Irish Maids and Portland's Houses
2025-09-16 18:30 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Homes, Histories, and Women’s Networks
Tuesday, September 16th
6:30pm
Join us on Tuesday, September 16th at 6:30pm for a lecture with Thomas C. Hubka, Architectural & Cultural Historian.
Behind Portland’s grand homes and quiet streets lies a largely undocumented chapter of the city’s Irish story—one told in boarding houses, kitchens, and servant stairwells. Irish Maids and Portland’s Houses invites the community to explore the housing and domestic histories of Irish women who came to Portland as domestic workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
This talk aims to shine a light on the often-invisible lives of Irish women who arrived in America alone: where they lived, where they worked, and how they supported one another in a new and often difficult world. As single women, they navigated every phase of life—from immigration to labor to community building—without the legal or social protections often afforded to men or married women. Their histories are uniquely tied to the places they lived: domestic service placements, boarding houses, rented rooms, and homes shared with fellow migrants. These networks of chain migration and mutual assistance among women are difficult to trace in official records or family trees, yet they tell a vital and singular story. That is why we are reaching out to the broader Irish community: to help us uncover and preserve this essential chapter through shared family stories, photographs, oral histories, or even just names and addresses that may help us reconstruct this essential part of our heritage.
Whether you have roots in Portland’s Irish neighborhoods or are simply curious about the domestic work that helped build and sustain the city, we invite you to join us in preserving this overlooked legacy.
Professor Hubka will be available after the lecture to discuss further questions. He’ll also be holding interviews at the Center the next day, Wednesday, September 17th from 9am-3pm, to take more detailed information and collect family history stories from the Portland Irish community. Eventually, professor Hubka hopes to visit and document the houses where Irish maids lived and worked in the Portland area! If you have information, stories, or want to learn more about these interviews, please head HERE to learn more and sign up!

About Thomas C. Hubka
Thomas Hubka is a Professor Emeritus from the Department of Architecture, University of Wisconsin−Milwaukee. Through almost forty years of scholarship and teaching he has attempted to link the practice and teaching of architecture to historical and cultural context. He has published widely on topics of popular, vernacular architecture including theoretical works and detailed studies of common buildings such as New England farms, bungalows, ranch houses, and workers’ cottages
His latest books explore America’s most common housing such as workers’ cottages, bungalows, and duplexes: How the Working-Class Home Became Modern, 1900-1940. (University of Minnesota Press, 2021, and Houses without Names: Architecture Nomenclature and the Classification of America’s Common Houses (University of Tennessee Press, 2013).
His two previous books are: Resplendent Synagogue: Architecture and Worship in an 18th Century Polish Community (University Press of New England and Brandeis University Press) for which he received the Vernacular Architecture Forum’s, Henry Glassie Award, 2006; and Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England (University Press of New England) for which he received the Abbott Lowell Cummings Award in 1985.
He is currently living in Portland, Oregon where he has taught courses at the University of Oregon, Portland State University, and Portland Community College and continues to study the housing and neighborhoods of Portland and Oregon.

Thank you to our sponsor for this event: Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square!

Interested in learning more on this subject? There are some fantastic local researches doing great work right here in Portland!
Check out the Portland Bridgit Project to learn more:

The Portland Bridget Project is an independent research initiative led by Michelle O’Donnell Josephson and Hannah Marcel Field. The goal of our work is to find and tell the stories of 19th and early 20th century Irish domestic servants in Portland, Maine. These women are an important part of our local history, but their stories have not been told. You can learn more about us on The Portland Bridget Project Facebook page and on Instagram as @theportlandbridgetproject

Interviews with Thomas Hubka
2025-09-17 09:00 - 15:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
After his lecture at the Center on September 16th, Professor Thomas Hubka will be holding interviews at the Center the next day, Wednesday, September 17th from 9am-3pm, to take more detailed information and collect family history stories from the Portland Irish community. Eventually, professor Hubka hopes to visit and document the houses where Irish maids lived and worked in the Portland area! If you have information, stories, or want to learn more about these interviews, please RSVP for a slot, and email events@maineirish with some details of what you hope to share with Professor Hubka!
Interested in the lecture? Join us on Tuesday, September 16th at 6:30pm to hear more about Irish Maids and Portland Houses! Click HERE for more information!

Thank you to our sponsor for this event: Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square!

Open Hours!
2025-09-18 10:00 - 14:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is open to the public every Thursday from 10am-2pm! Stop in to take a tour of the building, do some research on our genealogy station, or peruse our library collection!
For more information, contact maineirish@maineirish.com!

Maine Irish Makes: September
2025-09-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Calling all makers, artists, and creators! Maine Irish Makes is a monthly gathering for crafters of all kinds—knitters, quilters, beaders, sketchers, weavers, embroiderers, and beyond. Whether you’re just starting a project or putting the finishing touches on one, bring your materials and join us for a cozy, welcoming afternoon of creativity and conversation.
Held at the Maine Irish Heritage Center, this open event is a chance to connect with fellow artists, share skills, and form community across crafting traditions. No instruction is provided—just space, time, and good company.
Join us on the Third Thursday of each month! Free and open to all. Drop in, bring a friend, and get making!

