The Irish Discover Quincy
Quincy, Massachusetts has become the go-to place for thousands of Irish expats who have settled in the Boston area over the past 25 years.
With beautiful outdoor amenities plus plenty of history, culture, and ethnic cuisine, this coastal city of 100,000 residents offers a less expensive, more expansive lifestyle for Irish and like-minded immigrant groups seeking a mid-sized alternative to congested Boston.
Mayor Thomas Koch says Quincy is proud of its “27 miles of coastline and beaches, acres of beautiful parks, the most interesting and diverse dining scene outside of Boston, rock-climbing and hiking at the Blue Hills Reservation, and world-class golf courses.”
The rugged coastline and multicultural dining especially resonate with Ballyshannon native, Seamus ‘Slim’ Langan, a musician with the popular band Devri who also does solo gigs around Boston.
“What I like about Quincy is how close I am to the water, as I come from Donegal. I also like how it has an Irish-American scene. I can have American friends but never feel too homesick because of all the Irish here.” He also loves the vast array of food available, “Chinese, Thai, Japanese, American, and Irish.”
Langan plays regularly at Quincy’s popular Paddy Barry’s Pub, established in 1998 by Corkman Gerry Hanley. One reviewer says the pub is like “the lively atmosphere of a pub in Cork City. The energy is infectious; laughter and conversation fill the air.”
Sara Stanton from Mayo says: “I moved to Quincy 24 years ago after living in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. The Irish community warmly welcomed me, and I immediately felt at home.”
Stanton formed Cara Group Travel in 2012 and credits its success to support from friends, neighbors, the Mayor’s office, South Shore Bank, and the Quincy Chamber, saying, “Quincy is so like Ireland because it takes a village, and Quincy looks after its own.”
Quincy Chamber President Tim Cahill has established strong business ties with Cork County Council and, more recently, with Kildare Chamber of Commerce, “based on mutual interests in furthering economic development through education and tourism.”
Quincy celebrates its 400th anniversary in 2025, and preparations are underway. Dagny Ashley, the city’s director of tourism, takes pride in the new Visitor Center that opened this past summer and reminds sports fans that Quincy is home to the Free Jacks, New England’s professional rugby team, which won the U.S. Rugby Championship, the past two years.
Quincy’s diversity is best exemplified by the Lucky Shamrock Store on Beale Street, the ultimate one-stop market for imported Irish tea, chocolate, sausage, beans, and other favorites. The Indian family that runs the Shamrock quickly learned how to thank its happy customers with ‘Slan abhaile’ (safe home) in a surprisingly good Galway accent.
Boston’s Irish Cultural Centre Celebrates 25 Years
The Irish Cultural Centre of Greater Boston has abundant reasons to be joyful this holiday season, as it celebrates an important milestone.
In 1989, a group of Irish and Irish-Americans came together to discuss a year-round headquarters for Irish culture in greater Boston and New England.
After a decade of fundraising, scouting for and then purchasing land in the Town of Canton, the group enlisted hundreds of volunteers, who pitched in on weekends and after work to clear the land and build the facility. On October 17, 1999, the Irish Cultural Centre officially opened its doors.
This 25th anniversary milestone is being celebrated on December 14 at the Centre’s Annual Open House, when members will congregate to reflect upon their remarkable journey.
Since 1999, the Centre has blossomed as a dynamic and vibrant cultural hub for the Irish community, offering year-round programs in education, entertainment and sports, celebrating holidays from St. Patrick’s Day to Christmas, and being a place where everyone, from seniors to children, families and friends, loves to congregate.
This year the Centre purchased additional land, increasing its total size from 46 to 61 acres, ensuring that future generations can enjoy this superb facility.
Executive Director Jerry McDermott and Board Chair Martina Curtin have assembled an outstanding Board of Directors, sponsors and staff. The Centre has a pub, a library and several function rooms, plus an authentic thatched Irish cottage on the grounds. The local Gaelic Athletic Association play their home games on the well-manicured playing fields of the Centre.
Several of the original committee members such as Mike O’Connor and Noel Connolly are still active at ICC. When the Centre was about to open in 1999, a reporter asked Connolly when the Centre would be fully finished.
“At no point should anyone consider the Centre a finished product,” Noel said. “It is not finished, never will be. This is a milestone.”
Here’s to many more milestones at the Irish Cultural Centre.
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