| Site Menu
 |
|
SECTIONS ::
AISLING TRIPS ::
ARCHIVE ::
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Friday, February 15, 2008 - 08:23 AM
ireland
|
|
We were in Mulranny again for our pre-Christmas trip and it was great to be back, but we were lucky to make it at all. There was torrential rain and howling winds all over the country and particularly on the Irish Sea. Before we left on the Friday evening we had called the ferry company several times to check if the ship was indeed sailing: we heard on the news that several sailings had been cancelled coming up to our departure date. They could not confirm sailing until we were picking up our last passengers in the car park at St. Agnes's church in Cricklewood before heading out onto the M1...
Read Alex McDonnell's full account of the trip here...
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Saturday, February 02, 2008 - 02:27 PM
latestnews
|
|
An Irish film inspired by the Aisling Project has won the most nominations for BEST FILM at this year's Irish Film and Television awards. Director Tom Collins says that his work on 'Kings' was motivated by Aisling, and by the work the charity carries out with disadvantaged migrants on the streets of London.
'Kings' which features Colm Meaney in one of the leading roles, has won considerable critical acclaim and will be shown in a special benefit screening for Aisling at Kilburn's Tricycle Cinema on March 14th. The screening is part of Mayor Ken Livingstone's Irish week celebrations...
More about 'Kings' and director Tom Collins here...
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Thursday, December 20, 2007 - 10:21 AM
latestnews
|
WORDFLIGHT - a new collection of prose and poetry by young writers from Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Europe and the USA, is now on sale in local bookshops, or direct from the publisher. Proceeds from book sales will be gifted to the Aisling Project London www.aisling.org.uk to assist homeless Irishmen and women to return home for a holiday in 2008. Perhaps you could consider buying a copy of WordFlight as a Xmas gift to support the homeless through promoting our local young writers. Thank you.
Creative writing, publishing opportunities for emerging writers, WordFlight and much more: www.patrickkearneywriting.com
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Saturday, November 24, 2007 - 07:07 PM
ireland
|
Aisling began with a conversation between friends working with long-term Irish emigrants. We recognised that there was a hidden army of Irish people who had lost contact with home and were suffering loneliness, isolation and trauma as a result.
Our big idea was to bring a group home to Ireland for a holiday. The very first Aisling trip was in September 1994 when we went to Kerry as guests of the Kerry Emigrant Support Group. The following year we were in Bundoran in Donegal. On these early trips we were learning on the job, taking people that we had known from the different places we worked.
We would take people straight out of drinking rooms in hostels and off the streets. At that time the work was all voluntary and we had little time for preparation. Today, we have three trained professional staff, including a coordinator, an outreach worker and an alcohol worker. And we can prepare people well in advance of the trip and carry out detailed assessments. For months before a trip we are working with clients, on their health, housing, alcohol etc. or contacting relatives. However, sometimes it still doesn’t always work out as planned...
Read more about Aisling's latest trip - to Tipperary...
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 - 12:32 PM
latestnews
|
“Kings,” the first ever Irish entry for the foreign language Oscar, has been picked up by BFS Entertainment for theatrical distribution in North America.
This will be the first time BFS, a long-established DVD distrib, has ventured into the theatrical arena. It acquired the movie at the American Film Market from London-based sales agent High Point Films.
“Kings” is directed by Tom Collins and stars Colm Meaney. It’s the story of a group of Gaelic-speaking laborers who left Ireland to work on the building sites of London in 1970s.
The cinema release will be handled for BFS by New York-based distrib Panorama Entertainment.
Read more about 'The King's' and how director Tom Collins was greatly influenced by the work of the Aisling Project...
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Sunday, October 28, 2007 - 10:35 AM
latestnews
|
Aisling’s dream of opening our own house for returning emigrants is well on the way towards fruition. The benefit night at the Luminaire in Kilburn recently helped raise a lot of the funds we need to begin serious work on the Aisling Community Resettlement Centre.
We have for the last few years been working towards this goal and have drawn up detailed plans of how to achieve it. The main strategy is therefore to raise the necessary money to obtain a building and to fund the support services that returning migrants will need.
Read more
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Sunday, October 28, 2007 - 10:33 AM
latestnews
|
I can honestly say the work of the Aisling Project motivated me to make Kings. I had seen the Irish men and woman about the streets of London and felt that I had to do or say something. I was so impressed at what Aisling set out to do. Frankly, I was not brave enough to go and say that I would help, so being involved in film I thought maybe I could make a film. Originally, I was going to make a documentary but no TV station would support me so I thought, I got to make it bigger and different, something that cannot be ignored. I saw Jimmy Murphy’s play, The kings of the Kilburn High Road in the Tricycle on Kilburn High Rd. The best possible place to see it. It was a very moving experience; it was as if the audience where in tune with the actors....
