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New Year’s Greetings

New Year’s Greetings

New Year’s Greetings

Christmas Card v. 2

January 1, 2022

Dear Members,

The above Celtic-inspired graphic is used courtesy of “Irish American Mom.” Several years ago, this blog published an interesting piece on traditional Irish folk beliefs for New Years and New Year’s greetings in the Irish language, including sound file recordings. We are pleased to share this article and hope you enjoy it:

https://www.irishamericanmom.com/happy-new-year-in-irish/

From all of us on the board of the

Museum of Newport Irish History,

we wish you & your families

health, happiness & peace in the New Year.

Thank you for your membership and support of our Mission!

Board of Directors



Christopher Behan

Deanna Conheeny *

Kevin Doyle

Steve Ferris

Jeremiah Harrington

Carol Lepley

Steve Marino

Ann Arnold May

Jack McCormack

Donna McCarthy

Peg Murray

Rick O’Neill

Kathleen Papp

John Quinn

Dean Robinson

Jim Ryan

Maeve Sheehan

Mike Slein

Dan Titus

Harry Winthrop

*Incoming Board President

as of Jan. 1, 2022


Directors Emeriti
John Booth
Louis Burns
Jack Curran
Peter Martin
Patrick F. Murphy
Honorary Directors
Hon. Kathleen Connell
Mrs. Diana Crowley
Hon. David Roderick
Remembering Board Member and founding Vice President, who passed away in 2021:

Museum of Newport Irish History

Established 1996

a 501c3 non-profit organization

Mailing Address:

PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840

Interpretive Center:

648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840

Email: [email protected]

Click Here for Museum Board of Directors Contact Info. and list of deceased board members, fondly remembered.

Visit Our Website
Donate Online
Membership Renewals
Season’s Greetings from Your Board of Directors

Season’s Greetings from Your Board of Directors

Seasons Greetings from Mike Slein and your Board of Directors



Board of Directors

Christopher Behan
Deanna Conheeny *
Kevin Doyle
Steve Ferris
Jeremiah Harrington
Carol Lepley
Steve Marino
Ann Arnold May
Jack McCormack
Donna McCarthy
Peg Murray
Rick O’Neill
Kathleen Papp
John Quinn
Dean Robinson
Jim Ryan
Maeve Sheehan
Mike Slein
Dan Titus
Harry Winthrop
*Incoming Board President
as of Jan. 1, 2022

Directors Emeriti
John Booth
Louis Burns
Jack Curran
Peter Martin
Patrick F. Murphy
Honorary Directors
Hon. Kathleen Connell
Mrs. Diana Crowley
Hon. David Roderick
Remembering Board Member and founding Vice President, who passed away in 2021:
December 2021
Dear Fellow Members,            
As we enter this special season of reflection and opportunities of a New Year, my wish for you is time well spent with family and friends. 
You have all given me much for which to be thankful. The support of you, the members; the dedication of the Board and the passion of the docents under the challenges of the pandemic, have been nothing short of gratifying. I have had the unique opportunity to share with you in all the richness of the Irish history, culture and tradition that has shaped our communities.
I now look forward to serving the Board under the leadership and guidance of Deanna Conheeny, our future President, to continue building on our legacy of honoring the contributions of the Irish immigrants and their descendants to Newport County and the surrounding areas.
Thank you and Peace to all.
Mike

Mike Slein - resized
Mike Slein
President,
Board of Directors
(401) 855-5097 – mobile
St Marys church  model
This scale model of St. Mary’s Church is on display at the Museum of Newport Irish History Interpretive Center. The historic church is located at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard in Newport.
The beautifully crafted model, which depicts the church at Christmastime, is at least sixty years old. The model was donated to the Museum in 2016 by Saint Mary’s Parish, under the direction of Fr. Kris von Maluski, pastor at that time.
Its maker is unknown, though it is possible the model was crafted in conjunction with the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the church’s dedication (1852-1952). Saint Mary’s is Rhode Island’s oldest Catholic parish, founded in 1828 to serve Newport’s burgeoning Irish immigrant population.
Photo by: Allan Millora
Museum of Newport Irish History
Established 1996
a 501c3 non-profit organization
Mailing: PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840
Interpretive Center: 648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840
Click Here for Museum Board of Directors Contact Info. and list of deceased board members, fondly remembered.

