BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Maine Irish Heritage Center - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://maineirish.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Maine Irish Heritage Center REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20240310T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20241103T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20250309T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20251102T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20260308T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20261101T060000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT DTSTART:20270314T070000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:EST DTSTART:20271107T060000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260306T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260306T213000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20260112T171822Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260306T222538Z UID:10000824-1772825400-1772832600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Paul Byrom LIVE in Concert DESCRIPTION:Friday\, March 6th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\n***Meet & Greet after the Show!***\nFollowing the huge success of his 40 city tour with Celtic Thunder\, original member\, Paul Byrom returns to America this March with his own solo tour “Songs From Home”. Performing many fan favourites from his 8 solo albums and telling endless amounts of stories in between. This is a concert like no other. So whether it’s songs such as Danny Boy\, You Raise Me Up\, Irelands Call or Isle Of Hope\, this is a show that will take you on a journey to the isle across the sea. General Admission tickets are only $40\, or score yourself early access to a meet and greet with Paul for only $55! \nGet your tickets now: CLICK HERE!\n \nAbout Paul\n\n  \n\nPaul Byrom is considered by many to be one of Ireland’s finest crossover tenors. Starting in the business at a very young age\, the Dublin-born singer has been in the music industry for over 30 years. Paul has performed in a wide range of productions\, from operas and oratorio to recitals and in particular\, musical theatre. \nAfter releasing his first album at age 14 (The Golden Voice of Paul Byrom)\, Paul got a taste for recording studios and soon became a recording artist. Subsequently\, he recorded his first major album as a tenor (VELVET)\, in 2005 and swiftly followed this with his first Christmas album (I’ll Be Home for Christmas) in 2008. \nThis has led to many appearances on Irish television and national radio stations. \nPaul is also very fond of acting and made his onscreen debut in Ireland’s longest-running soap\, “FAIR CITY” where he appeared regularly as Maurice the chef for a short stint. \nHis talent as a singer has taken him far and wide\, and some of his many career highlights include performing for dignitaries such as Emperor Akihito of Japan\, former Irish Presidents Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson\, and more recently\,  United States President Barack Obama. \nIn 2007\, Paul was approached to become one of the original soloists in the hit show Celtic Thunder. He toured America\, Canada and Australia with the group and had six No. 1 World Billboard Chart albums with the group. This allowed Paul to perform on many international TV shows including “The Today Show.” \nAfter leaving the production in 2010 to continue his solo career\, his subsequent album (This is the Moment) debuted at No. 1 on the World Billboard charts and was shortlisted for a Grammy nomination. \nThis has led to a successful solo touring career and he now performs his shows regularly throughout Ireland\, North America and Canada. In 2013\, Paul filmed his first solo TV special for Public Television\, called “This is the Moment Live”\, with his orchestra. It has aired throughout the United States\, Canada\, Australia and indeed at home here in Ireland. Paul followed this up with his 6th studio album\, (Thinking of Home) which reached the top of the iTunes\, Amazon and World Billboard charts and features two of his own\, original songs. He has been named IRISH TENOR OF THE YEAR by the Irish Music Association on two separate occasions. \nPaul is an avid sports fan and has been invited regularly over the past 15 years to perform the anthem for the Boston Celtics and again recently he did this on his past tour. He has also performed at six All-Ireland Finals\, and at many international rugby games including a recent performance for the Ireland v England game in Dublin. He was hugely honoured to be the official voice on “Ireland’s Call” for the Rugby World Cup in 2011 which has now been streamed over 3 million times. \nDespite 2020 being a catastrophic year for many in the music and entertainment business\, Paul released his biggest album to date with a full 65 piece orchestra (What I Did for Love). The album showcases Paul in his best light. What I Did For Love is his most crossover album to date and debuted in the top ten IMRO charts and no.1 on iTunes. \nPaul’s latest album BY CONTRAST  is as the title suggests\, completely different to the previous\, in that it is an acoustic album with some of his favourite Irish and crossover songs on it. \n2025 has picked up where he left off with a recent tour of North America and will be returning to Celtic Thunder this Autumn after 15 years to tour with them for two months across America. \nLearn more at https://paulbyrom.ie/ URL:https://maineirish.com/event/paul-byrom-live-in-concert/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Paul-Byrom-March-26-banner-.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260301T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20251230T183410Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T183928Z UID:10000820-1772366400-1772384400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Irish Day at the Maine Celtics DESCRIPTION:Maine Celtics vs. Windy City Bulls\n\n\n\nMarch 1st\, 2026 at 12:00 PM\n\n\n\nPortland Exposition Building\, 239 Park Ave\, Portland\, ME 04102\n\n\n\nPurchase Deadline: Feb 15\, 2026 11:59 PM EST\n\nThe Maine Celtics are excited to host the Maine Irish Heritage Center on March 1 at 12 PM as we take on the Windy City Bulls at the Portland Expo! All tickets purchased through this special ticket offer will include a FREE Maine Celtics Hat! \n*$5 from every ticket purchased will be donated back to the Maine Irish Heritage Center! \nYou will receive an order confirmation email from letsgo@fevo.com immediately after your purchase. All tickets are mobile. All sales are final. \nYou will receive an email before the game with instructions on how to pick up your free hats at the game. \nGet your tickets here: https://www.gofevo.com/event/MIHC25 URL:https://maineirish.com/event/irish-day-at-the-maine-celtics/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Irish-Day-at-the-Maine-Celtics.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260220T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260220T200000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20251126T184543Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T204933Z UID:10000771-1771612200-1771617600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:POSTPONED: The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island DESCRIPTION:This event has been postponed due to inclement weather! Stay tuned for a new date!\nThe Irish Famine Immigrant Experience on Staten Island:\nA Lecture with Loretto Leary\nFriday\, February 20th\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 Friday\, February 20th at the Maine Irish Heritage Center at 6:30 PM for an illuminating exploration of Staten Island’s profound connection to the Irish Famine immigrant story and the enduring legacy of those who never reached the lives they dreamed of. \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 Educational and Cultural Director of Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum of Fairfield and is also 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-postponed.