily Duggan\, who crosses paths with Frederick Douglass\, the novel follows her daughter and granddaughter\, Emily and Lottie\, and culminates in the present-day story of Hannah Carson\, in whom all the hopes and failures of previous generations live on. From the loughs of Ireland to the flatlands of Missouri and the windswept coast of Newfoundland\, their journeys mirror the progress and shape of history. They each learn that even the most unassuming moments of grace have a way of rippling through time\, space\, and memory. \nThe most mature work yet from an incomparable storyteller\, TransAtlantic is a profound meditation on identity and history in a wide world that grows somehow smaller and more wondrous with each passing year. \n______ \nReviews and Praise\n“What distinguishes TransAtlantic from McCann’s earlier work isn’t the stunning language or the psychological acuity or the humor and imagination on display—all of that has been there before. It’s the sheer ambition\, the audacity to imagine within the same novel the experience of Frederick Douglass . . . then the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight . . . then to leap into the near-present and embody the former senator George Mitchell . . . and finally to unite these stories\, to give them even larger purpose than the historical significance they already possess\, by knitting through and around them the stories of four generations of women.” —Joel Lovell\, The New York Times Magazine \n“This novel is beautifully hypnotic in its movements\, from the grand (between two continents\, across three centuries) to the most subtle. Silkily threading together public events and private feelings\, TransAtlantic says no to death with every line.” —Emma Donoghue \n“A masterful and profoundly moving novel that employs exquisite language to explore the limits of language and the tricks of memory . . . epic in ambition . . . audacious in format.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) \n“McCann weaves an intricate tapestry… reminiscent of the finest work of Michael Ondaatje…Transatlantic is McCann’s most penetrating novel yet.” —O\, The Oprah Magazine \n“Expertly constructed … At its best\, as in the superbly rendered early scene of Alcock and Brown’s flight\, the prose is poetically vivid.” —The Observer \n“Few contemporary writers are better at subtracting the sublime from the base … A kind of cat’s cradle of transatlantic journeys\, all connected\, all built on another thing.” —The Guardian \n“A beautifully woven novel about the real and imagined. Fans of Ian McEwan will love it.” —Red \n“McCann is no stranger to literary prizes — but if I were him\, I’d start clearing my mantelpiece for a few more” —The Daily Mail \n“Ingenious . . . The intricate connections he has crafted between the stories of his women and our men will\, by the end\, have you trying to figure out\, in pencil\, what he seems to have written in air\, in water\, and—given that his subject is the confluence of Irish and American history—in blood.” —Tom Junod\, Esquire \n“An ambitious\, poetic novel . . . McCann is blessed with a reckless imagination.” —Bob Minzesheimer\, USA Today (3 1/2 stars) \n  “Let the Great World Spin is one of the twenty-first century’s most celebrated novels thus far—with a National Book Award and an IMPAC Dublin Literary Award among its lauds. Not an easy act to follow. But McCann is an acrobat\, and TransAtlantic is entrancing . . . Trusting and economic\, McCann folds his epic meticulously into this relatively slim volume like an accordion; each pleat holds music—elation and sorrow.” —Tucker Shaw\, Denver Post \n“Lyrical . . . The prose throughout is vivid and forceful.” —Thomas Chatterton Williams\, The Wall Street Journal \n“Can the story of the wife of an ice merchant in Grand River\, Michigan\, compete with the remarkable history of Douglass in Ireland? Indeed. Maintaining the continuity of our interest is the essence of McCann’s talent . . . Under the influence of his serene melody . . . the small\, unlikely moments accrue lasting importance in a ‘silence . . . lined with tenderness.’” —Ron Charles\, The Washington Post Book World \n “Another sweeping\, beautifully constructed tapestry of life . . . Like Virginia Woolf\, McCann is a master of stream-of-consciousness narrative . . . [His] short phrases overlap\, like dabs in a pointillist painting\, creating a richly detailed picture that feels like slipping inside the characters’ heads\, joining them as they live their lives\, if only for a moment . . . Reading McCann is a rare joy.” —Moira Macdonald\, The Seattle Times \n“[In] this beautifully wrought novel . . . [McCann] expertly juggles a cast of fictional and historical characters.” —“The Must List\,” Entertainment Weekly \n“Gripping\, immersive\, and suspenseful\, written in words that sing.” —Amy Driscoll\, Miami Herald \n“McCann moves seamlessly among centuries and generation . . . integrat[ing] his characters’ disparate stories\, times and places with astonishing skill. Indeed\, our admiration for this feat of literary legerdemain almost causes us to overlook the novel’s other virtues—the depth of McCann’s characters\, the beauty of his prose and the sheer power of his story.” —Mike Snyder\, Houston Chronicle \n “The stories told in TransAtlantic combine tight\, intensely lyrical writing . . . and a nearly epic scope involving events unfolding over three different centuries.” —Mike Fischer\, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \n “When McCann is engaged with the particularities of place and character\, on either side of the Atlantic\, he is in the premier league of contemporary novelists.” —Robert Cremins\, Minneapolis Star Tribune \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-transatlantic-by-colum-mccann/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Sept-26-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183149Z
