Being Irish is not all its craic'd up to be................

Last nights Liverpool Echo newspaper http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/views/echo-letters/2009/03/19/anichebe-concerns-100252-23180267/ published a very interesting and thought provoking letter from Cllr James Noakes, Clubmoor Ward (Labour) reminding us that while alot of us were celebrating St Patrick's Day, members of our community don't have it so good. In his letter, Cllr Noakes was able to quote from extensive research on the health and social disadvantages suffered by members of the Irish community in England.


Irish Community Care Merseyside is a registered charity and been in existence in Liverpool since the 1960's helping and supporting newly arrived Irish people in this city and offering practical support to those already settled here, especially the elderly. Since its formation, ICCM has grown considerably and now has over 10 staff mainly funding by the Irish Government's DION funding but also from Local Authorities and PCT's etc etc and huge team of volunteer workers. It does provide an excellent service especially to Irish homeless, Travellers and Elderly within the community, with activities across Liverpool and the Wirral.

The work of ICCM and the disadvantage suffered by sections of the Irish community is not something that most of us would be aware of , or in fact, want to know about. It is true that while Ireland prospered economically for most of the 1990's and this decade and became known as the 'Celtic Tiger', this new found prosperity often bypassed the poorest sections of Irish society and as a result emigration continued to occur. Hence the need for such organisations and the need for us all to be mindful of those in need and campaign for better services for our community

More information on the work of ICCM can be had from the following link http://www.irishsocieties.org/about/affiliateinfo/communitycare/irishcommunitycaremerseyside