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260206T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260206T213000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20251230T180228Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251230T180228Z UID:10000819-1770406200-1770413400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Brian Conway & Brendan Dolan Live in Concert DESCRIPTION:Friday\, February 6th\n7:30pm\nDoors open 7:00pm\nJoin us for an evening of incredible music from two legendary artists: Brian Conway and Brendan Dolan! Don’t miss your chance to immerse yourself in some traditional Irish tunes. General Admission tickets are $25\, or you can snag priority seating for just $35! Don’t wait – General Admission prices go up at the door\, and priority seating is only available in advance! \nAbout the Artists:\nBrian Conway:\nNew York born fiddler Brian Conway is a leading exponent of the tastefully ornamented Sligo fiddling style made famous by the late Michael Coleman. The winner of two All- Ireland junior titles in 1973 and 1974 and the All-Ireland senior championship of 1986\, Brian’s early studies were with his father Jim of Plumbridge\, County Tyrone and with Limerick born fiddler/teacher Martin Mulvihill. However\, it was the legendary fiddler and composer Martin Wynne who taught him the real secrets of the County Sligo style. Later\, Brian met and befriended the great Andy McGann of New York\, a direct student of Michael Coleman\, who further shaped his precision and skill on the instrument. \nIn 1979\, Brian recorded a duet album\, The Apple In Winter (Green Linnet) with fellow New York fiddler Tony Demarco. He released his debut solo CD\, First Through the Gate\, on the Smithsonian-Folkways label in July 2002. This CD was voted the Album of the Year by the Irish Echo. Brian is also featured on the CD\, My Love is in America\, recorded at the Boston College Irish Fiddle Festival\, and on the documentary “Shore to Shore” which highlights traditional Irish music in New York. He is considered one of the musical rocks of the New York area. \nIn 2007\, Brian released a CD titled A Tribute to Andy McGann on the prestigious Irish Label Cló Iar-Chonnachta. This CD pairs up Irish Music legends Joe Burke and Felix Dolan along with Brian in a CD which has received glowing accolades since its release in the summer of 2007. Brian followed this CD with a much-anticipated Solo CD titled “Consider the Source” in deference to the rich environment from which Brian learned his music. This CD was released in 2008 on the Cló Iar-Chonnachta Label. This CD features guest appearances by music greats Niamh Parsons\, Dan Milner\, Billy McComiskey\, Joannie Madden\, Felix Dolan\, and Brendan Dolan. Earle Hitchner of the Irish Echo described this CD as “Easily one of the best releases this year.” Brian followed up that recording with the highly acclaimed Pride of New York\, and last year\, in 2017\, recorded with the group Gailfean\, featuring John Whelan\, Mairtin DeCogain and Don Penzien. \nBrian remains faithful to the rich tradition handed down to him. The distinctness of his tone\, the lift of his playing\, and the deft ornamentation he brings to the tunes have placed him among the finest Irish fiddlers of any style\, Sligo or otherwise. He has performed all over North America from San Francisco to New York and places in between\, such as Chicago\, Milwaukee and Colorado. His talents have also been enthusiastically received throughout Ireland and the rest of Europe. He is also considered one of the premier instructors of traditional Irish music who has mentored many fine fiddle players\, including several who have gone on to win All-Ireland championships. \nLearn more at www.brianconway.com \n“Certainly one of the finest Irish-American musician fiddlers…”\n– Dirty Linen Magazine  \nIrish Echo’s Top Trad Artist for 2008 \nBrendan Dolan:\nBrendan is the son of legendary pianist\, Felix Dolan\, and set dancer\, Joan Dolan. Brendan learned his music from his parents while growing up in Golden’s Bridge\, NY. playing frequently at events with their neighbors\, Eugene and Celia Clancy and their children at Irish events around Westchester County.  While at college at Brown University\, Brendan connected with local musicians in Providence\, Rhode Island and became passionate about the music.  With New York transplant\, Jimmy Devine and his student Tina Lech\, Brendan began playing ceilis and occasional sessions with the Providence Ceili Club.  After graduation\, Brendan starting playing regular ceilis with accordionist Kevin Killeen at St. Mary’s in Woodside where he was encouraged by accordion great\, Gerry Lynch. \nThroughout the 1990s\, Brendan worked in advertising and played ceilis\, sessions and concerts on the weekends\, most often with accordionist\, Patty Furlong and Mayo native fiddler\, Fiona Doherty.  At the same time\, Brendan regularly played for dance competitions along with his father throughout the year. \nDuring this time\, Brendan learned the whistle and the flute from his father and from the great flute players\, Joanie Madden and Catherine McEvoy.  He got to know and play with many of the great New York musicians such as Eamon O’Leary\, Patrick Ourceau and Dana Lyn playing sessions at places like Mona’s and The Scratcher. \nIn the late 90s\, Brendan went back to school to study music at SUNY New Paltz and music education at Queens College.  After teaching at St. John’s Preparatory School in Astoria and at Franklin Central School in Franklin\, NY\, Brendan began teaching Irish music at the Mineola Irish Center and the New York Irish Center in Long Island City. He also started teaching and coaching groups in the Pearl River assisting the great musicians and teachers\, Rose Flanagan\, Margie Mulvihill and Patty Furlong. \nAfter earning a Master’s degree in Irish Studies at NYU\, Brendan spent the next three years as the main archivist on the Mick Moloney Irish-American Music and Popular Culture Collection. \nHe is currently Music Director at Avenues: The World School in Manhattan\, while continuing to play and teach Irish music. \nOver the years\, Brendan has recorded with Patrick Ourceau\, Patty Furlong\, Kathy Ludlow and Mary Coogan\, Billy McComiskey\, Brian Conway\, Mick Moloney and The Green Fields of America and the Pride of New York\, of which he is a member. \nBrendan also taught at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins West Virginia\, and continues to teach at the Irish Arts Week in East Durham\, New York. \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/brian-conway-and-brendan-dolan/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Brian-Conway-Brendan-Dolan-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260203T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260203T203000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20260112T165718Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260115T175720Z UID:10000823-1770143400-1770150600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Author Talk: Betsy Cornwell DESCRIPTION:In conversation with Patrisha McLean\nTuesday\, February 3rd\, 2026\n6:30pm\nDoors open at 6:00pm\n  \nJoin us for another Brigid’s Day program: a Maine Irish Author Talk with Betsy Cornwell! Focusing on her new memoir\, “Ring of Salt\,” Betsy will be in conversation with Patrisha McLean\, founder of Finding our Voices. We will have books for sale (and signing!) at the event from Print: A Bookstore! \n  \nAbout the Author:\nBetsy Cornwell is a New York Times bestselling author of six novels and founder of The Old Knitting Factory\, an arts residency and retreat space for single parents in Connemara. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame and a BA from Smith College\, and currently teaches at the University of Galway. She serves as a mentor for the Irish Writers Centre and was the first recipient of their Blue Mountains (Australia) Residency in 2023. \nLearn more here: https://www.betsycornwell.com/about \n  \n\n\nAbout the Book:\n“Extraordinarily moving\, exquisitely written and socially revolutionary”—The Irish Times \n“Ring of Salt is so vast and tender and urgent\, it’s almost like reading a novel. I couldn’t put it down. I haven’t cheered for a heroine like Betsy in ages.” —Jen Hatmaker\, author of Awake \nFor readers of Maggie Smith and Stephanie Land\, an inspiring and lyrical memoir about a writer and mother who flees an abusive marriage and must learn to reclaim the story of her life through a search for home on Ireland’s wild\, western coast. \nAt twenty-four\, Betsy Cornwell runs away to Ireland for a fresh start. Leaving behind a painful past\, she chases her dream of becoming a novelist to the misty shores of the Aran Islands. There she meets a handsome and charming horse trainer\, and her life takes on the glow of a fairy tale when they elope to Gretna Green. \nFive years later\, her happy ending has twisted into a nightmare. Betsy is trapped in an abusive marriage\, isolated and afraid with a newborn baby. On her son’s first birthday\, she must flee home again\, this time turning to the women around her—her local survivor support group\, a trusted family friend\, and an online Smith College alumnae network—for help she’d never known she could ask for. \nAfter a brush with homelessness\, she struggles to scrape together a living for herself and her son. On sleepless nights\, she scrolls through real estate listings that might as well be castles in the air\, and starts to foster an impossible dream: What if she could use her writing to buy a home\, one that no one could take away from her and her baby? One that might become a haven\, not just for her family\, but other single parent artists and writers\, too? \nWhen she discovers a historic knitting factory and former cinema on Ireland’s rugged Connemara coastline\, left empty and crumbling for years\, that precarious dream becomes her lifeline. Over the next two years she works to crowdfund the old knitting factory’s purchase by sharing its story and her own\, in candid posts that range from the unexpectedly steep learning curves she encounters with home renovations and internet dating\, to her heartbreaking fight to keep custody of her son\, with her growing online community. But as the deadline to buy nears\, she realizes she will have to reckon with everything she believes about family\, survival\, and what happily-ever-after truly means for her dream to have any chance of coming true. \nRing of Salt combines a powerful and relatable narrative of survivorship and healing with lush writing about the windswept landscapes and rich mythology of rural Ireland