March 10, 2026

Dear Members,

Once again, the Museum of Newport Irish History is poised to celebrate the 49^th Annual Irish Heritage Month in style! We will certainly be celebrating our proud Irish history and heritage. The museum will be open to welcome our members and visitors on the weekends of March 13, March 20, and March 27 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, noon – 5:00 pm). Please stop by to view some of our new exhibits and our efforts at cataloging our archives!


We will conduct tours of the Barney Street Cemetery on March 21 and St. Mary’s Cemetery on March 28. Let’s hope the weather cooperates and we can enjoy a spring day, viewing the budding of the trees and plantings. Our volunteer cemetery crew works very hard throughout the year to make the Barney Street Cemetery a gem in the neighborhood. Our annual Trolley Tour of Irish Newport is scheduled for March 22, but it is fully reserved. Maybe next year for those who missed it this year.

And we have our final lecture of the 2025-2026 Lecture Series on March 23 with Dr. Sean O’Callaghan presenting “Echoing Ancient Voices: The Literary and Cultural Legacy of Ireland’s Blasket Islands.” And the excitement will be mounting during the lecture, as we await the pulling of the winning tickets for the Luck of the Irish Raffle. Thank you to all who purchased tickets and made donations to this important fundraiser for the museum – your generosity is so appreciated.

Of course, we will end the Irish Heritage Month in high fashion with Dancing at the 40 Steps on March 29. Additional information about these events is available below in this newsletter and always on our website (NewportIrishHistory.org).

Our Annual Meeting will be held this year on April 26. Please save the date and join us as we celebrate the museum's great work and successes – thanks to all your support!

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish you all the best as we celebrate our “Irishness” during this month. I look forward to seeing you either in person or via Zoom – maybe at the 70^th Saint Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14.

Sláinte,

Deanna

Deanna J. Conheeny

President, Board of Directors

djconheeny@gmail.com

(401) 829-0098- mobile

PS -- Please be sure to scroll down to the end so you don't miss any any of our news.

"Tracing the Tides," our digital, interactive exhibit

The Museum’s Interpretive Center, which operates seasonally from late May to the end of October, will be open nine days during March, in celebration of Newport Irish Heritage Month. Located at 648 Lower Thames Street, just south of Narragansett Avenue, the Center also welcomes private and group tours by appointment.

The special March 2026 public hours are 12:00–5:00 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the second, third, and fourth weekends in March. Note: Friday, Mar. 13 is the first day.

The list of days, parking information, a map and directions may be viewed at the middle of the Home page of our website:

https://newportirishhistory.org/

Hosted by our knowledgeable and engaging volunteer docents, visitors will learn about Irish immigration to the Newport area and of the contributions to the community by individuals of Irish descent from the Colonial era to the present through various exhibits, including photographs, artifacts, and more. While there, don't miss our new digital interactive exhibit, "Tracing the Tides."

Admission to the Center is free for Museum members and by donation for non-members. For more information, please write NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com.

Mar. 2023 tour by Steve Marino. Photo by Charley Collins

Our popular tour of the 1828 Barney Street Cemetery, the final resting place of many of Newport's early Irish immigrants, returns in March. Learn the fascinating story of this site, central to the history of Newport's early Irish community.

The approximately 30-minute tours, weather permitting, will be given on Saturday, March 21, at 1:00 p.m. by local researcher and guide, Steve Marino. No fee, but reservations are requested.

The cemetery was restored by the Museum in 1998-99, and continues to be maintained by the organization, thanks to our dedicated volunteers and the financial support of you, our members.


To reserve, please click the button below for the "Historic Cemetery Tours" page on our website. There, you will find a link to reserve for the tour along with interesting historical information about the cemetery site, including links to videos.



  Questions/Assistance with Reservations?

Contact Ann Arnold at (401) 841-5493 or tpm1@earthlink.net

One of the charming trolleys operated by Viking Tours of Newport

AS OF PRESS TIME, THE TOUR IS FULLY RESERVED
Contact Kathy Papp to inquire about a spot on the Waiting List


As announced in the flyer all members received in the mail on/about March 1, we will host our annual Trolley Tour of “Irish Newport” on Sun. Mar. 22, departing from Ancient Order of Hibernian Hall, 2 Wellington Avenue, Newport at 1:00 pm sharp. Please arrive no later than 12:45 pm to check in.

