To coincide with St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), Irish Community Care is releasing a book which records the life and times of some of the most remarkable Manchester residents who originate from Ireland.

Between 1930 and 1950 a large migration of Irish people took place to various destinations around the globe, including our fair city of Manchester. Many Irish immigrants played pivotal roles in the construction of the city and surrounding areas, as well as critical occupations and services to support the people of Manchester both young and old.

The book, “Voices from Ireland - Reminiscences of Manchester Irish” records some of these remarkable stories, from people who hail from all over Ireland. They tell us about their life in Ireland and how they left their families and loved ones in search of a better life in Manchester as nurses, contractors and boxers; about their involvement in political and union activities. But most of all it tells us about how they made their way in Manchester, a city they came to love.

The book is sponsored by Irish Community Care and is written as the personal accounts of these people. The interviews were conducted by John Flynn who himself has spent 40 years in Manchester, coming in 1972 from a farm in Co Leitrim. John retired from teaching in 2009 and now volunteers his time to Irish Community Care. John says, “This book attempts to record the stories of a wide cross section of Irish people. In their own words, people speak about growing up in the pre World War years Ireland and about their life in Manchester. Life was very tough for many of these people who are now in the later years of their lives and it is important that we hear their interesting life stories, before it’s too late.

‘Voices from Ireland - Reminiscences of Manchester Irish’ has been launched to coincide with St Patrick’s Day but it is planned that this is volume 1 and we already have many people who want to be part of volume 2 The book which appeals to all cross sections of society, both Irish and Non Irish details important historical information. People have a copy of the book for themselves and for their families so that their children and grand children know about their Irish and Manchester roots.

If you would like your story or the story of someone you know to be included in future editions, please contact Irish Community Care.

Copies of the book are available from Irish Community Care, priced £5 + £1 for postage.

• E-mail: headoffice@irishcommunitycare.com • Web: www.irishcommunitycare.com • Phone: 0161 205 9105