In honor of St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, earlier this week I visited the American Irish Historical Society, located on 5th Avenue in the Upper East Side. Continuously operated since 1897, the society is dedicated to promoting and preserving Irish culture and knowledge. The society hosts special exhibits, cultural events, and has a research library with over 14,000 volumes. Highlights of the society's permanent collection include one of the original copies of the famous "Irish Proclamation" from the Easter Rising in 1916, as well as this bust (above) of Dr. William James MacNeven, a prominent Irish-American doctor and revolutionary who immigrated to the United States in 1805 after having failed to convince the French to help free Ireland. The society offers tours at 11am and 3pm from Monday through Friday. But no free Guinness on the tours. (Sorry, obligated to mention Guinness in any post about St. Patrick's Day.) Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!