The 2-hour tour, narrated by our immediate past board president, Mike Slein, include stops at various sites connected to the history of the Irish in Newport, including the Forty Steps on Cliff Walk and the Barney Street Cemetery.


The Trolley is generously donated by:

in memory of :

Karen A. Oakley & Ann M. Oakley

The tour is free, but gratuities for the

trolley driver are gratefully accepted.     



Reservations are required, and space is limited

(vehicle capacity is 35 riders).

Note: If you’ve taken the Trolley Tour in past years, especially more than once, we’d ask that you allow our new members

            and our friends in the community at-large to experience the tour, as space is limited. Thank you!

          Questions/Assistance with Trolley Reservations?

Please contact Kathy Papp at (401) 236-2624 
or KathleenPapp@cox.net

5th and Final Program of the 2025-2026 Series

~ Our 24th Annual ~

Echoing Ancient Voices:

The Literary and Cultural Legacy of

Ireland's Blasket Islands

 Guest Speaker:

Dr. Sean O'Callaghan

Monday, March 23, 6:00 p.m.

Wyndham Newport Hotel

240 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown, R.I.

and Live-Streamed via Zoom

Made possible by a generous gift from

Francis J. Furtado 
in memory of his wife
 Barbara Carr Furtado

The once-Irish-speaking Blasket Islands, abandoned by their last inhabitants in the 1950s, stand as an eternal testimony to an ancient culture that lived at the very edge of Europe. The people of the Blaskets lived off the sea, and their stories have been told in several remarkable books which preserve the language and customs of a lost Ireland.

This talk will explore the lives of the Blasket Islanders through excerpts from the rich literature that emerged from this island community, chronicling the distinct culture and landscape of this Atlantic outpost. For the people of the Blaskets, the next parish beyond them was America, and they lived both at the edge and center of Irish culture. 

DR. SEAN O’CALLAGHAN is an associate professor in the Department of Religious and Theological Studies at Salve Regina

University. He grew up in Ireland, attending an Irish-speaking school (though his Irish is a little rustier than he would like these

days), and has a strong interest in Irish cultural history. He has a Ph.D. in systematic theology, and his main areas of expertise are in the fields of world religions and the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and religion and culture. In 2025, he co-authored AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep, a book aimed at equipping religious leaders and educators for the challenges and opportunities posed by AI. We welcome Dr. O'Callaghan for this, his second talk to our membership.

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

• Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
• Complimentary Light hors d'oeuvres
• Cash Bar
• Winners of "Luck of the Irish" raffle to be pulled 
  after lecture and Q&A conclude
• "Last chance" Raffle tickets will be sold 5:30- 6:00 pm

Click a link below to sign up.

In-person guests: $5 per person fee

via cash or check to MNIH.

Zoom registrants: No fee

Our tour of the historic Saint Mary's Cemetery will be offered on Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 p.m.

The outdoor tour of approximately 45 minutes will be given by local researcher and guide, Steve Marino, weather permitting.

Explore the final resting place of well over 1,000 Newporters of the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, including countless immigrants from Ireland and first-generation Irish Americans.

This cemetery was established to serve R.I.'s first Catholic parish (est. 1828), which, in 1848-1852 constructed a new church in which to house its growing congregation, fueled by immigration from Ireland. That church, dedicated in 1852 to "The Holy Name of Mary, Our Lady of the Isle," stands today at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard West. The St. Mary's Cemetery was in operation soon after the church was completed.

Meet at the gate on Kingston Ave. near the intersection with Warner Street, shown in the above photo.

To reserve, please click the below button for the "Historic Cemetery Tours" page on our website. There, you will find links to reserve for the Mar. 28 tour, along with links and information pertaining to the Barney Street Cemetery tours, discussed above.



  Questions/Assistance with Reservations?

Contact Ann Arnold at (401) 841-5493 or tpm1@earthlink.net

All members received this letter and a book of "Luck of the Irish" raffle tickets in mid-January.

This is our most important fundraiser for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year, ending March. 31. You can support us by purchasing raffle tickets or making a tax-deductible donation.

The $6,000 cash prize drawing is Monday, March 23, after the final talk of our 24th Annual Lecture Series. You do not need to be present to win.

