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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T120000
DTSTAMP:20260716T162739Z
CREATED:20260605T220139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260716T162739Z
UID:10001122-1784372400-1784376000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Maine Celtic Celebration
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nThis one is a little different: Join us at the Steamboat Stage at the Maine Celtic Celebration in Belfast\, ME to hear our featured storytellers share!\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout the Maine Celtic Celebration: \nFrom sheep-herding demonstrations to Sean-Nós dancing and singing\, the Maine Celtic Celebration has promoted Celtic culture since 2007. On the third weekend each July\, Traditional Celtic tunes and songs have filled the air from two stages on the beautiful waterfront of Belfast\, Maine. Visitors flock to the Celebration each year for a variety of events such as the Celtic Dog Show\, Highland Heavy Games\, U.S. Championship Cheese Roll Competition\, workshops\, exhibits\, and living history reenactors\, in additional to food and merchandise vendors\, and a beer tent. Learn more here!\n\n\nOur Tellers:\nCathy Furness\nAlthough 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. \nCathy 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\, Desmond\, and Molly\, four very spoiled cats. \n  \n  \n  \n  \nRobert Breen\n \nRobert Breen\, a Boston firefighter first published in The Harvard Summer Review\, and the Communion Arts Journal (Australia)\, Boston Literary Magazine\, and The Big Table Publishing Company— three books including his most recent The Light of Civil Day. His poetry will be published in next issue of Lapwing\, New Ulster Publications in Northern Ireland. \nAwards: Margaret F. Tripp Poetry Award\, U.S. House Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition and 2025 Honoree as Irish American Echo Heroes Award. \nSeamus Heaney’s poem Helmet in District and Circles immortalized Breen’s heroism and sacrifice. His numerous correspondences with Heaney reside at Emory University’s Rose Library. He lives in Brunswick\, Maine\, USA. \n\n\n\n\nJulia Lane & Fred Gosbee\nJulia 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. \nFred 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. \n\n\n\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-maine-celtic-celebration-2/
LOCATION:Maine Celtic Celebration Steamboat Stage\, 34 Commercial St\, Belfast\, 04915\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Summer-Storytelling-Series-BELFAST-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T193000
DTSTAMP:20260430T122653Z
CREATED:20260430T122653Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T122653Z
UID:10001112-1784745000-1784748600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Batson River Brewing & Distilling
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nWe 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.\n\nBut wait\, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not!  These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture\, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Batson River\, Portland\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout Batson River: \nAt Batson River\, everything we do is inspired by Maine’s outdoor heritage. From the vibe you feel when you first walk through the door to the curated cocktails we take so much pride in pouring\, we’re here to bring all the fun\, style\, and energy of the Maine outdoor experience to downtown Portland. Learn more here!\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-batson-river-brewing-distilling/
LOCATION:Batson River Brewing\, 82 Hanover St\, Portland\, ME\, 04101
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Summer-Storytelling-Series-Batson-River-2026-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260728T193000
DTSTAMP:20260428T215732Z
CREATED:20260428T215732Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260428T215732Z
UID:10001111-1785263400-1785267000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Orange Bike Brewing
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nWe 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.\n\nBut wait\, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not!  These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture\, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Orange Bike Brewing\, Portland\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout Orange Bike: \nWe are committed to making world-class beer (naturally gluten-free) and intend to make our brewery a center and symbol of positive change in Maine and beyond. With a focus on the triple bottom line—social\, environmental\, and financial—our team is committed to setting a new standard within the craft beer industry. Learn more here!\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-orange-bike-brewing-2/
LOCATION:Orange Bike Brewing\, 31 Diamond St Suite D\, Portland\, 04101\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Summer-Storytelling-Series-ORANGE-BIKE-2026-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260729T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T204233Z
CREATED:20260415T160900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T204233Z
UID:10001096-1785348000-1785353400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-7-29-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260804T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260804T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T170311Z
CREATED:20260415T165818Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T170311Z
UID:10001107-1785868200-1785871800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Bunker Brewing
