This weekend, thousands around the world will once again commemorate the beginning of the 1916 Easter Rising.
Sunday, April 24, 2016, will officially mark 100 years to the day since rebel forces congregated in Dublin and began the fight. Across the US, many towns and cities will be holding their own special ceremonies to remember this pivotal event in Irish history.
Here are just a few of the numerous ways the US-based Irish community will remember the Rising this weekend and beyond:
Washington D.C.
April 20, 2016: 1916 Easter Rising Commemoration through Music and Poetry
A commemoration in poetry and song with special guests including National Book Award winner Alice McDermott, award-winning poet Terence Patrick Winch and professors and singers from throughout the region.
Location: The Lab Theater (enter downstairs from Callan Theater), Catholic University, 7.30-9.30 p.m.
April 23, 2016: Dinner Dance for the 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising
Knights of Columbus Council 5547 hosts a dinner and dance in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising. $25 ticket includes dinner, beer/wine, and entertainment by the Sean Fleming Band. 9450 Cherry Hill Road, College Park, MD, 6.30-11.00 p.m.
April 24, 2016: 100 Years: A Commemoration of the Easter Rising through Dance
The O'Neill James School of Irish Dance will hold a commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising through dance. Irish dancing schools from across the Washington area are invited to take part in the event, which will last approximately one hour. Contact the O'Neill James School at [email protected] for more information.
April 25, 2016: 1916: The Irish Rebellion Screening—E Street Cinema
The Washington D.C. Irish Embassy, together with Solas Nua and the Notre Dame Club of Washington D.C., will present two screenings of the new Liam Neeson-narrated documentary, “The Irish Rebellion.” This landmark documentary features new archival footage, segments filmed on-location worldwide, interviews with leading international experts and a new in-depth look into the role of Irish America in the lead-up to the Rebellion.
Location: E Street Cinema, 555 11th Street. Registration required, walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
April 26, 2016: We Banjo 3 in concert
This award-winning quartet from Galway delivers a groundbreaking mixture of Irish music and old-time Americana and bluegrass influences.
Location: The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW, doors 6.30 p.m., show 7.30 p.m.
April 27, 2016: Restoration of Robert Emmet Statue Park
To mark the concurrent centenaries of the National Park Service, the 1916 Easter Rising, and the Emmet statue, the National Park Service is undertaking a major refurbishment of the park site this Spring.
This rededication event, organized by the Embassy of Ireland, the National Parks Service, the Smithsonian Institution, the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Irish American Unity Conference, will take place at 12 noon on April 27.
Boston and New England
April 23, 2016: Ancient Order of Hibernians Raising of the Irish Flag, Mass and Reception
Join the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Boston as they raise the tricolor, celebrate mass at St. Jerome’s Church and host a follow-up reception with music provided by the Noel Henry Band.
Location: A raising of the Irish flag will take place at Holyoke City Hall, (536 Dwight Street, 1.00 p.m.) followed by a mass at St. Jerome’s Church, (169 Hampden St., 4.00 p.m.) and a reception at the Wherehouse (109 Lyman Street, 6.00 p.m.).
April 24, 2016: The Irish Cultural Centre of New England Community Event
The centenary will be marked by a special gathering of the Irish community of New England taking place in the Irish Cultural Centre of New England, Canton, Massachusetts.
April 24, 2016: Céilí at the Club in Commemoration of the 1916 Uprising
Sing along in commemoration at this special céilí. Music will be provided by Jimmy McArdle, Barney McElhoe, Jerry Sullivan and John Joe Martin.
Location: John Boyle O’Reilly Club, 33 Progress Avenue, Springfield, MA.
June 17 until June 19 2016: Boston Community Commemoration of Easter Rising 1916
A gathering of the North American Irish Community organized in cooperation with Glór na nGael and the Consulate of Ireland in Boston.
This occasion will provide an opportunity to celebrate the close ties between the people of Boston and the people of Ireland, and to commemorate the importance of this link in the context of the events of 1916.
Location: Seapoint Hotel and World Trade Center, Boston.
June 1 until October 31: South of Hy-Brazil
Caoimhghín Ó Fraithile exhibits South of Hy-Brazil, an outdoor art installation in Boston, from June to October 2016.
In South of Hy-Brazil, Ó Fraithile showcases exquisite ink drawings on handmade paper, combining text in the Irish language with an imagined topography that refers to the sacred land and seascapes influenced by the hermitage island of Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry.
Chicago and the Midwest
Week of April 23: Staged Reading of Cathleen Ní Houlihan
DePaul University Theater School presents an event incorporating vocal and instrumental music and the William Butler Yeats and Lady Gregory-penned one-act play Cathleen Ní Houlihan, in which Ireland personified calls her sons to revolution.
