648 Thames Street (just south of Narragansett Ave), Newport RI 02840

The Museum of Newport Irish History Interpretive Center is open for the 2026 Season, through October 26.&nbsp;&nbsp;Stop in today!
Public hours are 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, through the last Sunday in October (closed Monday–Wednesday).
Visitors to the Center will learn about Irish immigration to Newport 
County from the colonial era to the present, and about the many 
contributions made to our community by individuals of Irish descent.
Interpretive Center exhibits—including maps, models, photographs, and artifacts—are organized around several key aspects of life in the local Irish community.
Our newest exhibit, unveiled in 2025, is an interactive digital display titled “Tracing the Tides.” This experience allows visitors to delve more deeply into the lives of Newport’s Irish immigrants through a rich, multi-layered narrative, illustrated with historic photos and other images—many of which were not previously available to the public.
Visitor Information: •The Center is located on Thames Street, just south of Narragansett Ave. •Free parking is available on the street. •Admission is free for members of the Museum and by donation for others.&nbsp; • If research assistance is required, visitors are advised to make an appointment by writing <a href="mailto:NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com">NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com</a>
Note: Private visits outside of regular hours, including during the off-season, may be arranged with advance notice so we might secure a docent.&nbsp;To inquire, please email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com" target="_blank">NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com</a> Celebrating 30 Years in 2026 The Museum of Newport Irish History, a volunteer-driven, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1996 and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating the Interpretive Center, the organization sponsors&nbsp;numerous educational, cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including the popular <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Annual Lecture Series</a>, which has just completed its 24th season. The organization also restored and maintains the <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">historic Barney Street Cemetery</a> at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest Irish residents. The cemetery was established to support Rhode Island’s first Roman Catholic parish (est. 1828), the forerunner of the current St. Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard. To learn more or to <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/membership/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">join</a> the Museum, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://NewportIrishHistory.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">NewportIrishHistory.org</a>, stop by the Interpretive Center during public hours, or email us at:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com." target="_blank"> </a><a href="mailto:NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com." target="_blank">NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com.</a> (photo by Allan Millora)

Local Event: ☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂  through Oct. 26

Newport County

Newport

Rhode Island

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂  through...

The Museum of Newport Irish History Interpretive Center is open for the 2026 Season, through October 26.  Stop in today!
Public...

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂  through Oct. 26

Barney Street Cemetery, corner Barney & Mt. Vernon Streets

A tour of the circa 1828 Barney Street Cemetery will be offered by the <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Museum of Newport Irish History</a>
 on Saturday, October 10 at 1:00 p.m. 
(Note: this tour was originally scheduled for Sept. 26 at 1pm, but was canceled and rescheduled for Oct. 10 due to the storm). The 
tour of the final resting 
place of many 
of Newport's early Irish immigrants and the site of Rhode Island's first
 
Catholic church is approximately 30 minutes long. Popular local 
researcher and guide Steve Marino will lead the tour. Learn the 
fascinating story of this site, which is central to the history of Newport's 
early Irish community. The Museum of Newport Irish History restored the cemetery in 
1998-99 and continues to maintain it today, thanks to dedicated 
volunteers and the generosity of its membership. The tour is given,&nbsp;weather permitting. Light rain won’t stop the tour, but torrential downfalls&nbsp;or high winds will result in cancellation. No fee. RESERVATIONS REQUESTED Visit this webpage for links to reserve, directions, and additional info: <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://newportirishhistory.or...</a>
Can't attend in person? Visit this webpage for resources on the history of this site, including links to videos (under photo on top-left side of page): <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://newportirishhistory.or...</a>
(Photo of the Oct. 6, 2024 cemetery tour. Credit: Colleen McGrath) ABOUT THE MUSEUM The Museum of Newport Irish History,
 a volunteer-driven, non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, was founded in 1996 
and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating an <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Interpretive Center</a>
 on Lower Thames Street, the organization sponsors numerous educational,
 cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including
 its popular <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">annual lecture series</a>, now in its 25th season. The 
organization also restored and maintains the historic <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Barney Street Cemetery</a>
 at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington 
Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest 
Irish residents and was the cemetery established to support Rhode 
Island’s first Roman Catholic parish, the forerunner of the current 
Saint Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial 
Boulevard.
To learn more or to join the Museum, please visit <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.NewportIrishHistory.org</a> or write us at <a href="mailto:newportirishhistory@gmail.com" target="_blank">newportirishhistory@gmail.com</a>

Local Event: Tour RI's oldest Irish cemetery (circa 1828)

Tour RI's oldest Irish cemetery (circa 1828)

A tour of the circa 1828 Barney Street Cemetery will be offered by the Museum of Newport Irish History
 on Saturday, October 10...

