December 2025

Dear Members,            

The Board of the Museum of Newport Irish History extends its sincere wishes for the holiday season. We send you this Irish blessing:

May the light of the Christmas star shine upon you.

May the warmth of home and hearth surround you.
May the cheer and goodwill of friends and family fill your heart. 
And may the joy of the season bring you 
peace and happiness 
all year long.


The museum had an exciting year with the debut of our digital display, Tracing the Tides, and our Walking Tours app, as well as continued excitement around our Lecture Series and the Barney Street and St. Mary’s Cemetery tours! And of course, we are thankful for the many who visited our Interpretive Center, including the Irish Consul General.

And 2026 will be a big year for our museum – it is our 30th anniversary! The Museum of Newport Irish History was formally organized as a non-profit in 1996. The following year, we had about 100 members and have since grown to about 1,000. We’ll be developing plans to commemorate our 30th anniversary with a look at our past and the excitement of things to come.

Our true Christmas blessings are our volunteers and the support and interest of our members. We thank you!

Nollaig Shona Duit (Christmas happiness be with you)

Board of Directors

Larry Bartley

Christopher Behan

Deanna Conheeny

Jeremiah Harrington

Carol Lepley

Steve Marino

Ann Arnold May

Jack McCormack

Donna McCarthy

Peg Murray

Rick O'Neill

Kathleen Papp

John Quinn

Jim Ryan

Paul Shea

Mike Slein

Dan Titus

Directors Emeriti

John Booth

Kevin P. Doyle

Peter Martin

Patrick F. Murphy

Harry Winthrop

Honorary Directors

Hon. Kathleen Connell

Mrs. Diana Crowley

Hon. David Roderick

Remembering our deceased Board Members at this special time of the year, and always:

The Museum's custom ornaments reproduce the carving in the

commemorative Celtic cross at the 
Barney Street Cemetery, the final 
resting place of many of Newport's 
earliest Irish immigrants.

(photo by Maureen Brady)

The lighted model of St. Mary's Church 
 shown at Christmastime, on display at the Museum's Interpretive Center. 
(photo by Allan Millora)

For the history of this model, click the photo for a brief related article from the Spring 2017 
Museum Newsletter.

The Barney St. Cemetery on Dec. 14, 2025 (photo by Tim May)

Museum of Newport Irish History

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 information

NOTE: If you are unclear of your membership status,

please contact us before making an online payment. 
Reach us at NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com or phone Ann at 
(401) 841-5493 and we'll get right back to you.