EMIGRATION has for generations been part of the story of Ireland. The Irish Chaplaincy began in 1957, when the Roman Catholic bishops of Ireland sent nine priests to England to provide a caring and pastoral service to the thousands of Irish people who came in the post-war years to find work and build a new life.

As CEO of the Irish Chaplaincy, Eddie Gilmore has been at the centre of the life of the Irish community in Britain. He revels in the warmth of relationship and connectedness that are characteristic of Irish communities everywhere and are summed up in the Spanish saying, “The world is a handkerchief.” To this he brings his experience of the L’Arche community and its core value of “walking alongside” people.

The short images that make up this book cover work with prisoners — which Eddie Gilmore sees as a gospel imperative. He is deeply committed to the travelling community. There is laughter, song, and a great deal of bacon and cabbage. He reflects helpfully on the impact of Covid and how tablet computers have helped the elderly to sustain their lives and contacts — particularly the preset button, to enable them to get mass. He talks about the rich experience of the Camino pilgrimage in Spain.

This heart-warming story is rich and personal — but I wanted to know more. The Irish who migrated to Britain went searching for a better life. What they found was both welcome and prejudice. The story of the travelling community is particularly interesting and often painful. There is a great deal of fun and laughter — of helpers feeling that they have received more than they have given. But there are sadnesses, too. Yet what persists is that promise of warm relatedness — that “The world is a handkerchief.”

The Rt Revd David Chillingworth is a former Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Looking Ahead with Hope: Stories of humanity, wonder and gratitude in a time of uncertainty
Eddie Gilmore
DLT £9.99
(978-1-91365-742-0)
Church Times Bookshop £8.99