By George Houde
Irish American Post Chicago Bureau

Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Irish American Heritage Center were special. So were Saturdays.

Those were the days when walls were patched, floors were fixed, doors were hung and things got painted in order to turn a rundown school building into a noble place for the appreciation of Irish history and culture.

"It’s still a work in progress," said Patrick Rowan, a first -year member of the center’s board of directors.

There is still much to be done, he added. But much has been accomplished and the center held a special Founder’s Day recently to honor those who were instrumental in planning and creating what has become a renowned center of Irish culture not only in Chicago, but in the Midwest. It was a day of acknowledging the efforts of such people as John McGrath of the Shamrock American Club and Chuck Kenny, who served two terms as president of the Heritage Center.

"We‘re finally getting our act together," said Kenny, laughing at the memory of the dilapidated structure. "It took us a couple of years just to clean it out."

The day included the unveiling of a plaque bearing the names of founding members and portraits of the center’s presidents. A portrait of the building itself also was unveiled. All will be prominently displayed in the center’s lobby and prints of the building portrait are available through the center.

"People come here and are amazed not only by the building but by our volunteers," Patrick Bloom, current president of the center, told an audience of several hundred. "How can you get a group of men and women together and keep them week after week, year after year?"

Bloom answered his own questions by saying it was dedication to the cause. He acknowledged the hard work of groups such as the paint committee and the library committee, among others. Committees coordinated the work and assembled materials for various projects. A new library is in the final stages of construction, with stacks waiting for books and a reading room ready for tables.

The celebration included a rousing display of Irish step dancing by the Trinity Dancers, renditions of traditional jigs and reels by students from the Academy of Irish Music, a vocal performance by Maureen O’Shea and poetry readings by Josephine Craven.

A special guest was Charles Sheehan, consul general of Ireland. Sheehan told those gathered in the center’s auditorium that the center has on the minds of Chicago Irish for many years.

"Generations of Irish in Chicago have dreamed of a place where their culture would be honored," said Sheehan. "The greatest tribute to the founders is to insure that the center continues." Sheehan also said the center is a place for discussions about the state of the peace process in Northern Ireland. He compared those who have advanced the cause of peace with founders of the center.

"Today is a day to celebrate the courage of the founders who knew the risks but went forward," said Sheehan.

Built in the 1920s as a grammar school, the structure at 4626 N. Knox Ave. later served as a high school and still later as a junior college in the City Colleges of Chicago system. It was vacant for a number of years before the Heritage Center acquired it in 1985.

The 86,000 square foot building has been remodeled into a modern focal point for literature, music, dance, theater and includes an Irish pub. Complementing the library, a museum contains examples of Irish craftsmanship and artistry. There also is a copy of the Book of Kells.
The idea for the Heritage Center was spawned by the Shamrock American Club in 1976, said McGrath, former president of the club. The club provided not only the impulse for the center, but seed money as well. He, too, recalled how much work had to be done.

"I remember walking into the building. It was falling down," he said, drawing laughter from the audience. "I had never seen so many people praying — Oh God, what are we going to do?"

The center has achieved great success since its humble beginnings, according to its directors. It holds two major celebrations a year and offers classes in music, dancing, and Gaelic. It also hosts concerts, forums and lectures in the spring and fall.

Rowan, an Irish immigrant whose parents were founding members, said the center’s next task is to appeal to the youthful Irish culture. The center currently has about 2,000 members.

"We’re trying to get the younger generation involved in Irish arts and music," he said. He said the center is open to ideas on how to accomplish that.

For more information about the Irish American Heritage Center, call 773-282-0380, or check out the website at www.irishamhc.com.