Read full story
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Monday, July 09, 2007 - 06:50 PM
events
|
John Donnelly at the excellent venue the Luminaire on Kilburn High Rd (above the Kilburn bar) is organising a massive fundraiser at the venue for Aisling with Finbar Furey, Andrea Corr, Damien Dempsey and others.
This promises to be a great night out but perhaps not for the hard up - as tickets are selling for an amazing £250. John is confident that enough high rollers will support the event to fill this brilliant venue.
The event promises to be a huge earner for Aisling and all earnings are going towards our dream of opening our own house in Ireland for returning emigrants. This long-held dream of Aisling will be a step nearer realisation, after the takings are counted on the 20th June at the Luninaire.
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 09:58 PM
latestnews
|
Friday 8th December 2006: Comedian Ardal O’Hanlon, patron and life-long supporter of the Aisling Return to Ireland Project was today presented with a donation of €68,000 by the staff of Irish Life to help the charity with its work. The Aisling Return to Ireland Project helps Irish emigrants who are isolated and alone in a number of ways, including providing holidays in Ireland for long-term emigrants in what is for many a dream come true to come home again. It also helps emigrants reconnect with families and friends after a long number of years and operates a resettle in Ireland programme among other initiatives.
Each year the staff at Irish Life Assurance nominates a charity of their choice and the Irish Life staff charity group concentrates all its fundraising activities for the year on this charity. This year two charities were nominated, the Aisling Return to Ireland Project and the Belvedere Youth Club in Dublin’s North Inner City. Money was raised a Cork to Dublin cycle, a mock wedding, a company raffle and poker classic.
Speaking at the cheque presentation ceremony at Irish Life today, Ardal O’Hanlon thanked the staff for their efforts. He said, " What I love about the Aisling project is that it has very achievable goals and is an unfussy organisation that makes a gigantic difference to people’s lives.”
Belvedere Youth Club was also presented with a cheque for €68,000. The club is the oldest youth club in Ireland, established in 1918. It has over 500 members, both boys and girls aged between 7 and 18. The club runs a number of projects at its premises in Dublin and its holiday home in Wexford including an after school homework club, a sports team, weekend and summer caps, a special needs program and a drug awareness program.
Peter McKeever, Chairman of Dublin’s Belvedere Youth Club said, “This contribution will have a positive impact on the lives of the young people we work with in the inner city, many of whom are vulnerable and at risk.”
Sé Weston, Head of Irish Life Staff Charities said, “It is a very important tradition for staff at Irish Life to support charitable organisations. In most instances there is a personal connection to the charity in some way. It is important to staff to be able to make a difference. The company matches the amount raised by the staff. This support means a lot to staff and ultimately means we can make a substantial difference to the nominated charity.”
Over the past number of years Irish Life Staff have raised over Euro480,000 for charities such as Alone, Special Olympics, The National Council for the Blind of Ireland and Downs Syndrome Ireland and Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children.
|
|
|
|
Posted by: IIB Team on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 - 09:54 PM
events
|
Hendon Gaels
Metropolitan Police Gaelic Football Section
2nd International Police Gaelic Football Tournament
The Tom Langan Memorial Trophy
EVENT BRIEFING
The Metropolitan Police Service Gaelic Football Team, the Hendon Gaels is hosting the 2nd International Police Gaelic Football tournament from 25th – 28th October 2007.
The tournament is a celebration of Gaelic football and provides the opportunity for Police Services from Ireland, Northern Ireland, USA and England to meet and compete for the Tom Langan trophy. Tom Langan, was a Garda Police Officer and was an influential member of the County Mayo sides, which won All-Ireland Gaelic Football championship honours in 1950 and 1951.
The 1st International tournament was hosted and won by the Garda in Dublin in 2005. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern attended this event. The tournament was established with a common vision by Police Officers in the Garda to unite Irish Police communities across the 4 nations. The International Police Gaelic Football tournament is a catalyst in developing strong and positive relationships between the Police forces.
The Police Services competing in the event include:
* Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)
* The Garda
* New York Police Department (NYPD)
* Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
A key focus of the event is promoting good relations between forces with a wide range of identities contributing to strengthening international communities by developing a sense of inclusion defined by common opportunities and mutual expectations.
Sport has a strong track record of bringing people together. The International Police Gaelic Football event was developed on the principles of:
* A common vision of cohesion and respect
* The diversity of different backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated and positively valued
* The establishment of strong and positive relationships between international Police communities
The event focuses on “Building Bridges” bringing Police communities from 4 nations together with the view to supporting positive contributions to society whilst taking a stand against extremists who promote religious bigotry.
A total of 300 guests will be participating in the event.
The 3-day event will be launched at New Scotland Yard on Thursday 25th October. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair will be in attendance.
As part of this event the Hendon Gaels will raise funds to support an Irish charity, the Aisling Return to Ireland project.
The Metropolitan Police Service Gaelic Football Team will host the Gala dinner on Saturday 27th October bringing the event to a close.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
