THE St Patrick’s Birmingham Breakfast will return this year on the morning of Friday, March 15. The civic reception will be held in the magnificent surroundings of the Council House in Birmingham’s city centre, where Lord Mayor Mr Chaman Lal will host the event.
The event is a chance for the people of Birmingham to recognise and pay tribute to the vibrant Irish population in the city — the charity workers, the business people, those who work in the care sector, the professional people from lawyers to doctors, as well as musicians, dancers, writers and poets.
Invitations will be going out over the next few weeks to attend this glittering event — some 200 people will be expected.
Proceedings begin at 8am with a full Irish breakfast accompanied by champagne, prosecco, Guinness, coffee — or whatever you’re having yourself.
Bob Brolly will be the compere during the morning’s proceedings. Bob, originally from Derry, moved to Coventry when he was 15 — so he knows the Midlands inside out. A respected radio presenter (on the BBC, Irish stations and local broadcasters), Bob will be introducing musicians, bands and dancers — including members of the famed Scanlon School of Irish Dancing.
Irish Post owner Elgin Loane will say a few words — the Cork man will reflect on the significance of the Birmingham’s Irish community.
The Irish population in the city dates back to the Industrial Revolution, with surveys estimating that Birmingham has the largest Irish population per capita in Britain. Certainly a significant number of people in Birmingham have some Irish ancestry, which accounts for the vibrancy of the community.
Birmingham has the UK’s largest St Patricks Day’s Parade (and the world’s third biggest) and is home to Britain’s only ‘Irish Quarter’, with many traditional Irish pubs and the Birmingham Irish centre.
Irish people have always moved to Birmingham for work especially for the construction, factory and industrial work which the city had to offer. Many Irish people moved to Birmingham to build canals, roads and railways in the city’s industrial past.
Elgin Loane will pay tribute to this great history, the city’s connection with Ireland, and the vibrant Irish community that it is home to.
If you’re a member of the Irish community in the West Midlands and would like to attend St Patrick’s Birmingham breakfast, please contact The Irish Post.