Irish American Cultural Institute

973-605-1991

Welcome to the Irish American Cultural Institute

 

Founded in 1962, the Irish American Cultural Institute (IACI) is the leading Irish American cultural organization. The IACI is a federally recognized 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit national organization devoted to promoting an intelligent appreciation of Ireland and the role and contributions of the Irish in America. The IACI is strictly apolitical and nonsectarian, and is the only Irish American organization that has as its patron, The President of Ireland.

Over the past four decades, the IACI has carved an honored place for the Irish dimension in American life. No comparable body has such an impressive track record of achievement and sustained programming. 

Washington's St. Patrick's Day Ball

 

Every year, the IACI commemorates this unique historical moment with the Washington’s St. Patrick’s Day Ball, fittingly held within a stone’s throw of Washington’s Headquarters National Park in Morristown.  The Washington's St. Patrick's Day Ball is an annual gala to benefit the established educational, arts, and cultural programming of the Irish American Cultural Institute (IACI).  The evening is a blend of history, pageantry, music, and dance. 

 

The centerpiece of the ball is the IACI’s Annie Moore Award presentation. The Annie Moore Award is bestowed on an individual who has made significant contributions to the Irish and/or Irish American community and legacy.  This year's recipient is John A. Brennan, MD, MPH.  Dr. Brennan is the Executive Vice President for Barnabas Health and the President and CEO of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.     Learn More
IACI Donates Library to Great Hunger Institute

First editions and rare copies of works of many of the giants of Irish literature will now be more accessible to historians and students, thanks to the generosity of the Irish American Cultural Institute.


The institute has donated its library of nearly 4,000 books of Irish interest to Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, Dr. Peter Halas, chairman of the Irish American Cultural Institute, and Christine Kinealy, director of Ireland's Great Hunger Institute, announced in a joint statement.


The library, with notable valuable editions that have been collected over 50 years, includes the works of many of the greats of Irish literature, including works by Lady Gregory, W.B. Yeats, J.M. Synge, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw and Sean O’Casey. Also included in the collection is a Dublin newspaper, “The Weekly Irish Times,” which was published in 1916 in the immediate aftermath of the Easter Rising, which proved to be a pivotal event in the winning of Irish independence.


The library also includes a complete 50-year collection of ‘Eire-Ireland,’ the IACI published leading Irish studies academic journal, with ongoing semiannual editions that will continue to be added to the collection.

 

“The Irish American Cultural Institute, board members, director, chapters and members are pleased and excited to join Quinnipiac University  and The Great Hunger Institute in a mission to promote and appreciate Irish history with the donation of our library,” Halas said.


Kinealy, who also is a history professor at Quinnipiac, said, “The books in the IACI library are an excellent resource for teaching and for scholarship. We are delighted that the Irish American Cultural Institute has chosen the Great Hunger Institute to act as stewards of its wonderful collection. We are working with the staff in the Arnold Bernhard Library  at Quinnipiac to make the books available to students and researchers. We see this donation as the beginning of a wonderful partnership between the two institutes.”


Robert Smart, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences  at Quinnipiac, said, “The addition of the IACI collection to Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute and the Arnold Bernhard Library at Quinnipiac is a major step toward making the institute a powerful engine for student scholarship on campus. Students now have access to a wide and deep catalog of texts on Irish literature, history, culture and society—many of them original editions—which can become the portal to a rich understanding of Irish studies. The collection will also have much value for external scholars who will no doubt see these additions to our library holdings as an indication of the centrality of Quinnipiac University in the expanding field of Irish studies."  Learn More

Irish Way

 

Enjoy the rich heritage and tradition of Ireland while also experiencing the country's distinct culture face-to-face. This unique program, in it's 37th year,  was founded on the belief that fostering an appreciation of other cultures is an important part of an individual’s development  Learn More

Join A Chapter

 

Were you once a member of a local chapter of the IACI? Perhaps you are new to our Institute and would like to meet with others in your area who are interested in Irish American Culture?

If you would like to help form a new chapter in your area, or if you were involved in one in the past and would be interested in reforming, please contact us.

A Message From Our Patron

 

"I am delighted to be Patron of the Irish American Cultural Institute, an organisation that does such valuable work in strengthening and maintaining the important links that exist between Ireland and America.  Here in Ireland we are very proud of our wider global family, and feel a special connection with the United States who have welcomed so many generations of Irish emigrants into their communities.  We are deeply appreciative of all that the Irish American community contributes to our country, of the pride you still feel for your Irish heritage and culture and of your dedication to maintaining and showcasing that culture to other communities across the globe." 

MICHAEL D. HIGGINS, President of Ireland

Duchas

 

This informative e-newsletter offers members insights into Irish culture, history, and the latest happenings at the IACI. Besides providing updates on IACI programming, this publication offers feature articles, educational information, book reviews, and a wealth of other information.  It's Irish American culture, delivered straight to your e-mail inbox!  Click here to sign up!
 
We invite IACI members to share their stories, events, pictures, book/movie reviews, recipes, etc.    To submit material for the Members Forum, click here.  *The content represents the views expressed by the individual contributors, not the views, opinions or policy of the IACI.  We reserve the right to refuse or edit submissions.