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September & October happenings, including live Irish music

September & October happenings, including live Irish music

September & October happenings ahead…… Live & Local Irish Music, anyone?


Mike Slein - resized
September 15, 2021
Dear Fellow Members.
It was a personal delight to see so many of you at the Wayfinder Hotel on Monday night for the first lecture of our 20th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series – a wonderful talk given by John Quinn and Keith Stokes.
We are most grateful to John and Keith for their compelling presentation, “Shared Spaces: The Irish and African Heritage Experience in Gilded Age Newport,” and to Ginny Pittsley for so generously sponsoring the event in memory of her husband, Bill, and son, Jay. If you missed the talk, a link to the recording will appear on the “Lectures” page of our website in a few days.
We are also grateful to you, our membership, for understanding that during these challenging times we are compelled to host far fewer in person than in pre-covid days. We were delighted to have so many members and non-members, from from near and far, enjoy the lecture ‘virtually’ via Zoom. We anticipate continuing to live-stream our popular lectures for the foreseeable future.
Speaking of Zoom, a very special “thank you” to Museum board member, Dan Titus for all his technical wizardry on this event, our first lecture presented simultaneously to an in-person and virtual/Zoom audience.
Now, on to upcoming happenings that we feel will be of interest to you, with a focus on “Live & Local” traditional Irish music!
With gratitude for your continued support,
Mike
Mike Slein
President, Board of Directors
(401) 855-5097 – mobile
Irish music graphic
Our friends from the Newport Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee will be hosting a fundraiser brunch for the March 2022 parade, dubbed “Green Eggs & Ham,” at Hibernian Hall at 2 Wellington Avenue, Newport, on Sun. Sept. 19 from 9am to 1pm (brunch donation $10 per person with family pricing available at the door).
The brunch will be followed by complimentary, family-friendly, live music by the group “Shannachie” who will play from 1 pm to approximately 5 pm (the group’s name is the Irish language word for “storyteller”)
Questions? Please write the Committee at dennis@newportirish.com
Danny Ringrose
Irish balladeer, Danny Ringrose, will return by popular demand to Hibernian Hall, 2 Wellington Ave., Newport, Thurs. Sept. 23 from 6-9 pm.
Danny has shared the stage with Tommy Makem, Paddy Reilly, The Saw Doctors and Dublin City Ramblers.
His appearance is part of AOH Newport’s new “3rd Thursday of the Month Irish National Music Series.” All are welcome!
No cover charge, but donations to AOH Newport will be greatly appreciated in support of Irish heritage and culture and this terrific new music series.
For more info: David Kerins at dpksen@aol.com
As many of you know, local institution and Museum member, Rick Kelly, hosts the “Irish Hour” every Sunday at 8am on WADK, as he’s done for decades. Rick bring us the best of traditional and contemporary Irish and Irish-influenced music on WADK 1540AM. The recent storm knocked out the AM1540 transmitter, but you can still listen on 101.1FM or on-line at https://wadk.com/ Sleeping in? The show will be repeated at 6pm!
WADK logo
Fastnet pub
We are also please to share that the long-running traditional Irish session at The Fastnet Pub,
#1 Broadway, Newport, is again taking place. Check out the recently published article from The Newport Daily News. about the re-launch of popular session which had a
nearly 15-year run each Sunday evening from 6-9pm, before the pandemic. It’s now back every two weeks!
No cover charge.
Note: If you are unable to read the online version of the article, click HERE for a PDF of the print edition.
Irish Bridget - book cover
Looking ahead to October, please “save the date” for the next lecture in our 20th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series, Mon., Oct. 25 at 6pm. Logistical details to follow, but the topic will be Irish immigrants in domestic service with a spotlight on the Irish working in the Newport mansions.
Guest speakers will be Dr. Margaret Lynch-Brennan, author of “The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in Domestic Service in America, 1840-1930,” and Leslie B. Jones, Director of Museum Affairs & Chief Curator of the Preservation Society of Newport County.
Museum Members will receive a flyer with details in the U.S. Mail and a follow up via e-newsletter. Members will have priority for limited seats at the in-person presentation we hope to host on Oct. 25.
If necessary, we will again revert to 100% Zoom as in the 2020-2021 Crowley Lecture Series.

Dr. Margaret Lynch-Brennan
Margaret Lynch-Brennan
Leslie Jones
Leslie B. Jones
Lecture Series Questions? Please contact Ann at tpm1@earthlink.net
Time to renew clip art
Finally, a number of our members with Annual (vs. Life) memberships remain lapsed in their membership for the current Membership/Fiscal year, which runs Apr. 1, 2021 to Mar. 31, 2022. We understand that many of you are accustomed to paying your dues at in-person events, but we have fewer opportunities to meet in person during these challenging times. If you have not paid your dues for the current Membership cycle, please consider doing so at this time by clicking the below “Membership” button.
Not sure of your status? Please reach out to Ann to inquire and she’ll get back to you swiftly. Email her at tpm1@earthlink.net Thank you for your continued support of our Mission!
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.

