Editing Digbeth (section)

== Irish Quarter ==
Digbeth has historically had very close links with the Irish community of [[Birmingham]], and in recent years has increasingly been referred to as 'the Irish Quarter'.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Council |first=Birmingham City |title=Street parking |url=https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20109/parking/413/street_parking/6 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=www.birmingham.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> Significant Irish immigration to Birmingham began following the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Irish Famine]] of the 1840s, with the majority emigrating from the counties of [[Roscommon]], [[Galway]], and [[County Mayo|Mayo]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Chinn |first=Carl |date=2015-05-22 |title=How the Irish community were vital to a growing Birmingham |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/how-irish-community-were-vital-9312632 |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en}}</ref> Further waves of immigration followed, most notably during and after the Second World War. The need to rebuild infrastructure, and the growth of municipal transport both led to a significant number of job opportunities. The Midland Red and Birmingham Bus Corporation's centre in Dublin attracted more Irish workers than any other transport department in Britain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our Migration Story: The Making of Britain |url=https://www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/oms/music-and-migration-sounds-of-the-irish-diaspora |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref>

The Irish Welfare and Information Centre was established on Moat Row in 1957 providing information on housing, employment and socialising to the community. In 1967, the Irish Development Association founded the Irish Community Centre on Digbeth High Street, which became a focal point for Irish immigrants and the Irish diaspora.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Later being sold to private owners and renamed 'The Irish Centre', it was closed and demolished in 2020, with the most recent owners opening what they claim to be a "New Irish Centre" in [[Kings Heath]]. It was originally planned that an Irish Centre would be rebuilt as part of a large regeneration project named Connaught Square, first proposed in 2007. The developers behind the scheme, Naus Group, were a victim of the [[2008 recession]] and the plans were sold on to developers SevenCapital in 2014. After revised plans were submitted, planning permission was granted by [[Birmingham City Council]] in 2019.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The area contains a number of [[Irish pub]]s, notably Hennessy's, Norton's, and Cleary's, all regularly hosting traditional Irish music concerts; alongside The Spotted Dog, The Big Bull's Head and The Kerryman. Many other pubs that once catered to the Irish community remain in existence attracting wider audiences, including The White Swan, The Old Crown and The Anchor.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

While living in the city, renowned Irish singer [[Luke Kelly]] met Scottish folk singer [[Ian Campbell (folk musician)|Ian Campbell]] with the two regularly playing at the Jug of Punch folk club, which operated in both The Big Bull's Head and Digbeth Civic Hall (now the [[Digbeth Institute]]).{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The traditional [[Saint Patrick's Day#In Great Britain|Saint Patrick's Day parade]], which began in Birmingham city centre in 1952 before going on hiatus in 1974, has been held in Digbeth since 1996,<ref>{{Cite book |doi=10.5949/liverpool/9781846314742.003.0009 |chapter=Conclusion: St Patrick's Day |title=Irish Birmingham |year=2010 |pages=211–236 |isbn=9781846314742 }}</ref> attracting crowds of up to 100,000 visitors, making it the largest event of its kind in the country and the third largest in the world.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}