A Boston Irish Dream Come True

The Boston Irish have always wanted a cultural home they could call their own, a place to gather with family and friends, where they could preserve their culture, strengthen their heritage and have a bit of fun in the process. In the 19th century, they gathered in community centers, parish halls or tenement kitchens, spread out across Boston neighborhoods and nearby cities and towns.

The new Hibernian Hall, 1913

Then in 1913, a centralized Irish headquarters finally coalesced when Hibernian Hall opened in Roxbury’s Dudley Square. It quickly became home to AOH groups, county clubs, sports teams, language advocates, musicians and dancers. Hibernian Hall flourished as a centerpiece of Irish culture for nearly half a century before closing because of decreased Irish immigration and Irish-American migration to the suburbs.

Some people saw the change coming. In 1959, local businessmen proposed building an Irish Museum in downtown Boston. They envisioned a place to preserve local Irish history while attracting tourists and school groups, a place to congregate around music, culture and education. The plan seemed grandiose and earnest, but the museum never got off the ground and the idea faded away.

Irish Cultural Centre

Fast forward three decades to 1989, when Irish immigrants and Irish-American friends got together, determined to create a permanent Irish center to endure for generations to come. They spent a decade raising funds, forming alliances and searching for a location before buying land in Canton. Thanks to hundreds of devoted volunteers who donated their skills, talents, time and money into fulfilling this worthy goal, their vision finally came to fruition.

The Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston formally opened in October 1999, a sparkling new headquarters with athletic fields for Gaelic games, plenty of free parking, walking trails and children’s playgrounds.

Family fun at the Irish Cultural Centre

Since then, the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) has flourished as a dynamic, vibrant Irish hub. It offers year-round programs in education, entertainment and sports, celebrates holidays from St. Patrick’s Day to Christmas, and is a place where everyone – from seniors to children, families and friends – loves to congregate.

GAA games in summer

The Centre’s main building now has a restaurant/pub with a full bar and menu, a library and several function rooms, plus an authentic Irish thatched cottage on the grounds. A large portion of the Centre’s vitality comes each summer from the Gaelic Athletic Association, which plays its home games on well-manicured playing fields. The Centre recently increased its land from 46 to 61 acres, ensuring that future generations can enjoy this superb facility.

Following its 25th anniversary in 2025, the future looks bright for the Irish Cultural Centre, thanks to a committed board, a strong leadership and an engaged membership of active supporters who continue to shape the direction of the facility.

ICC Board Chair Martina Curtin says of the Centre’s success, “None of it would be possible without our amazing volunteers and members. The Ladies Auxiliary remains the heart of our volunteer network — and there’s always room for more helping hands and kind hearts!”

Irish dancers at the Irish Cultural Centre

ICC Program Manager Declan Crowley has expanded the music, dance and cultural offerings with concerts, lectures, educational courses and special events, ensuring that Irish families get to fully explore their heritage.

Today’s ICC ethos harkens back to the original vision of what the Boston Irish have always wanted: a permanent home in which to gather, enjoy each other’s company and take joy in their shared Irish culture and heritage.

irishculture.org