CREATED:20260415T161635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183149Z
UID:10001102-1788976800-1788982200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-5/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T140000
DTSTAMP:20260831T174827Z
CREATED:20260831T174759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T174827Z
UID:10001148-1789030800-1789048800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Office Hours with Coco McCracken
DESCRIPTION:We are so excited to have the incredible author Coco McCracken on the Maine Irish Team as our Writer in Residence! \nCoco’s first office hours will take place in September on Thursday the 10th\, 9am -2pm. Please feel welcome to reserve a 30 minute appointment below and Coco can chat about writing in any way that might be helpful to you!* \n  \nMeet Coco:\nMaine Irish Heritage Center’s 2026-2027 Writer in Residence\nCoco McCracken is a photographer\, public speaker\, and writer based in Portland\, Maine. She is on the board of directors at the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and an Ashley Bryan Fellow. She is active in many communities from art to photography and non-profits. She’s especially dedicated to raising the voices of BIPOC Mainers and providing transparent access to resources that help creatives. \nCoco is the granddaughter of Kathleen Elizabeth Joan McNeilly\, who was born and raised in Bangor\, Northern Ireland. Her “Nanny\,” never knew her mother\, something that always confused Coco. What started out as a mystery became a detective hunt almost 10 years ago\, when Coco started to visit Ireland and piece together her broken family tree. \nJust after becoming a mother herself\, Coco went back to Ireland twice in order to sleuth around cemeteries\, churches\, and her grandmother’s old neighborhood. She sat in pubs and chatted with locals\, until finally she found her great-grandmother. \nToday\, she’s still working on her family tree\, while writing a book of essays on her process\, her complicated mixed-Chinese/Irish/Canadian identity\, and her bourgeoning passion with her matriarch’s homeland. \nNot only is Coco eager to discover more about her connection to Ireland\, she is passionate about connecting Mainers with the MIHC. Through cross-pollenating the communities she has access to\, with the folks at Maine Irish\, she believes a bountiful relationship could benefit both parties. \nCoco is also the creative director at paletmaine.com and hopes to document her time as a writer in residence with her camera when possible. \nPhoto credit: @Meredith Brockington \n  \n*Please note Coco is not able to edit anything at length but is happy to give feedback on short pitches and pieces.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/office-hours-with-coco-mccracken-9-10/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Coco-9.10.26-Office-Hours-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260909T001001Z
CREATED:20260827T145950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T001001Z
UID:10001146-1789308000-1789318800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:CANCELLED: Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Party
DESCRIPTION:This event has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.\nLive Music • Dancing • Sing-Along • Food • Cash Bar\nJoin us for an afternoon of great Irish fun! Grab your dancing shoes for the Ceili (don’t worry\, instruction included!)\, sing along to some folk favorites\, and enjoy a fabulous Irish step dance exhibition from Stillson School of Irish Dance! This family-friendly celebration brings music\, movement\, and community to the start of your fall. Plus\, enjoy light food and soft drinks included with admission\, and a cash bar for something a little stronger. \nProgram:\n1:30 PM: Doors Open\n2:00 – 2:30 PM: Live Irish Traditional Music\n2:30 – 4:00 PM: Ceili Dance with Morrigan Burns & The Portland Ceili Band\n4:00 – 4:30 PM: Irish Folk Song Sing Along\n4:30 PM: Stillson School of Irish Dance Performance \nGet Your Tickets Now!\nAdvance tickets help us plan the food and drinks and prices go up at the door\, so don’t wait!\n• Adults: $20 in advance / $25 at the door\n• Children under 18: Free!\n• Family (4 Adult Tickets): $50 in advance / $60 at the door
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/halfway-to-st-patricks-day/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Halfway-to-St.-Patricks-Day-cancelled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183048Z
CREATED:20260415T161717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183048Z
