Maine Irish Heritage Center

Maine Irish Reads "Prophet Song: A Novel" by Paul Lynch
2025-04-10 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
“Prophet Song: A Novel” by Paul Lynch is a dystopian narrative set in a near-future Ireland on the brink of societal collapse. The story follows Eilish Stack, a scientist and mother, as she navigates a world where authoritarianism and civil unrest threaten her family’s safety and freedom. Lynch’s novel explores themes of resistance, survival, and the human spirit’s resilience against oppressive forces, creating a gripping and thought-provoking tale of a family’s struggle in the face of impending doom.

Maine Irish Poetry Night
2025-04-12 19:00 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
In Honor of National Poetry Month and Seamus Heaney’s Birthday
Saturday, April 12th
7:00pm
Join us for an evening of poetry in celebration of National Poetry Month, and Seamus Heaney’s birthday!
Doors open at 6:30 PM, and readings begin at 7:00 PM. Admission is free, and books will be available for purchase at the event through our wonderful partners, Print: A Bookstore. Donations in support of the Maine Irish Heritage Center are welcome. A cash bar is available.
Our featured poets are:
Kristen Case
Kristen Case has published essays on Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Ezra Pound, Wallace Stevens, and William and Henry James, and is the author of the book American Poetry and Poetic Practice: Crosscurrents from Emerson to Susan Howe (Camden House, 2011). She is co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Henry David Thoreau (in development, Oxford UP), William James and Literary Studies (forthcoming, Cambridge UP), Thoreau in an Age of Crisis: Uses and Abuses of An American Icon (Fink, 2021), 21|19: Contemporary Poets in the 19th Century Archive (Milkweed Editions, 2019), and Thoreau at 200: Essays and Reassessments (Cambridge UP, 2016) . Kristen’s first poetry collection, Little Arias was published by New Issues Press in 2015. Her second collection, Principles of Economics, published by Switchback Books, won the 2018 Gatewood Prize. She is the recipient of the Maine Literary Award in Poetry (2016 and 2020), a MacDowell Fellowship, and the UMF Trustee Professorship. She is Executive Director of the Monson Arts Seminar and Director of Thoreau’s Kalendar: A Digital Archive of the Phenological Manuscripts of Henry David Thoreau. Her current book project is Keeping Time: Henry David Thoreau’s Kalendar (forthcoming, Milkweed Editions). She is Scholarship Research and Grants Manager at the Mitchell Institute, Maine’s premier scholarship organization.
Learn more at https://www.kristencase.com/

Maria Zoccola
Maria Zoccola is a poet and educator from Memphis, Tennessee. She has writing degrees from Emory University and Falmouth University and has spent several years leading creative writing workshops for middle and high school youth. Maria’s work has previously appeared in Ploughshares, The Kenyon Review, The Iowa Review, The Sewanee Review, ZYZZYVA, and elsewhere, and has received a special mention for the Pushcart Prize. Helen of Troy, 1993 is her debut poetry collection.
Learn more at https://mariazoccola.com/?page_id=379

THANK YOU TO OUR EVENT SPONSOR, COFFEE BY DESIGN!

Thanks to our Artist Sponsor, the Hyatt Place hotel!

Breen | Rynne | Murray
2025-04-15 19:30 - 21:30 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Odyssey
Tuesday, April 15th
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm
Embark on an odyssey of wonder, joyfulness and upbeat music as three incredibly talented and creative folk musicians shape melodies from past and present into something dynamic and irresistible. A trio comprising of musicians at the fore of our tradition, expect a performance from the gentle to the rhythmical and all the in-betweens.
Meet the Artists: Tara Breen, Pádraig Rynne & Jim Murray
Tara Breen has numerous All Ireland titles on the fiddle and tours regularly with The Chieftains, Stockton’s wing and as a solo performer. Pádraig Rynne is considered a leading figure in Irish music and is founding member of well-known bands such as NOTIFY and Guidewires. Jim has been one of the most sought after and busiest musicians of his generation over the past two decades recording and touring with some of the best known folk musicians in the world. Their 2021 release “Nasc” is regarded as one of the finest albums in recent years from an Irish Traditional outfit and was winner of the best traditional album in the 2022 American Celtic listener supported radio awards.
“Sure-footed, engaging and joyful music from a dynamic Clare duo. Expert musicianship, courageous creativity and sweetness of melody” – Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, RTÉ Radió na Gaeltachta
Described as “one of the freshest sounds in Irish music” by fRoots, Pádraig Rynne is a virtuoso musician, prolific composer and is regarded as the finest concertina player in Irish music today. With an MA in Music Technology and with a passion for experimenting in diverse genres Pádraig is recognized for his re-freshing explorations into the Irish tradition and for his ground-breaking band NOTIFY, described by the New York Echo as “cinematic in scope”.
A worthy description as “a musical wizard” by Music Network, Tara Breen is the fiddler with the legendary band, The Chieftains. She is an all-round extraordinary musician who has 11 solo All-Ireland titles. Tara is also the winner of both the coveted Fiddler of Dooney and Michael Coleman Fiddle competitions and was invited to perform at Dublin Castle for the Queen of England during her State visit to Ireland. Tara has numerous recording credits to her name and regularly guests with artists such as Carlos Nunez, Stockton’s wing and the Trí Tones.
Jim Murray has been touring the world full time as a professional musician since the age of eighteen. Jim is considered Sharon Shannon’s “right hand man” having recorded and toured with her over five continents. He also released two critically acclaimed albums with long term partner Seamus Begley in 2001 and 2008 which collectively scooped many prestigious awards such as The Irish Times and Hotpress Traditional Irish Music Album of the Year. Since Jim’s arrival on the world stage, he has gained the respect of both national and international musicians and has performed and recorded with artists such as Sinead O’Connor, Steve Earl, Shane McGowan, Altan and Mary Black to mention but a few.

