New York Irish Center to Kick Off the Holiday Season With NEW YORK CROONS FOR CHRISTMAS
This year’s featured performers include singers Wendy Lane Bailey and Kathy Kaefer; singer-songwriter Jeanne MacDonald and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Nov. 14, 2022
The New York Irish Center will present its annual holiday concert, "New York Croons for Christmas," on Friday December 9 at 7pm.
Tickets, which are $60 (includes complimentary holiday libations), can be purchased at www.newyorkirishcenter.org The event -- a fundraiser to support all the cultural and social programs of the Center - is staged immersively in the storefront theater Reilly Room. The New York Irish Center (NYIC) is located at 1040 Jackson Avenue in Long Island City.
Hosted by Colm Reilly and featuring a rollicking line-up of notable local singers and musicians, "New York Croons for Christmas" is NYIC's warm-hearted holiday concert tradition. This year's featured performers include singers Wendy Lane Bailey and Kathy Kaefer; singer-songwriter Jeanne MacDonald; and the acclaimed guitarist Sean Harkness leading The Life of Reilly Band.
Mixing traditional Christmas songs from a range of international repertoires as well as a naughty and nice selection of pop and Broadway chestnuts, with a dash of fun originals, the show is staged NYIC's street-level storefront theater, the Reilly Room, named after NYIC's beloved co-founder Paddy Reilly, Colm's father.
A two-time MAC Award-winner, Colm Reilly is a frequent performer and host at the Center, who has also appeared and headlined at The Town Hall, Symphony Space, The Iridium Jazz Club, Birdland, Feinstein's/54 Below and at Carnegie Hall. He has also toured with the Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland, and in theatre productions across the US, including "Forever Plaid, "Brigadoon, and "Hello Dolly!" One of his two MAC Awards was for Best Male Vocalist.
TWO OTHER NOTABLE HOLIDAY EVENTS AT NYIC
Annual Toy Drive (Sat Dec 3, 1pm)
The annual 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. Doing all the heavy lifting for Santa this year will be the popular actor and international boxing star John Duddy.
A hub for culture and community enrichment serving a broadly diverse audience from its base in Long Island City, the NY Irish Center programs a wide variety of cultural events spanning film, theater, comedy, books and traditional and contemporary music in its street-level storefront theater, the Reilly Room. NYIC's social support programs include classes, networking and outreach for LGBTQ+ individuals, seniors and children.
"New York Croons for Christmas" on Friday December 9 at 7pm... tickets ($60 including complimentary holiday libations) 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.
Programs at the New York Irish Center are made possible with the support, in part, by government, foundation and corporate partners, including the New York City Council -- Speaker Adrienne E. Adams, and Council members Robert Holden, Keith Powers and Julie Won; NY State Assemblywoman Catherine T. Nolan; The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Consulate New York (Emigrant Services Program); NYC Department of Ageing; Tourism Ireland; The Northern Ireland Bureau, The Ireland Funds; Bank of Ireland; Regan Family Foundation; Tola Capital Management; Euro Tech Construction; Preferred Mechanical; Preferred Sprinkler Corporation; United Structural Works; Emerald Guild Society; the Irish Institute of New York; Keogh Law Group, and Mathis Pfohl Foundation.
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