|
|
|
The Wexford Association
Manchester.
Member of the
Council of Irish Associations.
The inaugural meeting of the Manchester association took place in St Brendan's, Old Trafford (Now sadly no more an Irish club) on 9th. July, 1986. This meeting followed an exploratory meeting held at St Brendan's in April with Harry Purcell, Sean Dempsey, Joe Grannell, and Bernard Corbett present
Aims of the Association & Information about Committee Meetings:
The Association is a small one by Manchester standards. It was set
up to provide a social focus for emigrants from Wexford, to provide care and
support for the Wexford community in Manchester and surrounding districts and
to raise funds for charitable causes. They hold their monthly meetings at Saint Bernadette's Parish Club
on the last
Thursday of most months and organise four dances a year.
Contact
the Secretary and He'll Reply to You If Necessary:
|
Present Members of the Committee Are: |
|
Joe Grannell - President |
|
John O'Leary - Vice President |
|
Cath McDonald - Chairperson |
|
Eddie McDonald - Vice Chairperson |
|
Bernard Corbett - Secretary |
|
Kevin Foley - Treasurer |
|
Cath McDonald - Social Secretary |
|
The association hold all their dances at the English Martyrs Parish Club |
Our Remaining Dances For 2010 Will Be Held:
| Saturday, 11th. September, 2010 | Dancing to Pat Jordan & Finians Rainbow |
| Saturday, 27th. November, 2010 | Dancing to Pat Jordan & Finians Rainbow |
ROLL OF HONOUR
|
Well Known Manchester Irish Personalities Who Have Served On the Committee Are:- |
|
Harry Purcell RIP |
|
Sean Dempsey RIP |
|
John O'Leary |
|
Cath & Eddie McDonald |
|
Joe Grannell |
|
John Kirwan RIP |
|
Jim Billington |
|
Pat (Pakie) Murphy |
|
Jim Barnes |
|
Noel Quigley RIP |
|
Kevin Foley |
An historic Event:
One of the recent events that sticks in the memory is the association's attendance at Comoradh '98 (Commemoration of the 1798 Uprising) in Enniscorthy, Republic of Ireland. Our banner was carried proudly through the streets of Enniscorthy and up Vinegar Hill led by Jim Billington in his traditional pike man's costume.
View Our Visitors Book
USEFUL LINKS
|
|
Martyrs Parish Centre, Manchester |
|
|
Saint Kentigern's Church, Manchester
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Gorey Guardian |
ASSOCIATION NEWS
November, 2006: Representatives of Saint Lawrence's G.A.A. Club visited our founding chairman Harry Purcell's grave in County Wexford and during a small ceremony placed a memorial on the grave. The wording on the memorial read, "In memory of our founding chairman HARRY PURCELL".
W/C 28th. January 2008: Jim Billington was in town this week. He came across from Ireland to attend the funeral of his sister RIP in Chester. Quite a few members managed to meet him for tea on Thursday and a pleasant few hours was spent by all at The Rudyard in Heaton Chapel. It was nice to see the O'Leary's as they seem to spend most of their time in Ireland these days! It was also nice to see Margaret Kirwan out and about again.
Thursday, 28th. February, 2008: Our AGM was held and due to poor attendance the committee members remain unchanged. The association will not be officially participating in the Saint Patrick's parade on Sunday, 9th. March due to lack of able bodied manpower to carry the association banner. We will be represented at the Council of Associations annual dinner dance to be held on Friday, 14th. March at Cheetham Hill.
Monday, 14th. April, 2008: John McDonald, son of Cath and Eddie died today aged thirty eight years. Rest in Peace. The sympathy of the committee is extended to the McDonald family.
Friday, 20th. February, 2009: We've just heard that Colette Barnes a former committee member died just before Christmas R.I.P. whilst in hospital. Collette and her husband Jim both served on the committee in the beginning until they moved to settle down in north Wexford in the early nineties. More information on this as it becomes available
Thursday,30th. April, 2009: We finally, after many minor problems, managed to hold our 2009 AGM. The committee remains unchanged and the association is on a sound footing financially. It was good to see John O'Leary able to attend.
April, 2009: News has reached us than John Nugent , who has given much support to the association over the years, has been unwell for some time now. John hails from the north of the county near Bunclody.
30th. May, 2009: George Murphy, formerly of Thomas Street, Wexford and now living in Oldham died today RIP aged eighty four. George attended the association's functions between 1992 and 1995. George had the misfortune to suffer twice from brain tumours and twice from meningitis. However, he then went on in later life to earn two degrees studying with the Open University.
21st. February, 2010: Kevin Foley, our treasurer, taken to hospital today with suspected pneumonia while in hospital Kevin also had a heart attack. He is making good progress and we wish him a speedy recovery.
Tuesday, 23rd. March 2010: Kevin is now out of hospital and making good progress.
Tuesday, 23rd. March, 2010: Joe Grannell was taken into North Manchester Hospital last weekend and is quite poorly.
The Association's First
Dinner Dance at Old Trafford Football Ground 1989
The
Waterfront Wexford Town
Reproduced by Kind Permission of The Irish Post, November, 2007
Jim & Peg Billington's Farewell Evening at Chorlton Irish Club
Kevin Foley, John O'Leary & Bernard
Corbett admire the McCarty Cup at a function in Birmingham
The Manchester Saint Patrick's Parade
From
Left: Jim Billington, Noel Quigley, Kevin Foley and John Nugent
