"A cultural and social centre for the Irish population"

The centre is designed on two floors and includes within the downstairs area a bar with a pool table, juke box and fruit machines. There is a cordened seating area and seating at the bar if required, a small 'stage' and dance are. We also have refurbished the kitchen, offices, store rooms and toilets.

Upstairs is a large function room with it's own bar and toilets including toilets for the disabled, staging and ample seating. This room is suitable for Weddings, Christenings, Birthdays Wakes and corporate Events.

We now have a Lunch Club for the elderly which takes place 3 times per week Monday, Wednesday and Friday, this is run by the Hibernian Society. The lunches are £3.00 per head and include a starter, main course and pudding, tea and coffee is included. We have bingo at every session, a raffle on a Wednesday and Tai Chi on Mondays. All welcome.

The idea for a centre grew from a group of local Irish people who were already encouraging social and educational activities in the area. A steering committee was firmly established in 1986 and with the help of the architectural practice, Andrews Kalik Associates, feasibility studies were prepared for various sites in the center of Reading.

The Reading Borough Council offered the eventual site at a peppercorn rent for the first few years and now that the Centre is established the Association pay a commercial rent on a 125 year lease. During the construction of the centre up to 80 members of the Irish community offered their assistance, with help and contributions from many local construction companies.

The centre is explicitly non-political and non-demoninational and has a number of active non-Irish members.

In 1992 the Prince of Wales presented the Association with the Gulbenkian Award for Community Buildings, in recognition of the marked contribution that the centre had made to the community.

The Reading Irish Centre for all your needs, weddings, christenings, birthday parties etc. the place to be!!!

Come for Lunch any day of the week and bring your friends and family. We have a comprehensive menu including a delicious Sunday Lunch!