The Irish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith
awarded a Heritage Fund grant to create London’s leading Irish heritage library
LONDON — Friday 31 March 2023 — The Irish Cultural Centre, based in Hammersmith will be relaunching their library and creating a community history project thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project hopes to create the foremost academic and historical library for Irish texts and journals in London, by:
● Relaunching the David Whiteley ICC Library , situated in the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith, as a specialist Irish library open for membership and academic research access.
● Investing in a secure and automated library management system to organise the collection, membership and lending arrangements more efficiently, while facilitating the future growth of the library.
● Recruiting, training and supporting a dedicated team of library volunteers and assistants.
● Working with academic institutions and schools to forge links that increase knowledge of Irish culture, history and influence in Britain.
● Launching an open Community History Project to widen engagement and support Irish genealogical research and family-based heritage learning.
The David Whiteley ICC Library has always been a key part of the Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith’s community outreach and business plan. Since the redevelopment of the ICC as a modern arts and events venue in 2017, the library faced many issues that hindered its formal reopening, including that of the Covid-19 pandemic. With this funding, the Irish Cultural Centre can now plan to formally reintroduce the Library and its daily operation back into the life of the centre over the next 18 months.
The new ICC Library aims to form a community of committed and interested people in the rejuvenation of this collection through volunteer opportunities, educational outreach, and family heritage research.
ICC Chairman, Peter Power-Hynes, said: “This award signifies another great day for the ICC and the work the team delivers and has delivered to the community in London and further afield for the last 28 years. I want to thank the Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for making this project possible. Go raibh maith agat.”
About Irish Cultural Centre Hammersmith (ICC)
Céad Míle Fáilte
A warm welcome to the home of Irish culture in London
The Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) is based in Hammersmith, London. It has been the home of Irish arts and culture in the UK for the last 25 years. The venue's state-of-the-art building houses an impressive performance auditorium, modern bar lounge, Irish library, art gallery and multiple meeting spaces.
As primarily a cultural entertainment venue, the ICC's extensive events programme includes concerts, screenings and exhibitions across all art forms, including: music, film, theatre, literature and visual arts. It has hosted many notable guests, such as HRH King Charles III, Colm Tóibín, Edna O'Brien, Adrian Dunbar, Ardal O’Hanlon, Dame Sheila Hancock, Ralph McTell, Mary Coughlan, Martin Hayes, Tommy Prine, Fergal Keane and more. In addition, the Centre offers formal courses in Irish Language, dance and Irish Traditional Folk Music, and maintains close links with Irish Film London and The Irish Literary Society, amongst other organisations.
Renowned for hosting the best Irish arts and educational programme outside of Ireland, the ICC also plays an active role within the wider community, aiming to promote Irish culture to the Irish diaspora in London and beyond. Celebrating equality, inclusion, and diversity, its programme aims to attract people of all ages, backgrounds, interests, and diverse heritages. The Centre prides itself on being an open, welcoming space for anybody who enjoys Irish arts and culture. It has been a registered charity since 2013.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Using money raised by the National Lottery, we Inspire, lead and resource the UK’s heritage to create positive and lasting change for people and communities, now and in the future. www.heritagefund.org.uk.
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Since The National Lottery began in 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £43milion