April 24: Irish American Heritage Center Day-Long Event
Presented in conjunction with the Consulate General of Ireland, Chicago, this fantastic day-long event will run from 11.00am and finish with a large concert at 4.30pm featuring over two dozen of some of the best local Irish folk groups, musicians and performers.
Beginning with Mass at 11am, the schedule also includes a reading of the Proclamation, a screening of 1916 film, “A Birth of a Nation” by Gerard McCarthy, readings of the Letters of 1916 written during the Rising and a program of music and poetry, “Revolutionary Women of Ireland in 1916”, featuring Kathy Cowan.
The tribute concert "Songs of Freedom" will explore the rich tradition of rebel songs and songs in yearning for freedom, featuring many songs you can sing along to performed by some of the best: Dennis Cahill, Catherine O'Connell, the Chancey Brothers, the Dooley Brothers, Jimmy Keane and many more.
Tickets are $20 for members/$25 non-members and can be purchased at www.irish-american.org or by calling the Irish American Heritage Center at 773-282-7035. Tickets will be available at the door.
Location: Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago, IL.
April 24: Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati Centenary Event
Meeting at the Memorial Plaque dedicated to our first Irish immigrant ancestors who arrived on the Waterfront of the Ohio, this centenary event will kick off at 1:00 pm with a public reading of the Proclamation followed by a visit to the Irish Center for sandwiches, desserts and Dr. William H.A. Williams presentation of the Easter Rising in song and stories with the Blue Rock Boys, Ceol Mhor and the Irish American Theater Company.
Location: Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati, 3905 Eastern Ave, Cincinnati, OH.
April 28: Chicago Irish Immigrant Support 1916 Centenary Commemorative Event
Chicago Irish Immigrant Support, in conjunction with Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform, will host a symposium on April 28 commemorating the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, bringing together scholars and community organizations to share research and inspire future collaborations.
Location: Gage Restaurant, 24 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, 5.30-8.00 p.m.
May 1 2016 through July 24 2016 : (Re)Public
Create present (Re)Public, an exhibition showcasing the work of seven leading socially-engaged Irish artists.
(Re)Public is an exhibition which engages with key issues, reflecting the complexity of 21st century Ireland and the dynamic and diverse arena of collaborative arts. Artists include Seamus Nolan, Marie Barrett/North 55, Sean Taylor and Mikael Fernström/Softday and Dylan Tighe.
Location: Hyde Park Arts Center, Chicago.
Atlanta and the South-East
April 25 – 26: Arís Theater’s staged reading of “The Plough and the Stars”
On April 25 and 26, Arís Theater will present Seán O’Casey’s “The Plough and the Stars”, followed by a Q&A session. The second two acts of the play take place during the time of the Rising in Dublin and gives fantastic insight into normal working-class life in early twentieth century Dublin.
Location: The Morris & Rae Frank Theater at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Atlanta, GA, at 7:30pm.
San Francisco and the West
April 21–28: Irish spotlight at the 2016 Newport Beach Film Festival
The Newport Beach Film Festival will include an “Irish Spotlight” film and event, as well as a number of additional Irish feature length and short films. These will include “AFTER ’16,” a specially curated program of short films, funded by the Irish Film Board.
Location: 2000 Quail St, Newport Beach, CA.
April 22: Ireland’s Poet–Patriots, A Musical Tribute
Ireland’s Poet-Patriots is a musical tribute to Ireland’s struggle for independence, including the seminal moment of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic of 1916. The texts of the concert are drawn from the writings and poems of ten of Ireland’s most respected poets and patriots, from Emmet and Pearse to Ledwidge and Yeats.
The music is both Irish traditional and original contemporary classical music composed and adapted by Richard B. Evans.
Location: Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., San Francisco at 8.00pm.
April 22-24: Éire 1916: A Tale of Revolution
An original play, musical and multimedia performance bringing to life a turbulent time in Irish history, told through drama and song. Sponsored by the Irish Club of Alaska.
Location: Grant Hall Theater, Alaska Pacific University Campus. April 22 and 23, 7.00pm. April 24, 3.00pm.
April 30–May 8: Theatre Lovett presents The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly
Presented by one of Ireland’s leading children’s theater companies, “The Girl who Forgot to Sing Badly” tells a tale of love, loss, adventure and courage.
Location: Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, California.