Wyndham Newport Hotel

Please join members and friends of the Museum of Newport Irish History for the 2nd talk of its 25th Annual Lecture Series with Loretto Horrigan Leary, whose lecture is titled: &nbsp; The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience in North American Quarantines&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The talk with Q&amp;A to follow will be presented at 6:00 p.m. in-person at the Wyndham Newport Hotel and live-streamed via Zoom. • Doors open at 5:30 pm • Light hors d’oeuvres &amp; cash bar available • $10 per person fee to attend in person (cash or check @ door). • No fee/$0 to participate via Zoom.
Reservations are required for both in-person and virtual participation: CLICK to reserve IN-PERSON:<a href="https://tinyurl.com/48ktfnzu" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/InPersonReser" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/InPersonReser </a><a href="https://tinyurl.com/InPersonReserv" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a>CLICK to participate via ZOOM:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://tinyurl.com/ZoomReser" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/ZoomReser</a><a href="https://tinyurl.com/ZoomReserv" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a>
Questions/Assistance with Reservations: Please write Ann at <a href="mailto:NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com" target="_blank">NewportIrishHistory@gmail.com</a> or phone (401) 841-5493.&nbsp; Note: If you are hosting a group of 4 or more and would like to pay by card, please contact Ann at least 24 hours BEFORE the event to make arrangements. Cards not accepted at the door. TALK OVERVIEW: Irish Famine immigrants did not simply arrive in North America; many first endured quarantine on islands,&nbsp;fever hospitals, and medical inspections, with some never leaving. They died on site and remain in the burial&nbsp;grounds associated with the quarantines. 
 This presentation examines the human experience of Famine migration through sites such as Staten Island,&nbsp;Grosse Île, and Deer Island, where hunger, disease, survival, public fear, and memory shaped the immigrant
journey. From overcrowded ships to quarantine wards and mass graves, these sites reveal how the Great&nbsp;Hunger, a hunger to survive on foreign shores, persisted across the Atlantic.






GUEST SPEAKER BIO: LORETTO HORRIGAN LEARY is an Irish historian, researcher, and freelance journalist from Portumna, County Galway, now based in Connecticut. She is a PhD student in History at Trinity College Dublin, researching sites of collective memory associated with the Great Irish Famine in North America, with a particular focus on Staten Island’s burial grounds. She also serves as Co-Chair of the Connecticut–Ireland Trade Commission.
Her article, “Irish Domestic Servants and the Making of Gilded Age America,” appeared in the September/October 2026 issue of History Ireland. Her work has also been published by the Irish Examiner USA, Irish Central, Celtic Life International, Australia’s Irish Scene, The Connacht Tribune, and other publications. In 2026, she created the free online course “The Great Irish Famine: History, Diaspora, and Global Legacy.” Through her research, writing, and lectures, Loretto connects academic scholarship with public history and community engagement. (Click here for more complete Bio: <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Oct.-20-2026_Loretto-Leary-Lecture-flyer-for-website.pdf" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://tinyurl.com/LearyBio" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">tinyurl.com/LearyBio</a>
SERIES SPONSORS: For a list of our generous 25th Annual Lecture Series sponsors, please visit:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">newportirishhistory.org/lectures/</a>
ABOUT THE MUSEUM-Celebrating 30 years The Museum of Newport Irish History,
 a volunteer-driven, non-profit 501c3 organization, was founded in 1996 
and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating an <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Interpretive Center</a>
 on Lower Thames Street, the organization sponsors numerous educational,
 cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including
 its popular <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Annual Lecture Series</a>, now in its 25th season. The 
organization also restored and maintains the historic <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Barney Street Cemetery</a>
 at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington 
Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest 
Irish residents. The cemetery was established to support Rhode 
Island’s first Roman Catholic parish, the forerunner of the current 
Saint Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial 
Boulevard.
To learn more or to join the Museum, please visit <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">NewportIrishHistory.org</a> or write us at <a href="https://newportirishhistory@gmaiLcom" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">newportirishhistory@gmaiLcom</a>

Local Event: ☘️ The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience in North American Quarantines

☘️ The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience in...

Please join members and friends of the Museum of Newport Irish History for the 2nd talk of its 25th Annual Lecture Series with...