UID:10001103-1789581600-1789587000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-6/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183010Z
CREATED:20260415T161751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183010Z
UID:10001104-1790186400-1790191800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-7/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T170000
DTSTAMP:20260910T203832Z
CREATED:20260805T191759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T203832Z
UID:10001143-1790521200-1790528400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Susan Donovan Bernhard: WESTERLY
DESCRIPTION:A Maine Irish Author Event\nSunday\, September 27th\, 2026\n3:00pm\nJoin us on Sunday\, September 27th for a lovely afternoon of conversation with bestselling author Susan Donovan Bernhard! \nSusan will discuss her novel WESTERLY in conversation with Louise Miller\, of A CITY BAKER’S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING and THE LATE BLOOMER’S CLUB. \nBooks will be available for purchase and signing at the event\, courtesy of Perkins Cove Bookshop. \n  \nAbout WESTERLY:\nIn an unforgettable saga of survival\, motherhood\, sisterhood\, and the secrets that haunt us\, one desperate decision creates a fault line that spans decades and threatens to break a family wide open. \nIn 1946\, two German sisters\, child refugees in a program dubbed Operation Shamrock\, arrive in West Cork\, Ireland to live in foster care while Europe recovers from war. Nearly fifty years later\, on a fateful day in a bustling Maine farmhouse\, an Irish newspaper clipping threatens to unravel Faye Sullivan’s carefully constructed life with husband William and daughters Maeve and Molly\, a life already on the brink of collapse. \nFrom Germany to Ireland to coastal Maine\, this tender family saga explores identity\, reconciliation\, and the true meaning of home. \nTo purchase in advance\, please visit Perkins Cove Bookshop in Ogunquit or head to https://www.susanbernhard.com/westerly \n\n\n\nAbout Susan Donovan Bernhard:\n \nSusan Donovan Bernhard is the bestselling author of the novels Westerly and Winter Loon\, which won the Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Prize for Fiction. She is a Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowship recipient\, a GrubStreet Novel Incubator program graduate\, and a Tennessee Williams Scholar to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland\, Susan was born and raised in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana and graduated from the University of Maryland. When she’s not traveling\, she lives and writes in Massachusetts. Learn more at https://www.susandonovanbernhard.com/ \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nAbout Louise Miller: \nLouise Miller is the author of THE CITY BAKER’S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING and THE LATE BLOOMERS’ CLUB. In addition to being a novelist\, she is a professional pastry chef\, an art school dropout\, a certified field naturalist\, an old-time banjo player\, an obsessive moviegoer\, a meditation enthusiast and an amateur flower gardener. Louise lives in Boston\, MA\, where she lives with her partner and an assortment of cats. Learn more at http://www.louisemiller.net\n \n  \n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/susan-donovan-bernhard-westerly/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:book-talk,Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Susan-Donovan-Bernhard-WESTERLY-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T182932Z
CREATED:20260415T161834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T182932Z
UID:10001105-1790791200-1790796600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-8/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202933Z
CREATED:20260724T201843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202933Z
UID:10001124-1790874000-1790881200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: October
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-october-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-oct-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T204324Z
CREATED:20260415T161927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T204324Z
UID:10001106-1791396000-1791401400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-9/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184236Z
CREATED:20260731T183704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184236Z
UID:10001133-1791487800-1791493200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "The Searcher" by Tana French
DESCRIPTION:A New York Times Bestseller\nA New York Times and NPR Best Book of the Year \n“This hushed suspense tale about thwarted dreams of escape may be her best one yet…its own kind of masterpiece.” –Maureen Corrigan\, The Washington Post \nA “taut\, chiseled and propulsive” (Vogue) novel from the author of the forthcoming novel The Hunter and the bestselling mystery writer who “is in a class by herself.” (The New York Times) \nCal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a bucolic Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force and a bruising divorce\, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens. But when a local kid whose brother has gone missing arm-twists him into investigating\, Cal uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat\, and starts to realize that even small towns shelter dangerous secrets. \n“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) weaves a masterful\, atmospheric tale of suspense\, asking what we sacrifice in our search for truth and justice\, and what we risk if we don’t. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-the-searcher-by-tana-french/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Oct-26-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183843Z
