IrishCentral arts - b5cc3275d518416eacb61d676e8d84d1

In twilight years and refusing to go quietly - 'These Halcyon Days' at The Irish Arts Center - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:03:58 PDT

Anita Reeves and Stephen Brennan star in These Halcyon DaysIt seems that the most vital voices in Irish playwriting currently belong to women For proof stop by the Irish Arts Center in New York this weekend and catch 'These Halcyon Days' by Deirdre Kinahan A lovely, understated marvel about life and loss and finding the courage to keep on going, it features pitch perfect performances by the two leads, Anita Reeves and Stephen BrennanSet in a nursing home (Kinahan’s dramatic instinct takes her to places other writers avoid), we meet the elderly Sean, who has essentially been abandoned by his loved ones, dropped off and completely forgotten READ MORE

Kilkennny Arts Festival to showcase exciting mix of music, theatre, dance and visual arts - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:42:23 PDT

By: JANE WALSH

August 2013 will see the 40th Kilkenny Arts Festival bring an exciting mix of Irish and International music, theatre, dance, craft, visual arts, literature and more to the medieval city located in the South-East of Ireland. Ireland’s oldest multi-disciplinary festival is celebrating an unrivalled legacy which has seen some of the biggest names and most exciting newcomers in the arts from around the world flock to Kilkenny.

Waterford artist Seamus Kelly bog art reflects on 13,000 years of Irish history (IrishCentral)

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:49:55 PDT

By: MICHELLE K SMITH

Waterford artist Seamus Kelly makes art out of thousands of years old submerged wood and ancient animal specimens that he finds in wetlands. Taking his inspiration from the Irish bogs, his iconic art gives a modern twist to Irish history.

‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart bought a state-of-the-art karaoke machine (IrishCentral)

Sat, 11 May 2013 05:18:42 PDT

Kristen Stewart and Robert PattinsonThe couple - who rekindled their relationship at the end of last year after splitting following the actress' affair with director Rupert Sanders - splashed out on the singing machine so they enjoy their favourite pastime in the comfort of their own luxury home, complete with a stage and atmospheric lightingA source told The Sun newspaper: "They both absolutely love karaoke They used to go to bars whenever they could, but more often than not they'd get hassled by people"So Rob surprised Kristen with their own machine READ MORE

Irish artist Roy Lyndsay's Art Exhibition comes to US for first time (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 02:18:39 PDT

Lobster Fishermen of SkelligsFor the first time ever in the United States, Irish artist Roy Lyndsay will be exhibiting his work at the Skinners Fine Art Auctioneers in Boston As part of the “American and European Works of Art” show, local art enthusiasts have a chance to view the breathtaking work of one of Ireland’s leading artistsRoy Lyndsay was born in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, Ireland in 1945 READ MORE

New Irish festival GaelFest to showcase music, dance, sports, arts and literature (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 05:20:47 PDT

By: JANE WALSH

On Saturday, June 1st 2013, Claddagh na nGael will present a brand new festival, GaelFest, celebrating traditional Irish culture in all its varied forms and expressions.

Irish Arts Center appoints Nik Quaife as Director of Communications and External Affairs (IrishCentral)

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:37:46 PDT

By: CAHIR O'DOHERTY

Nik Quaife, one of Ireland’s best known arts publicists and the founder and director of Dublin-based Zoetrope Arts Public Relations company, has been appointed Director of Communications and External Affairs at the Irish Arts Center here in New York.

Matt Damon has received the 2013 Harvard Arts Medal (IrishCentral)

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 09:48:18 PDT

Matt Damon has received the 2013 Harvard Arts MedalAlthough the 42-year-old actor dropped out of the prestigious university to pursue his Hollywood ambitions, Matt received the accolade on Thursday for his work with the arts'Third Rock From The Sun' actor John Lithgow - who also attended Harvard - presided over the ceremony, where he spoke about Matt's time at the educational institutionPrevious winners of the Harvard Arts Medal include Tommy Lee Jones, Jack Lemmon, and Yo-Yo MaMatt Damon and his wife Luciana - who raise four daughters, Alexia, 14, Isabella, six, Gia, four, and two-year-old Stella, together - recently listed their seven-bedroom property for $20 million, $9 READ MORE

Declan O’Rourke soothes the soul at the Irish Arts Center in New York City - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:03:28 PDT

Irish singer songwriter Declan O'RourkeThere is nothing that soothes the soul like going out and hearing live music and watching a talented and creative artist work their magic with a responsive audience That is one of the underlying principles stoking the music performance arena at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, a small Irish Cultural Center more than punching above its weight in massively overstimulated Big Apple marketplace Their recent initiatives like their Masters in Collaboration series and more particularly SongLives shows have sparked creativity and new performances at their black box theater space called the Donaghy Theater on the ground floor of the former garage building in Hell’s Kitchen, more fashionably known as Clinton these days on Manhattan’s far West Side in MidtownLast year , Dubliner Declan O’Rourke made an appearance with SongLives Curator and singer songwriter Susan McKeown as she sought to give much needed exposure to many gifted Irish singer-songwriters plying their trade on either side of the Atlantic these days READ MORE

Roald Dahl's Matilda battles bullies on Broadway (IrishCentral)

