Birmingham Irish Association have been awarded a grant of £55,000 from Heritage Lottery Fund for a project celebrating and recording the huge contribution from the Irish Community in Birmingham in building the majority of the city’s well known landmarks and roadworks.
The project, titled `We Built this City` will also record contributions from Irish folk who worked in factories, hospitals, transport systems and many other sectors across the city.
Birmingham Irish Association CEO Maurice Malone said `This is a long overdue and exciting project that will put the contribution the Irish made to Birmingham well and truly on the map. Over the next year, we want to meet with the many people who may have worked on the building sites in and around the city and also those who helped build the infrastructure of Birmingham. Their tales I have no doubt, will provide a fascinating insight into the life of a young Irish immigrant in Birmingham.`
The project will be led by Birmingham Irish Association’s Yvonne Price, who over the years has been involved in many support projects with the charity.
Yvonne said `I am delighted to have the opportunity to co–ordinate this project, and finally show the wonderful contribution Irish men and women made to building our city in every sense of the word. I don’t think this has been recognised enough over the years. In the construction industry alone, huge projects such as Spaghetti Junction, many of the city centre`s squares and shopping centres, Symphony Hall, Star City, the National Indoor Arena (now the Barclaycard Arena), the NEC (now Genting Arena) and the old Birmingham Library are just a few’.
‘The stories of the Irish construction workers is the stuff of folklore. We must also not forget the many Irish immigrants who worked on the buses, in factories, in hospitals and care homes across the city`.
`Thanks to the generosity of the Heritage Lottery Fund we will finally be able to record and archive the history of the Irish contribution to Birmingham from the 1940`s up to the present. It`s all very exciting, the stories are already pouring in and make excellent reading. `
The project will include oral and video recordings, DVD`s, a major exhibition and a book launch .Highlights will include a touring exhibition, website, workshops and talks– plus delivering the project to schools in the city.
Do you have a story or some great photographs to share? Or if you know anyone in the original photograph of spaghetti junction get in touch with Yvonne Price at Birmingham Irish Association. The iconic photograph under spaghetti junction was taken by Brendan Farrell.
For more information on the project contact Yvonne Price
Tel 0121 604 6111
email yvonne@birminghamirish.org.uk