Why Irish eyes are smiling on Liverpool

Dec 14 2007 by Mike Chapple, Liverpool Daily Post

IT WILL be no surprise to most Merseysiders, but Liverpool is the most Irish city outside the Emerald Isle, according to the coun- try’s national broadcaster Radio Telefis Eireann.

It follows a visit to the city by a production team working for the popular Pobal programme which is broadcast from Dublin every Sunday afternoon. This week will be a special about the history of the Liverpool Irish, where three out of four of the population are of Irish descent.

“In previous years we have been to Manchester and Coventry and for this week’s programme we also visited London, Leeds and Birmingham but out of all of them this is where we felt the Irish essence most of all,” said Marian Malone, a co-presenter and interviewer, with Sile Seoige, of Pobal, which is Gaelic for “Community”.

While they were here, they interviewed a wide variety of Liverpudlians. They included Liverpool Irish Festival director Anna Gilbert who says in the programme that the city’s Irishness will be a key factor which will be showcased before the world in Capital of Culture year.

Chris Boland, of Liverpool Comhaltas, will talk about the flourishing nature of traditional Irish music here and Dr Pat Nugent and Dr Ian McKeane from the Institute of Irish Studies at Liverpool University are also interviewed together with Liverpudlian Tony Birtill who speak of the pervading Irish influence on the city.

The programme will also focus on Irish sport..

Danny McDonagh and Karen Plunkett talk about the Liverpool men’s and women’s success in becoming All-Britain Gaelic football champions. There are also interviews with the successful businessman Tony Kiloran, who arrived here from Mayo 42 years ago and Kathleen Cunningham from the acclaimed Liverpool-based Bolger Cunningham School of Irish Dance.

POBAL is broadcast this Sunday at 5.25pm, on RTE One, which can be viewed on various satellite and cable channels.