☘️ The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience in North American Quarantines

St. Mary's Cemetery, Kingston Ave. near intersectino with Warner St, Newport, RI 02840

A tour of the historic Saint Mary's Cemetery will be offered by the Museum of Newport Irish History on Saturday, October 24 at 1:00 pm.
Local researcher and guide&nbsp;Steve Marino will give the approximately 45-minute outdoor tour, weather permitting. Light rain won’t stop the tour, but heavy downfalls or high winds will result in cancellation. Explore
 the final resting place of well over 1,000 Newporters of the mid-1800s 
through the early 1900s, including countless immigrants from Ireland and
 first-generation Irish Americans. This cemetery was established to 
serve R.I.'s first Catholic parish (est. 1828), which, in 1848-1852, constructed a new church to house its growing congregation, 
fueled by immigration from Ireland. That church, dedicated in 1852 to "The Holy Name of Mary, Our Lady of the Isle,"
 stands today at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard 
West.&nbsp; St. Mary's Cemetery was in operation soon after the church was
 completed. Meet at the gate on Kingston Ave. near the intersection with Warner Street, shown in this photo. Wear flat, comfortable shoes.&nbsp;The ground can be moist and uneven in spots. No fee, but reservations are required. DETAILS &amp; RESERVATIONS:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/</a><a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"></a> 
ABOUT THE MUSEUM The Museum of Newport Irish History,
 a volunteer-driven, non-profit 501c3 organization, was founded in 1996 
and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating an <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Interpretive Center</a>
 on Lower Thames Street, the organization sponsors numerous educational,
 cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including
 its popular <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">annual lecture series</a>, now in its 25th season. The 
organization also restored and maintains the historic <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Barney Street Cemetery</a>
 at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington 
Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest 
Irish residents and was the cemetery established to support Rhode 
Island’s first Roman Catholic parish, the forerunner of the current 
Saint Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial 
Boulevard.
To learn more or to join the Museum, please visit <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.NewportIrishHistory.org</a> or write us at <a href="mailto:newportirishhistory@gmail.com" target="_blank">newportirishhistory@gmail.com</a>

Local Event: Tour Historic St. Mary's Cemetery

Tour Historic St. Mary's Cemetery

A tour of the historic Saint Mary's Cemetery will be offered by the Museum of Newport Irish History on Saturday, October 24 at...

Museum-Newport Irish History

The
 Museum of Newport Irish History will hold the<a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/christmas-open-house/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> 10th Annual Christmas Open
 House</a> at its Interpretive Center on Saturday, December 12, from 12:00 noon
 to 4:30 p.m.
You are invited to view the exhibits while enjoying eggnog, cookies 
and Celtic holiday music. At 4:00 p.m., the Ancient Order of 
Hibernian Men Singers will lend their holiday cheer. Gift-able, 
made-in-R.I. Celtic-inspired Christmas ornaments and lapel pins will be 
available for sale throughout the Open House, with proceeds benefiting 
the Museum. Stop by and learn about Irish immigration to Newport County from the colonial era to the 
present and the many contributions made to our community by 
individuals of Irish descent.
The exhibits include maps, photographs, video, and models, including a
 vintage lighted model of historic St. Mary’s Church depicted at 
Christmas time. Admission is complimentary, but donations are gratefully 
accepted. Free parking is available on the street. Photo: One of our Celtic-inspired Christmas ornaments. For details and pricing visit this page:&nbsp;<a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/events-calendar/christmas-open-house/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://newportirishhistory.or...</a>
ABOUT THE MUSEUM The Museum of Newport Irish History,
 a volunteer-driven, non-profit 501c3 organization, was founded in 1996 
and now boasts over 900 members. In addition to operating an <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Interpretive Center</a>
 on Lower Thames Street, the organization sponsors numerous educational,
 cultural, social, and fundraising events throughout the year, including
 its popular <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/lectures/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">annual lecture series</a>, now in its 25th season. The 
organization also restored and maintains the historic <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tours/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Barney Street Cemetery</a>
 at the corner of Barney and Mt. Vernon Streets, steps from Washington 
Square. It is the final resting place of many of Newport’s earliest 
Irish residents and was the cemetery established to support Rhode 
Island’s first Roman Catholic parish, the forerunner of the current 
Saint Mary’s Church at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial 
Boulevard.
To learn more or to join the Museum, please visit <a href="https://newportirishhistory.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">www.NewportIrishHistory.org</a> or write us at <a href="mailto:newportirishhistory@gmail.com" target="_blank">newportirishhistory@gmail.com</a>

Local Event: Christmas Open House at the Irish Museum

Christmas Open House at the Irish Museum

The
 Museum of Newport Irish History will hold the 10th Annual Christmas Open
 House at its Interpretive Center on Saturday,...

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☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

8

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

9

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

10

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

Tour RI's oldest Irish cemetery (circa 1828)

OCT

10

1:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

11

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

15

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️Visit the Irish Museum this fall 🍂 through Oct. 26

OCT

16

12:00 PM

Newport, RI

☘️ The Irish Famine Immigrant Experience in North American Quarantines

OCT

20

6:00 PM

Wyndham Newport Hotel, 240 Aquidneck Ave, Middletown, RI

Tour Historic St. Mary's Cemetery

OCT

24

1:00 PM

Newport, RI

Christmas Open House at the Irish Museum

DEC

12

12:00 PM

Museum-Newport Irish History, 648 Thames St, Newport, RI