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nWe 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.\n\nBut wait\, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not!  These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture\, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Bunker Brewing\, Portland\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout Bunker: \nBunker Brewing Co. is a small Lager-focused brewery fostering community and independent\, local beer in Portland\, ME since 2012. Learn more here!\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-bunker-26/
LOCATION:Bunker Brewing\, 17 Westfield St d\, Portland\, 04102
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Summer-Storytelling-Series-BUNKER-2026-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260805T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260805T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T204241Z
CREATED:20260415T161025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T204241Z
UID:10001097-1785952800-1785958200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-8-5-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260812T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183426Z
CREATED:20260415T161234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183426Z
UID:10001098-1786557600-1786563000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260817T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T161336Z
CREATED:20260522T150503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T161336Z
UID:10001120-1786991400-1786995000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Lambs
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nWe 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.\n\nBut wait\, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not!  These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture\, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Lambs\, South Portland\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout Lambs: \nLambs is a neighborhood bar and event space located on the Fore River in South Portland\, Maine. We offer a full bar with lite food and ample seating accommodating 105 indoors and 105 outdoors. Please visit our contact page for more details on renting out our space. Learn more here!\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-lambs/
LOCATION:Lambs\, 695 Broadway\, South Portland\, ME\, 04106
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Summer-Storytelling-Series-lambs-2026-banner-UPDATED.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260819T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260819T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183351Z
CREATED:20260415T161324Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183351Z
UID:10001099-1787162400-1787167800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-2/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260826T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260826T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T204257Z
CREATED:20260415T161434Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T204257Z
UID:10001100-1787767200-1787772600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-3/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260827T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260827T193000
DTSTAMP:20260429T165451Z
CREATED:20260428T214137Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T165451Z
UID:10001110-1787855400-1787859000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Summer Storytelling Series: Mast Landing Brewing Company
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling back to Maine this summer!\n\nIn 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.\n\nWe 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.\n\nBut wait\, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not!  These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture\, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!\n\nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: Mast Landing\, Freeport\, Maine\nTime: 6:30pm-7:30pm\nHost: Cathy Furness\nStory Guidelines:\n\nStories\, songs\, or poems should be 10 minutes or less\nA timekeeper will help us keep things moving\nNo hate speech – creative freedom is welcome\, but kindness and inclusivity are essential\n\n\nAll are welcome – come to share or simply to listen\n\nStorytelling 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.\n\n\nAbout Mast Landing: \nFreeport was always built into the DNA of Mast Landing. The garage where co-founders Ian\, Neil\, and Mike homebrewed was here in Freeport\, and though we first laid roots in Westbrook\, the hope was always to return at some point. In 2021\, that dream came to fruition as we opened our 2nd taproom at Freeport Crossing. With an expansive bar and seating area\, a spacious patio\, private event space\, and a pilot brewing facility\, Mast Landing Freeport truly is a landmark in our brewery’s journey. Learn more here!\n\n\n\nClick HERE to see other scheduled Summer Storytelling events!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/summer-storytelling-series-mast-landing-brewing-company-2/
LOCATION:Mast Landing\, Freeport\, 200 LOWER MAIN STREET\, Freeport\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Summer-Storytelling-Series-MAST-LANDING-2026-banner.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260902T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183238Z
CREATED:20260415T161523Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183238Z
UID:10001101-1788372000-1788377400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-4/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202927Z
CREATED:20260724T201725Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202927Z
