Claddagh Association

🌏 International Day of Older Persons 🌱

Today we celebrate the incredible older members of our community who share their wisdom, stories, and spirit with us every day. 💚

At Claddagh, we are proud to create spaces where seniors can connect and feel supported with our monthly Seniors Days, digital training, special outings and community events.

Let’s take a moment to appreciate the older people in our lives – call a parent, grandparent, neighbour, or friend and remind them how valued they are. 🫶

Come for a Cuppa - Tomorrow! ☕

Our second 'Come For a Cuppa' event is happening this Wednesday, in collaboration with The Sláinte Collective ! 💚

Whether you are new to Perth, have been here for years, or simply fancy some company and a friendly chat, women of all ages are very welcome.

It is a relaxed morning to meet new people, catch up with familiar faces and enjoy a bit of community connection.

📅 This Wednesday, 30 September
⏰ 10am–12pm
📍 The Claddagh Association Office

No bookings needed – just pop in and say hello! ☕❤️

Vale Denis Bratton ❤️☘️

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Denis Bratton, one of Claddagh’s much-loved Honorary Members and a wonderful member of the Irish community in Western Australia.

Born in Armagh City on 30 October 1936, Denis was a proud Armagh man who carried his love of home, family, sport and community with him throughout his life.

Denis was educated at Christian Brothers Grammar School and was a member and player of the Harps GAA Club, representing both County Armagh and Ulster. He went on to work with the Ordnance Survey in the UK before returning to the North, to join BKS Surveys in Coleraine. Denis proudly recalled his contribution to the development of the motorways in Ulster, before setting off for Australia with his beloved wife Patricia and their two daughters.

After arriving in WA, Denis worked as a photogrammetrist and aerial mapping surveyor before returning to study and embarking on a teaching career.

His contribution to the Irish community here was immense. Denis was part of the inaugural committee of the GAA in WA, serving as both Treasurer and Secretary as well as playing. He joined The Australian Irish Heritage Association WA in 1996, initially as Treasurer, and later served as President for 11 years. He was a Life Member of AIHA, a Life Member of Tuart Hill Swimming Club and, alongside Patricia, was a co-recipient of the Brendan Award in recognition of their contribution to the Irish community.

And then there was Claddagh.

A few years ago, Denis generously took part in our Claddagh Oral History Project, sitting down with Claddagh volunteer Kieran Aherne to share the story of his life, his journey from Armagh to Perth and the experiences that shaped him.

We are so grateful that Denis shared his story with us.

We have Denis’s voice. His stories. His memories. His wonderful sense of humour. We can hear him talking about arriving in Fremantle on New Year’s Day in 1967, stepping into a Perth summer of 105 degrees fahrenheit and wondering what on earth they had come to! We hear about his beloved Gaelic football, his family, his career, his connection to Ireland and the community he found here.

And, in one of the simplest and most poignant reflections in his interview, Denis said:

“I never felt unwelcome.”

We think that says a lot about the life he built here.

Denis’s story is now preserved for generations to come. His full interview and transcript are held by the State Library of Western Australia as part of the Migration Voices Archive, alongside the stories of the other Irish seniors who generously participated in our Oral History Project. The project was created to celebrate and preserve the shared heritage of the Irish community in Western Australia.

You can read Denis’s story in From Home to Home: Oral Histories of Irish Seniors in Western Australia, and listen to Denis telling his own story through the State Library of Western Australia.

📖 Read Denis’s story:https://claddagh.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/From-Home-to-Home-Oral-Histories-of-Irish-Seniors-in-Western-Australia.pdf

🎧 Listen to Denis’s full oral history:
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b6593057_2

We extend our deepest sympathy and love to our wonderful Treasurer Patricia, who recently celebrated 65 years of marriage with Denis, and to their daughter Ailsa, grandchildren Cadwgan and his wife Emma, and Niamh and her partner Enda, and to all of Denis’s extended family and friends.

