Irish in Britain celebrates its 50th anniversary with an ambitious heritage project that captures the history of its member organisations and the communities they serve, made possible thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Irish in Britain is training volunteers from the Irish community in heritage skills so that the community itself can record its own history.
The oral history interviews will feature at a travelling roadshow exhibition in November and as an online exhibition.
Irish in Britain's touring exhibition
'50 years of the Irish in Britain, Look Back to Look Forward'
Save the dates!
Entry: free All welcome
- London Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith - 1-5 November
Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith Ltd
5 Black’s Road
Hammersmith
W6 9DT
The Centre is located within a short walk of Hammersmith tube and bus station. Follow signs to the town centre and on to Black’s Road.
- Liverpool The Florrie - 8-12 November
The Florrie
377 Mill Street
Dingle
Liverpool
L8 4RF
The Florrie is located at the heart of Liverpool 8 just one mile out of Liverpool City Centre.
It is accessible via the 204 and 82 bus routes and Brunswick train station.
- Leeds Slung Low - 15-19 November
Slung Low
The Warehouse in Holbeck,
Crosby Street, Holbeck,
Leeds
LS11 9RQ
- Birmingham ThinkTank - 22-26 November
Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
Millennium Point
Birmingham
B4 7XG
For full details on getting to Thinktank see How to Get Here.
Opening hours in all venues
Wednesday 11am-6pm
Thursday 11am-7pm
Friday 11am-6pm
Saturday 11am-6pm
Sunday 11am-5pm
Aisling Bea, Irish actor, comedian and writer, on the project:
"For all of our shared histories, good and bad, there is no denying the almost cousin-like cultural link between Britain and Ireland.
"I, and so many others, moved permanently to Britain, maybe unknowingly permanently on that first trip.
"As an Irish person in Britain, you always keep an ear and an eye on home, and an ear and an eye out for the other Irish people who made the jump and are here.
"Not everyone has had it easy, not everyone moved because of hope or a bright future but often out of escape or necessity to survive, not everyone got to walk the streets paved with gold, but their stories are worth telling too.
"Irish people have helped build Britain; its communities, cultures, roads, music, arts, health services, entertainment.
"I am over the moon to know that these stories are getting acknowledged."