UID:10001123-1788454800-1788462000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: September
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-september-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-sept-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260903T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T183336Z
CREATED:20260731T183154Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T183336Z
UID:10001132-1788463800-1788469200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "TransAtlantic" by Colum McCann
DESCRIPTION:In the National Book Award–winning Let the Great World Spin\, Colum McCann thrilled readers with a marvelous high-wire act of fiction that The New York Times Book Review called “an emotional tour de force.” Now McCann demonstrates once again why he is one of the most acclaimed and essential authors of his generation with a soaring novel that spans continents\, leaps centuries\, and unites a cast of deftly rendered characters\, both real and imagined. \nNewfoundland\, 1919. Two aviators—Jack Alcock and Arthur Brown—set course for Ireland as they attempt the first nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean\, placing their trust in a modified bomber to heal the wounds of the Great War. \nDublin\, 1845 and ’46. On an international lecture tour in support of his subversive autobiography\, Frederick Douglass finds the Irish people sympathetic to the abolitionist cause—despite the fact that\, as famine ravages the countryside\, the poor suffer from hardships that are astonishing even to an American slave. \nNew York\, 1998. Leaving behind a young wife and newborn child\, Senator George Mitchell departs for Belfast\, where it has fallen to him\, the son of an Irish-American father and a Lebanese mother\, to shepherd Northern Ireland’s notoriously bitter and volatile peace talks to an uncertain conclusion. \nThese three iconic crossings are connected by a series of remarkable women whose personal stories are caught up in the swells of history. Beginning with Irish housemaid Lily Duggan\, who crosses paths with Frederick Douglass\, the novel follows her daughter and granddaughter\, Emily and Lottie\, and culminates in the present-day story of Hannah Carson\, in whom all the hopes and failures of previous generations live on. From the loughs of Ireland to the flatlands of Missouri and the windswept coast of Newfoundland\, their journeys mirror the progress and shape of history. They each learn that even the most unassuming moments of grace have a way of rippling through time\, space\, and memory. \nThe most mature work yet from an incomparable storyteller\, TransAtlantic is a profound meditation on identity and history in a wide world that grows somehow smaller and more wondrous with each passing year. \n______ \nReviews and Praise\n“What distinguishes TransAtlantic from McCann’s earlier work isn’t the stunning language or the psychological acuity or the humor and imagination on display—all of that has been there before. It’s the sheer ambition\, the audacity to imagine within the same novel the experience of Frederick Douglass . . . then the first nonstop trans-Atlantic flight . . . then to leap into the near-present and embody the former senator George Mitchell . . . and finally to unite these stories\, to give them even larger purpose than the historical significance they already possess\, by knitting through and around them the stories of four generations of women.” —Joel Lovell\, The New York Times Magazine \n“This novel is beautifully hypnotic in its movements\, from the grand (between two continents\, across three centuries) to the most subtle. Silkily threading together public events and private feelings\, TransAtlantic says no to death with every line.” —Emma Donoghue \n“A masterful and profoundly moving novel that employs exquisite language to explore the limits of language and the tricks of memory . . . epic in ambition . . . audacious in format.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) \n“McCann weaves an intricate tapestry… reminiscent of the finest work of Michael Ondaatje…Transatlantic is McCann’s most penetrating novel yet.” —O\, The Oprah Magazine \n“Expertly constructed … At its best\, as in the superbly rendered early scene of Alcock and Brown’s flight\, the prose is poetically vivid.” —The Observer \n“Few contemporary writers are better at subtracting the sublime from the base … A kind of cat’s cradle of transatlantic journeys\, all connected\, all built on another thing.” —The Guardian \n“A beautifully woven novel about the real and imagined. Fans of Ian McEwan will love it.” —Red \n“McCann is no stranger to literary prizes — but if I were him\, I’d start clearing my mantelpiece for a few more” —The Daily Mail \n“Ingenious . . . The intricate connections he has crafted between the stories of his women and our men will\, by the end\, have you trying to figure out\, in pencil\, what he seems to have written in air\, in water\, and—given that his subject is the confluence of Irish and American history—in blood.” —Tom Junod\, Esquire \n“An ambitious\, poetic novel . . . McCann is blessed with a reckless imagination.” —Bob Minzesheimer\, USA Today (3 1/2 stars) \n  “Let the Great World Spin is one of the twenty-first century’s most celebrated novels thus far—with a National Book Award and an IMPAC Dublin Literary Award among its lauds. Not an easy act to follow. But McCann is an acrobat\, and TransAtlantic is entrancing . . . Trusting and economic\, McCann folds his epic meticulously into this relatively slim volume like an accordion; each pleat holds music—elation and sorrow.” —Tucker Shaw\, Denver Post \n“Lyrical . . . The prose throughout is vivid and forceful.” —Thomas Chatterton Williams\, The Wall Street Journal \n“Can the story of the wife of an ice merchant in Grand River\, Michigan\, compete with the remarkable