“cut-glass performances and imaginative tune pairings are a joy throughout.”
The Irish Times
“Rynne and Breen have fabulous chemistry together and have found backing musicians who are more than mere accompanists but who are stakeholders in the game”
Dan Neely, The Irish Echo, New York
www.breenrynnemurray.com

Caoilinn Hughes: "The Alternatives" - A Maine Irish Author Event
2025-04-24 19:00 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Thursday, April 24th
7:00pm
Join us for an incredible evening with award-winning author Caoilinn Hughes! With readings, a special performance, and an author Q&A, this is a night certainly not to be missed!
Books will be available for sale at the event through our incredible partners, Print: A Bookstore

The event will feature a staged reading of a portion of The Alternatives featuring performances by Caoilinn Hughes herself, as well as local guest actors Allison McCall, Marie Stewart Harmon and Lauren Stockless! Watch this incredible story come to life in front of your eyes!

About The Book
“A bold, beautiful, complex novel, and I can’t wait to read what Hughes writes next. She, too, is an unstoppable force.” —New York Times Book Review
“A tale about sisterhood, a novel of ideas, a chronicle of our collective follies, a requiem for our agonizing species, The Alternatives unfolds in a prose full of gorgeous surprises and glows with intelligence, compassion, and beauty.” —Hernan Diaz
From the writer Anthony Doerr calls “a massive talent,” the story of four brilliant Irish sisters, orphaned in childhood, who scramble to reconnect when the oldest disappears into the Irish countryside
The Flattery sisters were plunged prematurely into adulthood when their parents died in tragic circumstances. Now in their thirties—all single, all with PhDs—they are each attempting to do meaningful work in a rapidly foundering world. The four lead disparate, distanced lives, from classrooms in Connecticut to ritzy catering gigs in London’s Notting Hill, until one day their oldest sister, a geologist haunted by a terrible awareness of the earth’s future, abruptly vanishes from her work and home. Together for the first time in years, the Flatterys descend on the Irish countryside in search of a sister who doesn’t want to be found. Sheltered in a derelict bungalow, they reach into their common past, confronting both old wounds and a desperately uncertain future. Warm, fiercely witty, and unexpectedly hopeful, The Alternatives is an unforgettable portrait of a family perched on our collective precipice, told by one of Ireland’s most gifted storytellers.

Learn more at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723051/the-alternatives-by-caoilinn-hughes/

About the Author

Caoilinn Hughes is the author of Orchid & the Wasp, which won the Collyer Bristow Prize and was longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award, and The Wild Laughter,whichwon the Royal Society of Literature’s Encore Award and was longlisted for the International Dylan Thomas Prize. She was recently the Oscar Wilde Centre Writer Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and is now a Cullman Fellow at New York Public Library.
Photo: © Robin Christian

Meet the Artists!
Allison McCall (she/her) is a theatre artist, theatre educator, Food Network enthusiast, and book worm. She has been a proud member of Mad Horse Theatre Co. (MHTC) since 2015, having recently stepped into the role of Artistic Director in 2024. By day, she is the Theatre Company Coordinator of Maddy’s Theatre at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM). Recent credits include: Women Laughing Alone With Salad (Tori), Tumacho (Catalina), Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Emily), POTUS…Keep Him Alive (Jean), When We Were Young and Unafraid (Mary Anne) with MHTC; Charlotte’s Web (Charlotte) and Corduroy (Corduroy U/S) at CMTM; Waiting for Alice (playwright); Come Home (writer/director) for Damnationland 2024. Other local credits include Good Theater, Fenix Theatre Co., PortFringe, etc. Allison holds a BA in Theatre (Acting Concentration) and Art History from Muhlenberg College and studied Performance Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London. She has a codependent miniature schnauzer named Ichabod. Currently reading: Elphie by Gregory McGuire. @sonnymccall421

Marie Stewart Harmon (@smallstew) has been performing professionally in Maine for over a decade as an actor, improviser, model, voice actor, occasional murderer or detective for your mystery parties. She is a proud company member of @madhorsetheatre since 2014; most recent credits include Julia in Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance, Prudence in TUMACHO, and Dusty in POTUS or you may see her at the Box Office. Coming up next is Grumbo’s Big Night for @portfringe2025, follow @grrrumbo if you like gross little weirdos. While she isn’t creating theatre she can be found supporting Maine’s creative makers with her family’s business, @lisamariesmadeinmaine. Thanks for the love and support from her dubbers. Always.

