The London Irish Centre was delighted to welcome supporters, partners and friends of the community to The Big Night Out, our flagship annual charity gala, on Friday 27 February at our home in Camden Square.
The evening brought together 220 friends, supporters and partners from across the London Irish community for a night of celebration, entertainment and fundraising in support of the Centre’s vital work. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of everyone involved, the event raised over £100,000 to support the London Irish Centre’s year round services.
Guests were honoured to be joined by the Irish Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Martin Fraser, and Mrs Deirdre Fraser. Opening proceedings, Ambassador Fraser announced that the Irish Government has committed £3 million towards the London Irish Centre’s Capital Redevelopment Project, reflecting the commitment set out in Global Ireland 2025 to strengthen engagement with Irish communities overseas.
This significant investment will play a crucial role in securing the future of the Centre for generations to come. While capital funding supports the redevelopment of the building, it is completely ringfenced for that purpose. Events like The Big Night Out remain essential in raising the unrestricted funds that sustain the London Irish Centre’s day to day services, which support people facing loneliness, isolation, mental health challenges, financial hardship and homelessness.
A particularly special moment during the evening saw Siobhán Carey, Head of the Carey Foundation, presented with Lifetime Membership of the London Irish Centre in recognition of her long standing commitment and the Carey Foundation’s dedication to supporting the charity’s work.
The evening was hosted by broadcaster Claire McCollum and featured a vibrant programme of entertainment celebrating Irish culture. Guests were captivated by a spectacular performance from acclaimed Irish step dancer Stephanie Keane, who wowed the room with an electrifying routine.
Between courses, the atmosphere lifted even further with an unforgettable bodhrán flashmob, led by Ruairí Glasheen and accompanied by a talented trad trio featuring Brogan McAuliffe on concertina, Sinead Munroe on fiddle and Tad Sargent on guitar. The evening then continued with dancing as the Peppered Aces live band brought the house down and kept the celebrations going late into the night.
Alongside the entertainment, guests showed remarkable generosity through the silent auction, live auction and raffle, helping the evening surpass its fundraising target.
The London Irish Centre would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our event partners who helped make the evening possible. Special thanks go to Carey Group and the Carey Foundation who supported the event as Entertainment Partners, to Claddagh Records who partnered with us on the Silent Auction, and to Blackwater Distillery who generously supported the drinks reception.
Most importantly, we would like to thank every guest, donor and supporter who joined us on the night. Your generosity will make a life changing difference to the thousands of people who rely on the London Irish Centre each year.
As the music played and the celebrations continued, there was every reason to raise a glass. Together, we celebrated community, culture and the shared commitment to ensuring the London Irish Centre can continue supporting those who need it most.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year for another unforgettable Big Night Out.
Following another unforgettable evening, planning is already underway for next year’s Big Night Out.
If you would like to register your interest in attending next year’s event, explore table bookings, or discuss partnership opportunities, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with Robbie Butler at [email protected] to start the conversation.
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