THE multi-award-winning St Kentigern’s Irish Club celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend as part of the Manchester Irish Festival 2022 events.
The popular venue, located in Fallowfield, South Manchester staged a special afternoon of live music, with Pat Hayes bringing his popular Spotlight TV show to the club on Sunday, March 20.
The venue has won 16 national awards since it was taken over by Fermanagh man Kevin Fitzpatrick just over 20 years ago.
“It has always been our intention to be the heart of the Irish community in Manchester and to promote our Irish Culture and Heritage,” Mr Fitzpatrick said this week.
“We have raised just over £1.7 million for different charities during the last two decades and put on countless Irish music, language and dance events,” he added.
Over the years the popular venue has earned an international reputation for putting on some of the best Irish musicians in Europe.
“The Wolftones have just played two sold out shows before they jetted off to New York,” Mr Fitzpatrick explained, “and our other acts include Matt Molloy of The Chieftains fame, Mike McGoldrick and Toss the Feathers, as well as the likes of Big Tom, Philomena Begley, Susan McCann, Dominic Kirwan and Johnny Loughrea.”
The success of the business is also down to the many members who come back to enjoy the club and its events week after week – many who are Irish, but also those who are not.
“We wanted the club to be a home from home for the Irish diaspora in the city whilst still welcoming people with no Irish connection,” Mr Fitzpatrick explained.
“One of our biggest charity events has been from the West Indian community, who over the years have helped raise over £40,000 for The Christie Cancer Hospital,” he added.
St Kentigern’s sponsors the award-winning St Brendan’s GAA club and Manchester University’s male and female GAA teams, as well as the St Kent’s Football team.
The venue has two function rooms and a members’ lounge, which is open seven days a week.
The club was first founded in 1968, when Fr Mort Stanley and Fr Robert Morrow were appointed to oversee St Kentigern’s Catholic Church.
The popular priests soon had the church packed to the rafters and it was decided that the Church needed its own parish hall.
When the hall was ready, the first dance was held there in 1971.
For more information about St Kentigern’s Irish Social Club click here.
