Prime Minister takes the Taoiseach of Ireland to Wigan's famous old Brian Boru Club
Andy Burnham welcomed his Irish counterpart to the North West today and, after meeting at No 10 North in Manchester, they proceeded to the Brian Boru Club in Ashton-in-Makerfield where they gatecrashed a 90th birthday party for one of Wigan’s most senior Catholic priests
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has given visiting Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin a taste of both Wigan and his homeland during a visit to the North West.
After welcoming his guest to Number 10 North in Manchester the Makerfield MP took him over to Ashton and the Brian Boru Club: the UK’s oldest Irish club.
And the visit coincided with a 90th birthday party for Canon Pat MacNally, the former parish priest of St Jude’s RC Church, Worsley Mesnes.
Both politicians spent time speaking to regulars and sat either side of Canon MacNally, Mr Burnham saying: “There you go Canon Pat, that’s a pretty good birthday guest!”
The Prime Minister also spoke about his own roots in the Emerald Isle and those of many others in these parts
He said: “This part of the world has deep links to Ireland, I include myself in that, in terms of my own family history with Liverpool Irish connections.
“But so many people across the whole of the north of England, actually across the whole of the country, have that connection to Ireland, so your visit Micheal today, will be so important to them, they will really welcome the fact that you are here, particularly the people of this part of the world.
“We are working together aren’t we, on so many things, in terms of where we go from here.
“As I looked at the world as it is right now, Britain and Ireland being close, working together, deepening the partnership, based on those ties, is just important in this changing world.
“Your visit today really cements that. We’re both off to New York next week, aren’t we, for United Nations General Assembly, but it’s just great to come from here to go there, we are always rooted in our communities.
“We always know, where we came from, that’s the important thing, isn’t it?
“And I feel that this week, obviously, you kindly mentioned my father Tom, you know, I’m a person like that, if you know where you came from, you’ve got a good chance of knowing where you are going in life, you’ll stay true to the things that shaped you and forged you.
“I certainly am proud of the Irish heritage that I have in my family. And I was with the Prime Minister of Canada at the new Everton stadium this week…I’m having a busy week.
“Another Irishman, it wasn’t unnoticed, a Mayo man, I think.
“Ireland, has this amazing ability of reaching in to some many people so many people’s heritage, and Ireland is loved around the world for so many reasons.”
The Taoiseach thanked the club in Gaelic for the invite and providing a “home from home” for Irish emigrants.
He also congratulated Canon MacNally, who is originally from Louisburgh, County Mayo, on his birthday and Mayo’s recent win in the All-Ireland final.
Canon Macnally said: “Thank you very, very much and I’m deeply grateful and appreciative we have the two Prime Ministers with us, it’s a great, great honour.
“And we are deeply grateful and appreciative of the great work that they do in fostering good relations between these islands, we are so pleased about that, so thank you.”