CREATED:20260806T183843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183843Z
UID:10001145-1792000800-1792006200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-10/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T160000
DTSTAMP:20260915T184916Z
CREATED:20260903T161249Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T184916Z
UID:10001149-1792936800-1792944000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Ishna's “Slí Amach": from There to Here
DESCRIPTION:A joyous exploration of the music & stories of Ireland\nSunday\, October 25th\n2:00pm\nDoors open 1:30pm\nAbout Ishna:\nIshna is a Boston-based contemporary Irish folk band\, exploring the traditional repertoire of Ireland within the context of a global setting. It is fronted by husband-wife duo Ciaran Nagle and Tara Novak\, and has been together as this lineup of 6 musicians for more than a decade. Over that time\, the group has evolved\, honing in specifically on the acoustic traditional music of Ireland\, while finding ways to allow each band member to bring their unique musical vocabulary to the overall sound. \nTheir show\, “From There to Here”\, features the music from their debut album\, “Slí Amach: Way Out”.  The album was recorded over a week in 2025\, in a barn in Peterborough NH. It was recorded\, mixed\, and mastered by Oscar-and-Grammy-winning Robert L. Smith at Defy Recordings\, and the artwork was designed by the legendary Steve Averill (creator of all the logos and artwork for U2). \nIshna is fronted by Irish Tenor Ciarán Nagle and fiddler/vocalist Tara Novak (both of Riverdance and the Three Irish Tenors). The husband-and-wife duo bring their humor and dynamic energy to the stage\, and are accompanied by their stellar band of traditional musicians: Dan Meyers: uilleann pipes/whistles; Bjorn Wennas – guitar; David McGrory – piano/accordion/banjo; Brian O’Neill – bodhrán/percussion. \nIshna’s performance is energetic and uplifting\, infusing new rhythms and harmonies into their traditional repertoire. \nFor Ishna\, music is about finding common connections. They invite the audience into the fold of their community and to experience the beloved music of Ireland in a new way. \n  \nFor more information\, go to: https://www.ishnamusic.com \nOr follow Ishna on all social media at: @ishnamusic \n \nCheck Ishna out on YouTube: \nIshna YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ishnamusic
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/ishnas-sli-amach/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Ishna-Banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T210000
DTSTAMP:20260827T195841Z
CREATED:20260827T194151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T195841Z
UID:10001147-1793300400-1793307600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Forest Isaac Jones’ GOOD TROUBLE
DESCRIPTION:Forest Isaac Jones’ ‘Good Trouble’\nA Maine Irish Author Event\nThursday\, October 29th\, 7:00pm\nDoors open 6:30pm\nJoin us on Thursday\, October 29th for an evening of conversation with author Forest Issac Jones as he discusses his book\, ‘Good Trouble.’ \nJones will be joined in conversation by author Margo Shea\, a history professor at Salem State University. \nBooks will be available for sale and signing at the event! \nAbout the Author:\nForest Issac Jones is an award-winning author of non-fiction and essays\, specializing in the study of Irish History\, the US Civil Rights Movement and Northern Ireland. His latest essay\, ‘The Civil Rights Connection Between the USA and Northern Ireland’ was awarded honorable mention in the category of nonfiction essay by Writer’s Digest in their 93rd annual writing competition in 2024. \nOver the years\, Jones has won awards from Writer’s Digest in 2022 and 2023. His award winning essay about African Americans at D-Day was published in 2024 by WWII History Magazine. \nIn addition to writing\, Jones is a frequent speaker who has given talks about everything from African Americans at D-Day and The Troubles in Northern Ireland. \nHis first nonfiction book\, ‘Good Trouble: The Selma\, Alabama and Derry\, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972’ was released by Anthem Press on April 1\, 2025. \nHe has presented ‘Good Trouble’ at the MLK Library in Washington\, DC\, the Columbus Book Festival\, the Frederick Douglass Celebration Week in Boston at the Irish Embassy\, and the Fall for the Book festival at George Mason University. \nIn 2026\, he presented ‘Good Trouble’ at the Jack Hadley Black History Museum in Thomasville\, Georgia\, the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville\, Virginia\, and the Belfast Book Festival. ‘Good Trouble’ is being used at Macalester College\, Buffalo State