The Forgotten Irish Award : 24 November 2008

Click on any photo to send as an ecard!

Over 150 supporters of The IFGB were welcomed by HE Ambassador David Cooney at the Irish Embassy in London when Peter Sutherland presented The Ireland Fund of Great Britain’s first ever Forgotten Irish Award to Breege Walsh in honour of her outstanding contribution to the local Irish community in Leeds.

The IFGB is striving to raise public awareness of the plight of the ‘forgotten Irish’, and seeks to offer a collaborative public forum to the organisations who bring them comfort and dignity, and/or help them to re-establish their links with home and family.

The Forgotten Irish Campaign launched in 2007, aims to raise significant awareness and £5 million in financial support for the many elderly and vulnerable Irish people who migrated to Britain in the decades following WW II. An estimated 100,000 ‘forgotten Irish’ are living in Britain today, in varying levels of need ranging from homelessness and deprivation to social exclusion, or simply crippling loneliness.

The Forgotten Irish Award has been created to recognise the efforts made by a group or individual toward helping the vulnerable and elderly Irish community in the UK. This Award will be presented annually to mark the dedication, commitment and tireless enthusiasm of those that merit this special recognition.

Breege Walsh is a wonderful example of the countless volunteers, outreach workers and community groups who can provide that crucial glimmer of hope and happiness and the IFGB celebrates them all in this Forgotten Irish Award for 2008.

The Forgotten Irish Campaign has received tremendous support so far, receiving over £2 Million in cash and pledges to date.

With special thanks to HE Ambassador David Cooney and the Irish Embassy for hosting the event.

• Forgotten Irish Campaign >

Photos
1 - Ant Hanlon, David Cooney, FI Award winner Breege Walsh, Sally-McHale
2 - Declan Quilligan and Neil Young
3 - Hugh Carr, Elaine Moran, Oonagh Flanghan, Karen Spencer
4 - Jay Murray
5 - Jody Gilhooley and friend
6 - John McKeon, guest
7 - Mark O'Connell, Fionuala Pender, guest
8 - Dr. Dermot Smurfit
9 - Nikki Byrne and friends
10 - Paddy Shanahan, Tommy Gallagher, IFGB Chairman Peter Sutherland, Amanda Gallagher
11 - The Ambassador David Cooney, Breege Walsh, Geraldine Cooney, guest