Amid the turmoil of the 1960s and 1970s—an era that included the Black Civil Rights movement, the war in Vietnam, and the Troubles in Northern Ireland—young Irish Americans in New York began to question what it meant to be Irish in America. Led by Irish revolutionary socialist Brian Heron, these young people discarded outdated stereotypes and created an inclusive space to explore, celebrate, and share their culture. Thus was born An Claidheamh Soluis, the Irish Arts Center, an organization that is still going strong fifty years later.

As an early organizer and director of the Irish Arts Center, James F. Olwell recounts how this premier cultural institution came to be. Beginning with his own experiences growing up Irish American in the Bronx, Olwell describes how Irish Americans grew to reclaim their cultural identity and share their art, traditions, and language through the Irish Arts Center. Olwell combines his personal experiences with extensive interviews and broader historical context to bring the story of the 1970s Irish Arts Center to life.

Well researched and replete with funny, moving, and thoughtful anecdotes, The Art of Being Irish in Hell’s Kitchen is an essential cultural history of the Irish American community in New York. Pull up a chair and enjoy the tale. All are welcome here.