September & October happenings ahead…… Live & Local Irish Music, anyone?
Our next Lecture: Oct. 25
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!
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”)
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!
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.
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.
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!
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