December Event Cancellations

December Event Cancellations

IMPT: December Event Cancellations (Dec. 7 & Dec. 11)


December 6, 2021
DEAR MEMBERS:
Due to the increasing prevalence of Covid-19 in our local community, we are compelled to CANCEL tomorrow evening’s Docent reception* and this coming
Saturday’s Christmas Open House
at the Interpretive Center.
These two events, discussed below, were originally announced in our
We regret the inconvenience and look forward to gathering again
when conditions improve.
*we have also personally emailed and/or phoned all who had RSVP’d
for the Dec. 7 gathering to inform them of the cancellation
-CANCELLED-
CALLING ALL MUSEUM DOCENTS & BOARD MEMBERS ON DEC. 7
The Museum Board of Directors warmly invites all Interpretive Center Docent-volunteers — current, past and prospective to join them on Tues. Dec. 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for an informal holiday reception at Ancient Order of Hibernian Hall, 2 Wellington Avenue in Newport.
Together, we will kick-off the holiday season and recognize you for your dedicated service to the organization. We could not operate the Interpretive Center without you!
Hearty refreshments will be provided, and each docent will receive two tickets for complimentary beverages from the bar. Docents are invited to attend along with their spouse/guest/significant other.
*Reservations are requested for
Docents AND Board members*
The board recognizes that some of our wonderful past docents were unable to volunteer over the last year, due to Covid concerns or other conflicts. We hope you will consider volunteering once again, if you are able. We hope to see you on Dec. 7.
This invitation also extends to any Museum member who would like to learn more about becoming a docent-volunteer to support our operations when we reopen in the spring. Come meet the Board members and other Docents! Our Docent-volunteers are a terrific group of folks and ambassadors to the community at-large. They have educated and entertained thousands of visitors to the Center since it opened in June 2011. We hope you will consider joining us to learn more.
~ All attendees must be fully vaccinated ~
-CANCELLED-
A HOLIDAY TRADITION RETURNS DEC. 11
fancy divider_transparent
We are pleased to share that our annual Christmas Open House at the Museum’s Interpretive Center is back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event is part of the 51st Annual Christmas In Newport calendar of events, and we hope that members of the community at-large who have not yet visited the Interpretive Center will stop by.
Event details and contact information may be seen on this page of our website: https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/christmas-open-house/
Highlights to include the guest appearance from 3:30-4:30 pm by the Ancient Order of Hibernian Men Singers, who will sing songs of the season and share Irish oral histories.
~ All attendees must be fully vaccinated ~
SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE CHARITIES
WHEN YOU HOLIDAY SHOP ONLINE
Please remember the Museum and all your favorite charities this holiday shopping season when you shop online. Did you know that you can easily support non-profits  — at no cost to you or to them  — when you shop on Amazon?
 
Amazon will donate a small percentage of eligible purchases to a designated charity, including the Museum of Newport Irish History —through its AmazonSmile program.
Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon credentials, then select “Museum of Newport Irish History Inc.” or another charity of choice. You can also click the below graphic. You can change the charity each time you use the Smile.Amazon.com portal.
Whether you choose to support the Museum or another non-profit through your Amazon holiday shopping, please remember to use the Amazon Smile portal to make your purchases. Think of the collective impact Amazon shoppers can have if a non-profit is designated each time they shop!
Museum of Newport Irish History
Mailing Address:
PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840
Interpretive Center Location:
648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840
Email:

Museum Board of Directors:
The MISSION of the Museum of Newport Irish History is to tell the story of the Irish immigrants and their descendants in Newport County and the surrounding area from the Colonial era to the present. It also seeks to preserve artifacts and mementos relating to their experiences and facilitate
research on Irish history and heritage.
November Greetings & December Happenings