We also remember their beloved daughter Deirdre, who sadly passed away on New Year’s Eve in 2021. We hope Denis and Deirdre are together again. ❤️

Denis gave so much to the Irish community in Western Australia. He was a gentleman, a storyteller, a sportsman, a teacher, a volunteer, a proud Armagh man, and above all, a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

We feel incredibly privileged that Denis was part of the Claddagh family and that, through his oral history, a little piece of him will always remain with us.

Rest easy, Denis. You will be greatly missed.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. ☘️❤️

Denis Bratton
30 October 1936 – 27 September 2026

🚨 Urgent accommodation appeal – Perth

We’re reaching out to our wonderful community for help.

Accommodation has unexpectedly fallen through for one of our clients, and despite trying every avenue, we haven’t been able to find anywhere for them to stay tonight.

We’re looking for short-term accommodation for a few days while we work on a longer-term solution.

Do you, or someone you know, have:
🏠 A granny flat or spare room available
🏡 An empty apartment or Airbnb between bookings
✈️ A property sitting vacant while someone is away
🛏️ A B&B, hostel or other accommodation with availability
🤝 Or perhaps you know someone who may be able to help?

If you have anything available, or know of somewhere we could try, please send us a DM or get in touch with Claddagh Association as soon as possible.

Even a few nights would make a huge difference. 💚

And as always, please share this post, you never know who in your network might be able to help.

☘️ Our community looking after our community.

A great day out with our Claddagh seniors on Wednesday, 23 September! 💚🌷

With spring in full swing, Wanneroo Botanic Gardens were looking beautiful and in bloom. We enjoyed a walk through the gardens before heading to The Ashby Bar & Bistro for lunch in great company.

A special thank you to Joe Carroll for the fantastic music and entertainment, Maureen for her beautiful singing, and Jack for sharing his poetry with us. 🎶🎤📖

And a huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers we couldn’t do these days out without you!! 💚

Keep an eye out for our upcoming events!

Check out these snaps, courtesy of our volunteer Paul! 📸

Seniors Digital Training – This weekend

Join us this Saturday for our next Seniors Digital Training session, where we’ll take a closer look at myGov.

Whether you’re already using myGov or you’re still finding your way around, this session is designed to help you feel more confident and comfortable using it.

Bookings are essential.

💚 Last Chance to Support Claddagh at Yo-Chi! 🍦

It’s our final week of Yo-Chi Highgate’s Change for Change program, so don’t miss your chance to make your spare change count!

Drop your loose change into the Claddagh donation box and Yo-Chi will match every dollar donated, meaning your donation goes twice as far to help support the Irish community across WA. 💚

Every little bit makes a difference - especially when we double it! ☘️

Go raibh míle maith agaibh! 💚

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our Claddagh Connect Irish Language Class last Saturday. It was fantastic to see so many people getting involved, having a go at speaking as Gaeilge and enjoying a morning of learning, laughter and connection.

A special thank you to Maria from Cúpla Focal Crew for hosting such an engaging session. We really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and passion for the Irish language and culture with our community, and introducing us to some new phrases and folklore along the way.

We would also love to hear what you thought! If you attended, please take a few minutes to complete our short feedback survey: https://forms.gle/nGvQsCDr7kEDMojSA

Go raibh maith agaibh, and we hope to see you at the next one! 💚

Today is your last chance to book for our September Seniors Outing. 🌿

On Wednesday we’ll meet at 10:30am at Wanneroo Botanical Gardens to enjoy the beautiful gardens before heading to The Ashby Bar & Bistro for lunch at 12pm. 🌸🍽️

Bookings close today, so make sure you secure your place and let us know your meal choice when booking.

We’d love to see you there! 💚

We will see you tomorrow!

We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to our Claddagh Connect Irish Language Class tomorrow with Cúpla Focal Crew .

Whether you are brushing up on your Irish or starting from scratch, we hope you are ready for a fun morning of learning, Gaeilge and a bit of craic!

If you’ve booked your place, we’ll see you there! Bígí linn!

Last minute bookings still welcome: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1992401401225?aff=oddtdtcreator