Ep 340 – John Glenn comes to Birmingham and Help & Advice on Family Tracing

In Part 1… John Glenn is a popular Irish Singer, with a career spanning 5 decades, and we go to meet him at St Francis Parish Centre in Birmingham. Receiving an award in 2022 to honour 45 years in the Country Music business, John talks about his time with The Mainliners and life on the road.

Lots of popular tracks from John, accompanied by Johnny Fingers McHugh.

We chat to Gerry Carney and Jake Davies, the event organisers and also hear from Ray Gormley, the parish centre’s manager.

Also at the event is Tommy Payne, a “senior” runner and Masters Irish Athletics Champion. He’s well into his sixties but is up there with those a fraction of his age. He only runs 45 miles a week! Just 45!

We have additional music from Billy Martin and John Glenn plays out the show with his new release, “Why is the Old Road Calling Me”

In Part 2… We offer advice to help those affected by the Mother and Baby Home controversy that haunts Ireland’s recent past.

Mother and baby homes were run by religious orders, starting in the 1920s, but funded by the Irish government. The institutions took in young women and girls, often against their will, and put their children up for adoption. Shockingly, the last of these homes closed in 1998.

The Irish State issued a formal apology in 2021 and has set up a tracing scheme for those wishing to find out more about their past.

We talk to Patrick Rodgers, Natalie Hughes and Ciaran Connolly from Fréa, an organisation that brings together three independent charities in the North of England, focusing on improving the health and well-being of Irish communities across Leeds, Manchester and Liverpool districts.

For more information…

visit Fréa at www.frea.org.uk

Access birth and early life records at www.birthinfo.ie

Watch the Irish in the UK every Thursday night at 7.30pm on SKY 186 or Freesat 162. Repeated on Tuesday at 1 pm