to craft a real-world fairy tale about the ordinary\, but no less life-changing\, forms of magic we can all access: vulnerability\, community\, and the power of telling your own story. \n\nAbout Patrisha McLean:\nPatrisha McLean is the Founder+CEO of the grassroots nonprofit Finding Our Voices which is breaking the silence of domestic abuse across Maine.. She is also the host of the Let’s Talk About It podcast that is conversations with survivors of domestic abuse\, and an online book club featuring authors talking about the domestic abuse in their books\, lives\, countries. \nBetsy Cornwell is the guest of the online Finding Our Voices Book Club on March 24 at 1 p.m. Info and sign-up is here: https://findingourvoices.net/book-club \n  \nAbout Finding Our Voices:\nFinding Our Voices is the grassroots nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse across Maine as well as providing resources and peer-support to women survivors. Its programs include preventive and educational outreach to students; access to donated dental care; financial assistance; and online support groups and Healing Together retreats. For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-author-talk-betsy-cornwell/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:book-talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Betsy-Cornwell-Banner-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T143000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T163000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20251222T185329Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260129T155735Z UID:10000817-1769956200-1769963400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Multigenerational Writing Workshop with Irish Author Áine Greaney DESCRIPTION:In collaboration with The Telling Room!\nSunday\, February 1st\n2:30-4:30pm\nAll are welcome\, entry is free!\nJoin us at the Center for an exciting afternoon of storytelling and reflection with acclaimed Irish author Áine Greaney\, in partnership with The Telling Room. This multigenerational writing workshop invites participants to come just as they are—no prior writing experience required! \nRooted in the spirit of Imbolc\, this session will explore themes of looking back and looking forward\, drawing inspiration from personal memory\, family stories\, and hopes for the season ahead. The workshop will include guided writing prompts\, followed by an optional sharing circle. Áine will also share selections from her own work\, alongside participants who wish to read aloud. \nDesigned for middle schoolers and up\, this program is ideal for individuals\, families\, and friends who want to write together across generations. Expect an encouraging\, accessible environment that centers voice\, story\, and connection. All are welcome\, however\, and we will have activities for any young friends who may not be ready to engage in the writing but wish to attend! \nDetails:\n📍 At the Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray Street\, Portland Maine\n🕝 2:30–4:30 PM\nCoffee\, tea\, hot cocoa\, juice\, and light snacks will be provided! \nThis is a special opportunity to take a workshop with Áine Greaney and engage directly with an internationally published Irish writer in an intimate\, community-centered setting. \nAbout Áine Greaney: \nÁine Greaney grew up on a small farm in County Mayo\, Ireland. In the late 1980s\, she joined the 200\,000 (approximately) young Irish who left their native land to emigrate to the U.S.\, the U.K. and elsewhere. \nGreaney’s fifth published book\, “Trespassers and Other Stories” was released in spring 2025 and is now available to order from the publisher and wherever good books are sold. Trespassers is a transatlantic collection of literary stories about characters (mostly women) who feel perpetually displaced or stuck in misfit places. \nIn America\, Greaney’s work has been cited in “Best American Essays\,” and her second novel\, “Dance Lessons” was named a “great group read” by the Women’s National Book Association. Her essay\, “Sanctuary” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. \nIn addition to her books (Simon & Schuster\, Writers Digest/Penguin Random House\, Syracuse UP)\, her essays\, features and stories have appeared in Creative Nonfiction\, The Boston Globe Magazine\, The New York Times\, Books Ireland\, KevinMD\, Another Chicago Magazine\, NPR’s WBUR Radio\, Salon\, The Mindful Word\, IMAGE Magazine\, The Irish Times\, The Wisdom Daily\, Pulse: Voices from the Heart of Medicine\, Tendon\, Johns Hopkins Center for Medical Humanities and many other publications. \nA trained teacher with a master’s degree in English and certified in leading expressive writing workshops\, she has designed and led creative and wellness writing events for 20+ years. \nLearn more about Aine Greaney: https://www.ainegreaney.com/ \nAbout the Telling Room: \nThe Telling Room was founded in 2004 by three writers—Sara Corbett\, Mike Paterniti\, and Susan Conley—who imagined that getting in touch with the youth of Portland and their stories could be like putting your ear to a seashell and hearing the whole ocean. They were right! \nEnthusiasm and demand for our programs grew exponentially—The Telling Room now works with over 2\,500 young writers each year\, reaching students and teachers from over 50 schools and serving more than 100 communities across the state of Maine annually. \nOur accomplishments have been recognized with awards and major funding from the National Endowment for the Arts\, the Maine Alliance for Arts Education’s Imagination Intensive Communities program\, Maine Arts Commission\, and the Maine Humanities Council among many others. \nIn November 2015\, our Young Writers & Leaders program won a prestigious National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award as one of the top 12 youth arts and humanities programs in the nation. In 2024\, we were awarded the Golden Apple Award by the Maine Education Association. \nLearn more about the amazing organization and the programs they offer here: https://www.tellingroom.org \n  \nGenerously Sponsored by Holiday Inn by the Bay! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/multigenerational-writing-workshop-with-irish-author-aine-greaney/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Telling-Room-Writers-Workshop-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260201T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20260112T175950Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T150947Z UID:10000825-1769950800-1769954400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Women in Social Services Panel DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, February 1st\n1:00pm-2:00pm\nJoin us for an incredible and lively panel discussion on Women in Social Services in honor of  Brigid’s Day. We will be joined by a group of phenomenal panelists who will discuss their experiences and the current healthcare climate. \nThere will be light food and warm beverages available for purchase. All are welcome for this free event! \nOur Panelists:\nCatherine Cooper\, Suicide Prevention Coordinator for VA Maine\nCatherine Cooper is a clinical social worker with more than 25 years of human services experience. She currently serves as VA Maine’s Program Manager for the Suicide Prevention Program and has been in this role since August 1\, 2022. Previously she was an Emergency Department Social Worker in Massachusetts and has held a variety of leadership positions for agencies serving adults with disabilities\, unhoused individuals and children involved in the child welfare system. Catherine also maintains a small\, part-time private practice as a therapist. She lives with her spouse and their cat in the 1840’s house of their dreams in Augusta. \nHannah Longley\, Clinician and Critical Incident Responder\, Dochas Wellness\nHannah Longley\, LCSW is a mental health clinician\, educator\, and advocate with nearly two decades of experience in crisis intervention\, trauma-informed care\, and statewide systems development. She is the Owner of Dochas Wellness\, LLC\, providing mental health training\, consultation\, and specialized support to organizations and communities across Maine. Hannah serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Central Maine Community College\, where she teaches public safety\, psychology\, and sociology courses and contributes to workforce development in crisis response.