Lauren Stockless (she/her) is excited to be participating in this reading! She graduated from Colby College with a BA in Theatre & Dance/English Literature, and then earned a MSc in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Lauren is a proud company member with Mad Horse Theater Company, and is heavily involved in local theater as a director, dramaturg, and actor. Some past favorite shows include: Women Laughing Alone with Salad (Director, Mad Horse), POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (Director, Mad Horse), The Thin Place (Co-director, Portland Theater Festival), White (Jane, Mad Horse), Pass Over (Production Stage Manager, Portland Theater Festival), Twelfth Night (Director, Edinburgh University Shakespeare Company), and You Got Older (Jenny, Mad Horse). Lauren is also the Events and Marketing Coordinator for the Maine Irish Heritage Center!

Spring Volunteer Orientation
2025-05-08 09:00 - 11:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Thursday, May 8th
9am-11am
Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or brand new to the MIHC family, this is a great chance to connect, learn, and get inspired. Our wonderful staff, along with several of our amazing veteran volunteers, will be introducing ourselves and making ourselves available to answer any questions you may have. We’ll also be sharing all the ways you can get involved—from giving tours of our historic building to helping with events, creating displays, diving into Irish history research, and even pitching in on facilities projects.

Come learn how your time and talents can help bring Maine’s Irish heritage to life!

We’ll have tea, coffee, good company, and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and get to know each other. We can’t wait to see you there.

RSVPs are appreciated — follow the link below to let us know you’re coming.

Maine Irish Reads "Trespasses" by Louise Kennedy
2025-05-08 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy is a haunting, intimate portrait of ordinary lives upended by political violence. Set in 1975 near Belfast, the novel follows Cushla Lavery, a young Catholic woman living a quiet life split between her family’s pub and her job as a schoolteacher. But in a town riven by sectarian hatred, nothing stays quiet for long.
When Cushla falls into a reckless affair with Michael Agnew — an older, married Protestant barrister — she crosses invisible lines that mark every street, every conversation, every choice. As their relationship deepens, so does the threat of exposure — not only to gossip and scandal but to real and devastating violence.
With sharp wit, aching tenderness, and a fierce moral clarity, Trespasses captures the claustrophobia of life during The Troubles — where love itself becomes an act of defiance. Louise Kennedy’s extraordinary debut is a powerful reminder that even in a divided world, moments of connection can be both beautiful and profoundly dangerous.

Jennifer Elwell Comeau's ' A Moon in All Things': A Maine Irish Author Event
2025-05-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Saturday, May 10th
7:30pm
An Evening of Storytelling, Reading, and Music from the Debut Novel with Songs A Moon in All Things

Jennifer Elwell Comeau’s debut novel, set in 1820s County Galway Ireland has been called, “atmospheric and beguiling” by Kirkus Reviews. Join author and singer-songwriter Jennifer for an engaging evening of reading, storytelling, travelogue and music. Hear the origin story of A Moon in All Things and be inspired by Jennifer’s own story of journeying from “Engineer to Enchantment.”
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/t-VJBWPOwoA?si=X2vQBuC7dI6MlY0R
ABOUT ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’

On the wild coast of 1820s Ireland, sixteen-year-old Morrigan Lane hears the sea’s call—and her ancestors’ voices. Born a seeker in the mystical lands of her Celtic heritage, Morrigan dreams of adventure, breaking free from the restrictions of village life and sailing beyond the horizon.

But Morrigan finds herself pulled into a mysterious journey when a haunting vision of the Irish sea god beckons her into his shadowy world. Against the backdrop of Ireland’s rugged cliffs and ancient stone circles, she must navigate myth and reality, confronting age-old traditions, family secrets, and the fierce expectations placed upon her. A Moon in All Things is a spellbinding tale of Celtic magic, forbidden dreams, and the resilience of the human spirit. Fans of The Frozen River’s Martha Ballard will enjoy Comeau’s Morrigan Lane, who is fiercely devoted to discovering her healing gifts while those in power call them “dangerous.”
PRAISE FOR ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’
“Atmospheric and beguiling … In this fantasy novel, Comeau uses the Irish setting … and tales of the Otherworld and Tuatha dé Danann to craft an ethereal, fablelike narrative. Morrigan, … friends, family, and fellow villagers, come alive … fitting perfectly into the picturesque village … Morrigan’s frustration with the imposed limits on her gender adds a fascinating dimension to the spooky tale..”—Kirkus Indie Reviews
“Tears, sighs, fabulous!”—Geralyn White Dreyfous, Academy Award-winning film producer
“Atmospheric, subtle, and captivating”—Foreward Reviews, Clarion
“A writer should be able to ‘dance with a pen’ according to Nietzsche. If we accept this as a test for a writer, then Jennifer Comeau passes with flying colors her first time out of the gate with A Moon in All Things. This work is not formulaic magic realism, but rather reality as magic. This is a generous, warm-hearted, and very well researched novel and the reader will want more.”  – Tom Bancroft, former book critic.
“An excellent and thoroughly enjoyable read. I felt fully immersed in Comeau’s story world and loved the details of sea life and old Irish culture that are inherent to the piece…the map of the village was wonderful. …This is fantastic work.” —Ink & Insights Competition (Score: 246/250)
“Jennifer E Comeau has crafted a brilliantly written book of magic and healing that I could barely put down. In a time when we sorely need to wake up to the healing properties of plants and spirits of the land, this book will inspire many to open up to the invisible realms around us who are calling us back Home to the wise ways. I am certain that this novel will become a classic along the lines of The Mists of Avalon.”– Mare Cromwell, author of The Great Mother Bible, and Gaia Mystic
“Comeau delivers a beautifully crafted historical fantasy infused with lyricism and Celtic magic. [The] heroine’s viewpoint is consistently engrossing, allowing readers full access to her internal life, as well as a vicarious connection to the natural world that so informs her character.” – Booklife Prize

