Need a DJ for any social occasion - book John Sheehan - call him on 07867540546 or e-mail jbpsheehan@hotmail.com

We've seen John at many of Irish Manchester's premier venues - he's a class act!

John Joe Callaghan from The Institute of Technology, Sligo has been in touch to promote "Summer Camp Ireland":

Summer Camp Ireland offers the ultimate teen summer camp experience. Learn about Irish culture, history and landscape in an exciting hands-on way together with other teens from around the world. Do it through great activities like horse-riding, surfing the Atlantic, hill-walking, scuba-diving and more. Walk the unspoilt hills, see the ocean from the highest sea-cliffs in Europe, and discover the ancient Celtic and archaeological secrets that this beautiful part of Ireland has to offer.

Sligo, which is in the North West of Ireland, is home to the most spectacular scenery in the country and is the centre of a very rich cultural heritage. There is simply no better place to be! Do your course in a great facility and stay in high quality university residential accommodation. Live with other students in an international summer camp village. Get a taste of university campus life and see what it's like to mix and socialize in a summer college setting. Go shopping in Sligo, Dublin and Galway and explore some of the towns through the rest of our beautiful country together with your friends. Stroll the quaint streets and go for coffee in many of our riverside cafes. Experience the Ireland that you imagine it to be.

For more information email John Joe Callaghan at info@summercampireland.com or see www.summercampireland.com

Tom Beirne has written in to make an appeal for information. Tom's friend is looking for his lost brother, who went to Manchester in 1974/75 and whose name is Austin Kavanagh. Austin was born in October 1952 and hailed from Claremorris, Co Mayo.

If you have any information that would help Tom then please contact him on
beirnetom@hotmail.com.

Lenny Lewis is the co-ordinator of the Gifted and Talented programme for Hulme and Moss Side schools. One of her schools is in need of about 40 computer mouse mats. If you can donate any amount the please send them to:

Lenny Lewis, Holy Name RC Primary School, Denmark Road, Moss Side, Manchester M15 6JS.

Alternatively contact Lenny on shezandlen@hotmail.com

Liam O'Driscoll has written to us as follows:
"I have been playing the bodhran for around 12 months, and am looking to meet up with like-minded amateur musicians who prefer trad irish music and maybe form a band."

If anyone is interested you can contact Liam at peanutno1@hotmail.com.

(You may like to know that there is a comprehensive list of trad sessions at the website Ceol Up North).

We have been contacted by Agroni, an independent Market Research company which has been commissioned to conduct research by a government housing agency. The nationwide project is to understand the needs and experiences of residents of Housing Associations, and covers a variety of ethnic groups including the Irish community.

Agroni want to invite 10 Irish males and females to a meeting to discuss their experiences of living in Housing Association properties. They will recompense each participant with £45 for their time. Attendees ideally will be in the age group of 40 to 59 years (although other age groups will be considered) but must be Housing Association tenants. Attendees can be first, second or third generation Irish.

The date and venue has yet to be determined, but Agroni are hoping to set something up in Manchester within the next fortnight (i.e. by end of Jan at latest). The meeting will last 2 hours maximum.

If you are interested you can send your name and contact details to feedback@manchesterirish.com and we will then pass these on to Agroni. Alternatively you can contact Agroni direct at info@agroni.co.uk.

Agroni have a record of working with a wide range of local and national organisations including central goverment (e.g. the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Work and Pensions). You can find further information at http://www.agroni.co.uk/ (note the website is currently being refurbished).

We've had an appeal for assistance from an Irish research student studying at Manchester University. He is about to undertake an oral history project dealing with Irish women who migrated to Britain/Manchester in the 1930's or during the 2nd World War. He would be very grateful for subjects to interview so if you are interested then please contact Barry Hazley at
Barry.Hazley@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk

Mike Johnson of Ballydavid, Co. Kerry has been in touch with a request for help in tracing where his grandmother came from & what happened to her:

"My Grandmother Sarah Buckley was born in Ireland though we are not sure where. We have the year of her birth as 1908 though on her wedding photograph she looks a little older. Her father was a John Buckley (farmer) who was deceased at the time of her marriage which took place at a registry office in Manchester, England on the 13th May 1932. It is also believed she had a brother John or John Joe who also resided in Manchester. The address she gives on her marriage certificate is 45 Upper Brook Street, Chorlton On Medlock, Manchester. She married my Grandfather one Herbert Johnson who was from Patricroft, Manchester. They lived in or around the same area Chorlton & Longsight in Manchester until 1939 when she disappears and we have no trace of her after this.

She had three children George born 1933, Maureen born 1935 & Josephine born 1939. These 3 children were put into an orphanage called Hollymount Convent in Tottington, Bury, Lancashire in November 1940. The children were told that their father was killed and their mother disappeared and no further information than this. The funny thing is since I have started to do some research on this it appears that Herbert was in fact killed by a lorry in 1941 in Manchester, however this is after the children were put in the orphanage. It also appears that at the time of his death he was living in a salvation army hostel at Francis Street, Cheetham Hill in Manchester.

We would really like to find out what happened to her and also more about her family. We are finding it really difficult to get any information as all relatives that remembered her are now dead. It is very strange that she disappears in 1939 with no trace. The orphanage records do not give any other information other than dates of entry and exit. If you would have any information or could point me in the right direction I would be most grateful. Josephine my Aunt is now the only one left of the family and would like to know what happened to her mother and where she came from."

If you can provide Mike with any information then please contact him at
murrioch@gmail.com.

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