Edward Crawford, the new US ambassador to Ireland, is making a positive impact after just a few months in the job, say Irish political and diplomatic leaders.
Donald Trump is about as popular as bedbugs in Ireland but his recently arrived ambassador, Ohio businessman Edward Crawford, is getting high marks from the natives.
Read More: Trump’s US Ambassador to Ireland officially begins his service
Senior political figures tell IrishCentral that Crawford has made every effort to be helpful on key issues of concern to Ireland, especially the Good Friday Agreement.
”He’s smart, fair and well liked, “ a senior political operative told IrishCentral.
“It could have been a disaster given the enmity towards Trump but he has quickly won people over personally because he listens.”
He has also gotten involved in sensitive visa issues and is ensuring the handling of visa processing is faster, fairer and more efficient. Many visa applicants in Dublin complained of a hostile atmosphere in the recent past.
As the representative of an unpopular US administration Crawford could easily have run foul of the locals but that has not been the case.
Crawford will be at the side of Vice President Mike Pence on his arrival in Shannon Airport on Monday evening.
There will be meetings in Dublin on Tuesday with President Higgins, the Taoiseach and Crawford, his first high profile events since arriving in Ireland in June to take the long vacant job
RTÉ reports that Vice President Pence is expected to return to County Clare on Tuesday evening and visit Doonbeg where he has family connections.
Read More: US Ambassador triggers backlash with tweet welcoming VP Mike Pence to Ireland
Crawford’s parents were Irish immigrants from Cork. His mother came through Ellis Island in 1925, his father, also from Cork, two years later. The son of an electrician, he worked his way up to become a self-made billionaire as Chairman and CEO of Park Ohio Holdings Corp. and The Crawford Group, both based in Cleveland.
Comments