“Captivated by lucid prose and an irresistible tale of high stakes and true love, I started reading A Moon in All Things in the morning, continued into the afternoon and evening, and finished it in a weekend with a grateful sigh. This book will enthrall any reader who has wrestled with following her own path. As a coming-of-age tale that dives deeply into questions of home, tradition, and calling, it will stay with me for a long, long time.” —Jena Schwartz, writing coach and author, Why I was Late for Our Meeting. Don’t Miss This
“You nailed it.” – Annaliese Jakimides, poet, essayist, copy editor
“This book brims with life, magic, and a flow back to the forces of nature we have forsaken. Oh my.” – Ellen Kleiner, former publishing editor
“A luscious novel that invokes the beauty of Ireland. Comeau’s vivid characters are steeped in the mystical qualities of Celtic traditions…an invitation to a deeper connection with nature within and without.”—Ellen Dee Davidson, author, The Miracle Forest and Sacred Forest Bathing.
ABOUT JENNIFER ELWELL COMEAU
Jennifer Comeau is a creative force who seeks to inspire people to live in service to a more beautiful world. Her debut historical novel with original songs (2025), A Moon in All Things, has been called “atmospheric and beguiling” by Kirkus Reviews. This coming-of-age tale is filled with Celtic mysticism yet grounded in the everyday lives of an 1820s fishing village in Ireland. Her 5 star-awarded children’s book, The Inside of ME (2024), is a profound reminder of the magic that happens on the inside when we go outside.
Her poems and essays are published in four anthologies, including A Dangerous New World: Maine Voices on the Climate Crisis (2019), and No Ordinary Words: The Real Life Wisdom of Women (2022). With two albums of original music, Jenn carries a song in her heart for the natural world. She partners with OzGREEN to facilitate the award-winning YOUth LEADing The World program in the southern hemisphere and works with restoration organizations like TreeSisters and Climate Change & Consciousness. Locally in Maine, she runs a Wild Wonder Forest Bathing business.
Learn More: www.jennifercomeau.com

Vivid Motion's Grania: Tea and History
2025-05-11 13:30 - 17:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Join us un Sunday, May 11th for Vivid Motion Dance’s production of Grania: Pirate Queen. The Maine Irish Heritage Center will be present during house open and intermission with tea, soda bread, and some historical conversations!
Maine Irish members get $5 off advanced tickets – email events@maineirish for the code!
About the Event:
Grania: Pirate Queen
Co-directed by Scott Potter and Ali Odlin, Vivid Motion Dance is bringing back the tale of Grania “Grace” O’ Malley (Gráinne Ní Mháille), a woman born from a seafaring western Irish clan who becomes the most feared pirate captain of the Irish seas. Grania and her people fight the lengthening shadow of the English Empire, eventually coming face to face with the formidable Queen Elizabeth. Is she Grania’s greatest rival or greatest friend? Find out this spring!
Shows May 9 -11, 2025 at The Hill Arts
Fri 7:30pm; Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm; Sun 2:30pm
Tickets: Advance $25 Adult, $10 Under 12 | Door $30 Adult, $15 Under 12
Get tickets here: https://thehillarts.ticketspice.com/grania-pirate-queen-presented-by-vivid-motion-dance

Jack Cashman's "An Irishman's Story Of Survival": A Maine Irish Author Event
2025-06-01 14:00 - 16:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Sunday, June 1st
2:00pm
Join us for an engaging afternoon with Maine author Jack Cashman, including readings from his novel “An Irishman’s Story of Survival”, Audience Q&A, and book signings!
About the Author:

Jack Cashman’s career has put him in a number of roles, although the title of “Amazon Best Selling Author” is a relatively new one. Coming from a background of small business ownership, real estate, and insurance, Cashman was first elected to serve in the Maine House of Representatives in 1982. After five terms in office and some time away from state government, he returned to public service in 2003 in a variety of roles with the administration of Maine Governor John Baldacci. Cashman’s first book, An Irish Immigrant Story, was published in 2018 as a historical novel based on the story of his own family’s journey from Ireland to the United States during the time of the Potato Famine. Cashman’s unique background of business owner, elected office-holder, and government official combine with his creative mind to bring together a collection of stories unlike any author working today. Jack has spent nearly all of his life in Maine, and currently lives in Hampden with his wife of nearly 50 years, Betty. They are the proud parents of two sons and grandparents of five granddaughters.
Learn more at https://jackcashman.com/
About the Book:

Every life is a tapestry of challenges. Amidst the torrent of trials that threaten to engulf one’s spirit, there stands the unyielding souls who, with a spark of defiance in their eyes, dare to face the tempest and emerge on the other side. They are the survivors, the dauntless hearts who tread the rocky path with an unwavering resolve.
Kevin O’Donnell is a beacon of such indomitable spirit, grappling with life’s relentless waves that seek to subdue him. In the turbulent era of mid-20th century, the world could be a harsh, unforgiving place for a young Irish lad. Yet, within Kevin lies a burning desire to carve out his niche, to transcend the barriers that life hurls his way and grasp the reins of a fulfilling existence.
Can his resolute will and earnest endeavor outshine the adversities that loom? Can he navigate the maelstrom and anchor himself to the shores of a prosperous life? Traverse the chapters of his journey within these pages, and unveil the saga of a young man’s undying spirit amidst the trials of time. Through Kevin’s eyes, explore a testament to the enduring human spirit that resonates with every beating heart that refuses to yield to life’s storms.
The winner of a Bookfest award in historical fiction and an International Impact Book award, this novel is not one to skip!