September Happenings – 20th Annual Crowley Lecture Series Kick-off

September Happenings – 20th Annual Crowley Lecture Series Kick-off

September Happenings: 20th Annual Crowley Lecture Series Kick-off….. Reception for Retiring Board…. Ceremony @ Barney Street Cemetery


September 2, 2021
Dear Members,
This is a follow-up to the September 13 lecture announcement and cover letter all members received in the mail last week. We’re also writing to invite to you to our September 18 happenings, the flyer about which began arriving in members’ mailboxes today.
We hope to see many of you – either in person or “virtually” via Zoom – for the first lecture of our 20th Annual Michael F. Crowley Lecture Series, featuring special guest speakers,
John Quinn and Keith Stokes.

John Quinn PhD
Dr. John F. Quinn
Keith Stokes
Mr. Keith Stokes
Shared Spaces:
The Irish and African Heritage Experience
in Gilded Age Newport
Monday, September 13, 6:00 pm
The Wayfinder Hotel
&
Virtually, via Zoom
This lecture has made possible by a generous gift from Virginia Pittsley, given in memory of her husband, Bill Pittsley, and their son,
Jay Pittsley.
Please click the below buttons to access copies of the details about this lecture you received in the mail, and which is also posted on our
website “Lectures” page:

As touched on in the cover letter, we are not able to host as many members in person on Sept. 13 as
we could have pre-pandemic.
At this time, we have about a dozen seats available. If you would like to join us in person at the Wayfinder Hotel please reserve now.
We can accommodate hundreds more via Zoom, which allows you to participate virtually from home, via a desktop or laptop computer, tablet or
smart phone.
To attend the lecture either in person or via Zoom please click the appropriate RED button, below.
There is a $5 fee/donation requested of those who will be joining us in person; there is no fee to participate via Zoom.
ALL are welcome to join us via Zoom, Museum members and non-members alike from the community at-large, both near and far.
Feel free to refer friends to the “Lectures” page on our website for event info. and to reserve to receive the Zoom login information.
Those who are not able to join us “live” on Sept. 13 at 6pm, either in person or via Zoom, can enjoy the presentation later. We’ll post a video of the lecture and Q&A on the “Lectures” page of our website a few days after the event.
SEPT 18: RECEPTION TO HONOR
RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS
Please join fellow members for our first social of 2020-2021, Saturday, Sept. 18 from 5-7 pm at Ancient Order of Hibernian Hall, during which we will honor these two retiring members of our Board of Directors and thank them for their many years
of dedicated service:

Jack Curran
Jack Curran
Peter Martin
Peter Martin
Click the below button to visit the Sept. 18 event webpage for details, contact info. for the event coordinator, Kathy Papp, and to reserve:
Reservations are requested by September 11.
Tickets ($10) may be purchased online or by check, mailed to our PO Box and received by Sept. 11.
ALSO ON SEPT 18:
DEDICATION OF NEW
HISTORICAL INFORMATION SIGN
AT THE BARNEY STREET CEREMONY
You are also warmly invited to join members of the Board of Directors and the Lepley Family for the unveiling and dedication of a new historical information sign at the Barney Street Cemetery. Through text and graphics, the sign discusses the importance of this site, central to the history of the early Irish in Newport.
The new sign has been made possible thanks to a generous gift from Carol Lepley, given in memory of her husband, Steve Lepley, a member of our Board who passed away in December 2017.
The ceremony takes place 4 pm on Sept. 18 at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, behind the Newport Historical Society headquarters.
RSVP for this outdoor ceremony not required.
Questions? Please contact Mike Slein at (401) 855-5097
Barney Street cemetery
Photo: The historic Barney Street/St. Joseph Cemetery. Restored in 1999 by the Museum of Newport Irish History, which continues to maintain and beatify the site, through the generosity of our members, including a dedicated team of volunteers, under the direction of Board Member, Jack McCormack.
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:
A special message from board president, Mike Slein

A special message from board president, Mike Slein

A special message from board president, Mike Slein


Mike Slein - resized
July 25, 2021
Dear Fellow Members,
With a heavy heart, an optimistic outlook on the future, and my sincerest gratitude to each of you, I am stepping down as President effective 30 November. 
Before stepping down, I wish to see to fruition key initiatives underway, including the Walking Tours of Irish Newport and the Barney Street Cemetery signage, which the Lepley family is so generously donating, and to provide adequate time for a search committee to identify my successor.
As you all know, I have loved working with and am indebted to each of our board members, all of our treasured docents, and the membership of this fine organization, who have contributed so much over the past eight years of my tenure as your president. You are very special folks and I have always tried to keep in the forefront of my thoughts that you are all volunteers who promote our mission with little expectation of recognition. Our membership growth and your support are a testament to the attitude that you bring to the table each day.
We have made great strides in many areas over the past eight years through your efforts. The organization is now in fine shape fiscally with a robust membership base. There is still much to do. No position is permanent and I feel the time is right to permit another the opportunity to work with you and lead the Museum to the next level. 
You all have my sincerest thanks.
Mike
Mike Slein
President, Board of Directors
(401) 855-5097 – mobile
Museum of Newport Irish History
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.
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.