THE ROSCOMMON ASSOCIATION marked its 60th dinner at the Clayton Hotel in Chiswick on Saturday, October 24, bringing together 250 of the county’s London diaspora for an evening of music, dinner and dance.
Founded in 1955, the association has spent decades connecting people from Roscommon living in Britain with their home county.
The milestone dinner also celebrated the work of those who have helped keep the association running all these years.
The event was organised by businessman Ciaran Horohoe, alongside his family, and was hosted by Pat Winston, originally from Castlerea.
Former association secretary Anne McLoone opened the evening, offering a prayer and saying grace while remembering those who are no longer with us, including publican Aonghus Leyden.
Seven young girls later performed traditional Irish dancing before guests enjoyed a raffle and an auction.
One of the highlights of the night was a speech by former barber and renowned Roscommon GAA supporter Paddy Joe Burke.
“What a privilege it is to be here among all the Rossies in the heart of London,” he said.
“We are an emigrant island, and there’s Roscommon people all over the world.”
Burke also joked, "The Roscommon Association was founded in 1955, and another big thing that happened that year was that I was born.”
He rounded off his praise for his home county with a typically enthusiastic declaration: “Roscommon town is the best city in the entire world.”
Publican Michael Finneran, Paddy Joe Burke and organiser Ciaran Horohoe (Roscommon Association/Photo by Lucia Butler)The evening also provided the London launch of Burke’s book, Kindness Has a Long Memory, which he wrote with Richard Canny.
The association’s long-standing contribution to the London Irish community was also remembered by McLoone, who has been involved with the organisation for almost 50 years.
Originally from Tulsk, she moved to Britain in 1973 and became involved with the association in 1977.
She went on to serve as secretary for many years from the 1980s onwards.
“I thought it was a fantastic night,” she said. “Loads of young people there, which is very good, and I thought the band was great as well.”
McLoone spoke about how the association has helped causes on both sides of the Irish Sea throughout its history.
“We were involved in events like fundraising for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice and other charities here, like cancer research,” she said.
“Anything that they were fundraising for in Ireland, we’d do our bit for them here.”
She also remembered the association’s involvement in the London Irish Festival and its participation in the Council of Irish Counties, with representatives meeting every month.
The annual dinner and dance has remained a fixture for Rossies in London, with McLoone stating that attendance has remained consistently around 200 during the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
Irish singer Brendan Shine was one of the performers who helped attract crowds during that time.
Horohoe took over organising the dinners in 2023, and this year’s gathering was the third he has arranged.
The association was originally established by Mary Kenny and Tommie Gilleran, alongside a group of supporters.
The event was established in 1955 and has been hosted at The Clayton Hotel since 2023 (Roscommon Association/Photo by Lucia Butler)Although its activities paused for ten years, it resumed its dinners in 2023, with the 58th dinner held in 2024.
The milestone celebration also came during a successful year for London GAA.
In July, London won the All-Ireland Junior Football Championship, defeating the USGAA at Croke Park with a panel made up entirely of homegrown players.
The other guests at this year’s event were London manager Paul Coggins and All-Ireland-winning player Luke Morahan, alongside Britain GAA chairperson Sean Hopkins and India-Kate Sharkey, Rose of Castlerea 2026.
The night ended with music from Contraband, whose set mixed old-school hits and well-known Irish songs, opening with a track by The Eagles.
“It was a great night, and we look forward to many more,” McLoone said.
The night was a reminder of the association’s continuing importance to the community it serves.
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