‘Everyone’s welcome to celebrate with us!’

The sign is large and clear. “It means ‘a thousand welcomes’,” says Patrick Howley, as he leads the way into Bradford Irish Club.

A warm welcome is guaranteed in the Rebecca Street club, with its green curtains and walls, Irish memorabilia and posters of life and people from the Emerald Isle.

The club is holding a week-long festival of events this week to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

“The underlying principle is that we are a family club where children are welcome,” says long-time member Patrick Howley, 68, who lives in Wilsden.

“We don’t think of it as simply a club, it is a building used for community purposes – anyone can become a member.”

The club dates back to the late 19th century, when it was formed to provide a social centre for the predominantly Irish, Catholic men in the area.

In the mid-19th century, following Ireland’s second potato famine, Bradford had the highest proportion of Irish-born people in Yorkshire, accounting for around ten per cent of the city’s population. Many were drawn to England having heard tales of prosperity and a better life, and headed for the industrial towns and cities of the North.

Bradford-born Patrick’s parents came here in 1938 from County Mayo on Ireland’s west coast. “They met in England, but had lived only three miles from each other in Ireland,” he says. “It wasn’t easy then. I remember when I was a child, seeing signs on mill gates saying, ‘Irish need not apply’.

The family have always been club members, and that has carried on down the generations. “My grandchildren live in Australia, but are going to be honorary members,” adds the former director of housing and environmental protection with Bradford Council.

Researcher Sinead Engel, 31, of Allerton, was also born in Bradford to an Irish mother. “My mum is a Dubliner and taught Irish dancing here at the club before moving to Cambridge,” she says. “I moved back and teach Irish set dancing, flute and tin whistle.”

Sitting at a table colouring, her eight-year-old daughter Roisin loves going to the club, where she is learning to play the tin whistle and guitar.

“We often have three or four generations of families sitting around the tables, which you rarely see elsewhere,” says Sinead, “And grandads bring their grand-daughters here for dancing class.”

One of the biggest advantages of the club, she adds, is that people feel as comfortable alone as with friends. “You can go in and sit and read a book, and feel completely at ease.”

Music is a big part of life at the club – which was refurbished four years ago using a grant from the Irish government – with jazz, swing and folk among the events that pull in the crowds on a lively evening.

Birthday parties, christenings and Irish language classes are also held. “And we sponsor three football teams and two junior rugby teams,” adds Patrick.

With around 600 members, the club also attracts groups from across the district who use the facilities to meet. These include the Bradford Catholic Players and Topic Folk Club, claimed to be the oldest continuously-operating folk club in the world.

Bradford City supporters frequent the club too, meeting there before and after the matches.

Says Patrick: “Everyone thinks the Irish community is just about drinking Guinness. We like our Guinness, but that is just a very small part of it.”

Generating funds to keep the club thriving is not easy, and the club is keen to attract new members, who, they stress, do not have to be Irish.

“It has a lovely atmosphere and is so friendly,” says the club’s membership secretary and treasurer Rita Scully who is married to an Irishman. “I think a lot of youngsters see the club as being for older people but that’s not true. Parents bring their children, who grow up and come themselves, and then they bring their children.”

The club originally stood in Lumb Lane, then Wigan Street and later Drewton Street. In the 1970s a new club was built on the site of the former St Patrick’s School in Rebecca Street.

Retired plumber Michael Flaherty, 64, of Allerton, belongs to a vast family network who occasionally descend on the club for what they call a ‘Flaherty party’. His Irish great-grandparents came to Bradford during the First World War and met in the city.

“It is a great club. We hold a week-long festival around St Patrick’s Day and have had people queuing down the road – we’d love all those people to come all year round.”

Club members are also adept at fundraising for worthy causes. “We raised £8,000 for St Gemma’s Hospice in Leeds,” says Patrick.

The members have concerns about the long-term future of clubs like their own, and urge any other club that is struggling to raise funds to get in touch so that ideas could be pooled and a possible consortium set up.

In the club’s spacious snooker room, Patrick points to a black and white framed photograph of a football team, dated 1953. “That’s me, on the front row, and my brother James further along,” he says proudly.

l The Bradford Irish Club’s St Patrick’s Irish Festival runs until Friday. It is the first of four festivals organised in collaboration with the World Mile Traders Association and other affiliated groups.

Tomorrow – St Patrick’s Day – internationally-renowned traditional Irish band the Wild Geese play from 2pm until late. There will also be Irish dancing and traditional Irish food.

On Thursday, the Topic Folk Club is holding an open evening with an Irish theme. The evening will feature gifted folk musicians and singers.

On Friday, there will be an Irish quiz night as well as a Jazz At The Priestley session, featuring musician Brendan Duffy.

To contact the club, ring (01274) 732000 or visit thebradfordirishclub. com