Donations will be collected at the Irish Diaspora Center until January 17th
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
Christmas Raffle
Get ready to make this holiday season extra special with the Irish Diaspora Center's Christmas Raffle! We’ve gathered an amazing lineup of prizes that are sure to bring cheer to your holidays.
Prizes include:
Two Nights in the Poconos – Enjoy a serene getaway in a beautiful mountain retreat (dates to be arranged with the homeowners).
$500 Airbnb Gift Card – Plan your dream escape to anywhere you desire
Handmade Afghan – Lovingly crafted by Maria McGarrigle, this cozy treasure will keep you warm all season long.
iPad with Pencil and 2-Year Warranty – Perfect for work, play, or creativity on the go!
Gift Card Tree – A fabulous assortment of cards valued at over $500, including local favorites like The Plough & the Stars, Lower Merion Beverage Co., and more!
Basket of Cheer – A delightful selection of beverages to toast the holidays.
Raffle tickets go on sale now through December 19th. Click HERE to purchase tickets via Venmo, PayPal, credit or debit card. To purchase a chance using cash or check, please email alanna@icphila.org.
The lucky winners will be drawn at the IDC Christmas Party on December 19th – don’t miss your chance to win big while supporting a great cause!
Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the vital programs at the Irish Diaspora Center. Purchase your tickets today! Let’s spread joy, support our community, and make this holiday season unforgettable!
Pen Pal Project
Two hallmarks of Irish culture are a community of care and a passion for writing.
It is in those traditions that the Irish Diaspora Center is launching ‘Putting Your Heart in the Write Place’, a Pen Pal Project to connect seniors with students who are in their first year of college and away from home for the first time.
This intergenerational project allows for an exchange between our past and our future in an activity that engages and enriches our seniors and students.
The aim of the project is to have a senior and student each exchange one letter per month from January through May of 2025 with a gathering of all participants in early summer to meet over lunch and share their experiences.
A monthly exchange of caring and sharing through letter writing strengthens the connections in our community and promises to be a rewarding experience for all participants.
If you are a senior with an interest in being a Pen Pal or know of a college student who is away from home for the first time and would like to participate, please reply via email to alanna@icphila.org or call the Irish Diaspora Center at (610) 789-6355.
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
2026 Green Card Lottery
OPEN NOW: Diversity Visa (DV) Program – 2026 Green Card Lottery
The online registration period for the DV-2026 Program began on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 12:00 pm EST and concludes on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, at 12:00 pm EST.
To be eligible to apply for the DV Green Card Lottery, applicants must have graduated from high school or its equivalent or have a minimum of 2 years qualifying work experience in the past 5 years.
If you are a current visa holder in the US (J1 Grad, H1B, L1) or are currently in Ireland and interested in coming to the US, then we highly recommend you apply for the DV Green Card Lottery. This is one of the ONLY ways to secure legal permanent residency in the United States.
Enter now at https://dvprogram.state.gov/
Extending the validity of Green Card
On Sept. 10, 2024, USCIS began automatically extending the validity of permanent resident cards (also known as Green Cards) to 36 months from the expiration date on the face of the current Green Card for lawful permanent residents (LPR) who file Form I-90 to renew an expiring or expired Green Card.
They are in the process of sending out amended receipt notices for individuals with a pending Form I-90. You can present a receipt notice with an expired Green Card as evidence of LPR. Your amended receipt notice with your expired Green Card provides proof of employment and travel authorization for 36 months from the expiration date on the front of your expired Green Card.
Click HERE to read more.
Community members featured in "Meet the Voices"
Click HERE for tickets for Inis Nua’s "The Playboy of the Western World”.
2024 Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame
Congratulations to our Board Member, Tom Higgins, and Director of Community Engagement and Organizing, Una McDaid, on being named to the 2024 Hall of Fame!
The Teaching of Irish in our Primary Schools
On Wednesday, August 7th, our Silver to Gold group enjoyed a visit and talk with Tina (McDaid) McLaughlin. Tina talked about Gaelic in Ireland’s school system today. Click HERE to read an essay she shared with the group.
Job Posting: Part-time Community Social Worker/Case Manager
Click HERE to download the full job description.
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
School Supplies Collection
Please consider donating much needed back-to-school supplies! We will be collecting supplies during the month of August and donating all items to Grands Stepping Up.
Grands Stepping Up is a non-profit corporation dedicated to assisting grandparents/kinship guardians who are raising their grandchildren, due to issues such as the opiate epidemic, incarceration, mental health issues, death or illness of the parents that cause the parents to be unable to perform their traditional parental roles.
Suggested Items:
School bags
crayons
markers
colored pencils
paints
pens (black/blue/red)
pencils
pencil sharpener
notebooks (composition/1-subject/3-subject/5-subject)
folder
pencil cases
highlighters
rulers
compasses
scientific calculators
tissues
disinfectant wipes
hand sanitizer
IDC Merchandise
Click HERE to place an order before July 12th!
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
Fall Trip
Our volunteer coordinator is planning a trip to Jim Thorpe on Wednesday October 9, 2024.
We have 40 seats available.
The trip cost will be $39 per person and includes transportation and admission to the Jim Thorpe Jail and Museum.
Lunch is not included.
Ticket prices are set at $39 and a $10 deposit is required by August 1st to reserve your seat
Full amount is required by September 1, 2024.
Questions? Call the Center at 610-789-6355 or email info@icphila.org
2023 Report
Click HERE to make a tax deductible donation to support the mission of the Irish Diaspora Center via credit or debit card. Find us at @IrishDiasporaCenter to donate via Venmo.
Donations by check may be sent to
Irish Diaspora Center
1001 Darby Road
Havertown, PA 19083
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
Irish Living Legacy: Silver to Gold Edition
2024 Intergenerational Irish Music Tournament of Champions
The Irish Diaspora Center is launching an Intergenerational Irish Music Tournament that will begin on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024.
Intergenerational programs provide a means to increase contact, create meaningful relationships, foster social growth, promote cultural values, and engage all members of our community.
Our Irish Music Tournament features 16 beloved Irish songs, 8 traditional and 8 modern, that are arranged in a tournament-style bracket allowing participants to vote in each round for their favorites!
Voting results from each round will be posted daily on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Winners from each bracket will advance to the finals in which one song will be crowned the 2024 Irish Music Tournament Champion!
Only Facebook and Instagram followers of the Irish Diaspora will be eligible for prizes so please type in ‘Irish Diaspora Center’ in the ‘Search’ window at the upper left-hand corner of your Facebook page, look for our link and then click on the ‘Follow’ button.
Please join us in a celebration of Irish music in an activity that the whole family can enjoy!