history of Douglass in Ireland? Indeed. Maintaining the continuity of our interest is the essence of McCann’s talent . . . Under the influence of his serene melody . . . the small\, unlikely moments accrue lasting importance in a ‘silence . . . lined with tenderness.’” —Ron Charles\, The Washington Post Book World \n “Another sweeping\, beautifully constructed tapestry of life . . . Like Virginia Woolf\, McCann is a master of stream-of-consciousness narrative . . . [His] short phrases overlap\, like dabs in a pointillist painting\, creating a richly detailed picture that feels like slipping inside the characters’ heads\, joining them as they live their lives\, if only for a moment . . . Reading McCann is a rare joy.” —Moira Macdonald\, The Seattle Times \n“[In] this beautifully wrought novel . . . [McCann] expertly juggles a cast of fictional and historical characters.” —“The Must List\,” Entertainment Weekly \n“Gripping\, immersive\, and suspenseful\, written in words that sing.” —Amy Driscoll\, Miami Herald \n“McCann moves seamlessly among centuries and generation . . . integrat[ing] his characters’ disparate stories\, times and places with astonishing skill. Indeed\, our admiration for this feat of literary legerdemain almost causes us to overlook the novel’s other virtues—the depth of McCann’s characters\, the beauty of his prose and the sheer power of his story.” —Mike Snyder\, Houston Chronicle \n “The stories told in TransAtlantic combine tight\, intensely lyrical writing . . . and a nearly epic scope involving events unfolding over three different centuries.” —Mike Fischer\, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel \n “When McCann is engaged with the particularities of place and character\, on either side of the Atlantic\, he is in the premier league of contemporary novelists.” —Robert Cremins\, Minneapolis Star Tribune \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-transatlantic-by-colum-mccann/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Reads-Sept-26-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260909T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183149Z
CREATED:20260415T161635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183149Z
UID:10001102-1788976800-1788982200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-5/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260910T140000
DTSTAMP:20260831T174827Z
CREATED:20260831T174759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260831T174827Z
UID:10001148-1789030800-1789048800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Office Hours with Coco McCracken
DESCRIPTION:We are so excited to have the incredible author Coco McCracken on the Maine Irish Team as our Writer in Residence! \nCoco’s first office hours will take place in September on Thursday the 10th\, 9am -2pm. Please feel welcome to reserve a 30 minute appointment below and Coco can chat about writing in any way that might be helpful to you!* \n  \nMeet Coco:\nMaine Irish Heritage Center’s 2026-2027 Writer in Residence\nCoco McCracken is a photographer\, public speaker\, and writer based in Portland\, Maine. She is on the board of directors at the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and an Ashley Bryan Fellow. She is active in many communities from art to photography and non-profits. She’s especially dedicated to raising the voices of BIPOC Mainers and providing transparent access to resources that help creatives. \nCoco is the granddaughter of Kathleen Elizabeth Joan McNeilly\, who was born and raised in Bangor\, Northern Ireland. Her “Nanny\,” never knew her mother\, something that always confused Coco. What started out as a mystery became a detective hunt almost 10 years ago\, when Coco started to visit Ireland and piece together her broken family tree. \nJust after becoming a mother herself\, Coco went back to Ireland twice in order to sleuth around cemeteries\, churches\, and her grandmother’s old neighborhood. She sat in pubs and chatted with locals\, until finally she found her great-grandmother. \nToday\, she’s still working on her family tree\, while writing a book of essays on her process\, her complicated mixed-Chinese/Irish/Canadian identity\, and her bourgeoning passion with her matriarch’s homeland. \nNot only is Coco eager to discover more about her connection to Ireland\, she is passionate about connecting Mainers with the MIHC. Through cross-pollenating the communities she has access to\, with the folks at Maine Irish\, she believes a bountiful relationship could benefit both parties. \nCoco is also the creative director at paletmaine.com and hopes to document her time as a writer in residence with her camera when possible. \nPhoto credit: @Meredith Brockington \n  \n*Please note Coco is not able to edit anything at length but is happy to give feedback on short pitches and pieces.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/office-hours-with-coco-mccracken-9-10/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Coco-9.10.26-Office-Hours-banner.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260913T170000
DTSTAMP:20260909T001001Z
CREATED:20260827T145950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T001001Z
UID:10001146-1789308000-1789318800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:CANCELLED: Halfway to St. Patrick's Day Party