2025 Annual Golf Scramble at Riverside
2025-09-20 | Riverside Golf Course, 1158 Riverside St, Portland, Maine, 04103, United States
Sold Out on the Course – But You Can Still Join Us!
2025 Maine Irish Golf Scramble – September 20 at Riverside Golf Course
Our annual golf scramble is officially sold out—thank you to all the players who will be hitting the links in support of the Maine Irish Heritage Center!
But there are still two great ways to be part of the fun:
Join Us for Dinner & Raffles
Not golfing? No problem! Come for the BBQ dinner, raffles, and prize drawings after the tournament. While some prizes are reserved for players, most raffles are open to everyone—so you’ll have plenty of chances to win. Tickets will be available at the door.
Sponsor a Hole or Event
Sponsorships are still available and are a fantastic way to showcase your company while supporting the Center’s mission. Options include:

Dinner Sponsor – $1,000 Includes logo recognition, on-site signage, social media & email promotion, and more.

Hole Sponsorships – Highlight your business or honor a loved one with your name prominently displayed on the course.

Why It Matters
Your support helps preserve and restore our historic landmark while celebrating and promoting Irish culture in Maine. All proceeds benefit the Maine Irish Heritage Center!
Don’t miss this last opportunity to be part of the 2025 Maine Irish Golf Scramble—join us for dinner or step up as a sponsor today!

Maine Irish Writes: October
2025-10-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
We are thrilled to present our inaugural season of Maine Irish Writes, an inclusive monthly Writer’s Group that will meet on the first Thursday of each month!
Led 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.
Check out the rest of the series dates HERE!

Maine Irish Reads "A Thread of Violence" by Mark O’Connell
2025-10-09 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Maine Irish Reads, our monthly book club, meets every second Thursday here at the Center!

From 7:30 – 9 PM in the MIHC Library. Bring a friend. The more, the merrier.
About this month’s book:

A NEW YORK TIMES AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR • From the award-winning author comes the gripping tale of one of the most scandalous murderers in modern Irish history, at once a propulsive work of true crime and an act of literary subversion.
“A masterpiece”—The Observer • “Disturbing [and] compelling”—Colm Toíbín • “Superb and unforgettable”—Sally Rooney • “Brilliant”—New York Times Book Review • “A masterly work”—John Banville • “Fascinating”—Emmanuel Carrère • “Morally complex and mesmerizing”—Fintan O’Toole
Malcolm Macarthur was a well-known Dublin socialite. Suave and urbane, he passed his days mingling with artists and aristocrats, reading philosophy, living a life of the mind. But by 1982, his inheritance had dwindled to almost nothing, a desperate threat to his lifestyle. Macarthur hastily conceived a plan: He would commit bank robbery, of the kind that had become frightfully common in Dublin at the time. But his plan spun swiftly out of control, and he needlessly killed two innocent civilians. The ensuing manhunt, arrest, and conviction amounted to one of the most infamous political scandals in modern Irish history, contributing to the eventual collapse of a government.
Winner of the Wellcome and Rooney Prizes, Mark O’Connell spent countless hours in conversation with Macarthur—interviews that veered from confession to evasion. Through their tense exchanges and O’Connell’s independent reporting, a pair of narratives unspools: a riveting account of Macarthur’s crimes and a study of the hazy line between truth and invention. We come to see not only the enormity of the murders but the damage that’s inflicted when a life is rendered into story.
At once propulsive and searching, A Thread of Violence is a hard look at a brutal act, its subterranean origins, and the long shadow it casts. It offers a haunting and insightful examination of the lies we tell ourselves—and the lengths we’ll go to preserve them.

Irish Rebel Songs Workshop with Davy Holden
2025-10-10 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Friday, October 10th
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm
Join Irish historian, Davy Holden, as he dives into the history behind some of Ireland’s greatest rebel songs. Rebel songs are pieces of music which are written about the Irish revolutionary period, and every Irish rebel song tells a unique story from Ireland’s struggle for independence, each a testament to the courage and spirit of the Irish people. Whether you’re drawn to history, music, or simply a love for Ireland, this workshop promises to enlighten, entertain, and leave you with a greater understanding of Ireland’s fight for freedom.
General Admission tickets are $20, and Priority Seating are $30 in advance! Don’t wait to get your tickets, prices will go up at the door!
About Davy Holden
Meet Davy Holden, an Irish historian, storyteller and video creator hailing from south Kilkenny, Ireland.

Davy’s journey into the world of Irish history began as a child, from playing Irish music, to listening to old stories from his elders, and being surrounded by various monuments, memorials and megalithic structures a stone’s throw from his home. With a passion for Irish history and video production, he started creating Irish history videos in August 2022. Since then, his social media channels have blown up, amassing over 680,000 followers across all platforms.

Since 2023, Davy has been travelling all over the United States to perform live Irish history workshops and Irish language workshops. He has also given lectures in various universities and schools. In early 2025, he featured on the RTÉ show, ‘Nationwide’, and in early 2026 he will be featuring on the PBS show ‘Ireland With Michael’. Davy’s mission is to make Irish history more accessible, and to make the history come alive through the lens of his camera – keeping the stories of our ancestors alive.

Learn more at https://davyholdenhistory.com/

Featuring music from the incredible Jim Sharkey!

Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. His songs reflect the Irish tradition as well as singer-songwriter music he grew up listening to. Regarding his original compositions Sean Smith, BostonIrish Contributor, November 2024 writes “there’s such an innate gentleness to his music, a care and concern expressed about our humanity, on a large and small scale, and that tenderness is once again abundant on his fourth album, “Our Old Village”.
Learn more at https://www.jimsharkeymusic.com

Michael C. Connolly launches 'As the Twig is Bent'
2025-10-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Michael C. Connolly Launches “As the Twig is Bent”
A Maine Irish Author Event
Thursday, October 16th
7:00pm
Doors open at 6:30pm
Join us for an incredible evening with local Maine author and historian Michael Connolly for the launch of his latest novel/memoir “As the Twig is Bent”!
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About the Book
A boy evolves to a man. What shapes him, nurtures him, supports and challenges him? Over the decades from his deep ancestral roots along the rugged West Coast of Ireland to his own beautiful home port in coastal Maine, the shaping of the boy emerges as he grows and changes. Grandparents he never knew, loving parents he knew every day; family, friends, classmates, mentors and fellow travelers — all provide love, guidance, challenge and support.
Young Coley Folan evolves, gaining insight, purpose, wisdom and humor; all of these he passes on to those he cares about. Share this journey with Coley as he explores and traverses this landscape where the confluence of nature and nurture pave the way for him to an inevitable vocation as a teacher and a scholar.
“Connolly’s characters and experiences are full of vigor and wry humor, while the occasional missteps always seem to resolve themselves with a happy ending — and another life lesson learned. Coley Folan and his family, like so many other immigrants, then and now, understood the power of education and assimilation — and that experience is often the best teacher.”
— Rusty and Sue Atwood, Former Maine Historical Society Trustee, and retired educators in Gorham, Maine
“Rich with humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom, this is a coming-of-age memoir for anyone who has ever searched for where they truly belong. Connolly’s odyssey is a mirror of a generation longing to find its place in a shifting world.”
— Jean Haney, Entrepreneur and Maine Irish Heritage Center volunteer extraordinaire
“As the ‘new’ Portland, Maine, is quickly replacing the old, Connolly reminds us of the best of what the gritty, yet graceful ‘old’ neighborhoods of the ‘Forest City’ offered for those lucky enough to have called them home.”
— Dr. Mark Hibben, Professor of Political Science at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
Learn more at https://tower-pub.myshopify.com/
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About the Author
Mike Connolly, 2016 MIHC Claddagh Award recipient, retired in 2020 from St Joseph’s college of Maine after teaching there for 36 years. Since then, he has written 3 novels to go along with his three previous works of history. As the Twig is Bent completes the trilogy of the “Folan Family” through the 20th Century in Portland, Maine. He lives on Munjoy Hill, two streets from the place of his birth.

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Other works
They Change Their Sky: The Irish in Maine
John Ford in Focus
Seated by the Sea
Murky Overhead
Ever the Twain Shall Meet

Community Town Hall
2025-10-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Sunday, October 19th
2-4pm
At the MIHC
Join us for an afternoon of conversation and community.

The Maine Irish Heritage Center Board of Directors and staff have been working closely with professional consultants to chart a vision for our future. Much of this work has been shaped already by input from our earlier July survey, and we want to hear from you again–or for the first time–as we move towards the final stages of the new Strategic Plan.

At this Community Town Hall, we’ll gather for tea and snacks and engage in a facilitated conversation about the future of the MIHC. As members of our valued community, your ideas and insights are essential in shaping the next chapter of our work to preserve our historic building, celebrate Irish culture, and serve as a true community center.

During the meeting, you will have an opportunity to review what has been drafted so far and give feedback through a series of activities, facilitated discussions, and breakout groups. Input collected by our outside facilitators Rachel Hodges and Robin O’Brien will be used by the Board to shape the final draft of the strategic plan.

Come share your perspective, learn about the Center’s progress, and be part of our forward momentum.

This event is free and open to all.

Matthew Jude Barker Launches 'Becoming American' and 'The Blue and The Green'
2025-10-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
A Maine Irish Author Event
Wednesday, October 29th
7:00pm
Join us for an exciting evening with local author and historian Matt Barker!
Limited books will be available at the event, but we are offering pre-orders that may be picked up at the event!
Preorder HERE!
Matt will speak about his new books, Becoming American, Portland, Maine’s Irish and The Making of Immigrant America, 1840-1861, and The Blue and The Green, The Irish of Portland, Maine During The Civil War Era, 1861-1870. This era was tumultuous and altered the Irish community of Portland forever. The Great Hunger, the Great Irish Potato Famine (1845-51); the coming of the railroad and steamships; the Maine Law and Neal Dow’s fanatical battle against alcohol; the rise of the Know-Nothings, a not so secret nativist group who attacked Irish communities everywhere; the “Rum Riot” of 1855; the Panic of 1857; the creation of the Republican party and their battles with the Democrats; the coming of the Civil War; the countless Portland Irishmen who fought in the war; the Fenians; the Great Fire of July 4, 1866; and the completion and dedication of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (1869) are among the myriad events and issues that appear in these books. Matt will also talk about the social history of the Portland Irish in this era, including domestic maids, family life, the workers of the Portland Company and the Sugar House, longshoremen, and social organizations. This era truly was the genesis of the Irish Catholic community of Portland.
About the Author
Matthew Jude Barker is a lifelong resident of Greater Portland. He has been a genealogical and historical researcher since 1981, from the age of eight. Since 1996, he has written Maine history article for multiple publications. Matt was a contributor to, They Change Their Sky, The Irish In Maine (2004) and John Ford In Focus (2008), as well as two other history books. He is the author of The Irish of Portland, Maine, A History of Forest City Hibernians (2014), Becoming American (2025), and The Blue and The Green (2025). He researched and compiled the Maine Irish Heritage Trail for Acroglobal. Matt is a genealogist and the resident historian at the Maine Irish Heritage Center, where has been involved since the late 1990s, when he was a member of the Friends of St. Dominic’s, working to save the historic Irish church which became the MIHC.

