Friends of the Irish Night returns to Jarrow for 2022 as it begins 60th anniversary year

The Friends of Irish Night is one of the borough’s longest-running events, dating back to 1962.

However, the usually monthly music event was missing from the calendar for large chunks of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

But organisers will be hoping to make it through 2022 with a full sweep of events, with optimism in the air that the worst of Covid-19 is behind us.

Organiser Eddie Mcintyre said: “The Friends of the Irish Night is being resurrected for the new year and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back.”

The event takes place at the Alberta Club in Jarrow on Thursday, January 27 – the same day ‘Plan B’ Covid restrictions come to an end in England.

Proceedings get under way at 8.15pm, and there is no cover charge for the event – admission is free.

The Friends of the Irish 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.

Eddie said Shamrock Street will once again aim to get everyone to their feet with their unique Irish sound.

The long-running music night at the Railway Street venue was cancelled for some 15 months during the pandemic, and finally made a return in June 2021 as coronavirus restrictions eased.

A special show in December 2021 celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Friends of the Irish Night moving to its ‘new home’, having been forced to move from the Bede’s Club after its closure.

The Friends of the Irish night is due to mark its 60th anniversary in 2022

But it has its roots going back many more decades, with Jarrow and Hebburn steeped in Irish culture thanks to the settlers who came over to work in the heavy industries on the Tyne.

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