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.
In honour of Mo Mowlam, we are creating a collage called In Her Footsteps . This collage of pictures of ordinary, everyday women in our community will pay tribute to the unsung heroes, past and present, who have shaped our values and made the world we live in a better place, such as our nurses, Irish mammies, nannies, and any woman who we find inspirational. The collage will be on display at the Coventry Irish Society and will be unveiled at the Equal-i-tea on 19 August 2025 . If you would like to contribute to the collage, then please could you send us a photograph together with the name of your nominated person and a short sentence or two on who they are and why they inspire you. This will be quite a big project and therefore we will not be able to return photographs. We would also ask that written consent is obtained from any living person to be featured in the collage. Contributions can be handed to a member of staff in the office or emailed to: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk up and until 23 July 2025.
Mo Mowlam was a real changemaker; her courage and humanity played a vital role in bringing about The Good Friday Agreement / Belfast Agreement. Mo was an extraordinary, inspirational woman, and we’re very proud of her Coventry roots. We invite you to join us at our cross-community Equal-i-tea on Tuesday 19 August 2025 to celebrate Mo’s life and values on the 20th anniversary of her passing. Join us for a cross-community afternoon tea & an opportunity to learn more about Mo and her values as a peace builder. We will also unveil our community collage; In Her Footsteps – A tribute to the everyday women in our community who have shaped our values and made the world a better place. Time: 12.00 – 3.00 pm Venue: The Coventry Irish Society, 2nd Floor, Eaton House, Eaton Road, Coventry CV1 2FJ Admission: £10 per person (which covers entry and an afternoon tea with sandwiches and cake). Advanced booking is essential for this ticket-only event. Tickets can be obtained by seeing a member of staff in the office, or by emailing: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk or by telephoning us on 024 7625 6629.
We are hiring for an Early Stage Memory Loss Support Worker This post contract is initially for 1 year - role extension TBC additional funding. Salary: £10,000 P.A (£25,000 pro rata), 15 hours per week. Role pattern is 10am-4pm, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (excluding lunch). About us: Established in 1993, Coventry Irish Society (CIS) is a Charity providing a wide range of community health and support services to the Irish Community in Coventry. The Coventry Irish Society requires an Early Stage Memory Loss Support Worker to facilitate a 1 half day per week Memory Loss Support Group and a half-day per week Walking Group for the local Irish Community. The role includes working with Carers and increasing mental health awareness to support the local Irish Community. The charity predominantly supports Irish Elders, but also supports Second and Third generation Irish, Irish Survivors and Irish Travellers. To apply for this role, please email your CV with cover letter detailing your experience and skills in line with role requirements and any additional information you think may be relevant. Download and view full job role description below.
