This article is from page 18 of the 2006-03-28 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 18 JPG
THE mayor of Clare has invited the Speaker of the City Council in New York to visit her ancestral Clare home.
The invitation follows the visit by Cllr Pat Keane (FF) to the Big Apple, during which he helped lead New York’s St Patrick’s Day Parade.
The mayor has invited speaker, Christine Quinn, and her father Lawrence, who hails from Kilmurry McMahon, to visit Clare during his term in office.
Mayor Keane said there were strong indications that the visit would go ahead.
On the night before St. Patrick’s Day, Ms Quinn, on behalf of New York City Council, presented Mayor Keane with a framed proclamation.
The presentation was followed by entertainment comprising of Irish music and dancing.
Cllr Keane was one of three people to be honoured on the night, the other Irishman being highly regarded Irish actor, Milo O’Shea, who has lived in the US for the last number of years.
On St. Patrick’s Day, the mayor and his delegation were some of the honoured guests at Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, before enjoying a special breakfast hosted by Ms Quinn.
Afterwards Cllr Keane, along with the Clare delegation and members of the Clareman’s Association in New York, led the New York St. Patrick’s Day Parade down Fifth Avenue.
“It is important that we continue to build and consolidate these relationships, which can only be to the benefit of County Clare and to Clare people living in New York,” said the mayor.