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Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council – Cllr John Sheahan.
THE Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr John Sheahan will attend a number of events in New York this weekend to mark the annual St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Cllr Sheahan will take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Fifth Avenue on Saturday and will attend a breakfast hosted by the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio. He will also meet with tourism and economic leaders in the city.
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Commenting ahead of his visit to the United States, Cllr Sheahan said: “With the focus of the US leadership and the US media on Ireland over the course of the St Patrick’s Day celebrations, this is a wonderful opportunity to promote Kerry. It is also a great opportunity to reach out the Kerry diaspora in the US. I look forward in particular to discussions with the IDA and Tourism Ireland to emphasise the recent developments in tourism and economic development in Kerry.”
“It is an honour as the first citizen of Kerry to represent the county at these important events and to have this opportunity to promote the county abroad,” he added.
Cllr Sheahan, who will be accompanied by Kerry County Council’s Tourism Officer, John Griffin, will travel to the US on Thursday and return on Monday.
Cllr Sheahan will fly to New York on Thursday,. On Friday he will visit the 9/11 Memorial,greeted by Mr Jerry Leary, Head of Security, who has Kenmare heritage.
He will lay a wreath on behalf of the people of Kerry at Memorial site. He will meet with members of the New York Fire Department of Kerry descent and Mr Frank O’Keeffe, National President of the Emerald Societies of America (also current President of the Kerry Association, New York).
On Saturday he will attend a breakfast for visiting dignitaries hosted by the Mayor of New York, Hon. Bill de Blasio, at his home, Gracie Mansion.
He will then attend St Patrick’s Day Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Afterwards he will join Mr. Frank O’Keeffe, President, Kerry Patriotic & Benevolent Association, to lead the Association in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade down Fifth Avenue.
He will then attend a St. Patrick’s Day Reception for visiting Irish dignitaries hosted by visiting Irish Minister at the Irish Consulate.
On Monday, he will meet Ms Alison Metcalfe, Head, Tourism Ireland, North America and senior management team at Ireland House for briefing on What’s New in Kerry Tourism.
He also has a meeting with Mr Emmanuel Dowdall, Executive VP/Director North America, IDA Ireland in Ireland House and later with Mr. Ciarán Madden, Consul General of Ireland, New York, before departing home to Kerry.
