Vinny O'Malley's parents were among the early churchgoers, and a plaque in their honor is posted adjacent to a stained glass window.

O’Malley said in an interview, "What happened was the success of the immigrants in that first round of Irish. They came here, they worked on the waterfront, like my father, the railroad, the gas company, the telephone, and then they got a little successful, and they moved to the suburbs."

The space now hosts life cycle events, like weddings and memorials, as well as concerts, poetry readings, and other performances.

"We're open to everyone. You don't have to be Irish," said O’Malley, the heritage center’s former executive director, referring to Portland's newest immigrants, asylum seekers from Africa, including a surge of 750 new arrivals since the start of 2023.

“Who come here, who don’t always have a place that they can call their own,” O'Malley said.

Rep. Pingree delivered the symbolic $3 million check to renovate the center, which has a leaky roof and needs other repairs.

Pingree, whose grandparents were immigrants from Norway, said the earmark she secured celebrates not only Irish heritage but also welcoming all immigrants.

Pingree said in an interview, "Particularly here in Maine, where we're the oldest state in the nation. I was reading a quote from Ronald Reagan: 'we don't stay a vital nation unless we welcome newcomers.’”

A bill introduced by Pingree and Sen. Susan Collins, backed by Rep. Jared Golden, Sen. Angus King, and Gov. Janet Mills, woukld shorten the waiting period for asylum seekers to legally work from six months to one month.

LOL. how many of these people even hold a passport, let alone been to Ireland (to meet family members who don't even know who they are)?

Yeah fuck em to hell, how dare they try… to help others and provide a safe space for immigrants

You can't help an immigrant if you don't have a passport, duh.

Shit I forgot, now I feel dumb

Sounds like you hating on yt pepo