About the Books:
Becoming American
The amazingly transformative years before the American Civil War affected the Portland, Maine Irish community immensely. That era included the temperance crusade, the Irish Repeal Society, the Great Hunger (the Great Famine), intense Irish immigration, prohibition and the fanatical battle Neal Dow fought against King Alcohol, the Portland Company, the railroad, the sugar industry, the connection via steamers between the city and Great Britain, the Know-Nothing nativist menace, abolition, the rise of the Republicans and their battles with Democrats, the “Rum Riot,” – all contributing to the assimilation and rise of the Irish in Portland, Maine.

The Blue and The Green
The Blue and the Green: The Irish of Portland, Maine During the Civil War is the compelling second volume in Matthew Jude Barker’s series on the Irish experience in Maine. Following his acclaimed book Becoming American, this installment turns to the 1860s, exploring how Portland’s Irish community navigated one of the most turbulent periods in American history.
As the Civil War erupted, Irish immigrants and their American-born children were faced with a difficult choice-remain on the fringes of society or fight for a country that had not yet fully accepted them. Many enlisted in the Union Army, joining Irish regiments and the famed Irish Brigade, seeking both patriotic purpose and social acceptance. Others contributed from the home front, working in the shipyards, organizing in churches, or sending sons and brothers off to war.
Barker draws from military records, newspaper accounts, letters, and parish archives to tell a vivid, human story. He introduces us to Irish soldiers from Portland who fought at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg, and explores how the trauma and triumph of war shaped the city’s Irish neighborhoods, churches, and civic life. We also see the tensions that arose-between nativists and newcomers, between North and South sympathizers, and even within the Irish community itself.
This is not just a military history-it is a story of identity, belonging, and transformation. Through war, loss, and resilience, Portland’s Irish helped redefine what it meant to be both Irish and American. Their story is one of perseverance and pride, rooted in both “the Blue” of Union loyalty and “the Green” of Irish heritage.
Rich in detail and narrative power, The Blue and the Green fills a crucial gap in Civil War and Irish-American scholarship, making it a must-read for historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in Maine’s multicultural roots.

Annual Celtic Fair 2025
2025-11-08 09:00 - 15:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Saturday, November 8th
9:00am-3:00pm
We are excited to bring back another year of festive holiday fun at our Annual Celtic Fair! Join us as part of the 14th annual State Street Holiday Stroll.
The Celtic Christmas Fair features a light luncheon menu, hot and cold beverages, baked goods, a raffle table, music, and more. We’ll have featured performances from the incredible Stillson School of Irish Dance! We draw crowds for the beautiful artistry as well as the luncheon and lively entertainment. We hope you can join us for what has become a wonderful holiday tradition.

Vendor Applications are CLOSED! If you are interested in being on our list for next year, please email events@maineirish.com

Maine Irish Song Project with CASTLEBAY
2025-11-15 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Castlebay Presents the Maine Irish Song Project
A CONCERT OF MAINE’S TRADITIONAL IRISH SONGS
Saturday, November 15th
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm
Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo Castlebay will present a concert of Maine’s traditional Irish songs at the Maine Irish Heritage Center. The concert will include ballads and blarney gleaned from Maine’s vibrant Irish tradition accompanied with 12-string guitar, Celtic harp, fiddle and tin whistle.
This performance offers a rare opportunity to experience Maine’s Irish musical heritage in an intimate setting. With over three decades of touring throughout the U.S., Scotland, England, and Ireland, and more than two dozen recordings, Castlebay brings authenticity, scholarship, and artistry to every note!
General Admission is $25, or you can snag front row seats for $35 – and don’t wait! General Admission will go up to $30 at the door, and Priority Seating is only available in advance!
About the Artists

Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs many of which are from Ireland brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast, in the woods, farms and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1000 songs from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance. In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music, Castlebay will share the lore and history of this potent musical legacy which embodies stories of romance and rogues, shipwreck and survival as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs, “mending” them, and publishing a series titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine”. Volume 1, “Songs of Ships and Sailors” was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs “Bound Away” and “The Maid on the Shore” which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process.

For over 30 years, Castlebay has toured the eastern US, Scotland, England and Ireland being appreciated at arts centers, folk clubs, festivals, schools and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website www.castlebay.net

Want more? Castlebay is holding a workshop at the Center on Sunday, November 16th from 12-3pm. Click HERE to learn more!

