February 15, 2026

Dear Members,

Tomorrow is Presidents' Day, a time to honor those who have served as President of the United States, including 23 with Irish heritage.

Click the graphic below to learn about the Irish roots of these twenty-three, from Andrew Jackson, our 7th president, to Joe Biden, our 46th. The article is courtesy of The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin.

Also during February, the Museum will honor and learn about James Hoban, the Irish immigrant who designed and built 
the first White House, with a much-anticipated talk by guest speaker Maureen D. Brady. 

If you have not yet registered for Maureen's Wed. Feb. 25 talk via Zoom, please do so at this time. 

Please scroll all the way down for Feb. 25 lecture 
details, the link to reserve, and other important news.

In mid-January, all members of record received a letter and a book of "Luck of the Irish" raffle tickets in the mail. Tickets are $25 each and a book of 5 is $100.

The drawing for $6,000 in cash prizes will be held on Monday, March 23, right after the final lecture of the 2025-2026 series. The event will be in person and live-streamed on Zoom.

We're about half-way to our goal and hope all members will consider a gift of $25 or more in support this most important fundraiser of our 2025-2026 Fiscal Year, which ends on March 31, 2026, as we close Newport Irish Heritage Month.

THANK YOU to everyone who purchased one or more raffle tickets or donated to the fundraiser! Click the orange button below for the list of all Luck of the Irish supporters recorded as of Feb. 13.

If you are not a raffle enthusiast and prefer to make a tax-deductible donation to the fundraiser, please send in the fundraiser letter/reply form with your check or click the below "Donate" button to give online. Thank you!

Questions regarding the fundraiser or need additional raffle tickets?
Please write NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com or phone Kathy Papp at (401) 236-2614

Lecture made possible by a generous gift from

Margaret Armstrong Murray 
given in memory of her husband
Vincent J. Murray

Maureen D. Brady

Please "Save the Date" for the last talk in our 2025-26 Lecture Series, Monday, March 23 at 6:00 p.m. in person and via Zoom.

Dr. Sean O'Callaghan of Salve Regina University will give a talk on Ireland's Blasket Islands, after which we'll draw the names of the three "Luck of the Irish" raffle winners.

The above photo of a Blasket Island scene is by Giles Norman of Kinsale, Ireland, and is used with permission.

Shortly, our March Irish Heritage Month events mailing, including details for the March 23 lecture, will go out to our members. The information, including links to reserve for the lecture and our other Museum-sponsored events, will also be live on our website at that time.

You can access the 49th Annual Newport Irish Heritage Month community calendar, which is hosted on the Museum's website, by clicking the graphic below.

We know this musical happening will be of interest to our members and will be a wonderful prelude to Irish Heritage Month.

Providence Performing Arts Center hosts the 4th Annual "The Pipes are Calling" on Wed. Feb. 25 at noon. Free. No tickets.


Enjoy Kevin Doyle's Roscommon Soles with The Kelly School of Irish Dance, and featuring PPAC's House Organist Peter Edwin Krasinski. 

For more info., click the graphic above for the event webpage.

Thank You to all our members with Annual (vs. Life) Memberships who have paid their dues for the 2025-2026 Membership Year!


Those who have not yet submitted their dues for the current membership cycle (4/1/2025 - 3/31/2026) were mailed 
this letter in late-January, along with the Feb. 25 lecture flyer.

Our Membership/Fiscal Year closes on March 31, 2026. If your membership is lapsed, we would appreciate your submitting your dues before the close of the Fiscal Year to help us end on a strong note and to help defray related expenses.

You can pay your dues NOW using the

"Membership Renewal" button below.

 If you are unsure of your membership status — before making a payment — please email Ann Arnold at tpm1@earthlink.net or phone her at (401) 841-5493 and she'll get right back to you.

If, for any reason, you will not be renewing your membership, please drop Ann a quick note or give her a ring so she might update our records.
We are grateful for your past support! 


Important Note:
 Luck of the Irish raffle ticket purchase gifts are not applied to Dues payable.

News you May Have Missed 

CLICK the newspaper graphic for

past Members' E-newsletters.

Established 1996

a 501c3 non-profit organization

Mailing Address:

PO Box 1378, Newport, RI 02840

Interpretive Center:

648 Lower Thames Street, Newport RI 02840

Email: NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com

Click Here for Museum Board of Directors Contact Info. and list of deceased board members, fondly remembered.

The MISSION of the Museum of Newport Irish History is to tell the story of the Irish immigrants and their descendants in Newport County and the surrounding area from the colonial era to the present. It also seeks to preserve artifacts and mementos relating to their experiences and facilitate

research on Irish history and heritage.

!