DESCRIPTION:This event has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.\nLive Music • Dancing • Sing-Along • Food • Cash Bar\nJoin us for an afternoon of great Irish fun! Grab your dancing shoes for the Ceili (don’t worry\, instruction included!)\, sing along to some folk favorites\, and enjoy a fabulous Irish step dance exhibition from Stillson School of Irish Dance! This family-friendly celebration brings music\, movement\, and community to the start of your fall. Plus\, enjoy light food and soft drinks included with admission\, and a cash bar for something a little stronger. \nProgram:\n1:30 PM: Doors Open\n2:00 – 2:30 PM: Live Irish Traditional Music\n2:30 – 4:00 PM: Ceili Dance with Morrigan Burns & The Portland Ceili Band\n4:00 – 4:30 PM: Irish Folk Song Sing Along\n4:30 PM: Stillson School of Irish Dance Performance \nGet Your Tickets Now!\nAdvance tickets help us plan the food and drinks and prices go up at the door\, so don’t wait!\n• Adults: $20 in advance / $25 at the door\n• Children under 18: Free!\n• Family (4 Adult Tickets): $50 in advance / $60 at the door
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/halfway-to-st-patricks-day/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Halfway-to-St.-Patricks-Day-cancelled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260916T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183048Z
CREATED:20260415T161717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183048Z
UID:10001103-1789581600-1789587000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-6/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260923T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183010Z
CREATED:20260415T161751Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183010Z
UID:10001104-1790186400-1790191800@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-7/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260927T170000
DTSTAMP:20260910T203832Z
CREATED:20260805T191759Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260910T203832Z
UID:10001143-1790521200-1790528400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Susan Donovan Bernhard: WESTERLY
DESCRIPTION:A Maine Irish Author Event\nSunday\, September 27th\, 2026\n3:00pm\nJoin us on Sunday\, September 27th for a lovely afternoon of conversation with bestselling author Susan Donovan Bernhard! \nSusan will discuss her novel WESTERLY in conversation with Louise Miller\, of A CITY BAKER’S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING and THE LATE BLOOMER’S CLUB. \nBooks will be available for purchase and signing at the event\, courtesy of Perkins Cove Bookshop. \n  \nAbout WESTERLY:\nIn an unforgettable saga of survival\, motherhood\, sisterhood\, and the secrets that haunt us\, one desperate decision creates a fault line that spans decades and threatens to break a family wide open. \nIn 1946\, two German sisters\, child refugees in a program dubbed Operation Shamrock\, arrive in West Cork\, Ireland to live in foster care while Europe recovers from war. Nearly fifty years later\, on a fateful day in a bustling Maine farmhouse\, an Irish newspaper clipping threatens to unravel Faye Sullivan’s carefully constructed life with husband William and daughters Maeve and Molly\, a life already on the brink of collapse. \nFrom Germany to Ireland to coastal Maine\, this tender family saga explores identity\, reconciliation\, and the true meaning of home. \nTo purchase in advance\, please visit Perkins Cove Bookshop in Ogunquit or head to https://www.susanbernhard.com/westerly \n\n\n\nAbout Susan Donovan Bernhard:\n \nSusan Donovan Bernhard is the bestselling author of the novels Westerly and Winter Loon\, which won the Boston Authors Club Julia Ward Howe Prize for Fiction. She is a Massachusetts Cultural Council fellowship recipient\, a GrubStreet Novel Incubator program graduate\, and a Tennessee Williams Scholar to the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland\, Susan was born and raised in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana and graduated from the University of Maryland. When she’s not traveling\, she lives and writes in Massachusetts. Learn more at https://www.susandonovanbernhard.com/ \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nAbout Louise Miller: \nLouise Miller is the author of THE CITY BAKER’S GUIDE TO COUNTRY LIVING and THE LATE BLOOMERS’ CLUB. In addition to being a novelist\, she is a professional pastry chef\, an art school dropout\, a certified field naturalist\, an old-time banjo player\, an obsessive moviegoer\, a meditation enthusiast and an amateur flower gardener. Louise lives in Boston\, MA\, where she lives with her partner and an assortment of cats. Learn more at http://www.louisemiller.net\n \n  \n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/susan-donovan-bernhard-westerly/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:book-talk,Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Susan-Donovan-Bernhard-WESTERLY-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260930T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T182932Z
CREATED:20260415T161834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T182932Z
UID:10001105-1790791200-1790796600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-8/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261001T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202933Z
CREATED:20260724T201843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202933Z
UID:10001124-1790874000-1790881200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: October
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-october-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-oct-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261007T193000
DTSTAMP:20260415T204324Z
CREATED:20260415T161927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T204324Z
UID:10001106-1791396000-1791401400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-9/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261008T210000
DTSTAMP:20260731T184236Z
CREATED:20260731T183704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260731T184236Z
UID:10001133-1791487800-1791493200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "The Searcher" by Tana French
DESCRIPTION:A New York Times Bestseller\nA New York Times and NPR Best Book of the Year \n“This hushed suspense tale about thwarted dreams of escape may be her best one yet…its own kind of masterpiece.” –Maureen Corrigan\, The Washington Post \nA “taut\, chiseled and propulsive” (Vogue) novel from the author of the forthcoming novel The Hunter and the bestselling mystery writer who “is in a class by herself.” (The New York Times) \nCal Hooper thought a fixer-upper in a bucolic Irish village would be the perfect escape. After twenty-five years in the Chicago police force and a bruising divorce\, he just wants to build a new life in a pretty spot with a good pub where nothing much happens. But when a local kid whose brother has gone missing arm-twists him into investigating\, Cal uncovers layers of darkness beneath his picturesque retreat\, and starts to realize that even small towns shelter dangerous secrets. \n“One of the greatest crime novelists writing today” (Vox) weaves a masterful\, atmospheric tale of suspense\, asking what we sacrifice in our search for truth and justice\, and what we risk if we don’t. \nSee more Maine Irish Reads Events Here
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-the-searcher-by-tana-french/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads
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ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261013T140000
DTSTAMP:20260916T154454Z
CREATED:20260916T154454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260916T154454Z
UID:10001151-1791882000-1791900000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Office Hours with Coco McCracken
DESCRIPTION:We are so excited to have the incredible author Coco McCracken on the Maine Irish Team as our Writer in Residence! \nCoco’s next office hours will take place on Tuesday\, October 13th\, from 9am -2pm. Please feel welcome to reserve a 45 minute appointment below and Coco can chat about writing in any way that might be helpful to you!* \n  \nMeet Coco:\nMaine Irish Heritage Center’s 2026-2027 Writer in Residence\nCoco McCracken is a photographer\, public speaker\, and writer based in Portland\, Maine. She is on the board of directors at the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and an Ashley Bryan Fellow. She is active in many communities from art to photography and non-profits. She’s especially dedicated to raising the voices of BIPOC Mainers and providing transparent access to resources that help creatives. \nCoco is the granddaughter of Kathleen Elizabeth Joan McNeilly\, who was born and raised in Bangor\, Northern Ireland. Her “Nanny\,” never knew her mother\, something that always confused Coco. What started out as a mystery became a detective hunt almost 10 years ago\, when Coco started to visit Ireland and piece together her broken family tree. \nJust after becoming a mother herself\, Coco went back to Ireland twice in order to sleuth around cemeteries\, churches\, and her grandmother’s old neighborhood. She sat in pubs and chatted with locals\, until finally she found her great-grandmother. \nToday\, she’s still working on her family tree\, while writing a book of essays on her process\, her complicated mixed-Chinese/Irish/Canadian identity\, and her bourgeoning passion with her matriarch’s homeland. \nNot only is Coco eager to discover more about her connection to Ireland\, she is passionate about connecting Mainers with the MIHC. Through cross-pollenating the communities she has access to\, with the folks at Maine Irish\, she believes a bountiful relationship could benefit both parties. \nCoco is also the creative director at paletmaine.com and hopes to document her time as a writer in residence with her camera when possible. \nPhoto credit: @Meredith Brockington \n  \n*Please note Coco is not able to edit anything at length but is happy to give feedback on short pitches and pieces.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/october-office-hours-with-coco-mccracken/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community
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ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261014T193000
DTSTAMP:20260806T183843Z
CREATED:20260806T183843Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260806T183843Z
UID:10001145-1792000800-1792006200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session
DESCRIPTION:Beginner / Intermediate Irish Session at the Maine Irish Heritage Center (MIHC)\nIrish Sessions are social music gatherings\, where musicians play for themselves more so than any audience that might be present. Join us to play Irish Traditional tunes with others and expand your list of tunes over time. We’ll meet in the MIHC Library from 6 – 7:30 pm every Wednesday\, starting June 24. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. When you start a tune\, we’ll play at your tempo. There will be some time to socialize or confer before someone starts the next set of tunes. \nThese sessions are free to attend\, and a suggested donation of $5 per session will be gratefully accepted. All funds raised through donations will go straight back into MIHC programming! We ask that you RSVP before each session you expect to attend\, even if at the last minute.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/beginner-intermediate-irish-session-10/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weekly-Trad-Session-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261015T200000
DTSTAMP:20260917T192908Z
CREATED:20251126T184543Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T192908Z
UID:10000771-1792089000-1792094400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island
