Friends of the Irish Night to remember key figure Joe Nicol, a Hebburn man 'through and through'

Joe Nicol will be remembered at a special edition of the Friends of the Irish Night.

Joe Nicol was a founding member of the current guise of the Friends of the Irish Night, which has been running since 1962.

The former shipwright, who had worked all over the world, died recently aged 82.

Organiser Eddie Macintyre said Joe had been pivotal to the event’s survival when it was forced to move from its original home at Bede’s Club after its closure 25 years ago, and took up new residence in the Alberta Club in Jarrow.

The next event takes place on Thursday, February 24 at the venue in Railway Street, where friends and associates will remember Joe.

Eddie said: “The Friends of the Irish Night are honouring the memory of Joe Nicol, who recently passed away after a long illness.

"Joe was a founder member of the Friends of the Irish Night since they moved from St Bede’s after its closure some 25 years ago.”

A Hebburn man through-and-through, Eddie said Joe’s mantra was: “Never ask a man if he’s from Hebburn. If he is, he’ll tell you. If he isn’t, you’ll embarrass him.”

Shamrock Street will perform at a special Friends of the Irish Night remembering Joe Nicol.

The monthly event celebrated the 25th anniversary of move to the Alberta Club in December 2021, and 2022 marks 60 years since it was first founded.

Proceedings for the latest edition, in memory of Joe, get under way at 8.15pm, and there is no cover charge for the event – admission is free.

The night will feature celtic band Shamrock Street as usual, which are described as “one of the liveliest Irish party bands” in the North East.

The musicians perform a variety of Irish music and songs, consisting of fiddle, electric fiddle, flute whistle, harmonicas, percussion and vocals, guitars and mandolin.

The event spent 15 months on ice during the pandemic, but returned in summer 2021 as infections fell and restrictions eased.

While the Friends of the Irish Night has been running for six decades, its roots stem from much further back in history, to a time when Irish settlers came to work in area’s heavy industries, in particular the shipyards, mines, steel works and chemical works.

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