University\, Saint Mary’s University\, and Sacred Heart University. \nForest is a member of the James River Writers\, American Conference for Irish Studies\, African American Irish Diaspora Network\, and the Historical Writers Association. \nDr. Jones holds a doctorate degree from Virginia Tech in education and a master’s degree from Hollins University in history (focusing on Northern Ireland history and South Africa history). He currently is an adjunct professor for James Madison University. He currently lives in Salem\, Virginia. \nAbout the Book:\n“Good Trouble” shows the strong connection between the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland – specifically the influence of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march on the 1969 Belfast to Derry march through oral history\, based on numerous interviews of events leading up to both marches and afterwards. This is close to the author’s heart as both of his parents marched to integrate lunch counters and movie theatres in Salisbury\, North Carolina\, in 1963 as college students. His mother was at the 1963 March to Washington where Martin Luther King gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. \nAward winning author Julieann Campbell (On Bloody Sunday) wrote the introduction for Good Trouble\, looking back at her times growing up in Derry\, in the heart of the Catholic Civil Rights Movement. Forest travelled to Dublin\, Belfast\, and Derry to conduct interviews for the book. In all\, he did fifteen interviews with people who were involved in the movement in Northern Ireland (including Billy McVeigh – featured in the BAFTA winning documentary\, Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland) and in the United States (including Richard Smiley and Dr. Sheyann Webb-Christburg – both were at Bloody Sunday in Alabama and on the Selma to Montgomery march among others). Jones was also able to talk with civil rights leader Eamonn McCann. \n  \n  \nPraise for “Good Trouble”:\n“Jones has written a book that is worthy of its subject”- The Daily Express UK \n“His book reads like a historical thriller at times. A must read.” – The Sun UK \n“Good Trouble is very much\, a historical tale of the good\, the bad and the ugly\, and ultimately\, the good again.”- The Belfast Telegraph \n“This is a wide-ranging story about connections between the civil rights movement in Alabama and Northern Ireland”- The Irish Times \n“The new history may well be the definitive account of the connection between the civil rights and liberation movement mounted by Black Americans in the 1960s and its sister campaign in the North.” -The Derry Journal \n“Good Trouble is a fascinating read that connects America’s civil rights movement with Northern Ireland’s movement to end discrimination against Catholics in the 1960s.”- Kristen Green\, NY Times Best Selling Author of ‘Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County’ \n“Jones creates an insightful and compelling examination of a terrible period in our shared histories.” – Brian McGilloway\, Sunday Times and NY Times Best Selling Author \n  \nAbout Margo Shea:\n Margo Shea is Professor of History at Salem State University\, in Salem\, Massachusetts\, where she teaches public history\, Irish history and world history\, oversees a graduate public history certificate program and supervises internships for History majors. She is the author of Derry City: Memory and Political Struggle in Northern Ireland and many articles and chapters in anthologies on heritage\, memory and collaborative practice.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/forest-isaac-jones-good-trouble/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Good-Trouble-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202939Z
CREATED:20260724T202034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202939Z
UID:10001125-1793898000-1793905200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: November
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-november-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-nov-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T183915Z
CREATED:20260731T183915Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T183915Z
UID:10001134-1793907000-1793912400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Land" by Maggie O'Farrell
DESCRIPTION:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The award-winning\, bestselling author of Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait returns with a soaring historical novel set in Ireland in the years before and after the Great Hunger. \n“A breathtaking hymn to the sanctity of natural spaces\, operating on timescales both intimate and geological. I finished Land moved not only by the vivid lives of its human characters\, but the thrumming\, gorgeous presence of its mosses\, waters\, winds\, and skies.” —Daniel Mason\, author of North Woods \nOn a windswept peninsula stretching out into the Atlantic\, Tomás and his reluctant son\, Liam\, are working for the great Ordnance Survey project to map the whole of Ireland. The year is 1865\, and in a country not long since ravaged and emptied by the Great Hunger\, the task is not an easy one. Tomás\, however\, is determined that his maps will be a record of the