\nPreviously\, she was Director of Advocacy and Crisis Intervention at NAMI Maine\, leading statewide training initiatives\, advancing Platinum-level Crisis Intervention Teams\, managing state and federal grants\, and advocating for mental health policy and crisis system reform. Her earlier work includes leadership roles in crisis services and serving as Psychological Health Coordinator for the Maine Army National Guard. Hannah is nationally recognized for her work in law enforcement–mental health collaboration and has received multiple state and national awards. She holds a BA in Psychology from Wheaton College and an MSW from Boston College\nMary Ann Folley\, School social worker\, Bonny Eagle Middle School\nMary Ann Folley\, LCSW. I graduated with my master’s degree in Social Work concentration Child Welfare\, in 2003 from the University of Vermont. While in graduate school\, I started with grassroots social work\, working as a residential counselor for Northeastern Family Institute NFI. Upon graduation\, I went to work for SRS (current day DCF) in Vermont. I remained in that position in Vermont until 2009 when I moved to Maine. I worked for DHHS in Biddeford Maine from 2009 until 2015. After the death of my college friend and colleague Lara Sobel in Vermont\, I began to question the safety of my position. Lara was shot and killed in the parking lot of the DCF office I worked at\, by an angry parent. That same weekend\, a friend and principal at Bonny Eagle Middle School reached out and asked if I would apply for a job at his middle school. Although my heart lay with children in foster care\, I took the chance and got the job. This is my 10th year with Bonny Eagle Middle school as their General Education Social Worker. This means any student\, whether they have a special education identification or not\, can meet with me. We also have 2 other dedicated Special education social workers in our building.  I pull from all of my social work experience and schooling in each position I have held.  I thoroughly enjoy working with students in some of the most challenging schooling years of their life. If I can be a blip on their radar\, that they recall with fondness then I have done my job. \nKiley Wilkens-O’Brien\, Public health strategist\, death doula\, and leader in suicide prevention\, postvention\, and crisis system reform\, Covenstead\nKiley Wilkens-O’Brien is a public health strategist\, death doula\, and nationally recognized leader in suicide prevention\, postvention\, and crisis system reform. Her work bridges frontline care and systems change\, grounded in a deep commitment to dignity\, consent\, and meaning-making. She has led the development of Maine’s Suicide Mortality Review initiative\, supported the launch of 988 and oversaw creation of novel community-based crisis services\, such as the Living Room Crisis Center and Children’s Behavioral Health Urgent Care. She advises state and national partners on ethical\, person-centered approaches to distress. Through her community practice\, Covenstead\, she creates spaces for honest conversations about grief\, survival\, and the realities of being human. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/women-in-social-services-panel/ 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/2026/01/BD-panel-26-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251231T180000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251231T220000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250827T182716Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251231T165743Z UID:10000763-1767204000-1767218400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:New Year's Eve on Irish Time with Bailey's Mistake DESCRIPTION:Wednesday\, December 31st\n7:00pm\nDoors open at 5:30pm\nCome ring in the New Year at the Maine Irish Heritage Center with Bailey’s Mistake\, a Celtic-inspired\, four-piece folk band from right here in Maine. Known for their pulsing sound driven by bass\, drums\, and guitar\, and lifted by hearty vocal harmonies\, thrilling bagpipes\, and whistle tunes\, Bailey’s Mistake creates an irresistible energy that fills the room. \nDoors open at 5:30; Happy Hour at 6 PM – with opening act Jim Sharkey! The main show starts at 6:50 with a 10-minute countdown to the New Year’s celebration in Dublin at 7 PM. Advance general admission tickets are $35; $45 day of the show. There will be a cash bar with plenty of bubbly available for your New Year’s toast! Grab your friends\, fill a table\, and prepare to rock in the new year! \nAnd come hungry because we will have Noble Barbecue here selling their amazing sandwiches! What better way to ring in the New Year than with great music\, amazing food\, and some good craic. \nWe also have table packages available. These packages include tickets\, light snacks\, a bubbly toast\, and celebratory New Year’s swag! Tables are only available in advance! See below for pricing. \nAbout the Band: Celtic American roots music from Maine’s Bold Coast\n \nBailey’s Mistake is a not-quite-traditional\, Celtic-inspired\, four-piece folk band from Maine. The group mixes traditional music from Ireland\, Scotland and Newfoundland with brand new songs about contemporary life in New England. Bailey’s Mistake’s pulsing sound is driven by bass\, drums and guitar and topped off with hearty vocal harmonies and thrilling bagpipe and whistle tunes. \nBailey’s Mistake is made up of four seasoned musicians who all went to the same rural high school in Maine — aptly named Bonny Eagle. Collectively\, they have about 110 years of touring musical experience. \nTroy R. Bennett plays guitar\, sings soulful lead and writes most of the band’s original songs. Travis Cote learned to play the bagpipes at 10 and thrills audiences with his rhythmic\, majestic sound. Dean Clegg is the band’s inventive percussionist and oversees all technical aspects of every show. Rob Babson plays bass\, sings delicate harmonies and is the band’s musical leader. \nBailey’s Mistake has played gigs all over New England. The band is also recording and releasing one new song\, every month\, throughout 2025. \nThe band takes its name from a legend told for generations along the Maine coast. Back in the 19th century\, there was a certain ship captain named Bailey. He was trying to guide his vessel safely around West Quoddy Head Lighthouse and into Lubec Harbor. Unfortunately\, it was a foggy night and he missed. Instead of safe harbor\, Bailey ran aground in a shallow\, rocky inlet just south of the lighthouse. \nBut rather than face the wrath of the ship’s furious owners in Boston\, Bailey and his crew unloaded the lumber they had on board\, built houses in the cove and settled down with several local ladies. \nTo this day\, on most good maps\, that little harbor is simply labeled “Bailey’s Mistake.” \nLearn more about Bailey’s Mistake: https://www.baileysmistakemusic.com/ \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  \nAbout the Opening Act: Jim Sharkey\nJim 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”.   \nLearn more at https://www.jimsharkeymusic.com \n  \n  \n  \n  \nThe Food!\nWe are so excited to have Noble Pizzeria and Barbecue back at the Center! Come with an empty stomach to make sure you don’t miss out on their delicious sandwiches – for sale 5:30-8:30pm! \n \nA little bit about Noble: \nWe started as a scrappy mobile wood-fired pizza business\, slinging pies at events from upstate New York to the coast of Bar Harbor. We quickly grew into a Maine-inspired\, full service\, wood-fired catering company. Ten years and more than 600 weddings later\, the Fire & Co. flame is still burning strong. \nFrom our love of food\, traditions\, and hospitality\, Noble Barbecue was born. Always searching for better ingredients and techniques\, the Noble crew has taken numerous Southern BBQ “vacations” and East Coast pizza road trips — hard work\, but someone has to do it. \nOver the years\, we’ve watched Portland\, Maine evolve into a culinary highlight of New England. We feel confident that we have the right menu\, experience\, and people to make a new Portland institution in one of the best neighborhoods around. \nLearn more at noblepizzaandbbq.com  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/baileys-mistake/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Baileys-Mistake-nye-banner-CORRECT.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251221T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251221T153000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20251126T190116Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251126T190116Z UID:10000772-1766325600-1766331000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Solstice Storytelling at the Maine Irish Heritage Center DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is bringing the cherished Irish tradition of storytelling to Maine this winter! We will have warm drinks\, and the light in the Great Hall on the Solstice is incredible – watch the Stained Glass come to life as we share stories with each other! \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. \nWe invite you to join us this Solstice in the Great Hall! Bring a story\, a poem\, a song\, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making. \nEvent Details:\n\nLocation: 34 Gray Street\, Portland ME\nTime: 2:00pm-3:30pm\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. This gathering of storytellers is part of MIHC’s mission to share this tradition across Maine. Let’s build community together\, one story at a time. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/solstice-storytelling-at-the-maine-irish-heritage-center/ 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/SOLSTICE-Storytelling-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251204T140000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20240912T031407Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250207T193347Z UID:10000489-1764842400-1764856800@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Open Hours! DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is open to the public every Thursday from 10am-2pm! Stop in to take a tour of the building\, do some research on our genealogy station\, or peruse our library collection! \nFor more information\, contact maineirish@maineirish.com! