The IIIC is delighted that the Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award will be presented to a selected member of the broad Irish Diaspora on September 7th in recognition of work carried out for Ireland or the Irish Diaspora. This year’s recipient will be presented with their award by Mrs. Pat Hume. John and Pat Hume were close associates of Tip O’Neill and Tip O’Neill and John Hume collaborated on a wide range of initiatives which benefited this country and this region.
7th September will also see the presentation of bursaries in honour of Tip O’Neill to five national schools in Buncrana by the Irish American Partnership from Boston. These presentations will be made by Mr. Brian O’Neill a member of the Irish American Partnership and nephew of Tip O’Neill.
The celebrations include the first Tip O’Neill Diaspora Lecture, delivered by Professor Paul Arthur who is an authority on Irish and American politics and there will also be an exhibition and presentation of prizes relating to the schools art and essay competition organised by Donegal County Library, dealing with the themes of emigration, diaspora and the life of Tip O’Neill.
These events will be followed, early on the afternoon of the 8th September, by the unveiling of the new Tip O’Neill memorial monument on the shorefront at Buncrana. This sculpture is being designed and produced by renowned Burt Sculptor Maurice Harron. It will be a permanent memorial and tribute to this member of the Donegal Diaspora and all that he achieved and will be a reminder of the broader Donegal Diaspora whose ancestors have left this country and gone to the four corners of the world.
IIIC’s Executive Director, Sister Lena Deevy, LSA will be attending the celebrations.
For more information, please see www.donegaldiasporaaward.ie
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