November Greetings & December Happenings

November Greetings & December Happenings

Mike Slein - resized
November 22, 2021
Dear Fellow Members.
November is a month of reflections on the past year and of happy anticipation of the holiday season and the fast-approaching New Year.
You will recall that some weeks ago I shared that I will be stepping down from the role of President of the Museum’s Board of Directors after seven very gratifying years of service. While I will be passing the leadership reigns to a colleague, I will remain on the Board and continue to volunteer, including as a Docent at our Interpretive Center. You can be assured of a very smooth transition as the organization moves forward.
Today, I am very pleased to share that your new Board President, effective January 1, 2022, will be my longtime fellow board member and our current Treasurer, Deanna Conheeny. Early in the New Year, Deanna will be back in touch to announce the full slate of Museum officers and board.
Please read on for a number of other announcements, including an invitation to our Interpretive Center Docent-volunteers  — current, past and prospective — to join our Board of Directors on Tues. Dec. 7 for an informal holiday reception at Hibernian Hall in Newport. Please read on for the details and link to RSVP.
With my warmest wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and my gratitude for your continued support of the Museum and its Mission,
Mike
Mike Slein
President, Board of Directors
(401) 855-5097 – mobile
Happy Thanksgiving clip art
DOOLEY BOOK LAUNCH DEC. 5
Dooley Noted
book cover - Dooley Noted
We offer our warmest congratulations to long-time Museum member, past Crowley Lecture Series guest speaker, author, Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame Inductee and good friend, Ken Dooley on his latest project.
Ken’s new book, Dooley Noted, an autobiographical tribute to the notable people and events that have shaped Ken’s long and interesting life, will be launched on Sunday, December 5 from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. at The Beatrice Hotel, 80 Westminster Street, Providence. All Museum members and friends are invited to attend.
Copies of Ken’s book, published by Heritage Harbor Foundation, will be available for signature and sale at the reception ($24.95), and all proceeds will benefit Rhode Island non-profits. The book may also be purchased online at KenDooley.org by clicking the below button. If you have questions for Ken about the Dec. 5 event or his book, please click the below button to reach him.

“At age ninety, Ken Dooley, noted Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame playwright, author, publisher, political consultant, and raconteur decided, with a nudge from his admirers, to compose a series of brief essays recounting his varied life experiences. His observations, based on first-hand involvement, bear the appropriate title Dooley Noted. His insightful recollections are notable indeed! During his long and eventful career, Ken has encountered the famous and infamous, the literati, scholars, athletes, politicians, clergy, the military, and those who led an ordinary life, except for an extraordinary encounter with Mr. Dooley.”
 — Dr. Patrick T. Conley, Historian Laureate of Rhode Island.
CALLING ALL MUSEUM DOCENTS & BOARD MEMBERS ON DEC. 7
The Museum Board of Directors warmly invites all Interpretive Center Docent-volunteers — current, past and prospective to join them on Tues. Dec. 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for an informal holiday reception at Ancient Order of Hibernian Hall, 2 Wellington Avenue in Newport.
Together, we will kick-off the holiday season and recognize you for your dedicated service to the organization. We could not operate the Interpretive Center without you!
Hearty refreshments will be provided, and each docent will receive two tickets for complimentary beverages from the bar. Docents are invited to attend along with their spouse/guest/significant other.
*Reservations are requested for
Docents AND Board members*
The board recognizes that some of our wonderful past docents were unable to volunteer over the last year, due to Covid concerns or other conflicts. We hope you will consider volunteering once again, if you are able. We hope to see you on Dec. 7.
This invitation also extends to any Museum member who would like to learn more about becoming a docent-volunteer to support our operations when we reopen in the spring. Come meet the Board members and other Docents! Our Docent-volunteers are a terrific group of folks and ambassadors to the community at-large. They have educated and entertained thousands of visitors to the Center since it opened in June 2011. We hope you will consider joining us to learn more.
~ All attendees must be fully vaccinated ~
A HOLIDAY TRADITION RETURNS DEC. 11
fancy divider_transparent
We are pleased to share that our annual Christmas Open House at the Museum’s Interpretive Center is back after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The event is part of the 51st Annual Christmas In Newport calendar of events, and we hope that members of the community at-large who have not yet visited the Interpretive Center will stop by.
Event details and contact information may be seen on this page of our website: https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/christmas-open-house/
Highlights to include the guest appearance from 3:30-4:30 pm by the Ancient Order of Hibernian Men Singers, who will sing songs of the season and share Irish oral histories.
~ All attendees must be fully vaccinated ~
GIVING TUESDAY IS NOV. 30
Giving tuesday 2021
Established in 2012, Giving Tuesday is global day of generosity, when citizens of the world are encouraged to give back and do good. On Tuesday, November 30, please consider making a financial gift in any amount to the Museum of Newport Irish History or to another non-profit whose Mission you support. 
Whether or not you are in the position to make a financial gift in commemoration of Giving Tuesday, please consider becoming more involved in your community through your priceless donation of Time and Talent, either to the Museum or to another local non-profit.
Learn more about Giving Tuesday by visiting their website: https://www.givingtuesday.org/
To donate NOW to the Museum, click the below link to the “Donate” page on our website:
SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE CHARITIES
WHEN YOU HOLIDAY SHOP ONLINE
Please remember the Museum and all your favorite charities this holiday shopping season when you shop online. Did you know that you can easily support non-profits  — at no cost to you or to them  — when you shop on Amazon?
 
