Our Mission Statement

The O'Connor Irish Heritage House (home of Culture, Heritage and Learning at O'Connor Estate) was established in Toronto, Canada on March 21st 2005.

Our roots begin in our home country of Ireland - across the Atlantic Ocean - the land of Sts. Brigid and Patrick.



We are the land of Saints and Scholars; of Famine and of the Celtic Tiger; we are the land of the Irish diaspora and of multicultural immigration; the land of folklore and legend; of welcome and hospitality. Above all we are a people of faith.

Our origin in Toronto flows from the spirit of our ancestors, some of whom came out of a spirit of adventure and decided to stay: many who came seeking relief from poverty and persecution. Senator Frank O'Connor is the descendant of one such family of immigrants. Our raison d'etre is to leave a legacy of Irish heritage and culture for future generations.

The scope of this work welcomes and includes all Toronto Irish groups who promote our Irishness and preserve Irish memory.

As we settle in Toronto and Canada our own families incorporate the culture of our spouses from other nations - we share with everyone.

We are men and women dedicated to the promotion of our Irishness and the preservation of the memory of our parents and ancestors who brought us to Canada. We bring the Irish spirit of hospitality and history to the people of Toronto and Canada through our music , song, dance, art, literature, sport, cuisine and ancestral history. We express such sharing through ceilis, concerts, the Soda Bread café, sport tournaments, speakers' series, library and exhibits to our members; to the people of Toronto, and to the students who tour. And we remain open to new ways of sharing our spirit.

In all our efforts we share our history with reverence. We welcome with a warm heart all who visit here. We genuinely seek to care for our past, embrace the day we are in, and to contribute to a happy peace-filled future with all people.

Approved by the members of the O'Connor Irish Heritage House
(Home of Culture, Heritage and Learning at O'Connor Estate)
Toronto, Canada on April 11th 2005.