An appeal has been made to Tameside’s Irish community to rally to the flag.
For decades the Irish National Institute and Social Club – with the Irish tricolour flying from its roof – has been a landmark in Ashton.
But financial trouble is threatening the long-term future of the club – reputed to be the oldest such facility in Britain.
"There is reckoned to be around 20,000 people of Irish descent living in Tameside," said Ken Dalton, one of four trustees of the club. "We could do with a bit more support from them. Our debt is substantial and we have been losing money for a couple of years now.
"The smoking ban has not helped and the brewery, John Smith’s, keeps increasing its prices – we owe them a lot of money."
Mr Dalton, 75, added: "We are to have meetings with the Irish Democratic League of Great Britain to see if they can help. We have 200 life members and about 150 ordinary members. But if we could get more through the doors regularly that would be a big help to us."
The present club on Wellington Road opened its doors in 1960 but the club was originally licensed back in 1892.
However, records exist which show immigrants from Ireland looking for work who settled in the Ashton area set up a meeting place as early as 1826, roughly where The Arcades shopping centre now stands. The club later moved to a building on Stamford Street and then Old Street.
Mr Dalton’s own father Bob, became a member in 1917.
Tweet
Showing comments 1 to 1 and replies | View All
Mean Mr Mustard, A-U-L (18/03/2010 at 12:02)
I live literally round the corner, and in passing there has been virtually no entertainments listed to entice me inside.
I don't think Tameside has a huge amount of Irish people compared to other areas, so things that may be popular elsewhere wouldn't work at the INI. For instance, Irish language classes, Comhaltas or even irish dancing maybe? These things work in other clubs such as St Kentigerns and the club in Chorlton, so why not in Ashton?
But personally speaking, i for one would give the club my whole-hearted support for doing simple things, such as booking some more modern irish bands and most importantly of all, show live GAA. I've never seen any advertised in the windows of the club, and it's a massive part of Irish culture and it saddens me that i have to go all the way to Manchester to watch it.
If you want my support then at least show some Hurling or football, all that ever seems to be on are events supporting ex-servicemen and women!