Residents, families, and staff at Rosedale Court Care Home, part of the Runwood Homes Group, came together for a vibrant St Patrick’s Day celebration on 14 March 2026, featuring traditional Irish food and lively performances from a local Irish dance school.
The home transformed its café into a welcoming Irish-style restaurant for the day, where residents and their families enjoyed a delicious lunch of Irish stew and colcannon, prepared by the home’s chef, Betty. Guests also had the option to enjoy a traditional pint of Guinness as part of the festive meal.
A highlight of the day was two energetic performances by the talented young dancers from McGahan Lees Irish Dance School, who performed once on the residential floor and again on the nursing floor so that as many residents as possible could enjoy the entertainment.
Residents thoroughly enjoyed the performances. Resident Jean described the event as “absolutely beautiful, just amazing,” while Patricia commented: “The children were so good – they must have been practising so hard.” Clifford added: “They are just fantastic and I love watching them dance. They make me smile,” and Marion simply described the day as “brilliant.”
Families also shared their appreciation for the celebration. The Cottis family praised the meal, saying: “It’s been wonderful, and the lamb stew and colcannon was delightful.” Karen, daughter of resident, said: “What a wonderful day – and quite emotional. Dad loved it.” The Rowland family, who travelled especially for the event, added: “We came down especially for the day and it was really good.”
Dance teacher Cecily said the young performers always look forward to visiting the home: “The children love coming to Rosedale Court and performing for the residents.”
The atmosphere throughout the day was described as mesmerising, colourful, and electric, with the bright dresses of the dancers, smiling residents, and traditional Irish food creating a truly special celebration.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, which Louise organised after contacting the dance school, this year’s celebration was even bigger and brought together residents, families, and the wider community to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in style at Rosedale Court.