Maine Irish Reads "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story" by Bono
2025-06-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
“Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story” is a compelling memoir by Bono, the frontman of the legendary rock band U2. Released in November 2022, the book intertwines personal anecdotes and reflections with insights drawn from the band’s music, featuring forty pivotal songs that have shaped his life and career. Through heartfelt storytelling, Bono explores themes of love, loss, faith, and activism, offering readers an intimate glimpse into his journey as an artist, a humanitarian, and a husband and father. The narrative is both a celebration of his musical legacy and a poignant examination of the experiences that have informed his identity over the decades.

Bloomsday at the Maine Irish Heritage Center
2025-06-14 18:30 - 20:30 | ME
📅 Saturday, June 14th | 🕡 6:30 PM
Join us for a lively and literary evening as we celebrate Bloomsday—the annual tribute to James Joyce’s Ulysses—with a unique Building Crawl through the historic Maine Irish Heritage Center.
Wander through the former St. Dominic’s Church and encounter live performances by local artists, each offering a creative interpretation inspired by Joyce’s iconic novel. At each stop along the way, enjoy bespoke beverages crafted to pair perfectly with the performances.
Celebrate one of Ireland’s greatest literary figures in a setting steeped in Irish heritage and history.
This is an immersive cultural evening you won’t want to miss—whether you’re a lifelong Joyce fan or simply curious about this storied tradition.
🍸 Our Bespoke Beverage Menu! 🍻
Episode 14: The Oxen of the Sun
Rubycoloured Egos from the Second Constellation: A delightful, citrusy concoction of Ruby Red Grapefruit vodka, lemon, grapefruit juice, and a touch of sweetness
Episode 15: Circe
Circe’s Revival: An enticing pairing of Gin, Cointreau, Absinthe and lemon – topped with sparkling soda water for a refreshing sipper!
Episode 12: Cyclops
Guinness: An Irish classic for a reason! When someone looks at you and says “Pint?”, this is the pint they’re talking about. It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s black, and it’s a staple for any Irish gathering!
Episode 8: Lestrygonians
Irish Coffee: Enjoy delicious coffee paired with Jameson Whiskey, optional Baileys Irish Cream, and whipped cream!
🍷🍸🍻☕
All bespoke beverages will be available as full pours or as flight tasters! Pre-purchase a 4-drink flight tasting card in advance at a special price (the cost of 3) with your ticket. These beverages, and a limited selection of our standard offer beverages will also be available for individual purchase at the bar.

🎭 Our performers (in no particular order):
Katharine Doughty, Episode 14: The Oxen of the Sun
Katharine Doughty is a multi modal artist and performer. In 2017 she completed “In My Own Language” an 18 year series of self portraits and while receiving expressive arts certification at Tamalpa Institute, Kentfield, California and continuing to navigate metastatic breast cancer. Returning east 2021, she continues developing “Finding The Ocean” a 365 found object jewelry project and offers expressive arts and somatic therapies to individuals and groups. Katharine is a recipient of the 2024 Tanne Foundation award.

Jared Mongeau, Episode 15: Circe
Jared Mongeau (he/him) is an actor, physical comedian, and musician. His career began in the circus, touring with the historic Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey as a clown. He is an MFA graduate of Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre in California, which took him to Bali, Indonesia, to study traditional mask carving and performance. As a musician, he has toured through 16 European countries, playing accordion from shipping containers in Berlin and dive bars in Amsterdam to headlining on London’s West End. Locally, he has appeared in productions with Portland Stage, Good Theater, Portland Theater Festival, Mad Horse Theater Co., Camden Shakespeare Festival, The Theater Project, Zuggurat Theatre Ensemble, Portland Shakespeare Co., and the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine. His award-winning original work has been presented by PortFringe, Mad Horse Theatre Co., and the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, as well as the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the largest theater festival in North America, and for the United States Association of Fringe Festivals.

Daniel Gunn and Dr. Eric Brown, Episode 12: Cyclops
Daniel Gunn (right) is Professor Emeritus at the University of Maine at Farmington, where he taught a seminar on Joyce in the Honors program for many years. He lives in New Sharon.
Eric Brown (Left) is Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Maine Farmington and current Executive Director of the Maine Irish Heritage Center. His publications include essays on Irish poetry, the books Milton on Film, Insect Poetics, and Shakespeare in Performance, and recent poems appearing or forthcoming in Scientific American, Enchanted Living, Rust & Moth, The Galway Review, and elsewhere. He lives in South Portland.
“Escape from the Cyclops’s Cave”

Daniel Gunn and Eric Brown will read a brief excerpt from the “Cyclops” episode of Ulysses, featuring Leopold Bloom, the Citizen, the Dunsink Observatory, a dog, a milkwhite dolphin, a biscuit tin, “a violent atmospheric perturbation of cyclonic character,” and “all of the ragamuffins and sluts of the nation.”

