Irish Post Feature
All words and pictures by Brendan Farrell
The Irish Post, August 1 and August 8, 2009
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The Hearsall Inn is a very popular pub in the Chapelfields area of Coventry and is run by the Scott family - Peter from Sligo, his Wexford-born wife Joan and their two sons Peter and Daniel.
Peter came to London in 1957 and worked for a time for London Underground but he decided that he would prefer to see some daylight in his working hours so he entered the pub trade. He learned his skills at watering holes such as The Jolly Farmer and the Bag O Nails and then left London and headed for Coventry in 1962.
In Lady Godiva's city while working in the licensed trade he married his wife Joan in 1976 and he bought the Hearsall Inn nine years ago. The Scott family also run a pub back in Peter's native Sligo.
On Tuesday evenings the Hearsall Inn welcomes an invasion of Irish traditional musicians of all ages - from the young to the young at heart - and those who are keen to learn the skills on the bodhrán, fiddle, tin whistle, accordian and flute. Yes folks, it's the weekly seisiun organised by the thriving Coventry branch of Comhaltas.
The team including Boo Cullen, Jarlath Mulhern and Hughie Galagher to name but a few now host one of the very best Irish traditional music and singing seisiuns in the Midlands. The committee and older branch members find time to dedicate at least one hour a week to teach young folk many skills on the various instruments.
When the seisiun gets under way at the Hearsall, it's a sight to make any Irish person proud of their heritage. And it must be good - one of the regulars at the event, when he is not on tour, is Sean Cannon from the Dubliners!