Maine Irish Heritage Center

06/12/2026

Join us this Monday, June 15th for Summer Storytelling Series: Belleflower Brewing!

Bring a story, a poem, a song, or simply come to listen and enjoy an evening among friends—or friends-in-the-making.

But wait, “Does my story/poem/song have to be Irish?” Absolutely not! These events are celebrations of the oral tradition of every culture, and we would love to hear anything you want to tell!

06/12/2026

TOMORROW!!!! Ulysses for Beginners 2.0: a Bloomsday Celebration at the Maine Irish Heritage Center!

Bloomsday returns! In a Portland tradition that dates back to 2004, the MIHC and AIRE Theater proudly presents Ulysses for Beginners (Version 2.0) This entertaining performance piece, written by AIRE Artistic Director Tony, uses lots of humor to explain the story line of James Joyce’s masterpiece Ulysses. Compressing the entire 818 pages of the novel into one packed hour. Come celebrate with the rest of the world that Dublin day, June 1904 that the book Ulysses takes place.

This is a guide through the intricacies of what some consider the greatest novel ever written — with a touch a wit and a bit of irreverence. "This piece is designed for those that have never read the book and have absolutely no intention of doing so.” Saturday, June 13, at 7 p.m. At the Maine Irish Heritage Center at 34 Gray Street, Portland, ME This event is free with a suggested donation of $10!

We’ll also have a cash bar with exciting Joyce-themed menu options!

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 7:00pm

06/09/2026

We still have a few tickets left for Onoir: Live in Concert! Presales end at 4pm, and any tickets we have left will go up in price at the door. Don't miss your chance to catch this unbelievable group of musicians live in concert tonight!!

Get your tickets now! https://maineirish.com/event/onoir-live-in-concert/

06/08/2026

Happy !

We are so excited that our Bloomsday event, Ulysses for Beginners 2.0, has been listed as a part of the official Dublin Bloomsday Festival's international celebrations!

Join us on Saturday, June 13th to celebrate with an amazing performance by AIRE (American Irish Repertory Ensemble) - This show is a guide through the intricacies of what some consider the greatest novel ever written — with a touch a wit and a bit of irreverence.

"This piece is designed for those that have never read the book and have absolutely no intention of doing so.”

Bloomsday returns! In a Portland tradition that dates back to 2004, the Maine Irish Historical Center and AIRE Theater proudly presents Ulysses for Beginners (Version 2.0) This entertaining performance piece, written by AIRE Artistic Director Tony, uses lots of humor to explain the story line of Jam...

06/07/2026

We had a few tickets open up for Onoir: Live in Concert! Don't wait, once these are gone we will be SOLD OUT!!

Get your tickets now! https://maineirish.com/event/onoir-live-in-concert/

06/07/2026

Join us on Thursday, June 25th for Irene M. Drago's Irish Timber: A Maine Irish Author Event!

Join us for an incredible evening of literature and history with Maine Author Irene Murtagh Drago as she discusses her latest novel Irish Timber.

Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.

About the Book:
Inspired by true events, Irish Timber is a standalone novel and a follow-up to Lavinia Wren and the Sailmakers. In the summer of 1931, Susie Rowley travels to Ireland with her cousin, a friend, and the undoubtable Eliza Willey Walker. Eliza convinces the band of Yankee scholars to investigate the wreck of her grandfather’s ship, the Alfred D. Snow. When Susie falls for Hugh Larkin, a medical student from County Wexford, their quest takes a detour. Later, she returns to Dublin and takes a job at the national library working for Dr. Richard Hayes. The librarian is soon drafted by Irish Military Intelligence, and Susie, a gifted linguist, is asked to join him to catch a German spy. As war engulfs their world, Yankee and Irish families alike demonstrate the power of love and the enduring value of Irish timber.

About the Author:
Irene M. Drago is the award-winning author of three historical novels, Daughters of Long Reach, The Maine Point, and Lavinia Wren and the Sailmakers. She also speaks three languages. During the Cold War, she honed her Russian skills by working for the D.O.D. Later, she taught Spanish at the high school and college level. Irene Murtagh Drago learned how to tell sea stories from her father, a chief petty officer who served on U.S. Navy ships from 1940 to 1980. Her paternal grandparents were born in Ireland and her maternal grandparents were the children of Irish immigrants. Their voices bring a lilt to Irish Timber.

06/06/2026

Ulysses for Beginners 2.0 ARTIST FEATURE!

Meet Paul Haley!

Paul Haley performed in a number of American Irish Repertory Ensemble productions in Portland, including The Cripple of Inishmaan, Pl***oy of the Western World, Juno and the Paycock, Da, The Grand O’Neal, A Couple of Blaguards, Lonesome West and The Seafarer, and in the ongoing odyssey of staged reading performances of Ulysses for Beginners. He appeared most recently as John of Gaunt in Richard II/Fenix Theatre’s Play In A Day, and as the Narrator in Patricia Mulholland’s Solitude of Space — Emily Dickinson: The Woman, The Poet. Other roles this season were in the Mad Horse Theatre production of The Minutes, and It Shoulda Been You with Good Theater. He played Roy Cohn in the Dramatic Rep Company/Portland Stage 2024 coproduction of Angels in America, Parts 1 & 2.

06/06/2026

We've had a few tickets open up for Onoir: Live in Concert at the MIHC! Don't wait - there's only a few left, and you won't want to miss your chance to see these amazing artists in person!

https://maineirish.com/event/onoir-live-in-concert/

06/06/2026

Ulysses for Beginners 2.0 ARTIST FEATURE!

Meet Mark Rubin!

Mark joined Mad Horse in 2013 and was the company's Artistic Director from 2018-2024. Past Mad Horse shows include Tumacho, Quills, The Effect, The Language Archive, One Flea Spare, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, The Totalitarians, Lysistrata, Trevor, Alligator Road, Vigils, Titus Andronicus, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, andNovember. Mark has also worked at Good Theater (Lucky Stiff, Act One, Clybourne Park, August:Osage County, Light up the Sky, Rabbit Hole, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and Enchanted April), Fenix Theatre Company (Much Ado About Nothing), Bare Bard (Taming of the Shrew), Lorem Ipsum (Love and Information) and AIRE theater (Lonesome West, Juno and the Paycock, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Dancing at Loughnasa, and Tinker’s Wedding). He previously worked in the Washington, DC area at Arena Stage, Round House Theater, Project Y, Cherry Red Productions, and Olney Stage.

06/06/2026

Ulysses for Beginners 2.0 ARTIST FEATURE!

Meet Paul!

Paul Haley performed in a number of American Irish Repertory Ensemble productions in Portland, including The Cripple of Inishmaan, Pl***oy of the Western World, Juno and the Paycock, Da, The Grand O’Neal, A Couple of Blaguards, Lonesome West and The Seafarer, and in the ongoing odyssey of staged reading performances of Ulysses for Beginners. He appeared most recently as John of Gaunt in Richard II/Fenix Theatre’s Play In A Day, and as the Narrator in Patricia Mulholland’s Solitude of Space — Emily Dickinson: The Woman, The Poet. Other roles this season were in the Mad Horse Theatre production of The Minutes, and It Shoulda Been You with Good Theater. He played Roy Cohn in the Dramatic Rep Company/Portland Stage 2024 coproduction of Angels in America, Parts 1 & 2.