Irish Club Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Fireside Chat Recollections

On Saturday 18 October 2025, the Irish Club of Luxembourg (ICL) held its 40th anniversary celebration at the Abbaye de Neumünster in Luxembourg-Grund.

Around 100 people attended the event in the 2nd floor Salle Nic Klecker, which started with a welcome cocktail during which time attendees could browse an exhibition of about 20 rollup banners depicting Irish people who have made a name for themselves overseas.

The Master of Ceremonies (MC) for the evening, Lisa Burke, commenced proceedings, with a four-piece musical ensemble from the Luxembourg branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann performing a nostalgic medley of traditional tunes. Introduced by Edel Hurley (concertina), she was accompanied by Cailin O'Shea (flute), Carthach O'Faolain (accordion) and Joe O'Toole (flute).

Maria Kelly, ICL President, welcomed everyone and offered thoughts on previous members who were "no longer with us". She reflected that the anniversary event reminded everyone of "the enduring bonds that unite us as a community," adding: "The memories we have created together over the years fill this room with warmth and a sense of belonging. Each person present tonight plays an essential role in making our community a place defined by connection, support and friendship." She thanked the committee, the Irish Embassy, musicians and guests for their support and concluded: "Tonight is not only a celebration of our shared Irish heritage, but also an opportunity to reflect on the journey that has brought us to this milestone. Our story is one of resilience, involvement and mutual support. The thriving nature of our community is a direct result of the dedication and participation of each member. And this evening stands as a testament to our collective efforts."

Ireland's Ambassador to Luxembourg, Jean McDonald, then addressed the event, which she described as "a very special celebration of the Irish Club and its members, past and present". She made particular mention of those ICL members who had since returned to Ireland and had made the special effort to come back to Luxembourg for this celebratory event. She thanked the committee for their hard work. Echoing Maria Kelly's remarks, the ambassador said the evening was "all about recognising and honouring the wonderful Irish community" in Luxembourg.

She said the Irish Embassy was pleased to continue collaborating with the ICL, facilitating the performance of Naomi Berrill and showcasing the "Strangers to Citizens" exhibition on this occasion. She noted that the exhibition "captures some of the extraordinary stories of Irish men and women, and their travels to continental Europe, as well as their impact when they got here." She highlighted the "very special connection" between Saint Willibrord, educated in County Carlow, Ireland, and Echternach in Luxembourg, which dates to the 7th century. The ambassador also emphasised the "pivotal role" of European Economic Community (EEC) membership in drawing many Irish people to Luxembourg to live and work in the 1970s and 1980s. She used an Irish proverb to sum up the Irish community and the work of the club over the past 40 years: "Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine" ("People live in the shelter of one another"), highlighting that "communities and individuals depend on each other for mutual support and thrive because of it". The 2,500-strong Irish community is thriving in Luxembourg today, with many still working in EU institutions but hundreds of others across diverse sectors of the economy, she noted. "Even though our community has grown and changed over time, that sense of looking out for each other, which was exemplified by the Irish Club in its inception, persists today," the ambassador concluded, wishing the ICL a "happy birthday" and "another four successful decades".

Lisa Burke then introduced four panellists in a 40-minute fireside chat-style reflection on the club's 40 years since its formation in 1985.

Tom Cranfield, one of the club's founding members, was one of the first to arrive in Luxembourg, in 1973, following Ireland joining the European Communities on 1 January that year. He recalled that there were only twelve to fifteen Irish in the Grand Duchy back then and very few people knew where it was, and fewer Luxembourgish people knew where Ireland was, yet this has changed considerably since then. He held senior positions at the European Court of Justice and the Publications Office of the European Union, and revealed that Luxembourg was a very different place back then, with little colour on house facades and also that his wife, Mairead, also worked outside the home which was unusual in the 1970s. He talked about the club in the early years when there was no English spoken at all, just French and German, and shops closed at lunchtimes and at 18:00, meaning that they had weekly Saturday trips to the GB supermarket and laundromat in Arlon, recalling interesting conversations with Customs officials at the border.

Next up was Geoff Thompson, who served as ICL President for a total of around nine years, with his first term in the mid-1990s and his second from 2017 to 2024. He talked about the club's legacy and revealed that the club was close to folding before he stepped up: in 2017, nobody had been prepared to stand for the position of President to lead the club, with membership numbers below 20, and he remembered meeting with the then Ambassador of Ireland to Luxembourg, Peadar Carpenter, leading to changes to the club statutes being proposed to, and accepted at, an EGM when he stood as President and was elected. He talked about challenges the club faced over the years, including membership (he and the committee managed to increase it to around 60 before the 2024 AGM; he also emphasised membership was open to both Irish nationals and Friends of Ireland), encouraging people to volunteer to stand for election to the committee and officer roles (he mentioned reducing the number of committee meetings to around one a quarter), finances (he revealed that the club lost a lot of money on the last Ski Trip to be planned, in 2016, but he had successfully led a drive to improve the club's finances significantly, partly with a view of the 40th anniversary), developing links with other Irish organisations and keeping the club and its activities relevant. He also talked about the occasion of the opening of Luxair's direct route to Dublin in 2014, referencing the pervious flights incorporating a stopover in Manchester. He emphasised the continuous evolution of the club over the years, including adapting during the COVID pandemic.