Many thanks to our Sponsor for this Event:
Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square

A Maine Irish Song Project Workshop with Castlebay
2025-11-16 12:00 - 15:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
A Maine Irish Song Project Workshop with Castlebay
Sunday, November 16th
12:00pm-3:00pm
Go deeper into the living tradition of Maine’s Irish songs with an intimate, hands-on workshop led by Castlebay (Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee), Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo. Building on their concert performance, this workshop will guide participants through the fascinating process of uncovering, preserving, and performing songs collected in Maine’s Irish communities during the early 20th century.
This workshop offers a unique opportunity to not only enjoy Maine’s traditional Irish songs but to actively engage with them. Whether you are a musician, singer, historian, or simply curious about Maine’s cultural heritage, you’ll come away with new insights into the stories, humor, and humanity woven into this potent musical legacy.
About the Artists
Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs many of which are from Ireland brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast, in the woods, farms and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1000 songs from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance. In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music, Castlebay will share the lore and history of this potent musical legacy which embodies stories of romance and rogues, shipwreck and survival as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs, “mending” them, and publishing a series titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine”. Volume 1, “Songs of Ships and Sailors” was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs “Bound Away” and “The Maid on the Shore” which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process.
For over 30 years, Castlebay has toured the eastern US, Scotland, England and Ireland being appreciated at arts centers, folk clubs, festivals, schools and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website www.castlebay.net

Want more? Castlebay will be LIVE in concert on Saturday, November 15th at 7:30pm. Click HERE to learn more!
Many thanks to our Sponsor for this Event:
Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square

Claddagh Awards 2025
2025-11-20 17:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Thursday, November 20th, 2025
Reception begins: 5:30pm
Programming begins: 7:00pm
The Maine Irish Heritage Center proudly announces the return of the Claddagh Awards, 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.
This year, we are honored to present the 2025 Claddagh Award to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, in recognition of her decades of dedicated public service to Maine. The award will be presented by Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States, who will be making an official visit to Maine.
The evening will also include the presentation of the Halla Cairde Award to Will Woodson and Cait Finley, recognizing their enduring contributions to our community.
General Admission tickets are priced at $100, and there are ticket sponsorships available for $250 and $500! Members of the Maine Irish Heritage Center may purchase tickets at a $50 discounted price with an exclusive code! For ticketing questions or to obtain your member discount code, please reach out to events@maineirish.com!
Evening Program
5:30 – 6:30 PM | Reception in the Great Hall
Enjoy a glass of bubbly and conversation in the Great Hall. Surrounded by gorgeous architecture, stained glass, and the beautiful music of Maine’s premier Celtic Folk duo, Castlebay!
6:00 PM | Bell Ringing
Guests are invited to gather as the bell rings out across Portland in honor of our Claddagh Recipient.
6:00 – 7:00 PM | Food & Bar Open in the Downstairs Function Room
A festive hour of food, drinks, and community. Complete with music from our incredible Halla Cairde inductees, Will Woodson and Cait Finley!
7:00 – 8:00 PM | Awards & Speeches
8:00 – 9:00 PM | Social Hour
An opportunity to reconnect, celebrate, and enjoy community in the spirit of the Claddagh.

2025 Claddagh Award Recipient: Chellie Pingree
Chellie Pingree never anticipated a life in politics. Living on the offshore island of North Haven, Maine, she raised her kids and ran a small business. She served on the school board and as the local tax assessor, a job no one else in town wanted. But in 1991, when she was approached about running for State Senate, she jumped at the chance.
She scored a remarkable upset, defeating a popular Republican, and went on to serve four terms in the Maine Senate. But throughout her political career, from Augusta to Washington and beyond, the lessons she learned on North Haven have always been her guide: Be accountable to your neighbors, and always use your common sense.
Chellie Johnson (she has legally changed her name from “Rochelle”) was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1955, the youngest of four children. Her father, Harry, worked in advertising and her mother, Dorothy, was a nurse. Chellie moved to Maine as a teenager, attended the University of Southern Maine, and graduated from the College of the Atlantic, in Bar Harbor. After college, she moved to North Haven, an island town of 350 people twelve miles off the coast of Rockland, to raise her family and make a living.
In 2008, Chellie was elected to Congress from Maine’s 1st Congressional District—the first woman elected to Congress from that District. She has previously served on the House Rules Committee and Armed Services Committee. She currently sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, chairing the Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, and Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. She also sits on the House Agriculture Committee.
Among other issues important to Mainers, Chellie has been an advocate in Congress for reforming federal policy to better support the diverse range of American agriculture—including sustainable, organic, and locally focused farming—as well as to reduce food waste. Many provisions from comprehensive legislation she introduced to make these reforms were passed in both the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. She received a 2017 James Beard Leadership Award for her national leadership in food system reform.
Chellie has also been recognized for her leadership on a number of other issues, including assisting survivors of military sexual trauma, strengthening the creative and arts economy, and helping coastal communities address threats to their future.
Chellie has three grown children—Asa, Cecily, and Hannah, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.
Learn More about Chellie Pingree here: https://pingree.house.gov/

Claddagh Award Presenter: Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States
Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason assumed her role as Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States in August 2022. Ambassador Byrne Nason was previously Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations in New York (2017- 22). Previously, she served as Ambassador to France (2014-17), Second Secretary General in the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) (2011-14), Ambassador and Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU (2005-11)), and Director of the National Forum on Europe (2004-05).
During her career, Ambassador Byrne Nason has served in Brussels, New York, Paris, Vienna and Helsinki. As Second Secretary-General in the Department of the Taoiseach from 2011-2014, she was the highest ranking female public servant in Ireland. During that period, she also was Secretary General of Ireland’s Economic Management Council.
On her arrival in New York, Ambassador Byrne Nason led Ireland’s successful campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and led the New York Security Council team for the 2021-2022 term. Ambassador Byrne Nason was Chair of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for 2018 and 2019. She has also co-chaired high-level political negotiations on the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela and on the ‘Samoa pathway’ for Small Island Developing States.
A native of County Louth, in 2020 Ambassador Byrne Nason was awarded the Freedom of Drogheda, the town’s highest honour and was the third woman to receive the award of its 35 recipients. In 2014, Ambassador Byrne Nason was elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy, Ireland’s highest academic honour. Ambassador Byrne Nason holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Maynooth University as well as Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Literature from Saint Patrick’s College in Maynooth (NUIM).

