Six decades of the Irish in London

The Irish Centre in London’s Camden Town is re-branding as it celebrates its 60th Paddy’s Day, writes Claire Droney.

IT’S SUNDAY night at the London Irish Centre (LIC) in Camden, and the weekly céilí is about to start. One woman collects the entrance fees while a group of eight in the centre of the hall break into peals of laughter as they practise their dance steps ahead of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations next week.

Accordion player Tony Kearney, originally from Cork, first played here in 1976. “It used to be packed on a Sunday morning at 11.30am. Now we get about 30 or 40,” says Kearney, who played at a tea dance yesterday, and will play in a pub on St Patrick’s Day.