Description

At the key events in Irish history, Irish Mancunians were there – Arthur Forrester at the raid on Chester Castle; Ann Hutton in the Gaelic revival; Gilbert Lynch at the Easter Rising; Sean Morgan in the War of Independence; and John Dulanty at the founding of the Irish Free State.

Irish Mancunians have been central to the preservation and development of Irish culture in our city as we see in the profiles of Kathleen Houldsworth and Michael McGoldrick.

We have also been at the forefront of progressive developments in the city of Manchester – the Irish were key players at Peterloo and suffered disproportionately. Politicians like Daniel McCabe and Hugh Delargy
fought for better conditions for working people, as did trade unionists like Mary Quaile and Alice Foley, who also stood up for the rights of women.

In the fight against fascism Irish Mancunians were there in the International Brigades in Spain. The cultural contributions of Irish Mancunians to the city and the world are immense – Aherne, Boyle, Coogan, Delaney, Eagleton, Forrester, Friel, Gallagher, Kay, Morrissey, and Stuart – with two of the most influential
bands since the 1960s – The Smiths and Oasis – made up entirely of Irish Mancunians.

It has been a great joy in putting together these profiles to discover that Irish Mancunians have not only existed but have done great things in this city and beyond for the past two hundred years.