disaster. \nThe British soldiers in charge are due to arrive any day\, expecting the work to be completed\, but Tomás is unexpectedly sent off course by an unsettling encounter in a copse. His life\, and the lives of those of his family\, will never be the same again. Liam is terrified by the sudden change in his taciturn father. What was it that caused such cracks to open in Tomás\, and how is Liam\, aged only ten\, going to finish the mapping and get them both home? \nLand is a novel about separation and reunion\, tragedy and recovery\, colonization and rebellion. It is a story of buried treasure\, overlapping lives\, ancient woodland\, persistent ghosts\, a particularly loyal dog\, and how\, when it comes to both land and history\, nothing ever goes away. As spellbinding and varied as the landscape that inspired it\, Land is\, above all\, a story of survival\, for our times and for all time. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-land-by-maggie-ofarrell/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Nov-26-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T203000
DTSTAMP:20260911T213446Z
CREATED:20260911T212835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T213446Z
UID:10001150-1794510000-1794515400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Mary Beth Keane: Whale Harbor
DESCRIPTION:Content is protected.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/mary-beth-keane-whale-harbor/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T150000
DTSTAMP:20260827T171317Z
CREATED:20260825T232244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T171317Z
UID:10001142-1794646800-1794668400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Annual Celtic Fair 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is excited to bring back another year of festive fun at our Annual Celtic Fair! Join us for the 15th annual State Street Stroll on Saturday\, November 14th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  \nBrowse local\, handcrafted goods and enjoy lively performances from the incredible Stillson School of Irish Dance! The Celtic Fair features a selection of local artists and craftspeople\, a light lunch menu\, hot and cold beverages\, baked goods\, a raffle table\, music\, and more. We hope you can join us for what has become a wonderful pre-holiday tradition in Portland\, Maine. \nVendor Applications are now OPEN! Register here.\n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/annual-celtic-fair-2026/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Celtic-Faire-Presentation.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T210000
DTSTAMP:20260909T213315Z
CREATED:20260807T160031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T213315Z
UID:10001144-1795113000-1795122000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Claddagh Awards 2026: Honoring Pat Callaghan
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 19th\, 2026 \nThe Maine Irish Heritage Center’s Claddagh Awards return on Thursday\, November 19th! \nThe Claddagh Awards are a cherished tradition honoring the Irish values of friendship\, loyalty\, and community. Each year\, the award is presented to a distinguished individual in Maine whose life of service strengthens our communities and inspires others through their leadership and commitment. \nThis year\, we are honored to present the 2026 Claddagh Award to Pat Callaghan in recognition of his extraordinary career in news and broadcasting\, serving for decades as a trusted and judicious voice in the state of Maine. \nStay tuned for updates on tickets and sponsorship opportunities! \n2026 Claddagh Award Recipient: Pat Callaghan\n \nPat Callaghan began his broadcast journalism career in 1978 at New Hampshire Public Television. \nBeginning in 1979\, he spent 43 years as a news anchor and reporter for NEWS CENTER Maine (WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor). Notable stories along the way included being on the air live when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986\, and reporting from Belfast\, Northern Ireland when former Maine Sen. George Mitchell chaired the talks that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement. In 2015 Pat produced award-winning reports on efforts in Utah to end chronic homelessness. \nPat spent much of his time covering politics\, with extensive reporting from Washington\, DC and Augusta\, as well as covering Maine’s delegations at numerous national political conventions. He produced documentaries on notable Maine figures including Ed Muskie\, Bill Cohen\, Olympia Snowe and George Mitchell. \nHe is the host of “In The Arena\,” a Maine politics podcast available on the WMTW TV website and everywhere you get your podcasts. \nPat holds a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire. He is a member of the Maine Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the New England Emmy Awards “Silver Circle.” \nHe and his wife Karen are the parents of two grown children \n  \nPast Claddagh Award Recipients \n• 2025 – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree\n• 2019 – George Campbell\, Jr.\n• 2018 – David T. Flanagan\n• 2017 – Senator Susan Collins\n• 2016 – Michael Connolly\n• 2015 – Jim Wellehan\n• 2014 – Sara J. Burns\n• 2013 – Moira Hastings Fuller\n• 2012 – Senator George J. Mitchell\n• 2011 – William J. Ryan\n• 2010 – Cynthia Murray Beliveau\n• 2009 – Gerard P. Conley\, Sr.\n• 2008 – Governor Joseph E. Brennan \nLearn more about past claddagh winners here: https://maineirish.com/videos/  \n  \nInterested in becoming a sponsor for this event? See more details below\nTo secure your sponsorship\, click HERE or email lauren@maineirish.com\n  \n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/claddagh-awards-2026/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Claddagh-SAVE-THE-DATE-Presentation-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261203T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202946Z
