Maura J
Flannery's
Blog
Maura shares with us her story of volunteering and being a member of Leeds CCE throughout the decades. In celebration of Leeds 55th anniversary in November.
My Story
November 2024
“I started learning the banjo when I was 14 years old. I’d be classed as a late starter to some and I knew I was never going to be proficient, but my ambition wasn’t to play solos. I desperately wanted to be able to learn a few tunes so I could sit in on sessions and play along with other great musicians.
The Leeds branch didn’t exist when I first started going to sessions in Regent and Roscoe pub with my family. I first heard about Comhaltas when it was being discussed at a session with the plans to start a branch here in Leeds. John Ferguson led the charge, along with his supporters, the branch’s first meeting happened on the 24th of October 1969. My brother-in-law, Jackie Dwyer, was invited onto the new branch committee. He eventually was elected to become the Cathaoirleach (Chair) and remained in that position for 30 years. Years later, while researching the history of the branch, I found my name in the junior members’ list contained in the very first minute book. This is when I discovered that Jackie had made me a member right from the start.
I first started volunteering as a clerk at our first [Northern Regional Fleadh] in 1971 for the famous Paddy Ryan as the adjudicator. Then again in 1972, when I clerked for Kathleen Lawrie. In 1980, I took on my first major project for Comhaltas, with lots of encouragement from John, as I became a Comhaltas representative on the BBC Radio Leeds programme ‘If You’re Irish’. The radio show kept me busy for eight and half years, originally working with BBC and local journalist Denis Walsh as my co-presenter.
After some more encouragement from John again, I was elected onto the branch committee in 1981, I rapidly became involved in most of the branch activities. Including the choir which was put together in 1985 to sing the O’Riada Mass in Gaelic at the Leed’s Cathedral and I was so proud to be part of that. I eventually took on the role of organiser when John and Maureen returned back to Ireland in 2001. Another highlight was the scoraíochts and plearachas in the 1980s/90s, I co-produced 5 shows with John and then took over as sole producer from 1989 onwards. It was amazing times, as we saw our youngsters blossoming, eventually becoming All Ireland Scoraíocht Champions five years in a row (1995-1999).
The Leeds branch is where I have spent an awful lot of my time and effort over the past 55 years. I am grateful for all the friends I’ve made and I am proud of that family feeling in my branch. I think that the 55th anniversary is particularly special, as the branch has an excellent committee that has successfully survived the turmoils of the pandemic. We are still going strong on the other side. Leeds is ready, willing and able to meet all sorts of new challenges in the future and I can’t wait to see the exciting projects we have in the next couple of years. "