We have approximately 750 Individual and Family memberships, and just over 200 of which have already purchased raffle tickets and/or made a tax-deductible gift to the fundraiser. Thank you!

Don't miss YOUR chance to win $6,000 in prizes -- send in your completed raffle tickets and payment today!

Need more tickets ($25 each or 5 for $100)? Contact Kathy Papp at (401) 236-2624 or KathleenPapp@cox.net. We can take payment over the phone and fill out your ticket stubs if you'd like.

Click below to supporters as of March 7.

We feel lucky indeed, for your support and look forward to updating this list soon!

The fundraiser will run through March 31. If you’d like to make a gift by check, please mail to:

Museum of Newport Irish History

PO Box 1378

Newport, RI 02840

Please write “Luck of the Irish” in the check memo.

You can also donate online by clicking the above button, to the “Donations” page on our website.

"DANCING AT THE FORTY STEPS" - MAR. 29

Please hope and/or pray for some "Luck of the Irish" that we enjoy favorable weather on Sun. March 29 at 3:00 pm for this much-loved, family-friendly community event. The outdoor gathering is held weather-permitting, and updates will be posted on our Facebook page and on this webpage: https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/dancing-at-the-forty-steps/

Learn more about this commemorative event and view videos of recent past "Dancing at the Forty Steps" gatherings by visiting the above webpage.

Questions? Please contact event coordinator, Rick O'Neill at

(401) 374-5698 or riconeill@cox.net



49TH ANNUAL NEWPORT IRISH HERITAGE MONTH

Newport Irish Heritage Month — a month-long celebration of "all things Irish"— was established 49 years ago by the former Newport Irish Heritage Association (NIHA), thanks to the efforts of Rick Kelly, Jim Mahoney, Rick O'Neill, and the late Paul Crowley. When NIHA disbanded in 2017, the Museum of Newport Irish History proudly took over compiling the March calendar of Irish events.

While the 70th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade (Sat. Mar. 14) is a highlight for many, the Newport Irish Heritage Month calendar features numerous other special events from local organizations and businesses, such as The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Museum of Newport Irish History, Jane Pickens Film + Event Center, Newport Library, and more.

As you plan your March activities, visit our online calendar on the Museum’s website. Click the above graphic or use this direct link: https://newportirishhistory.org/newport-irish-heritage-month/

For Questions or to submit an event: 
Email NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com with 
"Irish Heritage Month" in the subject line.

Our 2026 Annual Meeting and social, to which all members are warmly invited, is scheduled for the late afternoon of Sunday, April 26 at Hibernian Hall in Newport.

Details and registration instructions will be mailed to all members of record and will be posted on our Annual Meeting web page and shared via Member E-newsletter. 

ATTENTION: LAPSED MEMBERS

If you received a letter in the mail with the February 25 Lecture flyer marked "3rd Renewal Reminder," our records show your membership dues for the current cycle (April 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026) remain unpaid. HERE is a copy of that letter.

By renewing before March 31, 2026, you’ll help us finish the Fiscal Year strong and ensure our organization’s continued success. Your prompt support truly makes a difference—please renew today!

Have you thought about upgrading from an Annual to a LIFE membership? With a single one-time payment, you can secure lifelong benefits and make a lasting impact. As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our founding in 2026, there’s never been a better time to make this meaningful commitment to the Mission of our organization.

• All membership dues payments are tax-deductible.
• To renew online, click the below "Membership Renewals" button.
• To renew by check ($30 Indiv./$40 Family), please make payable to "MNIH" with "Membership" in the memo and mail to the below PO Box address.
• Life Memberships are $300 Individual/$400 Family

If you are not sure of your membership status, please contact Ann Arnold at tpm1@earthlink.net or (401) 841-5493 before making a payment, and she'll get back to you right away.

IF YOU DON'T PLAN TO RENEW:

If you know you will not be renewing, we encourage you to give us the courtesy of a quick note—by mail, email, or a call to Ann at the above number—so we can promptly update our records and remove you from our mailing 
and member E-newsletter lists.

This simple act will saves us significant volunteer time and 
organization expense, including postage and printing.

Please know we are grateful for your past support and invite you to 
follow our progress on the website and Facebook page.

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 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.