IrishCentral held our inaugural Arts & Creativity Awards on Friday, February 9 at the American Irish Historical Society in New York City, celebrating the excellence and innovation of the Irish creative community in America.

IrishCentral Creativity & Arts Awards 2018

What a night! Enjoy this footage from IrishCentral's inaugural Creativity & Arts Awards, honoring excellence across creative fields. With TG4, Slane Whiskey, Féile an Phobail, Irish American Writers and Artists, Inc, The American Irish Historical Society, IrishNetworkUSA, The Irish Echo and congratulations to winners Nigel Eccles of FanDuel, Shannon Downey of Badass Cross Stitch, Celtic Junction Arts Center and Eoin McKiernan Library, Margaret Molloy with WearingIrish, Colin Broderick, Irish Arts Center, Honor Molloy and Origin Theatre Company, Eva O'Leary, and Susan McKeown! Full event recap here: http://bit.ly/2ot1GV3

Posted by IrishCentral.com on Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Forty-four creative Irish leaders in the US were nominated across eight categories: Media & Innovation, Voice of Today,  The Written Word, The Screen, The Stage, Fashion & Design, Visual Art, and Irish Centers & Festivals. 

IrishCentral Creativity & Arts awards

The inaugural IrishCentral Creativitt & Arts Awards, live from The American Irish Historical Society in New York! With thanks to our sponsors, Slane Whiskey TG4, Féile an Phobail, Irish American Writers and Artists, Inc, IrishNetworkUSA

Posted by IrishCentral.com on Friday, February 9, 2018

IrishCentral was honored to have Irish Minister for the Diaspora Ciarán Cannon as the Guest of Honor, in addition to New York Assembly Member Daniel J. O'Donnell. Also present were representatives from our wonderful sponsors, TG4, Féile 30, Irish American Writers & Artists, Slane Irish Whiskey, American Irish Historical Society, and Irish Network USA.

We were delighted to welcome many of our extraordinary honorees and to announce the winners in each of the categories, selected by public vote and a judging panel.

Nigel Eccles of Fan Duel won the Media & Innovation award, the Celtic Junction Arts Center & Eoin McKiernan Library was the winner of the Irish American Centers & Festivals Award, and Margaret Molloy won the Fashion & Design for her ongoing Wearing Irish Project.

Colin Broderick took home The Screen award for his film Emerald City, The Irish Arts Center's annual Poetry Fest won in the Written Word category, and Honor Molloy was awarded The Stage prize for her play Crackskull Row, in the Origin 1st Irish Theater Festival. 

Shannon Downey, renowned for her craftivism under the name Badass Cross-stitch, won the Voice of Today Award, and photographer Eva O'Leary took top honors in the Visual Arts category.

Singer Susan McKeown was recognized with the night's special Anam Award and gave a stunning performance. 

Check out more photographs from the event, below! All photos by Nuala Purcell. Know someone who you think should be honored? We'll be making a public call for nominations for the 2019 Creativity & Arts awards later this year.

Stay tuned - we'll be making a public call for honorees for the 2019 Creativity & Arts awards later this year.