 |
Noel
Mulvey and the happy band of entertainers and well wishers
who visited Rye Hill Prison |
Last
month I was approached by Charlie Sweeney, a chaplain at Rye Hill
Prison, himself from Donegal, about an Irish afternoon at the prison
for the Irish inmates. He was very up front, he had no money to pay
for entertainers, I told him to leave it with me and see what I could
do. I rang Vince Jordan, chairman of Birmingham conhaltas, he said
no problem I will sort out some people for you, and I also asked
the set dancers at the Irish Club if they could assist me, without
hesitation they agreed to send two sets, I then got in touch with
Michael Collins who replied ‘when are we going’, these
are the people that support everything that is Irish. I needed to
get these people transported to the prison; I approached Travel West
Midlands who gave me a bus at
cost price and Bernard Freeman to drive it.
I set off from the Irish Club at eight o’clock on 23rd October
with my team of twenty nine people which included our mascot Patsy
O’Brien dressed in her suit of green. We arrived at the prison
and were greeted by Charlie Sweeney, we went through the usual procedures
of security and headed to the Church for mass, celebrated by the Bishop
for Northampton, assisted by two priests, the homily was given by a
priest from County Down who looks after over seas Irish prisoners.
After mass it was tea and biscuits (Irish) from Brennan’s shop
in Kings Heath, as everybody mixed and got to know each other, it was
time for dinner, which was prepared by other inmates, who already had
their day of entertainment, it was lovely
Irish stew, Irish bread (brown and white), apple pie and cream plus
a nice cup of tea. Onto the entertainment, good traditional Irish song
and dance, enjoyed by all including the inmates, Michael Collins had
the place in uproar with his stories. MC for the afternoon was Pat
O’Neill, who did a marvellous job and got the people on the floor.
We were joined by 3 musicians from Corby. My wife Queenie was a great
help in all the entertainment, and she was lovely with the prisoners,
asking Patsy for three wishes. It was soon time to leave a great day
had by all; a few tears were flowing by both sides. We were all treated
well from when we entered the prison until we departed, I hope it made
some of the Irish prisoners feel wanted, and if that was the case it
was a well spent Sunday by all. Thank you to everyone who participated.
|