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/open-hours-2-3/2025-12-04/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Open-Hours-Every-Thursday-from-10-to-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251120T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250822T154115Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T170514Z UID:10000760-1763659800-1763672400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Claddagh Awards 2025 DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 20th\, 2025 \nReception begins: 5:30pm \nProgramming begins: 7:00pm \nThe Maine Irish Heritage Center proudly announces the return of the Claddagh Awards\, a cherished tradition honoring the Irish values of friendship\, loyalty\, and community. Each year\, the award is presented to a distinguished individual in Maine whose life of service strengthens our communities and inspires others through their leadership and commitment.  \nThis year\, we are honored to present the 2025 Claddagh Award to Congresswoman Chellie Pingree\, in recognition of her decades of dedicated public service to Maine. The award will be presented by Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason\, Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States\, who will be making an official visit to Maine.  \nThe evening will also include the presentation of the Halla Cairde Award to Will Woodson and Cait Finley\, recognizing their enduring contributions to our community.  \nGeneral Admission tickets are priced at $100\, and there are ticket sponsorships available for $250 and $500! Members of the Maine Irish Heritage Center may purchase tickets at a $50 discounted price with an exclusive code! For ticketing questions or to obtain your member discount code\, please reach out to events@maineirish.com! \nEvening Program \n5:30 – 6:30 PM | Reception in the Great Hall\nEnjoy a glass of bubbly and conversation in the Great Hall. Surrounded by gorgeous architecture\, stained glass\, and the beautiful music of Maine’s premier Celtic Folk duo\, Castlebay!  \n6:00 PM | Bell Ringing\nGuests are invited to gather as the bell rings out across Portland in honor of our Claddagh Recipient. \n6:00 – 7:00 PM | Food & Bar Open in the Downstairs Function Room\nA festive hour of food\, drinks\, and community. Complete with music from our incredible Halla Cairde inductees\, Will Woodson and Cait Finley!  \n7:00 – 8:00 PM | Awards & Speeches  \n8:00 – 9:00 PM | Social Hour\nAn opportunity to reconnect\, celebrate\, and enjoy community in the spirit of the Claddagh.  \n\n2025 Claddagh Award Recipient: Chellie Pingree \nChellie Pingree never anticipated a life in politics. Living on the offshore island of North Haven\, Maine\, she raised her kids and ran a small business. She served on the school board and as the local tax assessor\, a job no one else in town wanted. But in 1991\, when she was approached about running for State Senate\, she jumped at the chance.  \nShe scored a remarkable upset\, defeating a popular Republican\, and went on to serve four terms in the Maine Senate. But throughout her political career\, from Augusta to Washington and beyond\, the lessons she learned on North Haven have always been her guide: Be accountable to your neighbors\, and always use your common sense.  \nChellie Johnson (she has legally changed her name from “Rochelle”) was born in Minneapolis\, Minnesota\, in 1955\, the youngest of four children. Her father\, Harry\, worked in advertising and her mother\, Dorothy\, was a nurse. Chellie moved to Maine as a teenager\, attended the University of Southern Maine\, and graduated from the College of the Atlantic\, in Bar Harbor. After college\, she moved to North Haven\, an island town of 350 people twelve miles off the coast of Rockland\, to raise her family and make a living.  \nIn 2008\, Chellie was elected to Congress from Maine’s 1st Congressional District—the first woman elected to Congress from that District. She has previously served on the House Rules Committee and Armed Services Committee. She currently sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee\, chairing the Subcommittee on Interior and the Environment\, the Subcommittee on Agriculture\, and Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. She also sits on the House Agriculture Committee.    \nAmong other issues important to Mainers\, Chellie has been an advocate in Congress for reforming federal policy to better support the diverse range of American agriculture—including sustainable\, organic\, and locally focused farming—as well as to reduce food waste. Many provisions from comprehensive legislation she introduced to make these reforms were passed in both the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. She received a 2017 James Beard Leadership Award for her national leadership in food system reform.  \nChellie has also been recognized for her leadership on a number of other issues\, including assisting survivors of military sexual trauma\, strengthening the creative and arts economy\, and helping coastal communities address threats to their future.  \nChellie has three grown children—Asa\, Cecily\, and Hannah\, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.  \nLearn More about Chellie Pingree here: https://pingree.house.gov/  \n  \nCladdagh Award Presenter: Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason\, Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States \nAmbassador Geraldine Byrne Nason assumed her role as Ireland’s 19th Ambassador to the United States in August 2022. Ambassador Byrne Nason was previously Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations in New York (2017- 22). Previously\, she served as Ambassador to France (2014-17)\, Second Secretary General in the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) (2011-14)\, Ambassador and Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU (2005-11))\, and Director of the National Forum on Europe (2004-05).  \nDuring her career\, Ambassador Byrne Nason has served in Brussels\, New York\, Paris\, Vienna and Helsinki. As Second Secretary-General in the Department of the Taoiseach from 2011-2014\, she was the highest ranking female public servant in Ireland. During that period\, she also was Secretary General of Ireland’s Economic Management Council.  \nOn her arrival in New York\, Ambassador Byrne Nason led Ireland’s successful campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council\, and led the New York Security Council team for the 2021-2022 term. Ambassador Byrne Nason was Chair of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) for 2018 and 2019. She has also co-chaired high-level political negotiations on the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela and on the ‘Samoa pathway’ for Small Island Developing States.  \nA native of County Louth\, in 2020 Ambassador Byrne Nason was awarded the Freedom of Drogheda\, the town’s highest honour and was the third woman to receive the award of its 35 recipients. In 2014\, Ambassador Byrne Nason was elected a Member of the Royal Irish Academy\, Ireland’s highest academic honour. Ambassador Byrne Nason holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Maynooth University as well as Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Literature from Saint Patrick’s College in Maynooth (NUIM).  \n  \n2025 Halla Cairde Inductees: Will Woodson and Cait Finley  \nWill Woodson (flute\, uilleann pipes) and Cait Finley (fiddle) play sparky and driving traditional Irish music that’s grounded in the textures and rhythms of the rich Irish-American soundscape of the 1920s and 30s. With roots in the living Irish musical cultures of Boston\, New York City\, and Philadelphia\, and a tremendous admiration for the first generation of recorded Irish musicians\, the duo conjures up the sounds of the dance halls\, vaudeville theaters\, and house sessions central to Irish-American music from the first half of the twentieth century. In 2019\, the two recorded their debut album\, “The Glory Reel” alongside box player and piano accompanist Chris “Junior” Stevens\, which Dan Neely of the Irish Echo called “a fabulous album from three of Irish America’s finest.” During the pandemic years\, the two made “The Phonograph Project”\, a Patreon-supported series examining 78 recordings of traditional Irish music made in New York City in the 1920s and 30s. More recently\, they’ve made musical appearances at the St. Louis Tionól\, the Patrick J. Touhey Memorial Weekend in Boston and the Ward Archives “Archiving Irish America” conference in Milwaukee. Cait and Will live in Portland\, Maine\, and host a regular weekly session at The Continental that starts at 8 pm on Sundays. You can find them online at woodsonfinley.com.  \n  \nPast Claddagh Award Recipients \n\n2019 – George Campbell\, Jr. \n\n\n2018 – David T. Flanagan \n\n\n2017 – Senator Susan Collins \n\n\n2016 – Michael Connolly \n\n\n2015 – Jim Wellehan \n\n\n2014 – Sara J. Burns \n\n\n2013 – Moira Hastings Fuller \n\n\n2012 – Senator George J. Mitchell \n\n\n2011 – William J. Ryan \n\n\n2010 – Cynthia Murray Beliveau \n\n\n2009 – Gerard P. Conley\, Sr. \n\n\n2008 – Governor Joseph E. Brennan \n\nLearn more about past claddagh winners here: https://maineirish.com/videos/  \n  \n\nAbout Castlebay: \nJulia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs\, many of which are from Ireland\, brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast\, in the woods\, farms\, and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1\,000 songs\, from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance.  \nIn addition to singing these versions of old Irish music\, Castlebay shares the lore and history of this potent musical legacy\, which embodies stories of romance and rogues\, shipwreck and survival\, as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs\, “mending” them\, and publishing a series titled Bygone Ballads of Maine. Volume 1\, Songs of Ships and Sailors\, was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs\, Bound Away and The Maid on the Shore\, which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process.  \nFor over 30 years\, Castlebay has toured the eastern US\, Scotland\, England\, and Ireland\, being appreciated at arts centers\, folk clubs\, festivals\, schools\, and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings\, and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website: www.castlebay.net  \n  \nThank you to our Sponsors!\nLibrary Sponsors: \nPatricia McDonough Dunn\nRose Window Sponsors:\nRichard Brown & Family\nCoffee By Design\n \nMiss Portland Diner\n \nStained Glass Sponsors:\nJanine Manning\nMary McAleney\nAnn O’Hagan\nLocal #861 of the International Longshoremen Association\nCairde Sponsors:\nMere Point Oyster Co.\nMary Burke\nPeter J. Callnan\nJohn Foley\nJohn J. Hennessy\nJenny & Russ Wolff\nInterested in becoming a sponsor for this event? Click HERE to learn more! \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/claddagh-awards-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Claddagh-SAVE-THE-DATE-Presentation.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251116T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251116T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250912T162630Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251017T151511Z UID:10000767-1763294400-1763305200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:A Maine Irish Song Project Workshop with Castlebay DESCRIPTION:A Maine Irish Song Project Workshop with Castlebay\nSunday\, November 16th\n12:00pm-3:00pm\nGo deeper into the living tradition of Maine’s Irish songs with an intimate\, hands-on workshop led by Castlebay (Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee)\, Maine’s premier Celtic folk duo. Building on their concert performance\, this workshop will guide participants through the fascinating process of uncovering\, preserving\, and performing songs collected in Maine’s Irish communities during the early 20th century. \nThis workshop offers a unique opportunity to not only enjoy Maine’s traditional Irish songs but to actively engage with them. Whether you are a musician\, singer\, historian\, or simply curious about Maine’s cultural heritage\, you’ll come away with new insights into the stories\, humor\, and humanity woven into this potent musical legacy. \nAbout the Artists\nJulia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs many of which are from Ireland brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast\, in the woods\, farms and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1000 songs from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance. In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music\, Castlebay will share the lore and history of this potent musical legacy which embodies stories of romance and rogues\, shipwreck and survival as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs\, “mending” them\, and publishing a series titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine”. Volume 1\, “Songs of Ships and Sailors” was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs “Bound Away” and “The Maid on the Shore” which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process. \nFor over 30 years\, Castlebay has toured the eastern US\, Scotland\, England and Ireland being appreciated at arts centers\, folk clubs\, festivals\, schools and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website www.castlebay.net \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nWant more? Castlebay will be LIVE in concert on Saturday\, November 15th at 7:30pm. Click HERE to learn more!\nMany thanks to our Sponsor for this Event:\nHyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square URL:https://maineirish.com/event/a-maine-irish-song-project-workshop-with-castlebay/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Community,Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Maine-Irish-Song-Project-Workshop.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251115T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251115T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250912T162135Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251017T151243Z UID:10000766-1763235000-1763240400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Song Project with CASTLEBAY DESCRIPTION:Castlebay Presents the Maine Irish Song Project\nA CONCERT OF MAINE’S TRADITIONAL IRISH SONGS\nSaturday\, November 15th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nMaine’s premier Celtic folk duo Castlebay will present a concert of Maine’s traditional Irish songs at the Maine Irish Heritage Center. The concert will include ballads and blarney gleaned from Maine’s vibrant Irish tradition accompanied with 12-string guitar\, Celtic harp\, fiddle and tin whistle. \nThis performance offers a rare opportunity to experience Maine’s Irish musical heritage in an intimate setting. With over three decades of touring throughout the U.S.\, Scotland\, England\, and Ireland\, and more than two dozen recordings\, Castlebay brings authenticity\, scholarship\, and artistry to every note! \nGeneral Admission is $25\, or you can snag front row seats for $35 – and don’t wait! General Admission will go up to $30 at the door\, and Priority Seating is only available in advance! \nAbout the Artists\n \nJulia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs many of which are from Ireland brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast\, in the woods\, farms and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1000 songs from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance. In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music\, Castlebay will share the lore and history of this potent musical legacy which embodies stories of romance and rogues\, shipwreck and survival as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs\, “mending” them\, and publishing a series titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine”. Volume 1\, “Songs of Ships and Sailors” was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs “Bound Away” and “The Maid on the Shore” which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process. \n \nFor over 30 years\, Castlebay has toured the eastern US\, Scotland\, England and Ireland being appreciated at arts centers\, folk clubs\, festivals\, schools and on radio and television. They have released over two dozen recordings and their music has been used on numerous video soundtracks. More information is available at their website www.castlebay.net \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nWant more? Castlebay is holding a workshop at the Center on Sunday\, November 16th from 12-3pm. Click HERE to learn more!\n  \nMany thanks to our Sponsor for this Event:\nHyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-song-project-with-castlebay/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Performance,Tickteted Performance ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Maine-Irish-Song-Project-Concert.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251113T160000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250807T173541Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250807T173541Z UID:10000752-1763042400-1763049600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Makes: November DESCRIPTION: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. \nHeld 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. \nJoin us on the Third Thursday of each month! Free and open to all. Drop in\, bring a friend\, and get making! \nPlease note the date change for this month’s meeting to accommodate our event schedule! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-makes-november-25/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Maine-Irish-makes-banner-NOV-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251108T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251108T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250725T154037Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251024T141924Z UID:10000737-1762592400-1762614000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Annual Celtic Fair 2025 DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, November 8th\n9:00am-3:00pm\nWe are excited to bring back another year of festive holiday fun at our Annual Celtic Fair! Join us as part of the 14th annual State Street Holiday Stroll. \nThe Celtic Christmas Fair features a light luncheon menu\, hot and cold beverages\, baked goods\, a raffle table\, music\, and more. We’ll have featured performances from the incredible Stillson School of Irish Dance! We draw crowds for the beautiful artistry as well as the luncheon and lively entertainment. We hope you can join us for what has become a wonderful holiday tradition. \n  \n  \nVendor Applications are CLOSED! If you are interested in being on our list for next year\, please email events@maineirish.com URL:https://maineirish.com/event/annual-celtic-fair-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Celtic-Fair-Banner-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251029T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250930T210830Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251010T180834Z UID:10000769-1761764400-1761771600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Matthew Jude Barker Launches 'Becoming American' and 'The Blue and The Green' DESCRIPTION:A Maine Irish Author Event\nWednesday\, October 29th\n7:00pm\nJoin us for an exciting evening with local author and historian Matt Barker! \nLimited books will be available at the event\, but we are offering pre-orders that may be picked up at the event! \nPreorder HERE! \nMatt 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. \nAbout the Author \nMatthew 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. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nAbout the Books:\nBecoming American \nThe 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. \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \nThe Blue and The Green \nThe 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. \nAs 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. \nBarker 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. \nThis 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. \nRich 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. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/matthew-jude-barker-book-launch/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Mat-Barker-Book-Launch.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251019T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251019T160000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250930T204755Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251016T153607Z UID:10000768-1760882400-1760889600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Community Town Hall DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, October 19th\n2-4pm\nAt the MIHC\nJoin us for an afternoon of conversation and community.\n\nThe 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.\n\nAt 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.\n\nDuring 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.\n\nCome share your perspective\, learn about the Center’s progress\, and be part of our forward momentum.\n\nThis event is free and open to all. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/community-town-hall/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Town-Hall-10.19-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251016T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250916T172737Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250916T172737Z UID:10000765-1760641200-1760648400@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Michael C. Connolly launches 'As the Twig is Bent' DESCRIPTION:Michael C. Connolly Launches “As the Twig is Bent”\nA Maine Irish Author Event\nThursday\, October 16th\n7:00pm\nDoors open at 6:30pm\nJoin 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”! \n__________________________________________________________\nAbout the Book\nA 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. \nYoung 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. \n“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.”\n— Rusty and Sue Atwood\, Former Maine Historical Society Trustee\, and retired educators in Gorham\, Maine \n“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.”\n— Jean Haney\, Entrepreneur and Maine Irish Heritage Center volunteer extraordinaire \n“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.”\n— Dr. Mark Hibben\, Professor of Political Science at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine \nLearn more at https://tower-pub.myshopify.com/ \n__________________________________________________________\nAbout the Author\nMike 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. \n\n\n__________________________________________________________\n\nOther works\nThey Change Their Sky: The Irish in Maine \nJohn Ford in Focus \nSeated by the Sea \nMurky Overhead \nEver the Twain Shall Meet URL:https://maineirish.com/event/michael-c-connolly-launches-as-the-twig-is-bent-2/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/As-the-twig-is-bent-banner.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251010T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251010T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250825T181152Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251010T184739Z UID:10000761-1760124600-1760130000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Irish Rebel Songs Workshop with Davy Holden DESCRIPTION:Friday\, October 10th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nJoin 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. \nGeneral 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! \nAbout Davy Holden\nMeet Davy Holden\, an Irish historian\, storyteller and video creator hailing from south Kilkenny\, Ireland.\n\nDavy’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.\n\nSince 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.\n\nLearn more at https://davyholdenhistory.com/\n\n\n\nFeaturing music from the incredible Jim Sharkey!\n\nJim 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”.   \nLearn more at https://www.jimsharkeymusic.com URL:https://maineirish.com/event/irish-rebel-songs-workshop-with-davy-holden/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Irish-Rebel-Songs-Workshop.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250917T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250805T202238Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T202238Z UID:10000739-1758099600-1758121200@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Interviews with Thomas Hubka DESCRIPTION: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! \nInterested 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! \n  \nThank you to our sponsor for this event: Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square!\n \n  URL:https://maineirish.com/event/interviews-with-thomas-hubka/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/INTERVIEWS-Irish-Maids-and-Portlands-Houses-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250916T203000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250805T202153Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250825T174125Z UID:10000738-1758047400-1758054600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Irish Maids and Portland's Houses DESCRIPTION:Homes\, Histories\, and Women’s Networks\nTuesday\, September 16th\n6:30pm\nJoin us on Tuesday\, September 16th at 6:30pm for a lecture with Thomas C. Hubka\, Architectural & Cultural Historian. \nBehind 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. \nThis 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. \nWhether 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. \nProfessor 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! \n  \nAbout Thomas C. Hubka\n 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 \nHis 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). \nHis 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. \nHe 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. \n  \nThank you to our sponsor for this event: Hyatt Place Portland Downtown-Old Port Square!\n \n\nInterested in learning more on this subject? There are some fantastic local researches doing great work right here in Portland!\nCheck out the Portland Bridgit Project to learn more:\n\nThe 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 URL:https://maineirish.com/event/irish-maids-and-portlands-houses/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Irish-Maids-and-Portlands-Houses-2-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250913T150000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250828T173714Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T173714Z UID:10000764-1757754000-1757775600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:MIHC Day of Caring 2025 DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, September 13th\n9:00am-3:00pm\nWe are looking for:\nPainters | Carpenters | Cleaners | Gardeners\n  \nThe 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. \nWe 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. \nIf 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! \n  \nDay of Caring Project Options:\nInterior Cleaning: \nSweeping\, mopping\, vacuuming\, and dusting \nExterior Cleaning: \nPicking up trash\, removing debris\, etc \nGardening: \nWeeding\, pruning\, and otherwise tending to flowerbeds \nPainting: \nRepainting doors\, pillars\, walls\, and trim \nCarpentry: \nFixing doors & cabinets\, repurposing old scrap wood \nSpecial Projects: \nWe have a number of larger carpentry & electrical projects for larger\, experienced teams. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/mihc-day-of-caring-2025/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Day-of-Caring-Graphic-169.