Ireland 2016 in New York
The 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising will have particular resonance in the United States.
Five of the seven signatories to the Proclamation of Independence spent periods of time in the U.S. that significantly influenced their thinking and actions. The U.S. is the only foreign country specifically mentioned in the Proclamation; it has the greatest concentration of our Diaspora; and the contemporary ties are of extraordinary depth and breadth.
The Embassy of Ireland in Washington D.C. and our 6 Consulates General (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, New York & San Francisco) have been preparing a programme of political, economic and cultural events across the United States throughout the centenary year. The defining character of the year’s events will be to present modern twenty first century Ireland - with 1916 as the point of departure. The emphasis will be on the journey and the point of arrival, as well as setting our compass for the future. An outline of confirmed events by geographic area follows below. New events and cities are being added regularly so please check back for further updates.
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New York
O’Donovan Rossa Commemoration
Over the course of the weekend of 27 – 29 June 2015, a range of events took place to commemorate the life and death of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. These included a GAA tournament at Gaelic Park in the Bronx; a community and cultural celebration in Queens; and a mass and wreath laying ceremony at the O’Donovan Rossa memorial at St. Peter’s Church in Staten Island. These events were led by the Cork Association in New York, New York GAA, the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) and the Ladies AOH, with the support of the Irish Consulate General in New York.
Lecture series at the Consulate General
The Consulate launched an historical lecture series in May 2015, in conjunction with New York GAA and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The inaugural lecture was delivered by Professor Mary Daly, President of the Royal Irish Academy. This lecture series, which is open to all, will continue on a bi-monthly basis until summer 2016.
NYU Glucksman Ireland House
Glucksman Ireland House at New York University (NYU) will present a series of public events commencing in autumn 2015 focusing on music, film, poetry, and prose. This series will culminate in a major academic conference on April 21-23 2016, which will explore the relationship between America and 1916, and will involve over twenty academic speakers from Ireland and across the United States.
Ancient Order of Hibernians U.S. National Commemoration
While the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) will run commemorative events throughout the US during 2016, the focus of commemorations for the national board of the AOH will be on New York on 23 April. These commemorations will include a mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a public event involving a solemn commemorative moment and a reading of the Proclamation, to be followed by a gala celebration. The Irish Consulate is working with the AOH to support them in their planning.
Event on the Centenary of the Easter Rising
There will be a significant, high level, inclusive commemorative programme on Sunday 24 April 2016 in New York, to mark the centenary of the 1916 Rising. The Irish and Irish American communities in New York, and the civic authorities in the city will be asked to participate in the event. The Irish Consulate is working with the community to plan this programme.
American Irish Historical Society
The American Irish Historical Society (AIHS) are planning a series of exhibitions featuring holdings from their rich collection of Irish and Irish American historical papers and artefacts from the period. These exhibitions will commence in late 2015 and will run throughout 2016. The AIHS are also planning a significant commemorative event for Sunday 24 April 2016.
Other New York Events
Many other community groups, academic and cultural institutions in New York are planning events to commemorate 2016. These include the Institute for Irish American Studies at Lehman College, City University of New York, who will commission an original play about New York in 1916, among other projects. Watson House (Battery Heritage Foundation), will also host a one-day symposium in May 2016 on the contribution of the women of Irish New York to Irish national aspirations.
Events taking place around the US