Coventry Comhaltas

We were recently visited by Brendan Farrell from The Irish Post, and have since been featured in a number of articles.

All words and pictures below by Brendan Farrell

The Irish Post, August 1 and August 8, 2009

Neal Pointon, age 14, one of the Coventry Comhaltas' talented musicians tutoring 15-year-old Nicola Nixon.

The Hearsall Inn is a very popular pub in the Chapelfields area of Coventry and is run by the Scott family – Peter from Sligo, his Wexford-born wife Joan and their two sons Peter and Daniel.

Peter came to London in 1957 and worked for a time for London Underground but he decided that he would prefer to see some daylight in his working hours so he entered the pub trade. He learned his skills at watering holes such as The Jolly Farmer and the Bag O Nails and then left London and headed for Coventry in 1962.

In Lady Godiva’s city while working in the licensed trade he married his wife Joan in 1976 and he bought the Hearsall Inn nine years ago. The Scott family also run a pub back in Peter’s native Sligo.

On Tuesday evenings the Hearsall Inn welcomes an invasion of Irish traditional musicians of all ages – from the young to the young at heart – and those who are keen to learn the skills on the bodhrán, fiddle, tin whistle, accordian and flute. Yes folks, it’s the weekly seisiun organised by the thriving Coventry branch of Comhaltas.

Donegal-born Hughie Gallagher, chairman on the Coventry branch of Comhaltas, passing on his skills to Hannah Nixon who plays the tin whistle and accordian.

The team including Boo Cullen, Jarlath Mulhern and Hughie Galagher to name but a few now host one of the very best Irish traditional music and singing seisiuns in the Midlands. The committee and older branch members find time to dedicate at least one hour a week to teach young folk many skills on the various instruments.

When the seisiun gets under way at the Hearsall, it’s a sight to make any Irish person proud of their heritage. And it must be good – one of the regulars at the event, when he is not on tour, is Sean Cannon from the Dubliners!

: Faye Haddon aged 18 travels from Nuneaton for the weekly seisiun.

: Tom Bracken from Kerry – deep in song.

: Fiona Hoey and her family are involved in all things Irish in Coventry – music and song and the Roger Casements GAA Club.

: The Dubliners’ Sean Cannon joins in enthusiastically.

: Brothers Frank and Pat Malone are two well-known members of the Irish community in Coventry – both hail from Co. Armagh.

: Jarlath Mulhern, Sean O’Donovan and Hughie Gallagher. Jarlath is PRO and Hughie is chairman of the Coventry branch of Comhaltas. Sean is deputy head of Cardinal Wiseman School in Coventry.

: Coventry Comhaltas Irish Music

: The Dubliners’ Sean Cannon joins in enthusiastically.

: The Dubliners’ Sean Cannon joins in enthusiastically.

: Dermot and Lucy Lynch always turn up for the weekly seisiuns. Dermot works for Jaguar Land Rover at Gaydon, Lucy is the education reporter for the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

: Dermot and Lucy Lynch always turn up for the weekly seisiuns. Dermot works for Jaguar Land Rover at Gaydon, Lucy is the education reporter for the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

: Coventry Comhaltas Irish Music

: The seisiun in full swing.

: Faye Haddon aged 18 travels from Nuneaton for the weekly seisiun.

: The seisiun in full swing.

: The seisiun in full swing.

: Coventry Comhaltas Irish Music

: Donegal-born Hughie Gallagher, chairman on the Coventry branch of Comhaltas, passing on his skills to Hannah Nixon who plays the tin whistle and accordian.