Coventry Irish Society’s 5th Annual Ball
October 31, 2024
Thank you to everyone who made our 5th Annual Ball a huge success. It was a wonderful night for our community to celebrate our culture and heritage.
Fantastic entertainment for the evening was provided by the very talented, Maggie Gallagher and Celtica Academy. The legendary Christy Pepper kept the dancefloor packed all night with a live performance of favourite tunes.
We were delighted to be joined by a senior delegation from Cork City Council; Cllr. Honore Kamegni (Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork), Viviane Kamegni, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy (Former Lord Mayor of Cork 2023/2024), and Ciarán Kelleher Byrne (International Relations Officer at Cork City Council).
The occasion was the perfect opportunity to present our long-serving volunteers with awards for long-standing service and dedication to their community; Ann Sullivan, Tommy Cleary, and Margaret Campbell. Certificates of Achievement were also presented to two excellent work-experience students; Daithí Houston and Gerard Gallagher.
A very special tribute was paid to our very own Kate McCarthy, Trustee of the Coventry Irish Society, who has dedicated over 20 years’ voluntary service to the charity, including successfully steering the charity through some extremely challenging and turbulent times. In a very moving speech, Kate, paid tribute to her own mother, and the values she taught her, in particular to look out for others.
The highlight of the evening was a formal presentation of the prestigious Cork City Gift by the Deputy Lord Mayor to our own Kay Forrest for a lifetime of service to the Irish community in Coventry. Special recognition was given to Kay for her long-term service to the Charity and for her ongoing commitment and herculean work over the past 31 years.
We, at the Coventry Irish Society, would like to give special thanks to all of our supporters, especially Care Associates who were the main sponsor of the event for the second year running. As a charity, we are very much dependent on the financial support that we get from our local businesses – your support is never taken for granted and very much keeps us going. Thank you!
We would also like to thank the staff at Christ The King Social Club who worked tirelessly throughout the evening to provide excellent hospitality to a full capacity room.
We also appreciated the opportunity, before the Ball, to host the Deputy Lord Mayor and his team at our offices where they enjoyed meeting the Irish in Coventry and seeing first-hand all the vital work that goes on to support our community. Coventry was the first city in the world to be twinned with another city and is currently twinned with 26 other cities across the world, including Cork. We value and cherish the friendship we have with Cork and look forward to continuing to work together.
View some of our favourite highlights from the night in this short video.
Ag Tosnú 18ú Mean Fómhair @ 6:00 i.n. - 07:30 i.n. agus ag leanúint ar aghaidh gach Déardaoin go dtí am Nollag. Course commences on Thursday 18 September 2025. 12 x classes every Thursday evening. Classes will be classroom based, in-person (except for the occasional class on Zoom when circumstances make it difficult for the class to meet in-person, such as adverse weather) Please note that due to other events, there will not be a classroom based in-person class on Thursday 16 th and 23 rd October 2025. The teacher will discuss alternative arrangements during the course with students (which may include taking a break, changing to another evening, or proceeding on Zoom) and will take on board student preferences. Post Beginners Oiriúnacht (Suitability) Anybody who has completed a comprehensive Beginners’ Course (of around six months) or anybody with a previous knowledge (e.g. having learned Irish at school) and who is returning after a break. Fáinne Airgid The group will prepare for this, with the option to do the exam late Spring / early Summer 2026. For those students who do not wish to do the exam, they will still benefit greatly from the preparation work. We will integrate the prep work into the normal classes for everybody, with a greater emphasis on the Fáinne Airgid during the Spring course commencing in 2026. The teacher will discuss and explain this in more detail to the class in September 2025. Leabhair (Books) Must Have - Irish for Beginners (Usborne) agus Briathra na Gaeilge - Regular and Irregular Verbs (Folens) Nice to Have - Buntús Cainte Part 1. Registering for this course: Please see a member of staff in the office, or contact by email: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk or telephone 024 7625 6629 to complete registration. Registration closes 11 September 2025. Total Course Fee £80 per student for members of the Coventry Irish Society / £85 per student for non-members. The course fee is for a course consisting of 12x classes and is payable in advance to the Coventry Irish Society by 11 December 2025. Entry on to the course is only permitted once payment has been made in full. If there are any difficulties with paying the full fee in advance, then please discuss with a member of staff before registration closes on 11 September. The course fee is non-refundable.
We are delighted to announce our new Ciorcal Comhrá (conversation circle) for advanced Irish speakers. Join us on the first Wednesday of the month from 11am-12noon for a relaxed and informal conversation circle - an opportunity for conversation and craic with fellow Gaeilgeoirs. Saor in aisce | Free and drop-in. No booking required! Upcoming sessions: First Wednesday of the month 11.00 am – 12.00 noon Dé Céadaoin 3 Meán Fómhair Wednesday 3 September 2025 Dé Céadaoin 8 Deireadh Fómhair Wednesday 8 October 2025 Dé Céadaoin 5 Samhain Wednesday 5 November 2025 Dé Céadaoin 3 Nollaig Wednesday 3 December 2025 Áit - The Coventry Irish Society, 2nd Floor, Eaton House Eaton Road, Coventry CV1 2FJ Any questions, please contact: cis@covirishsoc.org.uk
Our annual ball is back for 2025! We’re thrilled to announce that our Annual Ball 2025 will be held on Saturday 27 September at Christ The King Parish Centre Join us for an unforgettable evening of celebration, music, & dancing Tickets priced at £30. To book your place, please call in to our office at Eaton House, or telephone us on 024 7625 6629
