merrion street

Minister of State for Tourism & Sport Michael Ring is visiting Leeds and Birmingham this week to promote the Gathering Ireland 2013, the year-long festival of festivals taking place next year.

This latest visit follows highly successful trips to Manchester and Glasgow earlier this year, which have already secured a number of Gathering events including a visit to Mayo next year by the Manchester Irish Festival.

Minister Ring is now inviting all those of Irish descent living and working in Birmingham and Leeds to come to Ireland for The Gathering Ireland 2013 or to organise a Gathering of their own in Ireland.

“I am asking people with Irish connections in Leeds, Birmingham and across the UK to get involved in The Gathering Ireland 2013 and play a part in Ireland’s renewal and recovery. But you don’t have to be Irish to come – everyone is welcome.

“Gatherings are already being planned by the Irish Community overseas, including family reunions, clan gatherings and corporate events. I would ask people to take a look at thegatheringireland.com website and see how they can get involved. There may be an event they would like to travel over for or there could be something they could organise themselves.”

Earlier this year, some 110 people from Irish Associations attended Gathering road-shows in Manchester and Glasgow. At least five gatherings have been confirmed from the Manchester event, and more are expected.

One of these is a ‘Manchester-Mayo Gathering’, proposed by the Manchester-Mayo Tourism and Business group. Manchester has one of the largest Mayo communities outside London and a lot of people are getting really excited about the idea of organising some sort of joint festival in Mayo. Another Manchester resident is proposing to lead a party to Knock next year.