NY Irish Center Extends CROSSROADS CONCERTS Series Through June

The NY Irish Center's crowd-pleasing “Crossroads Concerts,” a world music series blending and juxtaposing Irish folk traditions with music from many other cultures, kicks off the new year this month.

Curated by the ethnomusicologist and educator Colin Harte, the 6-concert series launches on Thursday January 29 at 7pm and runs to June.  The featured fusions are Irish- Southern Italian-Sicilian (Jan 29); Irish-Turkish (Feb 26); Irish Sene-Gambian (Mar 26); Irish-Moroccan Gnawa (Apr 16); a special encore of Irish and Puerto Rican Bomba (May 28); Irish-Albanian (Jun 11).

All shows fall on Thursdays, and are at 7pm.  Tickets, which are $25, are now on sale at www.newyorkirishcenter.org

“Once again we are delighted to open our doors wide for our neighbors in Queens and across New York,” says NYIC executive director George C. Heslin. “This series will continue to lead to new friendships and collaborations celebrating the cultural richness of New York.” A hub for culture and community enrichment now celebrating its 21st anniversary during the 2025-26 season, the NY Irish Center serves over 25,000 annually – from toddlers, young people, seniors, immigrants, arts lovers, and New York's ever-evolving Irish diaspora.

“These concerts explore the liminal spaces between Irish traditional music and different musical traditions from around the globe,” says Harte, who teaches ethnomusicology courses and world music ensembles at Bard College – Bronx. A pianist and bodhrán percussionist, he is active in the New York jazz, and multiple local world music communities.

“Crossroads Concerts… Where Irish Folk Meets the World” is supported by The Irish Institute of New York. The revelatory series was a highlight of the 2024-25 season, launching in October 2024. Prior concerts (7 in all) celebrated the cross-connections of Irish folk with Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Arab, Indian, Ghanaian and Shinnecock traditions.

The 2026 line-up of virtuoso folk musicians (many of whom are renowned locally as well as internationally) includes David Marker, Eren Erdogan, Salieu Suso, Eileen Goodman, Eilidh McRae, Jorge Vazquez, Dylan James, PJ Doran, Bernadette Fee, Taulant Mehmeti, Raif Hyseni and many others.

Schedule & Featured Artists (artists subject to change)

Jan 29 -- Irish- Southern Italian-Sicilian Fusion

Featuring: Jerry O'Sullivan (uilleann pipes/ tin whistle), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán), David Marker (Sicilian/Calabrian bagpipes- zampogna, chitarra battente, tamburello, vocals) plus an Italian accompanist (tbd).

Feb 26 -- Irish-Turkish Fusion

Featuring: Eren Erdogan (kaval), Taulant Mehmeti (çifteli/guitar), Nezih Antakli (Darbuka, Riqq, Bendir), Eileen Goodman (flute/tin whistle), Dylan James (banjo/fiddle/ dance), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán).

Mar 26 -- Irish Sene-Gambian Fusion… “Strings Galore”Featuring: Salieu Suso (kora), Ebrim Jassey (balafon), djembe percussionist,  Eilidh McRae (Celtic Harp), Dylan James (banjo/fiddle/ dance), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán).  Apr 16 -- Irish-Moroccan Gnawa FusionFeaturing: Atlas Phoenix (Moroccan gimbri), 2 qraqeb percussionists (tbd),  PJ Doran (piano accordion),  Dylan James (banjo/fiddle/ dance), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán).

May 28 – SPECIAL ENCORE! Irish- Puerto Rican Bomba Fusion Explosion

Featuring: Jorge Vazquez (congas, vocals), Puerto Rican bomba percussionist-vocalists (tbd), PJ Doran (piano accordion), Bernadette Fee (fiddle/ dance), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán).

Jun 11 -- Irish-Albanian Fusion 

Featuring: Albanian accordionist (tbd), Taulant Mehmeti (çifteli/guitar), Nezih Antakli (Darbuka, Riqq, Bendir), Tom Fitzgerald (fiddle/dance), Dylan James (banjo/fiddle/ dance), Colin Harte (vocals, piano, bodhrán).  ABOUT NYIC

From its storefront theater, The Reilly Room, NYIC presents more than 100 shows and series annually in comedy, music, theater, film, books and literacy.  It is both an incubator for new work produced locally, as well as a favorite gateway into the busy New York cultural scene for numerous prominent performers from the island of Ireland.

Signature events are the annual St Patrick's Day 6-hour cultural marathon, “40 Shades of Green,” the on-going Blarney Star traditional music concert series; the Queens Irish Heritage Festival in June; the “Crossroads Concerts” series; the beloved Christmas concert, “NY Croons for Christmas,” and a Toy Drive with special appearances by a different celebrity Santa every year.  This year NYIC is presenting America's first-ever Irish language Film Festival, “Fis Nua | New Vision,” February 19, 20, 21.

NYIC's extensive social services programing and assistance resources include its Wednesday Lunch -- one of the most popular active retirement gatherings in New York City; “The Story Continues” (NYIC's quarterly LGBTQ+ networking event); Solace House (a provider of free, confidential suicide prevention counseling available for anyone seeking help); Irish language and dance classes, book clubs, and free tax support, and computer classes.

The New York Irish Center's programs for the 2025/2026 season are supported, in part, by the Irish Government - Emigrant Support Programme; the New York City Council - the Honorable Speaker Adrienne E. Adams; Honorable Council Members Robert Holden, Keith Powers, and Julie Won, and the Queens Delegation; New York City Department for the Aging; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; New York State Senate – the Honorable Senator Kristen Gonzalez, and the New York State Education Department.

Additional support has been provided by Aer Lingus; Culture Ireland; Eurotech Construction; H.W. Wilson Foundation; Invest Northern Ireland; Irish Institute of New York; Preferred Mechanical; Regan Family Foundation; Tara Circle; The Ireland Funds; Tola Capital Management, and Tourism Ireland.