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:47:59 PDT

Bertie Carvel steals scenes and carries the showThe truth is Matilda isn't one of Roald Dahl's most interesting works Oh, it's a charming and typically dark effort by the old master and you'll certainly find yourself rooting for his bright and put-upon young creation, but there are contradictions in the narrative that make you wonder why it takes the time it takes for the story to end happilyThat's not the case with the Royal Shakespeare Company's absurdly entertaining new musical Matilda based on Dahl's book, now playing on Broadway READ MORE

A masterful pairing at the Irish Arts Center with Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan (IrishCentral)

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:17:54 PDT

Aoife O’Donovan and Karan Casey perform last week (Photo by Erin Baiano/Irish Arts Center)On any given night in New York City terrific music and entertainment choices abound, but one place seems to be having more than its share of successes in recent years and that would be the Irish Arts Center in Hell’s Kitchen This past week it played host to the Masters in Collaboration series in its seventh edition featuring singers Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan who performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights after a scene setting interview night on Wednesday of last week Once again this innovative opportunity to peer into the creative process of dynamic performers in the Irish music scene is unparalleled in my opinion on either side of the Atlantic READ MORE

Step into a storybook garden with a fairytale castle at Lismore Castle and Gardens Arts Centre in County Waterford (IrishCentral)

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:33:00 PDT

Lismore Castle Gardens, Lismore, County WaterfordLismore Castle Gardens are exactly how I imagined my storybook garden to be, complete with a fairytale castle and Prince Charming throwin for good measure A place where I could wile away endless sunny afternoons in a floaty dress, playing Titania in "A Midsummer’s Night Dream" Or take afternoon tea in the shade of a gnarled old apple tree having painted yet another perfect botanical watercolorNeatly trimmed box hedges barely contain the flower filled borders with not a dead plant, bald spot or a weed to be seen anywhere READ MORE

Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan join forces at the Irish Arts Center for Masters in Collaboration series (IrishCentral)

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:32:43 PDT

Karan Casey and Aoife O'DonovanAmong many of the exciting programming features of Manhattan’s Irish Arts Center, there are none that appeal to me more than the Masters in Collaboration series now in its seventh editionIt’s coming up next week as singer-songwriters and interpreters Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan join forces for the week long exploration of one another’s music and creativityCasey, from Waterford, first burst upon the New York scene over two decades ago, breaking into national and international awareness with Solas, an all-star quintet, in 1994 before going onto a successful solo career with a number of very fine CDs and songs in her canon Perceived as one of Ireland’s finest interpreters of traditional songs learned from folks like Frank Harte to contemporary songwriters, she is now writing more of her own material at her home in Cork while still touring the world with a variety of artists READ MORE

Celtic Appalachia tops St. Patrick’s Day celebrations - Mick Moloney and Irish Arts Center triumph (IrishCentral)

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:17:26 PDT

Dana Lyn, John Roberts and Mick Moloney perform (Photo by Erin Baiano)Mick Moloney and the Irish Arts Center triumphed once again at the historic Upper West Side cultural bastion known as Symphony Space which serves as a large platform for its increasingly popular themed variety shows With a capacity crowd of nearly 800 people in the restored edifice (that is a tribute to the vision of the late Isaiah Sheffer who died last November) the Irish Arts Center latest show Celtic Appalachia II managed to upstage St Patrick’s Day celebrated earlier that day at the parade READ MORE

Irish Arts Center donates thousands of books in NYC for St. Patrick's Day (IrishCentral)

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:04:26 PDT

By: AMANDA DRISCOLL

New York will receive a free windfall of Irish and Irish American literature as a staggering 7,500 books are due to be given away as part of the third annual Irish Arts Center Book Day at eight locations across the five boroughs. The Give Away will begin at 7.30am this Friday, March 15, 2013.

SongLives brings Guggenheim Grotto and Jenna Nicholls to the Irish Arts Center (IrishCentral)

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 05:32:01 PST

By: JANE WALSH

Irish musicians Kevin May and Mick Lynch of The Guggenheim Grotto bring their signature “modern, intelligent, lyrically potent pop” to the Irish Arts Center for one night only on Saturday, March 9th as part of the much-loved SongLives series curated by Grammy-award winner Susan McKeown.

Irish Arts Center executives lead Sunnyside's St. Pat's for All parade (IrishCentral)

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 05:19:30 PST

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

Record crowds turned out last Sunday afternoon for the 14th annual St Pat's For All Parade in Sunnyside, Queens.

David McWilliams and Steven Rattner among political cabaret guest at Irish Arts Center (IrishCentral)

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 01:54:11 PST

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

As part of their literature and humanities programme the Irish Arts Center will play host to two nights of political cabaret. The evenings will feature Irish economist David McWilliams, President Obama’s "Car Czar" and MSNBC Morning Joe economic analyst Steven Rattner and Executive Director of the Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant's Rights Angela Fernandez as well as RTE's Late Late Show House Band front-man Paddy Cullivan.

Irish Consulate in New York launch art project for St. Patrick’s Day (IrishCentral)

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:45:44 PST

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

The Irish Consulate in New York has launched a St. Patrick’s Day visual arts project open to all children between the ages of six and 16, with a category for special needs children.

Irish Arts Center to honor cultural leaders at annual ‘Show Your Love’ NYC event (IrishCentral)

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 04:57:38 PST

By: IrishCentral Staff Writers

The Irish Arts Center will honor three distinguished young professionals, invested in promoting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Ireland and Irish America, at its annual Show Your Love event, on Friday, February 22nd.