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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261107T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261107T213000
DTSTAMP:20260925T153817Z
CREATED:20260924T173211Z
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UID:10001152-1794067200-1794087000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Maine Irish Song Project with CASTLEBAY
DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, November 7th\, 2026\nAt the Maine Irish Heritage Center\nWorkshop: 4:00pm-6:00pm\nDinner: 6:00pm-7:00pm\nConcert: 7:30pm\, doors open at 7:00pm\nA CONCERT OF MAINE’S TRADITIONAL IRISH SONGS\nMaine’s premier Celtic folk duo Castlebay will present a concert of Maine’s traditional Irish songs at the Maine Irish Heritage Center in Portland on Saturday\, November 7th at 7:30pm 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! \nIn addition to the concert\, Castlebay will be offering an exclusive workshop\, and the opportunity to have dinner with the artists!\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. We’d also love to encourage our workshop participants to bring and share their family songs! Whether it’s the lullaby your grandmother used to sing\, or something that’s been passed down for generations\, we’d love to hear it. \nIn the break between the workshop and concert\, the artists would love to invite workshop participants to join them for a communal dinner. This will be BYO food\, with light snacks and drinks available for purchase from the Center! \nAbout the Artists:\n Julia Lane & Fred Gosbee have been exploring and transcribing archives of music collected in Maine in the early 20th century. Collectors ranged throughout the state gathering hundreds of traditional songs many of which are from Ireland brought by the people emigrating and settling here and working on the coast\, in the woods\, farms and factories. Field recordings and journals document over 1000 songs from which the duo have selected and arranged music for performance. In addition to singing these versions of old Irish music\, Castlebay will share the lore and history of this potent musical legacy which embodies stories of romance and rogues\, shipwreck and survival as well as a good dose of humor and blarney. The duo has transcribed many of these songs\, “mending” them\, and publishing a series titled “Bygone Ballads of Maine”. Volume 1\, “Songs of Ships and Sailors” was presented by Loomis House Press in 2021 and is available in local bookstores as well as online. Castlebay has recorded two albums of these songs “Bound Away” and “The Maid on the Shore” which are available from their website. A subsequent volume and recording of Maine’s Irish songs is in process. \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.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/maine-irish-song-project-with-castlebay-2026/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261112T203000
DTSTAMP:20260917T152330Z
CREATED:20260911T212835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260917T152330Z
UID:10001150-1794510000-1794515400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Mary Beth Keane: Whale Harbor
DESCRIPTION:A Maine Irish Author Event with Print: A Bookstore\nThursday\, November 12th\, 2026\n7:00 PM\nJoin us on Thursday\, November 12th for an evening of conversation with New York Times bestselling author Mary Beth Keane as she launches her new novel\, Whale Harbor. Keziah Weir\, author of The Mythmakers\, will moderate the discussion.  \nBooks will be available for sale and signing courtesy of Print: A Bookstore. \nABOUT WHALE HARBOR\nFrom New York Times bestselling author of the “magnificent” (Fresh Air)\, “propulsive” (People)\, and “profound” (Vogue) Ask Again\, Yes\, a sweeping multi-generational saga inspired by the author’s own family history\, following eleven brothers torn apart and set on different paths between Ireland\, England\, Montana\, and New York. \n1960s\, Ireland. In the wake of tragedy\, a father makes choices for his eleven grieving sons. The older brothers will emigrate to England for work\, while the younger ones will stay behind. The second eldest\, Macdara\, is offered a job on a Montana cattle ranch and sets off. His spirited younger brother Rian begs Mac to take him along and Mac promises to bring Rian to America as soon as he’s old enough. But then one day Mac gets a call that Rian has disappeared. It’s a call that will haunt Mac and his family across decades. \nSpanning lifetimes and continents\, Whale Harbor is an expansive and unforgettable novel written with award-winning author Mary Beth Keane’s signature wit\, eloquence\, and attention to the emotional resonance of family. \nABOUT MARY BETH KEANE\nMary Beth Keane was awarded a John S. Guggenheim fellowship for fiction writing\, and has received citations from the National Book Foundation\, PEN America\, and the Hemingway Society. She is the author of The Half Moon\, The Walking People\, Fever\, and Ask Again\, Yes\, which spent eight weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List. To date\, Ask Again\, Yes has been translated into twenty-two languages. \nWhale Harbor\, her fifth novel\, is forthcoming in North America and the U.K. in November 2026\, and in Ireland January 2027. \nPhoto credit: Jesse Dittmar \n  \nABOUT KEZIAH WEIR\n \nKeziah Weir is the author of the novel The Mythmakers\, which was named a New York Times Book Review ​Editors’ Choice and a best book of the year by Harper’s Bazaar and Barnes & Noble. She has previously worked as a senior staff writer and editor at Vanity Fair\, and on the editorial team at Elle. Her writing has also appeared in Esquire\, the New York Times\, the Los Angeles Review of Books and Vol. 1 Brooklyn\, and her work has been supported by Monson Arts and the Pasadena Literary Alliance. She grew up in San Francisco\, California and on Salt Spring Island\, British Columbia\, and now lives in Maine.
