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.
Join us for this free event on Thursday 29 January 2026 at Coventry Irish Society. The event is free but advance booking is essential - To book, please email: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk and bring your booking confirmation reply to the event. Doors open : 6.00 pm Event discussion : 6.30 – 7.30 pm Event closure : 8.00 pm About Hen Norton: Henrietta Norton is a director, producer and writer whose work explores identity, connection and collective storytelling. Through her production company HOTFEET she develops community centred film projects across documentary, editorial and arts platforms, and is currently developing Mo & Me, a feature documentary about her late stepmother Mo Mowlam, co-produced by Underground Films and Erica Starling. Her work includes The Amber Light, which she produced and which was nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and Born and Reared, her directorial debut exploring masculinity and identity in contemporary Northern Ireland. Both films reflect her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering understanding through story. Alongside her film work, Hen collaborates with artists, activists and community groups across the UK and Ireland. She produced The Unsung HERoes, an exhibition celebrating women peacebuilders, and founded Six Strangers, a digital discussion platform that created space for honest, human connection during Covid. Her practice centres on empathy, participation and the power of shared narratives to inspire social and cultural change. The Coventry Irish Society are proud to host this event with funding support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Reconciliation Fund.
Beginners’ Irish Language Spring Course 2026 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 10x classes and will take place entirely over Zoom on Saturday mornings, with Dr Ian Malcolm. Course details: Saturday 7 March 2026 - Saturday 9 May 2026 with 10x 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 £140. 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. Registration closes 25 February 2026 (or when course capacity is reached). Early booking is strongly recommended. The registration form for this course can be downloaded below. Please contact us at cis@covirishsoc.org.uk to return your booking form and complete course fee payment.
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.
