CELEBRITIES from all walks of life declared their pride in their Irishness as the Irish Post Awards returned to the capital last night.
The annual occasion brought more than 1000 people to the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane for a night honouring excellence among the Irish community in Britain and across the globe.
“Nights like this it is an honour and a privilege to be the owner and publisher of the Irish Post, there is nothing quite like the Irish Post Awards,” Irish Post publisher Elgin Loane told those gathered.
“It is a wonderful celebration of the spirit of a nation and its diaspora overseas, of Ireland and the Irish in what is often described as the greatest city in the world, London.”
Michael Flatley performs at The Irish Post Awards 2024 at The Grosvenor House HotelThe night was kicked off with a rousing performance by Irish dancing legend Michael Flatley on the flute.
Mr Flatley has been attending the event for more than a decade and was thanked for his ongoing support.
“We are delighted to have Michael Flatley and his wife Niamh here again tonight, it was Michael who, just over a decade ago, when these awards needed to be reinvigorated, helped us get this show back on the road, and we got it back on the road,” Mr Loane said, adding: “So, thank you Michael.”
Irish Post publisher Elgin Loane welcomed the 1000-strong crowd to the annual eventUS-born Flatley also brought his recently launched Flatley Irish Whiskey to the party, and told the room it was a project dedicated to his father – who had a “passion” for Irish whiskey – before joking that he wouldn’t be leaving “until is all gone”.
Michael Flatley brought his recently launched whiseky to the eventWhile chatting with old friend and MC for the night Eamonn Holmes, Flatley confirmed his “pride” in the homeland of his parents, where he has had a home in Cork for many years, adding he is “so grateful” that his parents were Irish.
That pride was echoed by Bananarama and Shakespears Sister star Siobhan Fahey who received the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award on the night.
Bananarama and Shakespears Sister star Siobhan Fahey received the Outstanding Contribution to Music Awardf“Despite my English accent I was actually born in Dublin, to Tipperary parents,” Fashey told the room.
“I left the old sod at the age of two and even though I grew up in England I have always felt 100 per cent Irish.”.
Explaining that her parents instilled as very clear sense of her Irishness throughout her childhood, Fahey said “as part of the Irish diaspora I was shaped by those cultures”.
“There was Radio1, there was Top of the Pops but there was also The Dubliners, and of course The Wolfe Tones,” she explained.
“The bookshelves were full of Behan, Yeats, and Flan O’Brien, we were raised with pride in our Irish roots, and filled with stories, of Easter 1916 and other events, and of course the fairies.
Siobhan Fahey collects her gong at the Irish Post Awards 2024“So maybe it is a bit of fairy magic that I am here at all tonight.
“Somehow, I have been able to spend my life making music and getting to share it with the world and that is pretty magical.
“I am absolutely blown away that Bananarama and Shakespears Sister still have a fond place in your heart.”
The star received rapturous applause from the audience as she accepted her gong and added: “If my parents in heaven are looking down tonight, they will be particularly proud of this one – this is for you mum and dad.”
MC Eamonn Holmes and co-host Lisa McHugh led proceedingsEight awards were handed out over the course of the evening, which was hosted by Holmes with the assistance of Country Pop singer Lisa McHugh, and featured crowd-pleasing performances by both McHugh and fellow Country music favourite Derek Ryan.
Flannery Plant Hire won the Building Britain Award, while VGC received the In Business Award.
Country star Derek Ryan kept the crowds happy throughout the nightBirmingham-based Carole Scanlon won the Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award, honouring her decades serving Irish people in the west midlands.
Former Love Island host Laura Whitmore was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Film, TV and Theatre Award, by her friend the singer Imelda May.
Award-winner Laura Whitmore, pictured with Imelda May and actor Charlene McKennaWhitmore, who left her home in Bray, Co. Wicklow for London more than a decade ago, explained that she never expected to remain in the capital as long as she has.
“I made London my home about 15 years ago and I only came for one year – I think a lot Irish people did that,” she admitted before praising the Irish abroad as a “community that helps each other when we need it”.