Amazon will donate a small percentage of eligible purchases to a designated charity, including the Museum of Newport Irish History —through its AmazonSmile program.
Visit smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon credentials, then select “Museum of Newport Irish History Inc.” or another charity of choice. You can also click the below graphic. You can change the charity each time you use the Smile.Amazon.com portal.
Whether you choose to support the Museum or another non-profit through your Amazon holiday shopping, please remember to use the Amazon Smile portal to make your purchases. Think of the collective impact Amazon shoppers can have if a non-profit is designated each time they shop!
Museum of Newport Irish History
Mailing Address:
PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840
Interpretive Center Location:
648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840
Email:

Museum Board of Directors:
The MISSION of the Museum of Newport Irish History is to tell the story of the Irish immigrants and their descendants in Newport County and the surrounding area from the Colonial era to the present. It also seeks to preserve artifacts and mementos relating to their experiences and facilitate
research on Irish history and heritage.
November News, reserve now for Nov. 15 Crowley Lecture

November News, reserve now for Nov. 15 Crowley Lecture


November 1, 2021
The third lecture in our 20th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series will be presented Monday, November 15 at 6pm at the Wayfinder Hotel and via Zoom.
A flyer with the talk overview and speaker bio was mailed to all members of record late last week. The information is provided in this e-newsletter as well.
Please join us for:
Cheers to Eire:
The Political Life of
J. Howard McGrath
Guest Speaker:
Dr. Debra A. Mulligan
Professor of History,
Roger Williams University
and author of
Democratic Repairman:
The Political Life of J.Howard McGrath
A reception with light hors d’oeuvres will be
held following the lecture and Q&A. Cash Bar
In-person attendees must be fully vaccinated.
The per-person lecture fee/donation is $5,
payable at the door, via Check to “MNIH” or Cash.
No fee to participate via Zoom.
Debra A. Mulligan
Click the green button for the lecture overview and
our guest speaker bio.
To register, select an option below:
fancy divider_transparent
This lecture has made possible by a generous gift from Francis “Frank” Furtado, given in memory of his wife, Barbara Carr Furtado.
Dr. Mulligan will have a limited number of copies of her
book on hand for signature and sale
following the presentation and Q&A.
To purchase Democratic Repairman online, in advance of the lecture, click the above book cover.
Crowley Lecture Series
Questions/Suggestions?
Please contact Ann at [email protected]
10th ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE: 6,000th VISITOR
Photo by Allan Millora
2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of our Interpretive Center on Lower Thames Street, shown above.
June 11, 2011 was a much-anticipated opening day, after a number of years of fundraising and planning. We remember that special day as we celebrate another milestone – our 6,000th visitor!
On Sunday, October 24, 2021, while longtime volunteer docents Rosemary and Richard Danforth were on duty, the 5,999 and 6,000 visitors to the Interpretive Center crossed the threshold.
Rosemary and Richard were prepared for the momentous occasion, and presented our 6,000th visitor, Janice Greenwood of Wrentham, Massachusetts, with a certificate and gifts, including homemade Irish soda bread, a bottle of wine, and a complimentary 1-year membership in the Museum. As can be seen in the below photo, Janice and her husband, Mike Kelly, were clearly delighted.
Congratulations and Welcome, Janice!
6000th visitor_Janice Greenwood
Photo by Rosemary Danforth, Interpretive Center Docent and Museum Life Member.