Margaret Murphy, also a previous ICL President, had been a teacher at the European School for a period of nine years. She talked about how the experience served her well in her career as she subsequently returned to Ireland and took up a position as school principal in County Cork. She reflected on the club serving as a meeting point for Irish expatriates away from home and offering a common sense of understanding while enjoying celebrations of Ireland's cultural heritage. She recalled some of the events organised by different members of the ICL over the years, including the Car Treasure set annually by Kathleen O'Brien - one anecdote mentioned the time when it had been organised on a car-free day.

Bernard Biggar, who had also served as ICL President and had arrived in 1989, the same year as Geoff Thompson, revealed that his father had been Ireland's Ambassador to Belgium and also the first (and last) non-resident Ambassador to Luxembourg, so he had previous links with the Grand Duchy. He recalled the first resident ambassador here, Valentin Iremonger, who had stayed at the Hotel Cravat as the Irish government had not yet taken on a residence here. He also mentioned Ambassador Michael Hoey and mobilising the Irish community, as well as the Irish Club's involvement in fundraising for the Luxembourg team to be able to participate in the Special Olympics in 2003, which were being held outside the US for the first time, in Ireland. He recalled the astonishing reaction of the Irish Club members and others, including his amusing recollections of a "Male Model" fundraising event which raised a lot of money, emphasising the "small community, big heart" nature of the Irish community here. He also recalled the Ski Trip to Grindelwald and Interlaken in Switzerland, in which one year (2003) the organisers somehow got through the French-Swiss border despite leaving all the trip's paperwork back in Luxembourg - this was before mobile phones, and highlighted how teamwork overcame adversity. He concluded by referencing that he had been club President during the 18th anniversary, and that he was delighted to see the club continuing to thrive and to be involved in the 40th anniversary.

Particular mention was made of a number of past members, including Tessa Collins, the club's first President and leading light for so many years, Mimmi Oedman who had coordinated Team Ireland at the Relais Pour la Vie annual charity event for many years, and Hilary Fitzgibbon who had played a leading part in pushing for a direct flight route to Dublin.

Chronicle.lu later caught up with Geoff Thompson, who mentioned various standout events the club had organised over the years, including: the St Patrick's Day Dinner, which had evolved between formal black-tie events in the Orangerie in Mondorf-les-Bains to informal restaurant meals; the St Brigid's Day Dinner which had started in 2023; the Children's Christmas Party, which had evolved to a Santa's Grotto in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID pandemic (the committee agreed that it could not not have Santa making an appearance) and also welcomed children of Ukrainian refugees in 2022 and 2023; Team Ireland for the Relais Pour la Vie which saw a team of runners and walkers on track for 24 hours continuously; storytelling events including the Tom Crean show by Aidan Dooley, stand-up comedy with Deirdre O'Kane, and an online tour of Kilmainham Gaol by David O'Neill on St Patrick's Day 2021; guided tours of the Bofferding brewery, Ramborn cidery, Bernard-Massard winery, the underground iron ore mine at Rumelange and the slate mine at Haut-Martelange, the Philharmonie concert hall and more; the Sponsored Walks becoming the Charity Walks; table quizzes, film screenings and meals.

He also highlighted the charitable giving of the club over the years, including in Ireland (Blue Teapot Theatre, Cheeverstown House, the Simon Community, Our Lady's Children's Hospital in Dublin), in Luxembourg (cancer research, the homeless) and overseas (Ilula Orphan Program in Tanzania and a school project in Ecuador). He recalled one of the most memorable club events being a meal outdoors on one of the boats on the Moselle river, just as COVID restrictions were easing, when it was an opportunity for members to socialise once more, and including Ambassador Stephen Dawson who had arrived just before the pandemic.

The main musical performance was delivered by Naomi Berrill, cello player, singer and composer (cello, concertina), who had performed at the venue previously. She revealed that she has an affinity with the ICL and its members, living outside Ireland as she is based in Florence, Italy. She performed a 30-minute set of songs and musical pieces, including both some that she had both composed herself and covers of other artists' works.

Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Naomi said: "As a fellow Irish living abroad it was an honour for me to be asked to perform for the Irish Club in Luxembourg and their 40-year celebrations! I understand both the beauty and difficulty of living far from home, and I do believe that this experience makes us richer and helps us to see through others' eyes and to be more empathetic to those who find themselves living far from home, not always by choice."

The evening concluded with a walking dinner.