AIRE Theater, Featuring Tony Reilly, Episode 8: Lestrygonians
Tony Reilly. has been seen in Desperate Measures, A Funny Thing Happened…, Frost/Nixon, Moonlight and Magnolias, and An Inspector Calls at the Good Theater. He has been the artistic director of AIRE since it was conceived in 1997. He has directed and acted in many of AIRE’s productions, including The Seafarer, The Lonesome West, Faith Healer, A Couple of Blaguards and Outside Mullingar. At Mad Horse, he was seen in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, Titus Andronicus and Grey Gardens . And at Portland Stage he was seen in Ma Rainey’s Black Bo*om, Much Ado.. and Bart Sher’s Romeo and Juliet. In New York, Tony studied at the Juilliard School; he was a member of the American Globe Theater and worked with The Irish Repertory in Grandchild of Kings (directed by Hal Prince) and The Hasty Heart.

Irish Night at the Sea Dogs 2025
2025-06-20 17:00 - 21:00 | hadlock field
S O L D O U T !
General Admission Tickets are still available at the Sea Dogs box office.

Friday, June 20 | Game Time: 6:20 PM | Hadlock Field
Join us for a festive evening celebrating Irish culture and community at Irish Night at the Portland Sea Dogs! Enjoy an exciting matchup between the Portland Sea Dogs and the Akron RubberDucks, with a full evening of entertainment and Irish spirit. Celebrate community, heritage, and hometown baseball at Irish Night with the Sea Dogs!

🎟 Tickets:

$20 General Admission

$18 for Maine Irish Heritage Center and Irish American Club members

🎶 Event Highlights:

Jim Brady performing live outside the stadium from 5:00–6:00 PM

A spirited Parade of Flags kicks off the game pre-show

A special performance by Stillson School of Irish Dance

Fireworks Spectacular immediately following the game

⚾ First pitch at 6:20 PM – don’t miss a great night of baseball, music, dancing, and fireworks!

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Want to volunteer to carry a flag in the pre-game Parade of Flags?
👉 Sign up here: https://volunteer.maineirish.com/

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IMPORTANT
Special pricing is available for members of the Irish Network which includes MIHC, IAC, GAA, Stillson School of Irish Dance, and the Portland Rugby Club. When you purchase discounted tickets, you will be asked for your affiliation. Please check your affiliation for each member of your group. If you do not indicate your membership status, you will be prevented from purchasing the discounted tickets. If you have questions or need to verify your membership, please contact the organization that you are affiliated with. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the game!!

Robert Breen Launches "The Light of Civil Day" - A Maine Irish Author Event
2025-06-27 18:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Join us on Friday, June 27th for an evening of poetry and celebration as Robert Breen launches his new poetry publication The Light of Civil Day!
Our cocktail reception begins at 6:30 – enjoy hors d’oeuvres and beverages, and the beautiful harp music of renowned harpist Julia Lane. At 7:30, Bobby will take the stage, and share his work. This event is free, and open to all! Come join the celebration!
All of Bobby’s books will be available for purchase at the event, and Bobby will be signing! Don’t miss your chance to snag your signed copies, and help us celebrate Bobby’s incredible work!

About the Author:
Philosophy of Poet Robert Breen
Tragic be as it may.
Time does not heal,
it whispers
an epic narrative differently.
Warfare ought
not occur after Troy.

I envision a Wordsworthian viewpoint stretching to feel a spontaneous flood of powerful feelings, recalling that spirit of serenity found in everyday experiences. Unswerving to be inclusive in writing and speaking, a communal language, with a sense of inquisitiveness to find the familiar in catching the heart of episodes, occurrences, in those relationships coexisting between nature and humanity.

Robert (Bobby) Breen was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, where he served for decades as a Boston firefighter. His poetry is deeply rooted in Irish-American heritage, working-class life, and the storytelling traditions of New England. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Breen honed his craft through Harvard University’s Summer Writing Program and has been published in The Harvard Summer Review. His work has earned numerous awards, including the Joy of the Pen competition and the Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award. Breen’s writing reflects a lifelong friendship with Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, who celebrated Breen’s fireman’s helmet in his poem “Helmet” and considered Breen’s work rich with personal voice and lyrical strength. He lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Karen, and continues to write about place, memory, and the endurance of ordinary people.

About the Book
In The Light of Civil Day, Robert Breen—Boston firefighter, Irish-American poet, and observer of life’s quiet reckonings—delivers a collection of lyrical reflections on loss, love, endurance, and place. Grounded in the working-class streets of Boston and the coastal landscapes of Maine, these poems bear witness to the fragile moments of life and the deep human need for connection.
With the eye of a first responder and the heart of a storyteller, Breen explores both private grief and public tragedy. His poems, many previously published in respected journals, are informed by a lifetime of service, family heritage, and his friendship with literary legend Seamus Heaney. This collection speaks to readers who find grace in small details, reverence in ordinary moments, and resilience in the face of hardship. To learn more or purchase the book, click here!

Enjoy this example of Robert Breen’s work:
Skating
Your joy,
Our civility,
in harmony,
with sharing
a cooperation
to be amiable.
All in balance on a thin single blade.

We are also launching the newly printed Second Edition of Bobby’s magnificent collection, Shore Digger!
A moving collection of poetry by Boston firefighter Robert Breen, exploring Irish heritage, immigrant stories, and working-class life with lyrical grace and hard-earned wisdom. Inspired by his friendship with poet Seamus Heaney. To purchase Shore Digger, click here!

