Updated April 15
Unfortunately, it seems Gabriel Byrne will not be participating in the Gala Concert after all. sad
However, Liam Neeson will be a Special Guest that evening, so don’t cry too much. wink
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March 19
It’s Groundbreaking Time!
As someone who recently built a house (the builders built it, of course. I just made decisions, paid for everything, and chewed off all my fingernails), I can tell you that groundbreaking is a very exciting time.
The Irish Arts Center is now entering the “groundbreaking season,” as they prepare to break ground on their new home in New York City, and they are just as excited as they should be!
To celebrate, a Gala Concert Event, featuring Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, Camille O’Sullivan, and Declan O’Rourke, has been arranged for April 25. Special guests for the evening include Paul Muldoon and our favorite Irishman, Gabriel Byrne!
Get your tickets and get ready to party!
As most of you know, Gabriel has been an ardent and vocal supporter of this building project for years now. And he can tell you about his vision for this new center far better than I can:
We may not know all of his accomplishments behind the scenes, but he has appeared in videos like the one above, escorted folks around the building mock-up, and spoken before crowds at gala after gala to promote this project and help make it a reality.
Irish Central offers some details on recent progress in this March 16 article:
Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar has announced that the Irish government has pledged another $2.5 million to the New York Irish Arts Center’s fund to begin construction of a new building in Manhattan. The Irish contribution, fittingly announced on St. Patrick’s Day Eve, brings the NY IAC’s fundraising campaign, “Almost Home” to $60.5 million.
The latest investment ensures that the first phase of construction on 11th Avenue is fully funded and ready to begin. Pending final approvals from city and state agencies, groundbreaking should occur within the next three months.
So now the dream is about to become reality. It takes many people to create something of this magnitude, and Gabriel is just one of those people. Kudos to all who have helped accomplish this inspiring goal for the Irish community of New York!
Looks like a great line-up for a very worthy cause.