CIS Welcomes the Coventry Irish Friendship Society
February 5, 2024
Established in 1978, the Coventry Irish Friendship Society is a weekly get together of Irish people (now all Irish Elders) every Friday between 12pm-2pm.
The Society’s founding members were Sheila Lenihan (RIP) Joan Clarke, Mick McGloughlin (RIP) Joe
McCarthy and Rita McCarthy (RIP).
The Irish Friendship Society has recently moved to Coventry Irish Society after Flannellys Club closed
at Christmas, and we are delighted to host them here!
Each week the group has some lunch, plays Bingo and games and generally a good chit chat and
socialising.
The Groups early days meetings were at a meeting hall in Spon End, then to St Osburg’s Club before
moving to Flannellys Club where they met every Wednesday (laterally Fridays) for over 23 years! Asking some of the members about the early days they mention the need for Irish people to get together in the context of the tensions that were around for the Irish community at that time (the impact of the troubles on the perception of the Irish community in Britain).
Former Founding Member and Chair of the group, Mike McGloughlin used to organise meals/events for the group at the Jaguar Club in Coundon where Mike was a Finance Director.
Today, the group has a meal out every 5- 6 weeks. The group is self-funding, and the members contribute £2 per-week.
New members are always welcome!
Those interested in joining can come to the group any Friday 12pm-2pm and become a member.
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.
