For over thirty years, the heart of Irish culture in Milwaukee has been at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center (ICHC). Less than a mile west of Marquette’s campus, the ICHC holds great significance to the city.
Constructed in 1887, the center used to be the Grand Avenue Congregational Church, Milwaukee’s largest auditorium at the time. It even hosted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s first appearance in the city in 1957.
However, the church was sold in 1992 to the board of the ICHC for one dollar. Since then, it has been a hub for Irish culture in Milwaukee, hosting numerous bands, dance groups and clubs. The many venues within the building are notorious for celebratory gatherings…