2025 Halla Cairde Inductees: Will Woodson and Cait Finley
Will Woodson (flute, uilleann pipes) and Cait Finley (fiddle) play sparky and driving traditional Irish music that’s grounded in the textures and rhythms of the rich Irish-American soundscape of the 1920s and 30s. With roots in the living Irish musical cultures of Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia, and a tremendous admiration for the first generation of recorded Irish musicians, the duo conjures up the sounds of the dance halls, vaudeville theaters, and house sessions central to Irish-American music from the first half of the twentieth century. In 2019, the two recorded their debut album, “The Glory Reel” alongside box player and piano accompanist Chris “Junior” Stevens, which Dan Neely of the Irish Echo called “a fabulous album from three of Irish America’s finest.” During the pandemic years, the two made “The Phonograph Project”, a Patreon-supported series examining 78 recordings of traditional Irish music made in New York City in the 1920s and 30s. More recently, they’ve made musical appearances at the St. Louis Tionól, the Patrick J. Touhey Memorial Weekend in Boston and the Ward Archives “Archiving Irish America” conference in Milwaukee. Cait and Will live in Portland, Maine, and host a regular weekly session at The Continental that starts at 8 pm on Sundays. You can find them online at woodsonfinley.com.

Past Claddagh Award Recipients

2019 – George Campbell, Jr.

2018 – David T. Flanagan

2017 – Senator Susan Collins

2016 – Michael Connolly

2015 – Jim Wellehan

2014 – Sara J. Burns

2013 – Moira Hastings Fuller

2012 – Senator George J. Mitchell

2011 – William J. Ryan

2010 – Cynthia Murray Beliveau

2009 – Gerard P. Conley, Sr.

2008 – Governor Joseph E. Brennan

Learn more about past claddagh winners here: https://maineirish.com/videos/

About Castlebay:
Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs, many of which are from Ireland, brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast, in the woods, farms, and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1,000 songs, from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance.
In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music, Castlebay shares the lore and history of this potent musical legacy, which embodies stories of romance and rogues, shipwreck and survival, as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs, “mending” them, and publishing a series titled Bygone Ballads of Maine. Volume 1, Songs of Ships and Sailors, was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs, Bound Away and The Maid on the Shore, which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process.
For over 30 years, Castlebay has toured the eastern US, Scotland, England, and Ireland, being appreciated at arts centers, folk clubs, festivals, schools, and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings, and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website: www.castlebay.net

Thank you to our Sponsors!
Library Sponsors:
Patricia McDonough Dunn
Rose Window Sponsors:
Richard Brown & Family
Coffee By Design

Miss Portland Diner

Stained Glass Sponsors:
Janine Manning
Mary McAleney
Ann O’Hagan
Local #861 of the International Longshoremen Association
Cairde Sponsors:
Mere Point Oyster Co.
Mary Burke
Peter J. Callnan
John Foley
John J. Hennessy
Jenny & Russ Wolff
Interested in becoming a sponsor for this event? Click HERE to learn more!

Solstice Storytelling at the Maine Irish Heritage Center
2025-12-21 14:00 - 15:30 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this winter! We will have warm drinks, and the light in the Great Hall on the Solstice is incredible – watch the Stained Glass come to life as we share stories with each other!
In days gone by neighbors would gather at night in the local ceili house, the home of a storyteller. They came for conversation, and to hear stories of their community, its history, old tales handed down by the ancestors, some music. These gatherings helped build community and preserve the culture and values of the Irish people.
We invite you to join us this Solstice in the Great Hall! Bring a story, a poem, a song, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making.
Event Details:

Location: 34 Gray Street, Portland ME
Time: 2:00pm-3:30pm
Host: Cathy Furness
Story Guidelines:

Stories, songs, or poems should be 10 minutes or less
A timekeeper will help us keep things moving
No hate speech – creative freedom is welcome, but kindness and inclusivity are essential

All are welcome – come to share or simply to listen

Storytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. This gathering of storytellers is part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.

