For the past twenty-five years, the Aisling Irish Community and Cultural Center has proudly served as the heart of the New York Irish Community in Woodlawn and Yonkers.

Our story began in the early 1990’s as Tír na Nóg (Land of the Young). At this time, a group of Irish chaplains were sent to the United States to help a growing number of Irish immigrants moving to this area. Sr. Edna McNicholas and Fr. Tom Flynn established Tír na Nóg to carry out this mission in St. Brendan’s Parish in the Bronx.

In 1996, we moved to McLean Avenue, a hub of Irish culture. With limited funds, we secured our current space at 990 McLean. Led by Sr. Edna and Fr. Tom, Irish immigrants transformed it into the Aisling Irish Community Center (AICC). Their legacy guides our Board of Directors. The Aisling Center is managed skillfully by our executive director and support staff. Over the years, we grew to meet community needs. In 1988, tradesmen created a studio for The Flynn School of Irish Dance. We expanded, renting more space, and fully purchased the building in 2018.

We are committed to serving future generations and thanks to our community’s generosity, we reopened a newly renovated space in 2022!

We take pride in being highly responsive to the community’s needs and cultural interests. Our programs cater to all ages – from toddlers to seniors. For the youth, we have captivating art classes, Irish language lessons, music and dance classes, karate sessions, and the exciting Celtic Summer Camp. Meanwhile, our Young at Heart group enjoys delightful lunches, relaxing chair yoga, engaging book club meetings, and enjoyable movie screenings. But that’s not all – for others, we offer rejuvenating yoga sessions, membership to the Team Aisling fitness club, and exciting community events. Additionally, we provide essential support through counseling services, serving as a home base for AA meetings, and conducting empowering wellness workshops. We’re eager to welcome you to our center and show you our thriving programs!