New York Irish Center Announces Fall Schedule Featuring Comedian Ardal O'Hanlon, Songwriter Enda Gallery & More
The fall season will also feature the return to the stage of the Blarney Star series hosted by Don Meade, and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Sep. 23, 2022
The New York Irish Center, a hub for culture and community enrichment serving diverse constituencies in Long Island City, has a jam-packed fall season that is now underway. Kicking off the fall is the sold-out, 3-night engagement of beloved Irish comedian Ardal O'Hanlon, September 29 to October 1, his first appearance on a New York stage in ten years.
Among the cultural highlights playing the flexible-seating storefront Reilly Room theater are the acclaimed Irish songwriter and recording artist Enda Gallery (Sat Oct 29); the popular stand-up comedy night "LIC Laughs" hosted by Fiona Walsh (Sat Nov 5); the return to the stage of the Blarney Star series hosted by Don Meade (Fri Nov 18), and Colm Reilly's annual holiday concert, "New York Croons for Christmas" (Fri Dec 9).
Among the unique cultural offerings this fall are a photo exhibit by renowned Belfast documentary photographer Sean McKernan "Belfast: Conflict to Peace," which will be on display at the Center from Oct 19 to 25. In this revealing photographic retrospective of four decades of turbulent history, McKernan covers the period of the hunger strikes of 1981 through the 1998 peace process, and even more modern images including post-Brexit and the disputes about the Irish language in Northern Ireland. The show's opening reception (by invitation) is on Wed Oct 19 at 7pm... Running through Oct 25 only "Belfast: Conflict to Peace" is open to the public 12 to 4pm daily, and is supported by Culture Ireland.
On Wed Oct 12, the award-winning playwright and filmmaker Seanie Sugrue brings us a first look of his new play, "Ballybunion Backs Bill," in an exclusive staged reading directed by Sugrue. A small town in the south-west of Ireland receives international recognition when President Clinton makes a trip to their iconic golf course days after news breaks of his infamous scandal. Sugrue's play "The 8th" won Best Production in the 2020 Origin 1st Irish Festival (Wed Oct 12, 7pm $5)
On Thur Oct 27, NYIC presents "How to Defuse a Bomb" a powerful feature-length documentary that celebrates the tireless work and dedication of the Project Children Charity and one of its founding members, Denis Mulcahy, a retired and highly decorated NYPD Bomb Squad Officer. The screening is followed by a talk-back with Mulcahy. (Thur Oct 27, 6:30pm FREE)
"New York Croons for Christmas" is NYIC's annual holiday concert, staged as a fundraiser to support all the cultural and social-support programs of the Center. Colm Reilly, son of beloved co-founder Paddy Reilly, hosts a cabaret-style performance with a who's who of special guests and some of New York's most esteemed jazz musicians (Fri Dec 9, 6pm $60 includes buffet dinner)
A trailblazing singer-songwriter with over 100 million streams to his name, Enda Gallery released his debut album, "The Journey to Zero" in 2021, when it was named RTE's album of the week. His follow-up single, "It's Alright," has received wide BBC6 radio airplay and can be heard on the break-out hit BBC/Hulu series "Normal People." Gallery -- who performs solo on piano and vocals -- headlines NYIC's new music series "Ireland Live... From New York," which features notable musical artists from different corners of the Irish diaspora. Gregory Harrington kicked off the series last year in November. (Sat Oct 29, 8pm $25)
OTHER NOTABLE COMMUNITY EVENTS
Victorian Tea Party
(Sun Oct 16, 2pm to 6pm $20)
The women of the New York Irish Center transform the Reilly Room into a Victorian-era tearoom with period-specific performance.
Battle of the Orgs: Table Quiz
(Thur Nov 3, 7pm $50 per team)
pitting an array of New York's Irish organizations in a good-natured competition Battle of the Orgs! Table Quiz is an evening of trivia, banter, and the ritual of watching who comes out on top to reign supreme. The Consulate General of Ireland in New York is defending champion.
The Story Continues: LGBTQ+ Networking Meet-Up
(Tue Nov 15, 7pm FREE)
The Story Continues is the New York Irish Center's quarterly LGBTQ+ networking event featuring prominent voices from the community, and a safe space for conversation, community building and advocacy.
Annual Shoe Box Appeal Toy Drive
(Sat Dec 3, 1pm)
The annual Shoe Box Appeal Toy Drive, in its 10th year, raises enough money to purchase 500 gifts for 500 less fortunate children at the holidays. On Dec 3, the Center transforms into Santa's Workshop, with dozens of friends and volunteers in attendance.
Santa Visits from the North Pole
(Sun Dec 11, 2pm $5)
Friends from all over marvel at St Nick's distinctly Irish brogue. Who knew? Presents are dispensed for all the kids who enter our doors.
Tickets and information are at www.NewYorkIrishCenter.org For more info and queries call 718-482-0909 or e-mail info@NewYorkIrishCenter.org The New York Irish Center, 1040 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City NY 11101, is just seven minutes, and one stop, on the 7 train from Grand Central Station.
ABOUT NYIC
When it was founded in 2002 by the late Father Colm Campbell and Paddy Reilly, NYIC was primarily an Irish immigrant service organization and community center. It secured the center's 10,000 sq ft Jackson Avenue building in 2003 (which opened its doors in 2005). Starting in 2009, NYIC's board of directors raised more than $10M for operations and capital campaigns for extensive building upgrades, leading to 100% debt mortgage elimination, and a vastly expanded cultural profile. During this time NYIC also evolved its outreach to supplement traditional services for seniors (like its weekly Wednesday Lunch Club and various food and toy drives) with programs responding to changing demographics and needs. George C. Heslin took over as executive director in the fall of 2020.
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