The Birmingham Irish Ramblers City Cultural Walk, led by John Brennan

Birmingham Irish • July 25, 2024

This cultural walk took place on 24th June from Snow Hill Station, around the Colmore Estate finishing in the Jewellery Quarter.

Birmingham Irish Ramblers City Cultural Walk

We began our journey at St Chads Basilica (formally Cathedral), then onto Lloyd House Police HQ (formally Stewards & Lloyds Steel manufacturer HQ) and across the road was the Gaumont Cinema which screened 168 performances over 3 years 3 months of the 'Sound of Music' - 2 million people saw it there, before the cinema closed in 1980. Also in that area was the only public hanging in Birmingham carried out in 1806.


We then went and paid our respects at the headstone in St Philips Cathedral (formally a Church) commemorating the killing of 21 people in the 1974 pub bombings, then looked inside the building. Across Colmore Row we went into the £30million refurbished Grand Hotel.

"And then there was more"

Birmingham Irish Ramblers City Cultural Walk

Onwards we travelled to look inside a wonderfully ornate preserved building, formally the Eddison Communications Headquarters. Then to the Assy Office where we learnt of the Birmingham Anchor Hallmarks history.


Turned into St Pauls Square for a photoshoot outside ‘The Jam House’ (Jools Holland) and then going into St Pauls where Matthew Bolton and James Watt worshipped. Onwards to the Pen Museum to try our hand at Calligraphy, can also make a pen (nib).


Through the Jewellery Quarter with bystanders seeing the Irish flag shouting 'up the Irish” and into Warstone Cemetery, home of the Catacombs and famous people such as James Cooper (Victorian Cross), Thomas Gem (founder of Lawn Tennis), finishing our Cultural Tour outside the magnificent cast iron Temple of Relief (made in Scotland).

"We were blessed with fine weather which made the Cultural Tour that much more enjoyable."

John Brennan

Birmingham Irish Ramblers City Cultural Walk

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