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250905T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250703T153732Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T190129Z UID:10000723-1757100600-1757106000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Lane to the Glen in Concert DESCRIPTION:Friday. September 5th\n7:30pm\nDoors open at 7:00pm\nJoin us for an incredible evening of music with Lane to the Glen! \nTickets 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! \nAbout Lane to the Glen   \nSligo Traditional Trio comprising Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle)\, Daithí Gormley (accordion)\, Samantha Harvey (piano\, dance) \nOisín 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. \nDaithí 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. \nOisín 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. \nLearn More about the artists:\nhttps://lanetotheglen.com/ \nhttps://lanetotheglen.bandcamp.com/ \n  \nA Huge thank you to our Sponsor for this event:\nHoliday Inn By the Bay! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/lane-to-the-glen-in-concert/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lane-to-the-Glen-banner-with-spons.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250627T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250627T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250506T190412Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250624T180852Z UID:10000717-1751049000-1751058000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Robert Breen Launches "The Light of Civil Day" - A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION: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!\nOur 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! \nAll 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! \n\n  \nAbout the Author:\nPhilosophy of Poet Robert Breen \nTragic be as it may. \nTime does not heal\, \nit whispers \nan epic narrative differently. \nWarfare ought \nnot occur after Troy. \n  \nI 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. \n \nRobert (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. \n\n  \nAbout the Book\nIn 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. \nWith 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! \n  \n  \n  \nEnjoy this example of Robert Breen’s work:\nSkating\nYour joy\,\nOur civility\,\nin harmony\,\nwith sharing\na cooperation\nto be amiable.\nAll in balance on a thin single blade. \n\n\nWe are also launching the newly printed Second Edition of Bobby’s magnificent collection\, Shore Digger!\nA 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! \n  \n  \n  \n  \nCan’t get enough? Us either! We are also carrying Bobby’s first chapbook\, Undertow: A Tide Pool of Poems!\nRobert 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! \n  \n  \n  \n  \nFeatured Musician:\nJulia Lane – Celtic Harp\, Song and Story\nJulia 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. \nFor more information\nwebsite www.castlebay.net\nphone 207-529-5438\nemail castlebay@castlebay.net URL:https://maineirish.com/event/robert-breen-the-light-of-civil-day/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Bobby-Breen-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250612T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20240806T041527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241212T034800Z UID:10000406-1749756600-1749762000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Surrender: 40 Songs\, One Story" by Bono DESCRIPTION:“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. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-26/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/surrender.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T140000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250601T160000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250424T161527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250424T161527Z UID:10000714-1748786400-1748793600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Jack Cashman's "An Irishman's Story Of Survival": A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Sunday\, June 1st\n2:00pm\nJoin 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! \nAbout the Author:\n \nJack 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. \nLearn more at https://jackcashman.com/ \nAbout the Book:\n \nEvery 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. \nKevin 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. \nCan 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. \nThe winner of a Bookfest award in historical fiction and an International Impact Book award\, this novel is not one to skip! URL:https://maineirish.com/event/jack-cashmans-an-irishmans-story-of-survival-a-maine-irish-author-event/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Jack-Cashman.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250511T133000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250511T170000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250424T163028Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T175341Z UID:10000715-1746970200-1746982800@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Vivid Motion's Grania: Tea and History DESCRIPTION: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! \nMaine Irish members get $5 off advanced tickets – email events@maineirish for the code! \nAbout the Event:\nGrania: Pirate Queen\nCo-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! \nShows May 9 -11\, 2025 at The Hill Arts\nFri 7:30pm; Sat 2:30pm & 7:30pm; Sun 2:30pm\nTickets: Advance $25 Adult\, $10 Under 12 | Door $30 Adult\, $15 Under 12 \nGet tickets here: https://thehillarts.ticketspice.com/grania-pirate-queen-presented-by-vivid-motion-dance URL:https://maineirish.com/event/vivid-motions-grania-tea-and-history/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/04.1_vm_SP25-1920x1080px-169.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250510T213000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250401T161026Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250401T164324Z UID:10000713-1746905400-1746912600@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Jennifer Elwell Comeau's ' A Moon in All Things': A Maine Irish Author Event DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, May 10th\n7:30pm\nAn Evening of Storytelling\, Reading\, and Music from the Debut Novel with Songs A Moon in All Things\n\n\n\n\nJennifer 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.” \nBook Trailer: https://youtu.be/t-VJBWPOwoA?si=X2vQBuC7dI6MlY0R \nABOUT ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’\n\n\n\n\n\nOn 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. \n\n\n\n\n\nBut 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.” \nPRAISE FOR ‘A MOON IN ALL THINGS’ \n“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  \n“Tears\, sighs\, fabulous!”—Geralyn White Dreyfous\, Academy Award-winning film producer   \n“Atmospheric\, subtle\, and captivating”—Foreward Reviews\, Clarion  \n“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.  \n“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) \n“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 \n“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\n \n“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  \n“You nailed it.” – Annaliese Jakimides\, poet\, essayist\, copy editor  \n“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  \n“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.  \nABOUT JENNIFER ELWELL COMEAU \nJennifer 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.   \nHer 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.  \nLearn More: www.jennifercomeau.com URL:https://maineirish.com/event/jennifer-elwell-comeaus-a-moon-in-all-things-a-maine-irish-author-event/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/A-MOON-IN-ALL-THINGS-2.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T210000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20240806T041052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250411T233710Z UID:10000405-1746732600-1746738000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Maine Irish Reads "Trespasses" by Louise Kennedy DESCRIPTION: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. \nWhen 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. \nWith 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. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-reads-25/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States CATEGORIES:Maine Irish Reads ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/trespasses.jpeg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250508T110000 DTSTAMP:20260404T011619 CREATED:20250429T195455Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250429T211136Z UID:10000716-1746694800-1746702000@maineirish.com SUMMARY:Spring Volunteer Orientation DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, May 8th\n9am-11am\nWhether 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.\n\nCome learn how your time and talents can help bring Maine’s Irish heritage to life!\n\nWe’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.\n\nRSVPs are appreciated — follow the link below to let us know you’re coming. URL:https://maineirish.com/event/spring-volunteer-orientation/ LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Maine-Irish-Volunteer-Orientation.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR