Magic, fantasy, and Celtic mythology come together in a riot of color and detail that dazzle the eyes, in this sweeping story about the power of imagination and faith to carry humanity through dark times. Young Brendan lives in the Abbey of Kells, a remote medieval outpost under siege from raiding barbarians. One day a […]
Learn how to make a St. Brigid's cross, hung in Irish homes to petition St. Brigid for her protection. Teens and adults can pick up a Take Home Workshop kit from the Library (while supplies last). Learn how to create a St. Brigid's cross with a quick video we will post online or use the […]
Michael Carroll (Chicago, IL) has been a Celtic artist for over 25 years, creating original illuminated pages in the style of the Book of Kells. He is a founding member of the American Celtic Exhibition group which toured the US from 2000-2010, and his work has been shown internationally. Since 2018 he has been Celtic […]
In an unnamed city, middle sister stands out for the wrong reasons. She reads while walking, for one. And she has been taking French night classes downtown. So when a local paramilitary known as the milkman begins pursuing her, she suddenly becomes "interesting," the last thing she ever wanted to be. Despite middle sister's attempts […]
Explore the Emerald Isle via our Global Gathering Ireland film series. This week's selection is a documentary, One Million Dubliners. Glasnevin Cemetery is the final resting place of 1.5 million souls; it is Ireland's national necropolis. One Million Dubliners reveals the often unspoken stories of ritual, loss, redemption, emotion, history - and the business of […]
The story begins 20 years ago in the kitchen of Denny and Joy Flaherty. Armed with family recipes for Irish Toffee, they set out to duplicate the rich, buttery, crisp “melt in your mouth” toffees. They were so successful in their effort to replicate the superior quality of the Irish toffee, family and friends whole […]
Jerry Schroeder and John Heasly will perform traditional Irish tunes and songs with vocals, guitar, bouzouki, and tin whistles, focusing on the history of the music, instruments and people of Ireland. The Emerald Isle is a geographically and culturally diverse region with influences from all of Europe and the British Isles and has developed a […]
Mystery lovers can join us for discussions of mysteries and thrillers. A Shameful Murder by Cora Harrison Cork, Ireland, 1923. When, one wet March morning, Reverend Mother Aquinas discovers a body at the gate of the convent chapel, she immediately sends for one of her former pupils, Police Sergeant Patrick Cashman, to investigate. Dead bodies […]
In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by famine and injustice, the Star of the Sea sets sail for New York. On board are hundreds of refugees, some optimistic, many more desperate. Among them are a maid with a devastating secret, the bankrupt Lord Merridith, his wife and children, and a killer […]
From the National Book Award-winning and best-selling author Timothy Egan comes the epic story of one of the most fascinating and colorful Irishman in nineteenth-century America. The Irish-American story, with all its twists and triumphs, is told through the improbable life of one man. A dashing young orator during the Great Famine of the 1840s, […]
Blame Not the Bard was formed in 2015. Since then, they have played hundreds of shows, lighting up the stages in intimate lounges and major festivals including main stage appearances at the Iowa Irish Fest in Waterloo, IA. The band will release their sophomore album in 2023. The new album, titled Now and Again, features […]
Following their performance at the Performing Arts Center, Blame Not the Bard will come to the Library and present on the history/culture of the music of Ireland from an American perspective. 2023 Global Gathering Ireland is funded by the Bettendorf Public Library Foundation and supported by our Title Sponsor: Northwest Bank & Trust and Presenting […]