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,
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.
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 Newportcalendar of events, and we hope that members of the community at-large who have not yet visited the Interpretive Center will stop by.
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
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.
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.
Visitsmile.amazon.comand 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!
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