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/mary-beth-keane-whale-harbor/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
CATEGORIES:book-talk,Community
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/MIHCPRINT-11.12.26-Mary-Beth-Keane-Banner.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261114T150000
DTSTAMP:20260827T171317Z
CREATED:20260825T232244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260827T171317Z
UID:10001142-1794646800-1794668400@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Annual Celtic Fair 2026
DESCRIPTION:The Maine Irish Heritage Center is excited to bring back another year of festive fun at our Annual Celtic Fair! Join us for the 15th annual State Street Stroll on Saturday\, November 14th from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  \nBrowse local\, handcrafted goods and enjoy lively performances from the incredible Stillson School of Irish Dance! The Celtic Fair features a selection of local artists and craftspeople\, a light lunch menu\, hot and cold beverages\, baked goods\, a raffle table\, music\, and more. We hope you can join us for what has become a wonderful pre-holiday tradition in Portland\, Maine. \nVendor Applications are now OPEN! Register here.\n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/annual-celtic-fair-2026/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://maineirish.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Celtic-Faire-Presentation.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261119T210000
DTSTAMP:20260918T141633Z
CREATED:20260807T160031Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T141633Z
UID:10001144-1795113000-1795122000@maineirish.com
SUMMARY:Claddagh Awards 2026: Honoring Pat Callaghan
DESCRIPTION:Thursday\, November 19th\, 2026 \nThe Maine Irish Heritage Center’s Claddagh Awards return on Thursday\, November 19th! \nThe Claddagh Awards are a cherished tradition honoring the Irish values of friendship\, loyalty\, and community. Each year\, the award is presented to a distinguished individual in Maine whose life of service strengthens our communities and inspires others through their leadership and commitment. \nThis year\, we are honored to present the 2026 Claddagh Award to Pat Callaghan in recognition of his extraordinary career in news and broadcasting\, serving for decades as a trusted and judicious voice in the state of Maine. \nStay tuned for updates on programming! \n2026 Claddagh Award Recipient: Pat Callaghan\n \nPat Callaghan began his broadcast journalism career in 1978 at New Hampshire Public Television. \nBeginning in 1979\, he spent 43 years as a news anchor and reporter for NEWS CENTER Maine (WCSH6 in Portland and WLBZ2 in Bangor). Notable stories along the way included being on the air live when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986\, and reporting from Belfast\, Northern Ireland when former Maine Sen. George Mitchell chaired the talks that culminated in the Good Friday Agreement. In 2015 Pat produced award-winning reports on efforts in Utah to end chronic homelessness. \nPat spent much of his time covering politics\, with extensive reporting from Washington\, DC and Augusta\, as well as covering Maine’s delegations at numerous national political conventions. He produced documentaries on notable Maine figures including Ed Muskie\, Bill Cohen\, Olympia Snowe and George Mitchell. \nHe is the host of “In The Arena\,” a Maine politics podcast available on the WMTW TV website and everywhere you get your podcasts. \nPat holds a BA in History from the University of New Hampshire. He is a member of the Maine Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the New England Emmy Awards “Silver Circle.” \nHe and his wife Karen are the parents of two grown children \n  \nPast Claddagh Award Recipients \n• 2025 – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree\n• 2019 – George Campbell\, Jr.\n• 2018 – David T. Flanagan\n• 2017 – Senator Susan Collins\n• 2016 – Michael Connolly\n• 2015 – Jim Wellehan\n• 2014 – Sara J. Burns\n• 2013 – Moira Hastings Fuller\n• 2012 – Senator George J. Mitchell\n• 2011 – William J. Ryan\n• 2010 – Cynthia Murray Beliveau\n• 2009 – Gerard P. Conley\, Sr.\n• 2008 – Governor Joseph E. Brennan \nLearn more about past claddagh winners here: https://maineirish.com/videos/  \n  \nInterested in becoming a sponsor for this event? See more details below\nTo secure your sponsorship\, click HERE or email lauren@maineirish.com\n  \n 
URL:https://maineirish.com/event/claddagh-awards-2026/
LOCATION:Maine Irish Heritage Center\, 34 Gray St\, Portland\, ME\, 04102\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="Maine Irish Heritage Center":MAILTO:maineirish@maineirish.com
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