By Cllr Troy Gallagher,
LB Islington
WHEN we, back home in Donegal, think about our diaspora in London, our minds often drift to comfortable, nostalgic images – visiting relatives for a weekend, traditional music sessions in Irish pubs, or the roaring success of our county’s major construction firms.
But as someone who has stood on both sides of the water, I want to take you beneath that polished surface.
There is a complex, often painful reality facing thousands of our people in Britain. Behind the lights of London, an aging population, hidden isolation, and vulnerable young emigrants rely daily on a vital safety net of dedicated charities.
For the past 25 years, I have had the privilege of working actively and quietly behind the scenes with our diaspora in London.
I have seen firsthand the silent struggles, but I have also seen the incredible power of community action.
Many of you at home might not know the names of the organisations doing this heavy lifting, but their work is a literal lifeline.
I want to share their stories with you, because they are keeping the spirit of home alive for those who need it most.
Take the Irish Chaplaincy, for example. This charity steps into the darkest corners of society over the past 70 years, providing frontline support to the most marginalised Irish citizens in Britain.
They walk the floors of UK prisons to offer pastoral care and rehabilitation to Irish inmates, and they reach out directly to isolated seniors and the Traveller community.
For an older emigrant who left Donegal decades ago and now find themselves entirely alone in a London flat, a visit from the Chaplaincy is often their only remaining connection to humanity and home.
Then there is Causeway Housing, which tackles one of London’s most brutal and immediate challenges: homelessness and severe housing deprivation.
Causeway provides safe, secure accommodation and structured support for vulnerable Irish people, particularly those struggling with mental health issues or recovering from substance abuse.
By putting a roof over their heads and helping them rebuild their independence, Causeway breaks the brutal cycle of destitution that has claimed far too many of our people over the years.
For those who have given their youth to Britain but long for the hills of home, Safe Home Ireland steps in.
This unique small but global charity assists older or vulnerable Irish emigrants who dream of returning to their native counties but lack the means or the know-how to do it.
Safe Home provides the logistical, financial, and emotional roadmap required to navigate the journey back, ensuring they can spend their twilight years on Irish soil, close to their roots.
But supporting our people isn’t just about managing hardship.
It is also about celebrating who we are. That is what makes the Irish Cultural Centre (ICC) in Hammersmith so vital. As the premier hub for Irish arts, culture, and education in the UK, the ICC ensures that our rich tapestry of music, literature, film, and theatre thrives in modern Britain.
It is a vibrant space where second and third-generation Irish children learn the fiddle or attend the very full classes for the Irish language (and growing lists), and where older generations gather to socialise and keep their pride alive.
Tying all of this emotional and social weight together is ICAP (Immigrant Counselling and Psychotherapy).
Moving countries and facing isolation takes a heavy psychological toll. ICAP provides culturally sensitive therapy specifically for Irish people in the UK.
They understand the unique nuances of the Irish psyche, historical traumas, and the deep grief that can come with emigration—healing minds in a way mainstream British health services simply cannot.
Steering these efforts from boardrooms, engagements, fundraisers, advice clinics and community spaces for a quarter of a century has been the honour of my life, but it culminated in a truly historic milestone during my year as the Mayor of Islington. As the first Irish-born Mayor of Islington borough, I was determined to use that platform to bring unprecedented focus to our community.
Together, we brought the diaspora to life, bridging the gap between generations.
We shone a bright light on the older generation – the vulnerable, lonely, and forgotten pioneers who built Britain’s infrastructure – while simultaneously engaging the new, vibrant wave of young Irish professionals arriving in London today.
This strategic vision extended far beyond social care: during my mayoralty, we actively linked London’s commercial network with the North-West Economic Forum, using the office to drive cross-border enterprise partnerships, promote regional skill retention, and open doors for British investment directly back into the Donegal and Derry economic corridors.
Serving on the boards of these five incredible organisations – the Irish Chaplaincy, Causeway Housing, Safe Home Ireland, the ICC, and ICAP – allows me to bring our shared Donegal grit, political acumen, and deep empathy to the table. It is about ensuring that funding is secured, strategies are sound, and the voices of the forgotten Irish are heard at the highest levels of government.
The bonds between London and home have never felt more alive or necessary than they do right now. Just recently, Donegal County Council teamed up with the London Irish Centre in Camden for a fantastic ‘Talent, Opportunity and Diaspora Connections’ showcase.
It was a powerhouse evening that brought our community together, highlighted by an exclusive fireside chat with none other than sporting legends and two true gentlemen – Packie Bonner and Michael Murphy.
While Packie and Michael spoke passionately about what it means to represent Donegal on the world stage, the event served a vital purpose: connecting our young diaspora with leading employers back home, showing them a concrete pathway to return, build a life, and thrive in their home county.
We see this same unbreakable spirit of charity and heritage celebrated at the annual London Irish Vintage Day, co-founded by Carrigart’s own Brendan ‘Tiny’ Vaughan, connecting us across our global family.
‘Tiny’ is a legendary figure over here; through the vintage club and his Donegal Hospice calendar, he has helped raise over £1 million for charity.
It is why Donegal County Council is rightfully bringing him home to Buncrana this month to present him with the prestigious Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award.
People like Brendan embody the very best of us – never forgetting where they came from and always looking out for the next person in line.
The impact of all this combined work on the lives of the London Irish is immeasurable.
It means an elderly woman is safely rehomed back in Ireland.
It means a young man gets a second chance at life through secure housing and therapy.
It means our culture stays alive in Hammersmith and across London, and a lonely prisoner finds solace.
Through this journey, my mission has always been simple: to ensure that no matter how far a person travels from the hills of Donegal, they never have to walk alone and are never far from home.
Troy Gallagher meets up with President Catherine Connolly during her first official visit to London in May.
A Letterkenny man in London – Troy Gallagher.