Austin and the Southwest
April 23: New Orleans Cultural Center
Join together in St. Alphonsus Cultural Center, New Orleans, on April 23 for a free event commemorating the 1916 Rising. Proceedings begin at 12pm with Mass in St. Mary's Assumption Church, located just across the street from the center. Following the Mass, the program will include a bagpipe procession, performances by the Muggivan School of Irish Dance, historical readings, and refreshments.
For information, email [email protected] or call 504.952.9925.
Location: St. Alphonsus Cultural Center, 2030 Constance St.
April 24: Program of the Irish-American Society of New Mexico
Join the commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Easter Rising on Sunday, April 24, at O'Neill's Pub, Albuquerque, from 2pm to 4 pm. The event will include a showing of the short film, "Ireland: Birth of a Nation," with actual footage from 1916, and revolutionary Irish music performed by Gerry Muisiner.
Location: O'Neill's Pub (Central and Washington), Albuquerque.
April 28: Proclaiming Rebellion: Emmet, Pearse and the Road to 1916
This lecture will explore the road to the 1916 Rising, looking at the rebellions that inspired it, the iconic Proclamation, and the connections between Emmet and Pearse, to provide a new interpretation of the events of Easter 1916.
Location: William J. Flynn Center for Irish Studies, 3910 Yoakum, Houston, TX at 7pm. Contact [email protected].
New York State and the surrounding region
April 22–May 1: The Buffalo Niagara Centenary Commemoration Committee presents The Rising: 1916-2016
From Friday, April 22 to Sunday, May 1, the Buffalo Niagara Centenary committee presents a varied program of centenary events, the highlights of which include Irish films on April 24 and 29, a lecture on Irish language and the 1916 Rising on April 26, all at the Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road, Buffalo, a bilingual reading of the Proclamation on April 25 at Erie County College City Campus, 121 Ellicott Street, Buffalo; and much more.
April 23: Newark, New Jersey Commemorations
A family-friendly Irish Heritage celebration and festival at Military Park, highlighting local Irish music, dance, food, sports, and art running from 12 noon to 5pm.
Location: Military Park, Newark.
April 24: Rockland County's commemoration of the 1916 Rising
Join the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians, Rockland Irish Northern Aid, the Rockland GAA and the Council of Irish Association of Greater Bergen County for their Easter Rising centenary commemoration on April 24.
The day shall begin with a Mass of Remembrance at 10.30am to be followed by a parade at the GAA Field. At 12:45, there will be a reading of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic also followed by several guest speakers and a tribute to the 16 men executed for their role in attempting to gain Ireland's independence.
The commemoration will continue with a luncheon at the nearby Pearl River Hilton. Tickets cost $40 and reservations can be made by contacting Jim Russell at (845) 300-2930.
Location: Rockland GAA field located at 1 Third avenue, Orangeburg, New York.
April 24: The Life and Legacy of Catherine Wheelwright, Éamon de Valera’s Mother
Learn more about the Irish roots of Rochester through the story of historical Rochester woman named Catherine Wheelwright, who lived from 1858 to 1932. While living in New York and married to a Cuban man she became the mother of Éamon de Valera, who was among those who led the fight for Ireland’s independence from Britain from 1919 to 1921.
Location: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery and Mausoleums, 2461 Lake Avenue, Rochester, NY.
April 24: Dedication of the Gaelic American Club, Fairfield County 1916 Memorial
Dedication mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church officiated by Bishop of Bridgeport, followed by dedication and unveiling of the Gaelic American Club memorial in front of the Gaelic American Club.
Location: Mass at 1719 Post Road, Fairfield, CT at 2pm followed by dedication at 74 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT.
April 24: Philadelphia 1916 Anniversary Programme
A flag raising will take place at the Irish Memorial at 10am,, with Citations from the Philadelphia City Council and Pennsylvania State Legislature marking the Centenary. A pipe band-led procession to Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut St., will follow, where Mayor Jim Kenney, Congressman Brendan Boyle and Dr. Brian O’Murchu will read the Proclamation in English and Irish, as well as a Citation from Congress.
Location: 100 S. Front St., Philadelphia. Flag raising at 10.00 a.m., Independence Hall event at 12.00 noon.
May 3: Dedication of the Suffolk County 1916 Memorial
The memorial will be dedicated on the centenary of the execution of Thomas Clarke who lived in Manorville, Suffolk County in 1906-7.
Location: Suffolk County Cohalan Courthouse, Carleton Avenue (County Road 17), Central Islip - 12:30-2 PM.
Nationwide
Egg, North American tour 2016 - various locations and dates across the US.
Visiting various location across North America including Florida, South Carolina, New Jersey and New York, between now and June 2016, Egg is a theater piece for children. Cahoot’s Northern Ireland brings this magical, musical piece of theater, allowing children to experience world class theater.
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