New Year's Eve on Irish Time with Bailey's Mistake
2025-12-31 18:00 - 22:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Wednesday, December 31st
7:00pm
Doors open at 5:30pm
Come ring in the New Year at the Maine Irish Heritage Center with Bailey’s Mistake, a Celtic-inspired, four-piece folk band from right here in Maine. Known for their pulsing sound driven by bass, drums, and guitar, and lifted by hearty vocal harmonies, thrilling bagpipes, and whistle tunes, Bailey’s Mistake creates an irresistible energy that fills the room.
Doors open at 5:30; Happy Hour at 6 PM – with opening act Jim Sharkey! The main show starts at 6:50 with a 10-minute countdown to the New Year’s celebration in Dublin at 7 PM. Advance general admission tickets are $35; $45 day of the show. There will be a cash bar with plenty of bubbly available for your New Year’s toast! Grab your friends, fill a table, and prepare to rock in the new year!
And come hungry because we will have Noble Barbecue here selling their amazing sandwiches! What better way to ring in the New Year than with great music, amazing food, and some good craic.
We also have table packages available. These packages include tickets, light snacks, a bubbly toast, and celebratory New Year’s swag! Tables are only available in advance! See below for pricing.
About the Band: Celtic American roots music from Maine’s Bold Coast

Bailey’s Mistake is a not-quite-traditional, Celtic-inspired, four-piece folk band from Maine. The group mixes traditional music from Ireland, Scotland and Newfoundland with brand new songs about contemporary life in New England. Bailey’s Mistake’s pulsing sound is driven by bass, drums and guitar and topped off with hearty vocal harmonies and thrilling bagpipe and whistle tunes.
Bailey’s Mistake is made up of four seasoned musicians who all went to the same rural high school in Maine — aptly named Bonny Eagle. Collectively, they have about 110 years of touring musical experience.
Troy R. Bennett plays guitar, sings soulful lead and writes most of the band’s original songs. Travis Cote learned to play the bagpipes at 10 and thrills audiences with his rhythmic, majestic sound. Dean Clegg is the band’s inventive percussionist and oversees all technical aspects of every show. Rob Babson plays bass, sings delicate harmonies and is the band’s musical leader.
Bailey’s Mistake has played gigs all over New England. The band is also recording and releasing one new song, every month, throughout 2025.
The band takes its name from a legend told for generations along the Maine coast. Back in the 19th century, there was a certain ship captain named Bailey. He was trying to guide his vessel safely around West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and into Lubec Harbor. Unfortunately, it was a foggy night and he missed. Instead of safe harbor, Bailey ran aground in a shallow, rocky inlet just south of the lighthouse.
But rather than face the wrath of the ship’s furious owners in Boston, Bailey and his crew unloaded the lumber they had on board, built houses in the cove and settled down with several local ladies.
To this day, on most good maps, that little harbor is simply labeled “Bailey’s Mistake.”
Learn more about Bailey’s Mistake: https://www.baileysmistakemusic.com/

About the Opening Act: Jim Sharkey
Jim grew up in County Roscommon, Ireland. His songs reflect the Irish tradition as well as singer-songwriter music he grew up listening to. Regarding his original compositions Sean Smith, BostonIrish Contributor, November 2024 writes “there’s such an innate gentleness to his music, a care and concern expressed about our humanity, on a large and small scale, and that tenderness is once again abundant on his fourth album, “Our Old Village”.
Learn more at https://www.jimsharkeymusic.com

The Food!
We are so excited to have Noble Pizzeria and Barbecue back at the Center! Come with an empty stomach to make sure you don’t miss out on their delicious sandwiches – for sale 5:30-8:30pm!

A little bit about Noble:
We started as a scrappy mobile wood-fired pizza business, slinging pies at events from upstate New York to the coast of Bar Harbor. We quickly grew into a Maine-inspired, full service, wood-fired catering company. Ten years and more than 600 weddings later, the Fire & Co. flame is still burning strong.
From our love of food, traditions, and hospitality, Noble Barbecue was born. Always searching for better ingredients and techniques, the Noble crew has taken numerous Southern BBQ “vacations” and East Coast pizza road trips — hard work, but someone has to do it.
Over the years, we’ve watched Portland, Maine evolve into a culinary highlight of New England. We feel confident that we have the right menu, experience, and people to make a new Portland institution in one of the best neighborhoods around.
Learn more at noblepizzaandbbq.com

The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island
2026-02-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island:
A Lecture with Loretto Leary
Friday, February 20th
6:30pm
Doors open at 6:00pm
In the wake of the Great Irish Famine, thousands of men, women, and children crossed the Atlantic in search of survival and opportunity. For many, the Port of New York represented the promise of a new beginning. Yet for countless others, it marked the tragic end of their journey.
At the Staten Island Marine Hospital and Quarantine Station—now the site of the Staten Island Ferry Terminal—thousands of famine immigrants perished shortly after arrival. Their suffering and resilience are commemorated in two nearby burial grounds that remain vital to understanding this chapter of Irish and American history.
Join Loretto Leary on Friday, February 20th at the Maine Irish Heritage Center at 6:30 PM for an illuminating exploration of Staten Island’s profound connection to the Irish Famine immigrant story and the enduring legacy of those who never reached the lives they dreamed of.
About the Speaker:
Loretto Horrigan Leary, originally from Portumna, County Galway, has made her home in Connecticut for over three decades. A seasoned educator, she has taught Language Arts at the elementary and middle school levels in Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, and Stamford.
As a freelance journalist, her writing has appeared in publications such as The Irish Echo, Irish Central, Irish Examiner USA, and Australia’s Irish Scene.
Currently, Loretto serves as Educational and Cultural Director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield and is also Co-Chair of the Connecticut–Ireland Trade Commission.
Loretto is pursuing her PhD at Trinity College Dublin, where her research focuses on Irish American Famine memory and the memorial landscapes of New York, with particular attention to Staten Island’s role in this transatlantic story of loss, survival, and remembrance.

