We had an amazing time at the weekend at the All-Britain Fleadh as a branch, with so much to celebrate — but the highlight for us was seeing our chairperson, Kathleen Collins, receive a Gradam Award from Comhaltas for her incredible dedication to our branch and to the wider Irish community.
Kathleen is a true stalwart of the Cambridge Irish community. Alongside Ethna Prosol and Eamon Clery, she played a pivotal role in establishing the Cambridge branch of Comhaltas in 1992 and has served as chairperson for the majority of that time. Her passion for promoting Irish music, dance, culture, and language is unwavering, and her enthusiasm is infectious.
Over the years, Kathleen has been a tireless advocate for countless young musicians and Irish dancers, many of whom have gone on to pursue professional careers in the arts. Her support has extended beyond music — she has opened her home, a beautiful guest house in Cambridge, to host visitors including the Echoes of Erin tour and young exchange musicians from Glasgow and Newcastle, County Down. She has also been a driving force behind the success of her grandchildren at various fleadhanna, supporting them every step of the way.
Thanks to Kathleen’s vision and leadership, the branch has built strong ties with the Cambridge Folk Festival, where we are always well represented, and with Cambridgeshire Music, the local county music authority. Even during the challenges of lockdown, Kathleen remained a beacon of encouragement, starting to learn the Irish language herself and inspiring the branch to work towards establishing a regular Gaeltacht gathering in the near future.
We are so lucky to have such a caring, passionate, and determined woman leading our branch. This Gradam Award is just a small way of recognising the incredible impact she has had on our community. And yes — we’re very pleased to say that we all managed to keep the surprise a secret from her until Saturday night!