DESCRIPTION:The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island:\nA Lecture with Loretto Leary\nThursday\, October 15th\n6:30pm\nDoors open at 6:00pm\nIn 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. \nAt 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. \nJoin Loretto Leary on Thursday\, October 15th 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. \nAbout the Speaker:\nLoretto 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. \nAs a freelance journalist\, her writing has appeared in publications such as The Irish Echo\, Irish Central\, Irish Examiner USA\, and Australia’s Irish Scene. \nCurrently\, Loretto serves as the Co-Chair of the Connecticut–Ireland Trade Commission. \nLoretto 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.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/the-irish-famine-immigrant-experience-on-staten-island/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Irish-Famine-Lecture-banner-.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261025T160000
DTSTAMP:20260915T184916Z
CREATED:20260903T161249Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T184916Z
UID:10001149-1792936800-1792944000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Ishna's “Slí Amach": from There to Here
DESCRIPTION:A joyous exploration of the music & stories of Ireland\nSunday\, October 25th\n2:00pm\nDoors open 1:30pm\nAbout Ishna:\nIshna is a Boston-based contemporary Irish folk band\, exploring the traditional repertoire of Ireland within the context of a global setting. It is fronted by husband-wife duo Ciaran Nagle and Tara Novak\, and has been together as this lineup of 6 musicians for more than a decade. Over that time\, the group has evolved\, honing in specifically on the acoustic traditional music of Ireland\, while finding ways to allow each band member to bring their unique musical vocabulary to the overall sound. \nTheir show\, “From There to Here”\, features the music from their debut album\, “Slí Amach: Way Out”.  The album was recorded over a week in 2025\, in a barn in Peterborough NH. It was recorded\, mixed\, and mastered by Oscar-and-Grammy-winning Robert L. Smith at Defy Recordings\, and the artwork was designed by the legendary Steve Averill (creator of all the logos and artwork for U2). \nIshna is fronted by Irish Tenor Ciarán Nagle and fiddler/vocalist Tara Novak (both of Riverdance and the Three Irish Tenors). The husband-and-wife duo bring their humor and dynamic energy to the stage\, and are accompanied by their stellar band of traditional musicians: Dan Meyers: uilleann pipes/whistles; Bjorn Wennas – guitar; David McGrory – piano/accordion/banjo; Brian O’Neill – bodhrán/percussion. \nIshna’s performance is energetic and uplifting\, infusing new rhythms and harmonies into their traditional repertoire. \nFor Ishna\, music is about finding common connections. They invite the audience into the fold of their community and to experience the beloved music of Ireland in a new way. \n  \nFor more information\, go to: https://www.ishnamusic.com \nOr follow Ishna on all social media at: @ishnamusic \n \nCheck Ishna out on YouTube: \nIshna YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ishnamusic
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/ishnas-sli-amach/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Ishna-Banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261029T210000
DTSTAMP:20260827T195841Z
CREATED:20260827T194151Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T195841Z
UID:10001147-1793300400-1793307600@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Forest Isaac Jones’ GOOD TROUBLE
DESCRIPTION:Forest Isaac Jones’ ‘Good Trouble’\nA Maine Irish Author Event\nThursday\, October 29th\, 7:00pm\nDoors open 6:30pm\nJoin us on Thursday\, October 29th for an evening of conversation with author Forest Issac Jones as he discusses his book\, ‘Good Trouble.’ \nJones will be joined in conversation by author Margo Shea\, a history professor at Salem State University. \nBooks will be available for sale and signing at the event! \nAbout the Author:\nForest Issac Jones is an award-winning author of non-fiction and essays\, specializing in the study of Irish History\, the US Civil Rights Movement and Northern Ireland. His latest essay\, ‘The Civil Rights Connection Between the USA and Northern Ireland’ was awarded honorable mention in the category of nonfiction essay by Writer’s Digest in their 93rd annual writing competition in 2024. \nOver the years\, Jones has won awards from Writer’s Digest in 2022 and 2023. His award winning essay about African Americans at D-Day was published in 2024 by WWII History Magazine. \nIn addition to writing\, Jones is a frequent speaker who has given talks about everything from African Americans at D-Day and The Troubles in Northern Ireland. \nHis first nonfiction book\, ‘Good Trouble: The Selma\, Alabama and Derry\, Northern Ireland Connection 1963-1972’ was released by Anthem Press on April 1\, 2025. \nHe has presented ‘Good Trouble’ at the MLK Library in Washington\, DC\, the Columbus Book Festival\, the Frederick Douglass Celebration Week in Boston at the Irish Embassy\, and the Fall for the Book festival at George Mason University. \nIn 2026\, he presented ‘Good Trouble’ at the Jack Hadley Black History Museum in Thomasville\, Georgia\, the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville\, Virginia\, and the Belfast Book Festival. ‘Good Trouble’ is being used at Macalester College\, Buffalo State University\, Saint Mary’s University\, and Sacred Heart University. \nForest is a member of the James River Writers\, American Conference for Irish Studies\, African American Irish Diaspora Network\, and the Historical Writers Association. \nDr. Jones holds a doctorate degree from Virginia Tech in education and a master’s degree from Hollins University in history (focusing on Northern Ireland history and South Africa history). He currently is an adjunct professor for James Madison University. He currently lives in Salem\, Virginia. \nAbout the