‘Irish Heart, Coventry Home’ Relaunch Night | 16th June 2023
August 18, 2023
We were delighted that 120 people attended what was a wonderful celebratory night of our Irish history project relaunch, ‘Irish Heart, Coventry Home’.
Download David Cairn's Speech here
The project that documents the contribution of the Irish community that came to live in Coventry between 1940-1970 was originally displayed at the Herbert Art Gallery in March 2018. Fabulous speeches were given by Dr Kieran McCarthy, who was sworn in as Cork City Lord Mayor on the 23rd June 2023, and our Honorary President, David Cairns who was 90 years old on the 7th June!
We thought you would appreciate the transcript of David Cairn’s short speech. There were 6 speakers in total in what was an emotional night where we remembered the contribution of that wonderful generation of Irish that contributed so much to the city. Thank you to everyone that attended!
The exhibition is now on permanent display at our 2nd Floor Eaton House offices, it is open from Monday to Friday from 2pm-4pm. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
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.