CREATED:20260724T202127Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202946Z
UID:10001126-1796317200-1796324400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: December
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-december-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-dec-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261210T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184129Z
CREATED:20260731T184129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184129Z
UID:10001135-1796931000-1796936400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Bad Bridget: Crime\, Mayhem and the Lives of Irish Emigrant Women" by Elaine Farrell & Leanne McCormick
DESCRIPTION:The untold stories of generations of Irish women who saw their American dream become a nightmare – and the trouble they got into as a result \nIreland in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was not a good place to be a woman. Among the wave of emigrants from Ireland to North America were many\, many young women who travelled on their own\, hoping for a better life. Some lived lives of quiet industry and piety. Others quickly found themselves in trouble – bad trouble\, and on an astonishing scale. ‘ \nElaine Farrell and Leanne McCormick\, creators of the celebrated ‘Bad Bridget’ podcast\, have unearthed a world in which Irish women actually outnumbered Irish men in prison\, in which you could get locked up for ‘stubbornness’\, and in which a serial killer called Lizzie Halliday was described by the New York Times as ‘the worst woman on earth’. They reveal the social forces that bred this mayhem and dysfunction\, through stories that are brilliantly strange\, sometimes funny\, and often moving. \nFrom sex workers and thieves to kidnappers and killers\, these Bridgets are young women who have gone from the frying pan of their impoverished homeland to the fire of vast North American cities. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-bad-bridget-crime-mayhem-and-the-lives-of-irish-emigrant-women-by-elaine-farrell-leanne-mccormick/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Dec-26-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270107T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270107T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202952Z
CREATED:20260724T202339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202952Z
UID:10001127-1799341200-1799348400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: January
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-january-27/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-jan-27.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270114T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270114T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184452Z
CREATED:20260731T184452Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184452Z
UID:10001136-1799955000-1799960400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Poguemahone" by Patrick McCabe
DESCRIPTION:A swirling\, psychedelic\, bleakly funny fugue by the Booker-shortlisted author of The Butcher Boy and Breakfast on Pluto. \nUna Fogarty\, suffering from dementia in a seaside nursing home\, would be all alone without her brother Dan\, whose epic free-verse monologue tells their family story. Exile from Ireland and immigrant life in England. Their mother’s trials as a call girl. Young Una’s search for love in a seemingly haunted hippie squat\, and the two-timing Scottish stoner poet she’ll never get over. Now she sits outside in the sun as her memories unspool from Dan’s mouth and his own role in the tale grows ever stranger— and more sinister. \nA swirling\, psychedelic\, bleakly funny fugue\, Patrick McCabe’s epic reinvention of the verse novel combines Modernist fragmentation and Beat spontaneity with Irish folklore\, then douses it in whiskey and sets it on fire. Drinking song and punk libretto\, ancient as myth and wholly original\, Poguemahone is the devastating telling of one family’s history—and the forces\, seen and unseen\, that make their fate. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-poguemahone-by-patrick-mccabe/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Jan-27-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270204T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270204T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202851Z
CREATED:20260724T202434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202851Z
UID:10001128-1801760400-1801767600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: February
