Ambassador's Visit to the Coventry Irish Society
December 19, 2024
Ambassador’s Visit to the Coventry Irish Society
Irish Ambassador, Martin Fraser, received a very warm welcome at the Coventry Irish Society & formally opened the Mo Mowlam Library.
Coventry has a thriving Irish community and has long been a place where the Irish have found a home. People of all generations came out to welcome the Irish Ambassador to GB, His Excellency, Martin Fraser, during his visit to the Coventry Irish Society on the morning of 21 November 2024. The Ambassador was welcomed by music from Christy Pepper and from musicians at Cardinal Newman School. During the visit, he was presented with gifts from Coventry by Elliott and Bridget McCarthy of Christ The King Primary School.
CEO of the Coventry Irish Society, Simon McCarthy, said:
“It was a privilege to host the Ambassador during his visit to Coventry & to show the vital work that our charity does, from providing a social space for our members, supporting survivors of mother and baby homes, promoting culture and heritage, and providing advocacy and advice on welfare matters and healthcare support. As a charity, we rely entirely on donations and grants to be able to provide the important work that we do. We very much appreciate the support that we have been given by the Government of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme for many years and were pleased to have the opportunity of showing the Ambassador around our centre, which includes our Exhibition, “Irish Heart, Coventry Home”. The Ambassador took the time to meet with so many people during his visit and to hear about their own experiences and contributions to life here in Coventry. All aspects of Irish life were represented; from talented musicians, Irish language enthusiasts, Irish dance schools, and the GAA”.
The Ambassador formally opened the Mo Mowlam Library at the Coventry Irish Society during his visit and paid tribute to Mo, who grew up in Coventry, and was a key architect of The Good Friday Agreement, a copy of which is on display in the Library.
Solicitor, & Co-Ordinator at the Coventry Irish Society, Caroline Brogan, said:
“We’re delighted that the Mo Mowlam Library is now open for our members to enjoy. It provides a wonderful collection of books on Irish language, history, culture, heritage, politics, places of interest, & fiction. Mo is one of my heroes, so this is a beautiful tribute to her and reminds us all of the significance of The Good Friday Agreement and our duty to past and future generations to make sure that it is fully protected and implemented”.
November 2024\
See highlights from the day in the short video below.
Coventry Irish Society is pleased to announce the publication of 2 new promotional films about the Charity’s work with the aim of securing a permanent Irish Heritage Centre.
Join us for a powerful and moving evening with Stephen Travers , bassist with the Miami Showband , as he shares his personal journey of survival, loss, and campaign for truth following the 1975 Miami Showband massacre – one of the darkest chapters of The Troubles. This unique event, hosted by Coventry Irish Society and supported by the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs' Reconciliation Fund , explores themes of peacebuilding, resilience, and fight for truth and justice. More information on Stephen and his new book can be found here. Don't miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from a voice of history and courage. Admission is free, but places are limited – booking is required. To reserve your ticket, please book an advanced ticket through Eventbrite below. Wednesday 15 October 2025. Doors open: 6.00 PM | Event: 6.30–8.00 PM 📍 Coventry Irish Society, 2nd Floor, Eaton House, Eaton Road, Coventry CV1 2FJ
Beginners’ Irish Language Autumn Course 2025 with Dr Ian Malcolm Professional Irish language teacher and acclaimed Journalist, Dr Ian Malcolm, will deliver a bespoke online course in Beginners’ Irish. This course will consist of 5x classes and will take place entirely over Zoom on Saturday mornings, with Dr Ian Malcolm. Course details: Saturday 4 October 2025 - Saturday 1 November 2025 with 5x classes on Saturday mornings, delivered via Zoom from 10.30 am – 12.30 pm (including a 20 minute break). The fee for this course is £70. Course materials: The class will use the textbook, Irish For Beginners (which is in the link below). This book costs in the region of £7.00 - £10.00 and it is strongly recommended that students purchase their own copies in advance of the course. You can find details of the course textbook here. Please contact us at cis@covirishsoc.org.uk or telephone 024 7625 6629 to obtain a booking form. Registration closes 30 September 2025 (or when course capacity is reached). Early booking is strongly recommended.