Paddy Cullivan's 'The Murder of Michael Collins'
2026-04-03 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Friday April 3rd, 7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm

Paddy Cullivan returns to the Maine Irish Heritage Center! Join us for an incredible evening of history, entertainment, and good craic.
General admission tickets are $25 in advance, or snag priority seating for $35! Don’t wait to get your tickets: general admission goes up at the door, and priority seating is only available in advance!

ABOUT THE SHOW: THE MURDER OF MICHAEL COLLINS
Historical Entertainer Paddy Cullivan brings you the incredible story of the death of Ireland’s first Commander-in-Chief. An audio-visual spectacular featuring hundreds of images, shocking new research and incredible songs, Paddy dares to unravel the secrets and lies around what happened that fateful day in Béal na mBlath, 22nd August 1922.
Did Michael Collins have a secret son in London? Was he really going to keep to the Anglo-Irish Treaty or was he planning to resume the war? If the anti-treaty side shot him, why did the Free State instigate a massive cover-up? How can one of the most important men in Irish history have no autopsy report, no investigation, inquest or even a death cert? And who really shot Michael Collins? Why is there such reticence from certain quarters – to this day – to find out the truth?
No less complex or mysterious than the death of JFK and with as many twists and turns, ‘The Murder of Michael Collins’ is a fascinating rollercoaster ride that will change your perceptions of Irish history forever…

ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Paddy Cullivan is an acclaimed Irish entertainer renowned for his versatility in music, comedy and historical storytelling. As frontman of The Camembert Quartet he captivated audiences for 20 years with the band’s unique blend of humor and musical talent. This led to their becoming House Band on the world’s longest running chat show, the (Irish) ‘Late Late Show’ for over a decade, along with presenter Ryan Tubridy.
Cullivan’s passion for history is evident in his solo ‘historical entertainment’ shows which he devised and performed since 2016, including “The Murder of Wolfe Tone” and “The Murder of Michael Collins”. These shows combined storytelling, music and visuals to explore pivotal events in Irish history. His latest project, “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Ireland,” offers an optimistic vision of a future United Ireland, combining humor and hope to inspire audiences. Paddy Cullivan continues to be a dynamic force in Irish culture, engaging and educating through his diverse creative endeavours.
For more info, visit https://www.paddycullivan.com/

REVIEWS
A huge hit online, Paddy has brought this mind-blowing solo show to the stage – here are just some of the reviews…
★★★★★
‘Mesmerising stuff – a complicated story, brilliantly told.’ – Ronan McGreevy (Irish Times)
★★★★★
‘Agatha Christie meets Monty Python – a century-year-old mystery with the best form of comedy; tinged with unpalatable truth’ – Oliver Callan
★★★★★
‘Begging for the live stage – superb job’ – Erskine Childers
★★★★★
‘This is worth watching for the tune about mediocre Irish political leaders through the ages alone! ‘Safe Pair of Hands’ – instant classic.’ – Tadhg Hickey (online political comedy genius)
★★★★★
‘In awe of the research you have done, the way you have put the story together and presented it.’ – Mags Amond (Trinity College School of Education)
★★★★★
‘Great show Paddy, scholarly and entertaining’ – Mick O’Dea (Former RHA President)
★★★★★
‘A must watch for anyone interested in Irish history and politics’ – Dr. Wayne O’Brien (Northumbia University)
★★★★★
‘Amazing work – hard history told with a light touch. Comhghairdeas’ – Mary Lou McDonald (President of Sinn Fein)
★★★★★
‘Greatest show on the Emerald Isle!…essential viewing for the price of Dublin pint!’ – Sean Napier (The 1798 Belfast walking tour)
Support for Paddy Cullivan’s tour comes in part from Culture Ireland

It's An Irish Thing - Neil Byrne in Concert
2026-05-24 19:30 - 21:30 | ME
Sunday, May 24th
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm
Celebrated and award winning Artist Neil Byrne brings Soulful Storytelling and Ancient Tradition to The Maine Irish heritage Center on Sunday, May 24th, bringing the haunting beauty of Celtic tradition and the intimacy of modern folk songwriting to audiences from Chicago to Portland Maine. PLUS, we’re offering the opportunity to meet the artist before the show: from 6:30pm-7:00pm, before the house opens, we’ll have a Meet & Greet with Neil! M&G Ticket holders only, don’t miss out on great conversation, good craic, and the chance to ask all your burning questions!
General Admission tickets are $45 and you can snag an exclusive Meet & Greet ticket (complete with priority seating) for just $70! Don’t wait to buy your tickets, prices will increase at the door!
With a voice described as “both timeless and contemporary” and performances that weave together myth, memory, and melody, Neil has captivated audiences across America, Canada, Australia, Ireland and beyond drawing on the deep well of Celtic heritage, while blending in personal storytelling, creating a sound that is rooted in tradition and alive with fresh emotion.
The East Coast tour will include stops at iconic venues offering listeners a rare opportunity to experience the raw power and delicate grace of Neil Byrne’s music in an intimate live setting.
Neil’s music is known for its lyrical depth and evocative soundscapes, earning recognition from awards for short films to documentaries.
“Touring the East Coast is always an exciting opportunity,” says Neil. “The connection between Celtic folk music and the American folk tradition runs deep. It always excites me to share stories and songs with audiences who feel that same spirit of home and journey.”
Learn more about Neil at https://www.neilbyrnemusic.com/