Can’t get enough? Us either! We are also carrying Bobby’s first chapbook, Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems!
Robert Breen is the author of Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems. His poems have been published in Harvard Summer Review, The Café Review, Boston Literary Magazine, and Communion Arts Journal. His correspondence with Seamus Heaney resides at Emory University’s Rose Library. His life journey has taken him from a Boston firefighter to a poet published by Harvard Summer Review and a lifelong friend of legendary Irish poet Seamus Heaney. He now lives in Maine. To purchase Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems, click here!

Featured Musician:
Julia Lane – Celtic Harp, Song and Story
Julia Lane has had a lifelong passion for Celtic folk music and lore and is a self-taught player of the Celtic folk harp which she began in 1989. Her unique style has won three international competitions. Judge/harpist Kim Robertson praised her “innovative arrangements and energetic performance” and Irish harpist Dennis Doyle declared “she really captured the spirit of the music”. Her versatile solo performances include playing at the Maine state capitol rotunda to calm legislators as well as accompanying poets and fire-eating jugglers. Julia Lane is also an exceptional vocalist, “one of the Maine coast’s foremost voices”, whose voice has been called “lovely, vibrant, and haunting”, and compared favorably with Loreena McKennitt, Triona ni Dhonaill, and Judy Collins. Julia Lane’s performances include both original and traditional music and lyrics inspired by her Celtic heritage. Haunting ballads and spritely dance tunes are interspersed with legend and lore. She plays with her husband, Fred Gosbee as “Castlebay” performing at festivals, folk clubs, schools and arts centers, as well as on radio and television. They maintain a commitment to cultural education and have an ongoing exchange with folklorists and musicians worldwide. Castlebay’s historically informed entertaining presentations delight audiences from Cape Breton to Florida and in Ireland, England and Scotland. The duo has also created full theatrical musical renditions of historic stories which include both traditional and original music. Since 1985,Castlebay has recorded over 27 albums and have composed and recorded award-winning video soundtracks. After years of archival research, they have recently begun publishing a series of books containing transcriptions of traditional Anglo-Celtic songs sung in Maine with historical background information. The first, titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine Songs of Ships & Sailors” has received international attention. The second volume is due to be released in 2026 and will feature numerous Maine traditional songs with Irish sources.
For more information
website www.castlebay.net
phone 207-529-5438
email castlebay@castlebay.net

Summer Storytelling Series: Maine Celtic Celebration
2025-07-19 11:00 - 12:00 | Maine Celtic Celebration Steamboat Stage, 34 Commercial St, Belfast, 04915, United States
Saturday, July 19th
11:00am
Steamboat Stage, Belfast ME
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer! Join us for the first installment of our new summer series: Maine Irish Summer Storytelling!
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. Storytelling is central to Irish culture—as it is to so many cultures around the world. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.
We’ll be up at the Maine Celtic Celebration with some incredible featured tellers. Join us at 11am at the Celebration’s Steamboat Stage for storytelling, and then enjoy the rest of the festival! We’ll have a table set up where you can chat with the artists after the show, and perhaps even snag a souvenir or two!
Our Tellers:
Cathy Furness
Although three generations removed from the family farm in County Laois, Cathy felt drawn to Ireland from a very young age. She followed that gravitational pull to Dublin, where she earned a graduate degree in Irish literature and folklore. She also studied traditional music while she was there by attending sessions at O’Donohue’s on Merrion Row nearly every night.
Cathy retired early from her professional life in New York to take a deep dive into storytelling. Since then, she has told stories on two continents to audiences of all ages. She likes to share the layered wisdom of folktales of many cultures, but is especially drawn to the heroes, heroines and stories of her Irish ancestors. Now living in the woods outside Brunswick, Maine, she shares her home with Redmond, Conor and Molly, three very spoiled cats.

Robert Breen
Robert (Bobby) Breen was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, where he served for decades as a Boston firefighter. His poetry is deeply rooted in Irish-American heritage, working-class life, and the storytelling traditions of New England. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Breen honed his craft through Harvard University’s Summer Writing Program and has been published in The Harvard Summer Review. His work has earned numerous awards, including the Joy of the Pen competition and the Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award. Breen’s writing reflects a lifelong friendship with Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney, who celebrated Breen’s fireman’s helmet in his poem “Helmet” and considered Breen’s work rich with personal voice and lyrical strength. He lives in Brunswick, Maine, with his wife, Karen, and continues to write about place, memory, and the endurance of ordinary people.

Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee
Julia Lane, singer, songwriter, and folklorist, has been playing the Celtic harp since 1989. Self-taught, she rapidly became a skilled and exciting player, winning the Senior Professional division at the New Hampshire Scottish Games Harp Competition in 1990 and 1991 and the International Folk Harp Competition at Stonehill College in 1992. Julia has done extensive research in folksong archives throughout New England and is currently transcribing songs from the Flanders Collection at Middleburg College, Vermont. This audio archive has over 3000 songs, 900 collected in Maine.
Fred Gosbee, singer, songwriter, and storyteller, plays classic and 12-string guitar, violin, viola and Irish flute. He learned many traditional songs from his family, who worked as lumbermen in the forests of New Brunswick and Maine. His original songs have been sung and recorded by other artists.Fred has engineered most of Castlebay’s recordings and has also built Julia’s harps and many other instruments.

