Fáilte · You're very welcome

An Irish welcome in the heart of York

We're a volunteer-run community group. We bring the Irish community, and anyone with an interest in Irish culture, together in York, through music, language, history, family days and plenty of craic.

See what's on Get our newsletter

Booking now

York Irish Christmas Party 2026

Our annual party is back, with a three-course meal, live music and the famous York Irish Christmas raffle. All welcome.

When
Where
Holiday Inn, Tadcaster Road, York
Includes
Three-course meal, live music, raffle

£40

per person

Book your place

Reserve now and pay later, or pay straight away. You can add an optional £5 towards the musicians.

Through the year

Regular events

Come along to one thing and see how you get on. Nobody minds if you're new, and you don't need any Irish connection at all.

Trad music sessions

A monthly session at the Old Grey Mare on Clifton Green. Bring your instrument if you play, or just come and listen.

Wednesday evenings, 7.30pm · dates in our newsletter

What's the Craic?

Our low-key monthly social at the Old Grey Mare on Clifton Green. Chat, music and good company. Pop by any time.

Saturday afternoons, once a month · next date coming soon

Irish language classes

Eight-week courses in Irish, £65 for the course. New learners are always welcome.

Next course coming soon · Register your interest

Talks and culture nights

Talks on Irish history and culture from researchers and local historians, followed by an informal get-together.

New programme for 2027

Family days

Days out and activities for children and families, so the next generation grows up knowing the culture too.

Dates in our newsletter

The big dates

Our year

  1. January

    St Brigid's Festival

    A celebration of St Brigid, one of Ireland's patron saints, and of the first stirrings of spring in the Irish calendar.

    · guests to be announced

  2. Our flagship

    March

    St Patrick's Weekend Festival

    The biggest weekend in our year, and the thing we're proudest of. Music, families and friends, and the whole city invited.

    2027 dates to be announced soon

  3. December

    Christmas Party

    A three-course meal, live music and the famous raffle. A proper night out to finish the year.

    Booking now for 11 December

About us

Who we are

Some of us were born in Ireland or grew up there. Some are second or third generation. Some have no Irish background at all and are simply interested in Irish culture. Everyone is welcome.

We're run entirely by volunteers. We celebrate the connections between York and Ireland, keep Irish music, language and history alive in the city, and make sure nobody with a link to Ireland has to feel on their own here.

  • Community
  • Craic
  • Heritage
  • Inclusivity
  • Belonging

“Warm, welcoming and informal. Proud, but not boastful.”

How our committee describes us

Get involved

Lend a hand

Everything we do is run by volunteers, and a couple of hours from you makes a real difference. Pick whatever suits you.

  1. On the night

    Setting up, welcoming people on the door, selling raffle tickets.

  2. Spread the word

    Putting up a poster, sharing our posts, bringing a friend along.

  3. Share a skill

    Music, the Irish language, photography, baking, local history. If you can do it, we'd love to hear from you.

  4. Join the committee

    Help plan the year. We meet every few weeks, online and in person.

Tell us you'd like to help

Support us

Help keep York Irish going

We have no paid staff and no building of our own, and we keep ticket prices as low as we can. A little extra goes a long way.

Chip in

We're all volunteers, so what you give goes into the events themselves: the St Patrick's Weekend Festival, paying the musicians, and hall hire for the Irish classes.

  • Add the optional £5 for the musicians when you book the Christmas party
  • Buy a ticket for the famous Christmas raffle
  • Would you like to make a donation? Email us and our treasurer will be in touch.
Email us about donating

Sponsor us

Put your business in front of the 800 people on our mailing list and everyone who comes to our events. Sponsor the St Patrick's Weekend Festival, a night of music, or the Irish classes.

  • Your logo on our website and posters
  • A thank-you on the night at the event you sponsor
  • Volunteering days for your staff, if your team would like to get stuck in
Ask about sponsorship

Contact

Get in touch

We don't have a building of our own. Our events happen at venues around York, so check each event for where to go.