Book:\n“Good Trouble” shows the strong connection between the Black Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the Catholic Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland – specifically the influence of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march on the 1969 Belfast to Derry march through oral history\, based on numerous interviews of events leading up to both marches and afterwards. This is close to the author’s heart as both of his parents marched to integrate lunch counters and movie theatres in Salisbury\, North Carolina\, in 1963 as college students. His mother was at the 1963 March to Washington where Martin Luther King gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. \nAward winning author Julieann Campbell (On Bloody Sunday) wrote the introduction for Good Trouble\, looking back at her times growing up in Derry\, in the heart of the Catholic Civil Rights Movement. Forest travelled to Dublin\, Belfast\, and Derry to conduct interviews for the book. In all\, he did fifteen interviews with people who were involved in the movement in Northern Ireland (including Billy McVeigh – featured in the BAFTA winning documentary\, Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland) and in the United States (including Richard Smiley and Dr. Sheyann Webb-Christburg – both were at Bloody Sunday in Alabama and on the Selma to Montgomery march among others). Jones was also able to talk with civil rights leader Eamonn McCann. \n  \n  \nPraise for “Good Trouble”:\n“Jones has written a book that is worthy of its subject”- The Daily Express UK \n“His book reads like a historical thriller at times. A must read.” – The Sun UK \n“Good Trouble is very much\, a historical tale of the good\, the bad and the ugly\, and ultimately\, the good again.”- The Belfast Telegraph \n“This is a wide-ranging story about connections between the civil rights movement in Alabama and Northern Ireland”- The Irish Times \n“The new history may well be the definitive account of the connection between the civil rights and liberation movement mounted by Black Americans in the 1960s and its sister campaign in the North.” -The Derry Journal \n“Good Trouble is a fascinating read that connects America’s civil rights movement with Northern Ireland’s movement to end discrimination against Catholics in the 1960s.”- Kristen Green\, NY Times Best Selling Author of ‘Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County’ \n“Jones creates an insightful and compelling examination of a terrible period in our shared histories.” – Brian McGilloway\, Sunday Times and NY Times Best Selling Author \n  \nAbout Margo Shea:\n Margo Shea is Professor of History at Salem State University\, in Salem\, Massachusetts\, where she teaches public history\, Irish history and world history\, oversees a graduate public history certificate program and supervises internships for History majors. She is the author of Derry City: Memory and Political Struggle in Northern Ireland and many articles and chapters in anthologies on heritage\, memory and collaborative practice.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/forest-isaac-jones-good-trouble/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Good-Trouble-banner-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261105T190000
DTSTAMP:20260724T202939Z
CREATED:20260724T202034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260724T202939Z
UID:10001125-1793898000-1793905200@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Writes: November
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to present our second season of Maine Irish Writes\, an inclusive monthly writers’ group that will meet in the MIHC Library on the first Thursday of each month! \nLed by the incredible poet and author Robert Breen\, this welcoming writers group is open to all—whether you’re just starting out or deep into a manuscript. Bring your works in progress\, share your voice\, and receive supportive\, thoughtful feedback in a relaxed and inspiring setting. Together\, we’ll explore storytelling\, poetry\, memory\, and the written word in all its forms. Come to listen\, come to write\, come to connect. \nA few notes on the format of these Writers’ Group meetings: \nFor all interested writers \n\nDetermine your goal\, the primary target for your project— fiction\, poetry\, nonfiction\, memoir or autobiography.\nFor beginners this will be a discovery time\, your goal should be to have fun with this phase.\nTake time and have patience with yourself!\nWe ask that all members actively bring work to participate in each session\nThose that have work ready will be heard— with a 10-minute reading time and critique so to allow all to be heard.\nHave your written piece of literature with 3 copies allowing the group to follow and partake in the evaluation of the work.\n\nWriter’s Technique Method Used\nThe Layer Cake Method is a classic technique used to deliver constructive criticism without causing defensiveness. And keep the writer motivated while highlighting areas that need improvement. \n\n(Positive): Start with genuine praise. Highlight a specific strength\, like a strong voice\, sharp dialogue\, or an engaging hook.\n(Constructive): Insert the critique or area for improvement. Focus on actionable issues like pacing lags\, confusing plot points\, or passive verbs. Poetry example- the use of metaphors\, and forms.\n(Upbeat): End with encouragement and forward momentum. Reiterate your belief in the story or poem express excitement to read the next draft.\n\nCheck out the rest of the series dates HERE!
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-writes-november-26/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Maine-Irish-Writes-nov-26.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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