Summer Storytelling Series: Banded Brewing Co.
2025-07-24 18:30 - 19:30 | Banded Brewing, Building 13-W, 32 Main St, Biddeford, ME, 04005, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer!
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 summer at one of our storytelling events! 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: Banded Brewing Co., Biddeford Maine
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm
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. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.

Summer Storytelling Series: Orange Bike Brewing
2025-08-05 18:30 - 19:30 | Orange Bike Brewing, 31 Diamond St Suite D, Portland, 04101, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer!
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 summer at one of our storytelling events! 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: Orange Bike Brewing, Portland, Maine
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm
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. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.

Summer Storytelling Series: Belleflower Brewing
2025-08-20 18:30 - 19:30 | Belleflower Brewing, 66 Cove Street, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer!

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 summer at one of our storytelling events! 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: Belleflower Brewing, Portland Maine
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm
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. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.

Summer Storytelling Series: Mast Landing Brewing Company
2025-08-28 18:30 - 19:30 | Mast Landing, Freeport, 200 LOWER MAIN STREET, Freeport, United States
The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this summer!
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 summer at one of our storytelling events! 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: Mast Landing Brewing Company, Freeport, Maine
Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm
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. These outdoor events are part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine while also supporting local businesses and gathering spaces. Let’s build community together, one story at a time.

Maine Irish Writes: September
2025-09-04 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 in the MIHC Library 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!

Lane to the Glen in Concert
2025-09-05 19:30 - 21:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Friday. September 5th
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm
Join us for an incredible evening of music with Lane to the Glen!
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $35 for priority seating. Don’t wait to get your tickets: the price at the door will be $30 for General Admission and Priority Seating is only available in advance!
About Lane to the Glen
Sligo Traditional Trio comprising Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle), Daithí Gormley (accordion), Samantha Harvey (piano, dance)
Oisín and Daithí are steeped in the music and history of the Sligo area, having previously collaborated on ‘Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook’, a publication which set transcriptions of the fiddle repertoire of key Sligo exponents alongside historic images and context.
Daithí Gormley is widely regarded as one of the finest button accordion players of his generation. His remarkably accomplished debut album Fiddling without a Bow brought an expressive mix of old and new tunes played with an attention to detail, and he is regarded as a conduit to past masters of Irish traditional music.
Oisín Mac Diarmada and Samantha Harvey perform frequently with Téada, a worldwide-touring band founded by Oisín in 2001. Oisín and Samantha previously recorded The Green Branch, a sparkling album of fiddle and piano in 2015, with subsequent teaching and performing engagements in places such as the United States, Italy, France, and Japan.
Learn More about the artists:
https://lanetotheglen.com/
https://lanetotheglen.bandcamp.com/

A Huge thank you to our Sponsor for this event:
Holiday Inn By the Bay!

Maine Irish Reads "The Pull of the Stars" by Emma Donoghue
2025-09-11 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:

In Dublin, 1918, a maternity ward at the height of the Great Flu is a small world of work, risk, death, and unlooked-for love, in “Donoghue’s best novel since Room” (Kirkus Reviews)
In an Ireland doubly ravaged by war and disease, Nurse Julia Power works at an understaffed hospital in the city center, where expectant mothers who have come down with the terrible new Flu are quarantined together. Into Julia’s regimented world step two outsiders — Doctor Kathleen Lynn, a rumoured Rebel on the run from the police , and a young volunteer helper, Bridie Sweeney.
In the darkness and intensity of this tiny ward, over three days, these women change each other’s lives in unexpected ways. They lose patients to this baffling pandemic, but they also shepherd new life into a fearful world. With tireless tenderness and humanity, carers and mothers alike somehow do their impossible work.
In The Pull of the Stars, Emma Donoghue once again finds the light in the darkness in this new classic of hope and survival against all odds.

MIHC Day of Caring 2025
2025-09-13 09:00 - 15:00 | Maine Irish Heritage Center, 34 Gray St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Saturday, September 13th
9:00am-3:00pm
We are looking for:
Painters | Carpenters | Cleaners | Gardeners

The Center – originally St. Dominic’s Church – was constructed in the late 1800s, and has long served as one of Portland and Maine’s preeminent cultural centers, meeting spaces, research institutions, libraries, concert halls, wedding venues, and more.
We are hosting this Day of Caring to ensure our beloved space receives the attention it needs and deserves. With many important concerts, fundraisers, and cultural festivals on the horizon, this is the perfect chance to donate your skills, tools, and passion for just a few hours.
If you or your organization are interested in volunteering for this event, please contact us at volunteer@maineirish.com. We want to ensure your skills and expertise are put to the best use possible!

Day of Caring Project Options:
Interior Cleaning:
Sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, and dusting
Exterior Cleaning:
Picking up trash, removing debris, etc
Gardening:
Weeding, pruning, and otherwise tending to flowerbeds
Painting:
Repainting doors, pillars, walls, and trim
Carpentry:
Fixing doors & cabinets, repurposing old scrap wood
Special Projects:
We have a number of larger carpentry & electrical projects for larger, experienced teams.

Irish Maids and Portland's Houses
2025-09-16 18:30 - 20:30 | 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!

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!

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”!
__________________________________________________________
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/
__________________________________________________________
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.