The Interpretive Center closed for the 2021 Season on October 31, but we are always happy to open for private tours with advance notice. Please email us at [email protected] to arrange a private visit in the off-season, and Interpretive Center Manager, Steve Marino, will get back to you to arrange.
HISTORIC IRISH CEMETERY UPDATE
As we shared in our September 27 e-newsletter, a new historical informational sign was dedicated at the Barney Street Cemetery on September 18. The sign was made possible through the generosity of the Lepley Family in memory of Museum board member, Steve Lepley. If you missed the article, please click the below green button and take a moment to read this important news and enjoy photos of that day.
We are grateful to the following publications for sharing news of the September 18 dedication with the community at-large:
Newport Daily News, WhatsUpNewp, Newport This Week,
the Rhode Island Catholic.
In other cemetery news, on Thursday, October 28 at 5pm, a team of Museum member-volunteers assembled at the site, under the direction of our Cemetery Committee Chair, Jack McCormack, for a work session focused on eradicating the weeds which have emerged since our last work session. This special place looks pristine once again. Thank you to this month’s volunteers:
Larry Bartley, Mary Ellen Bronson, Christopher Jones, Winkle Kelley,
Ann Arnold May, Bonnie Slein, Mike Slein
Another work session will be scheduled after the trees have shed their leaves, to rake and prepare this beautiful and historic site for the winter. If you are interested in being added to Jack’s distribution list for these volunteer opportunities, please email: [email protected]
The cemetery in June 2020, from our 5-minute ‘virtual tour” video. Click the photo to view the video.
The tall cross with a the Celtic seal carving is prominent in the above photo. To learn about this cross and its restoration, read this article from the August 13, 1998 Providence Journal
A COMMENTARY OF INTEREST FROM THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL
Members will find guest columnist Scott Molloy’s commentary in Sunday’s Providence Journal, “An Irish patriot who made a great escape,” of interest.
Click the below buttons to access this column regarding James McNally Wilson and written in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Wilson’s death.
Dr. Scott Molloy is Professor Emeritus at the University of R.I., a past Crowley Lecture guest speaker, and longtime member of the Museum.
James McNally Wilson gravesite
The gravesite of James McNally Wilson, an Irish revolutionary who escaped from an
Australian prison in 1876 and spent the rest of his life in Pawtucket, R.I.
(photo by Kris Craig, courtesy of the Providence Journal).
E-COMMUNICATIONS
If you prefer to receive these notices at an alternative or additional email address, please send a note to Ann at [email protected] and the change will be made to your record. Please do not use the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom to communicate changes.
Gmail Users: Please be sure to check your “Promotions” folder for our e-newsletters, as they may not
land in your primary folder.
Museum of Newport Irish History
Mailing Address:
PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840
Interpretive Center Location:
648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840
Email:
Museum Board of Directors:
The MISSION of the Museum of Newport Irish History is to tell the story of the Irish immigrants and their descendants in Newport County and the surrounding area from the colonial era to the present. It also seeks to preserve artifacts and mementos relating to their experiences and facilitate
research on Irish history and heritage.
A number of our Annual members remain lapsed and have not made a payment for the current Membership Year, which runs
Apr. 1, 2021 to Mar. 31, 2022.
Not sure of your Membership Status?
BEFORE making a renewal payment, please reach out to Ann and she’ll get back to you swiftly to confirm your status.
Email her at [email protected]
Thank you for your continued support of our Mission!