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-february-27/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-feb-27.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270211T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270211T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184636Z
CREATED:20260731T184636Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184636Z
UID:10001137-1802374200-1802379600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Heart\, Be at Peace" by Donal Ryan
DESCRIPTION:Winner of the Irish Book of the Year \nShortlisted for the Nero Novel of the Year \nFrom one of the most acclaimed Irish writers today\, a new novel about smalltown Ireland that explores a community on the mend and the power of love and trauma to both bring people together and divide them \n“I said it before. Madness comes circling around. Ten-year cycles\, as true as the sun will rise. . .” \nIn a small town in Ireland\, the local people have weathered the storm of economic collapse and now look to the future: The jobs are back\, the dramas of the past seemingly lulled\, and although the town bears the scars of its history\, new stories have begun to unfold. \nBut an insidious menace now creeps through back-alley shadows and into the lives of the townspeople. Old grudges fester and new ones arise. Young people are lured by the promise of fast money while the generation above them tries to hold back the tide of an enemy beyond their control. And the peace of this town is about to be shattered in an unimaginable way. \nA stunning\, lyrical novel told in twenty-one voices\, Heart\, Be at Peace reveals a community that together looks to overcome the betrayals\, secrets\, and grudges that can divide families\, neighbors\, and entire generations. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-heart-be-at-peace-by-donal-ryan/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Feb-27-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270304T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270304T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T203001Z
CREATED:20260724T202531Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T203001Z
UID:10001129-1804179600-1804186800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: March
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-march-27/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-mar-27.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270311T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270311T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184834Z
CREATED:20260731T184834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184834Z
UID:10001138-1804793400-1804798800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Intermezzo" by Sally Rooney
DESCRIPTION:AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | A National Indie Bestseller\n\nShort-listed for the An Post Irish Book Awards Novel of the Year | Long-listed for the DUBLIN Literary Award \nNamed a Best Book of the Year and a Critics’ Pick by The New York Times | Named an Essential Read by The New Yorker | Named a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post\, Time\, Financial Times\, Vogue\, The Guardian\, Harper’s Bazaar\, Vox\, The Times (UK)\, Apple Books\, and more | A USA Today\, People\, and Associated Press Top 10 Book of the Year | One of Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2024 | One of Chicago Public Library’s Favorite Books of the Year \nAn exquisitely moving story about grief\, love\, and family—but especially love—from the global phenomenon Sally Rooney. \nAside from the fact that they are brothers\, Peter and Ivan Koubek seem to have little in common. \nPeter is a Dublin lawyer in his thirties—successful\, competent\, and apparently unassailable. But in the wake of their father’s death\, he’s medicating himself to sleep and struggling to manage his relationships with two very different women—his enduring first love\, Sylvia\, and Naomi\, a college student for whom life is one long joke. \nIvan is a twenty-two-year-old competitive chess player. He has always seen himself as socially awkward\, a loner\, the antithesis of his glib elder brother. Now\, in the early weeks of his bereavement\, Ivan meets Margaret\, an older woman emerging from her own turbulent past\, and their lives become rapidly and intensely intertwined. \nFor two grieving brothers and the people they love\, this is a new interlude—a period of desire\, despair\, and possibility; a chance to find out how much one life might hold inside itself without breaking. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-intermezzo-by-sally-rooney/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Mar-27-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270401T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270401T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T203007Z
CREATED:20260724T202615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T203007Z
UID:10001130-1806598800-1806606000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: April
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-april-27/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-apr-27.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR