Australia added to council's St Paddy's itinerary
MEATH people who settled in Australia many years ago will meet up with the cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Colr Nick Killian, when he visits Sydney on behalf of the council for the St Patrick's Day celebrations in the city.
The chairman, accompanied by Meath County Manager Tom Dowling, will leave on 8th March for a 12-day visit Down Under, which will also take in Singapore, and Melbourne. Other members of the county council and other Meath local authorities will represent the county in New York and London. Previously, Meath delegations travelled to New York and the English capital.
Colr Killian said yesterday (Tuesday) that he and the county manager will stop off in Singapore to make a visit to Juron City Council where they will see at first hand how its members and officials have dealt with the problems presented by large increases in population.
They will then travel on to Melbourne where they will be guests at an Irish Tourism function, accompanied by the Irish ambassador. It is hoped to meet up with Meath people at Celtic Park in the city and they will also try to trace the origins of the Eiffe family from Ratoath who were prominent in the city at one time. On the following day, they will attend an Industrial Development Authority (IDA) briefing.
The delegation will spend St Patrick's Day in Sydney. Colr Killian said: "We will attend the St Patrick's Day parade there and meet up at a function hosted by Ireland's honorary consul with Meath people who settled in Australia many years ago."
Other council members representing Meath abroad on St Patrick's Day will include: New York - Colr Jenny Darcy, Colr Eoin Holmes, Colr Peter Higgins, Colr Noel Leonard (all Meath County Council); Colr Oliver Sweeney (Kells Town Council), Colr Trevor Golden (Trim Town Council), Colr Christy Reilly, Mayor (Navan Town Council); London - Colr James Mangan, Colr Jim Holloway, Colr Tom Kelly, Colr Patsy O'Neill (all Meath County Council), Colr Robbie Griffith (Trim Town Council) and Colr Gerry Reilly (Trim Town Council).