Now Galway Bay is within a couple of hours of Newcastle airport thanks to Aer Arann’s welcome new service. To mark this historic breakthrough the airline are sponsoring this letter and mail out to Irish Centre members and friends. I hope you find it useful and informative.   Read More...

This is the Irish Centre’s new welfare fund supported by the Irish Government’s DION initiative. Since Christmas it has already provided financial aid to about ten Irish citizens or their descendants here. It also is a way of keeping in touch with the sick and other lonely or isolated individuals even with just a bunch of flowers. It also is helping the excellent Irish elders Thursday Club to get people out and about with an initial grant of £700. If you know someone who needs help or you want to help the project please contact the administrator Pauline O’Donnell at the centre.

Our range of drinks at the Irish Centre is expanding, with a new wine list, Continental Heineken and more varieties of softdrinks +  John Smiths £1.55 Mon-Thurs! 

  Read More...

The Irish Musician’s Society –Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann- has been resurrected thanks to the sterling efforts of Paul Ruane, Ewan Porter, Sheena McElvogue and others. Michael Craggs, Eilise McKenna and Matthew Dean all qualified for the all-Britain finals at the Regional Fleadh. It’s still a delicate flower but please help it to flourish and grow. Thanks by the way to Mike Doyle and the TYNESIDE IRISH CULTURAL SOCIETY LTD who provided the vital funding.
Contact Ewan Porter at ewanporter@pgen.net

 Don’t forget our regular CCE class on a SUNDAY LUNCHTIME, and SESSION ON MONDAY – Learners from 8pm. Free for all from 9.15.

This is the biggest St Pat's weekend the North East has seen for years. To find out what is scheduled click here.

Last year members raised over £50,000 and, with grants from the DION fund and the Ireland Fund, this has helped us to do the work to date without going into significant debt. However, spending has now reached almost £150,000 and to complete our plans another £150,000 is needed. All monies from members' subscriptions are currently going towards development and we hope to receive more grant support. For example a grant of £4,000 towards the refurbishment of the kitchen has just been received from the Ireland Fund. But it is vital that you all play your part by supporting the re-launched weekly draw, St. Patrick's Raffle and other funding ventures.

Finbar Furey, Teada, and more.

Listen to Paschal Mooney's show 'The Irish Experience' broadcast on 1st December 2006. Listen

Click the festival link to view listings and download the full programme.

New toilets, disabled access and more. Click Irish Centre link for details.