Regarding her award, she added: “I’m lost for words, it’s such an honour to receive this.”
“I have done loads of awards over the years, but it is usually me presenting the awards, not getting them,” she added.
“I have been sitting here among loads of Irish icons and I feel a bit out of my depth, I have been fan-girling the whole night, there is Kellie Harrington here, and The Wolfe Tones, I mean none of this ever feels real to me, it’s such an honour.”
Kellie Harrington is presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award by former boxer Steve CollinsKellie Harrington was the winner of the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award, which was presented by former Irish boxer Steve Collins.
The two-time Olympic gold medal winner had to quickly correct host Holmes on his terminology when her asked about the rise of “women’s boxing”.
“It’s not women’s boxing, its boxing,” she told the MC before going on to compare the challenge of claiming two Olympic gold medals to “climbing mountains”.
Harrington schooled MC Eamonn Holmes on the correct term for her sporting profession“The first time I competed in Tokyo I really wanted to win for our country, so I done it for our country,” she explained.
“The second time around, getting to that mountain, getting to that top again it wasn’t easy, it was hard.
“So I had decided the second time around I was doing it for me and I was doing it for my family.”
The boxer has since retired from the ring, claiming she wants to dedicate more time to her family.
Elsewhere on the night broadcaster Ryan Tubridy, who moved to London from Dublin just a year ago, won the Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting Award.
Ryan Tubridy collects the Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting AwardThe former RTÉ star, who presented The Late Late Show for 14 years, received special messages of congratulations from the likes of Daniel O’Donnell and Russel Crowe, before dedicating his award “to the women in his life”, including his partner Claire and two daughters who were all in attendance at the awards ceremony.
As a newly arrived migrant, he said receiving his award “means an awful lot”.
“It’s been a very bonkers year,” he said.
“I didn’t mean to be in London but here I am, a long story, but we will save that for another day, but it’s been a beautiful experience,” he added.
“I got a new set of eyes a year ago, I am a very different person, I have learnt an awful lot, and I am lucky to be in the city.
“If you live in London and you are bored, well get out.”
Ryan Tubridy, Una Healy, Laura Whitmore, Michael Flatley and Niamh O’Brien pictured at last night’s ceremonySharing a highlight moment of his year among the Irish in London, he told the room he had recently attended a 30th anniversary lunch for the Southwark Irish Pensioners Group.
“I go to many lunches and many dinners, but it was probably one of the most meaningful lunches I have ever attended in my life,” he said.
“I will tell you why, it was full of 200 people, mostly women, who have been here for the last 50 years and they had the thickest accents from Offaly, Cork , Galway and Dublin, they didn’t have the first clue who I was, they just said ‘where are you from?, what part of the country are you from?
Ryan Tubridy said its been a ‘bonkers year’ since he moved to the capital“When the music started, I asked a women to dance who was 82 years old.
“While dancing, I asked how old were you when you came to the UK. She said she was 17 and for the next 30 seconds I lost her to her 17-year-old self, dancing in a hall somewhere, wondering ‘why do I have to go London, where am I going to go, is anyone going to mind me?’
“I walked away from that event thinking this is what I have learnt from my year in London – kindness, community, decency, where the people who need minding are minded by good people and very many of those good people are here tonight.”
The Wolfe Tones received the Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Wolfe Tones shared a similar message of admiration for the Irish community in Britian, when they collected their Lifetime Achievement Award.
After treating the crowd to a range of standout performances throughout the event – not least a roof-raising rendition of Come out Ye Black and Tans – Noel Nagle, Tommy Byrne and Brian Warfield stepped up to accept their award.
“There have been wonderful people and we have had wonderful experiences throughout the years,” they said.
“Some 60 years we have been together, and we are going to dedicate this award to all the wonderful people here tonight.”
They added: “This is for the Irish in Britain, we are proud to be Irish in Britain we are very proud to be Irish here tonight.”