The Irish Voices campaign tells the history of the London St. Patrick’s Day Parade through the personal stories of our community.
Irish Voices is building a rich archive of stories about the London St. Patrick’s Day Parade from the late 1950s to present day. Our fabulous team of 10 volunteers have so far gathered stories from over 25 community members to reveal the ebbs and flows as the Parade has journeyed through the years, from a community–led event to a city–backed festival.
Many from the Council of Irish County Associations have relived their enthusiasm and memories, organising the Parade and Irish Festival through troubled and peaceful times all on a voluntary basis. Their huge contribution to the community is marked by the heartfelt stories of those who attended. Similarly, current organisers have shared their experiences of presenting an event for over 100,000 people, drawing a broad multi–cultural crowd to this celebration of Irishness.
What is so rich is the diversity of voices and stories, from poignant stories of meeting friends from childhood Ireland to jovial tales of walking alongside John Lennon in cowboy boots that proved too tight, and alarming accounts of Paraders outnumbered by police 10 to 1 to tears of joy at reclaiming Trafalgar Square with a sea of tricolours.
In the words of one of our volunteers, Evelyn Feeney:
“We Irish are renowned storytellers, and the accounts of those I interviewed were so rich, descriptive and engaging, as well as divergent, that it brought a vividness and immediacy to a parade that I have not yet, as a recent migrant, attended. I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to make a small contribution to a project that will be such a valuable source of social, migrant, and of course Irish, history”.
And we want more stories! Particularly from the young, the London born, the travellers, the dual heritage, the dancers, the players, the characters, the business sponsors. If you have a story, small or tall or importantly a photograph of the Parade, please get in touch. Or come down to see us in Trafalgar Square at the coming St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, on Sunday 16th March. We’ll be pitched up in the Irish Voices marquee with huge maps of the Parade routes, old and new, for you to write your own stories onto. They’ll be a few roving reporters too, looking to capture your stories as we walk and enjoy the celebrations. We hope to see you there.
We are starting to share the stories too. Young people in two schools are being inspired by our Irish Voices narratives to create their own animations and poetry, which will be interwoven with our recorded interviews and Parade images in a short film, screened at the Film Festival on the day.
We will also be showcasing our Irish Voices in a number of exhibitions, where you can learn more about the Parade, listening to, reading and seeing the living memories of those who’ve walked, supported and celebrated it.
Talking of websites, we will soon be launching a new Irish Voices website, where you will be able to hear our collected stories, see some of the faces, watch the film and discover more about the fascinating history of the London St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Keep your eyes peeled for a link from the Irish in Britain website.