Irish Heritage Club Disbanding, Ahern Center Remains in Business

The Irish Heritage Social Club in Avon Lake will be disbanding by the end of December, but Ahern Catering & Banquet Center, where the club is located, will remain in business.

Ahern’s event coordinator, Lucy Balser, said the club took up a “small bar area” in the center. Membership in the club, which has been active for more than 20 years, has been diminishing in recent years.

“Ahern’s is absolutely fine,” Balser said. “I’ve had bride’s mothers calling up and assure them nothing (at Ahern’s) has changed.”

Ahern's Banquet Center & Catering on Avon Belden Road functions as a wedding and event hall and caterer.

Some confusion might be the result of the center’s former name (the Irish Heritage Center) before it was purchased, renovated and renamed by Ahern.  

The Irish Heritage Club, which in its heydey counted more than 1,000 members, rented space in Ahern and was listed as a 501-C(3) non-profit club. Entrance was by a side door at Ahern.

Listed as “club hall rental – social club pub,” the organization, which was founded in 1987, brought in $69,000 according to its 2009 tax returns.

The club hosted Irish speakers and held Irish events at the club, including a popular St. Patrick’s Day party.

Balser said Ahern’s will evaluate the bar area the club used before deciding what to do with the space.