Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has officially opened the Luton Irish Forum's new home at Kathleen Connolly House. The new centre - the result of a unique partnership involving the Irish Government, the local Irish community and Luton Borough Council - will enable the forum to significantly expand its advice and outreach services, as well as its special education and cultural activities, for the largest Irish population in the east of England.
Many of the original Irish emigrants to the area worked on the M1 motorway and settled in Luton after its completion in 1959. The Luton forum was established in 1997, with a particular commitment to serve older Irish citizens. And a 2004 study outlining the needs of the local Irish community recommended the development of a fully accessible resource centre.
Yesterday, they were celebrating the achievement of that goal, thanks to support from the Government in the form of a capital grant and ongoing funding for key workers, as well as from the Kathleen and Michael Connolly Foundation and Luton Council. The council provided the site for the new centre, the foundation erected a suitable building while the Government equipped and fitted out the centre - with the value of each contribution put at £120,000 (€180,000).
Michael Connolly is a builder from Mayo, now retired to Donegal, whose late wife Kathleen - after whom the centre is named - was a long-serving Conservative member of Luton Borough Council.
The new centre will provide a base for the forum's welfare and advice services. It will also accommodate new initiatives currently in the pipeline including partnership work with schools, dancing, drama, sport, a library and card drives.
Mr Ahern said the centre reflected in a very tangible way "the value of partnership".