The eight-member delegation, led by Congressman Richard Neal, is visiting Ireland at the invitation of the Ceann Comhairle, Mr John O’Donoghue TD (a UCC graduate) and will next week meet with the Taoiseach, the President and representatives of political parties and commercial organisations in order to strengthen Ireland’s relationship with the US. The visit to UCC takes place on the day of their arrival in Ireland and the delegation will be welcomed by President of UCC, Dr Michael Murphy and Mr Micheál Martin, Minister for Foreign Affairs who is also a UCC graduate.

Congressman Neal is one of the most prominent Irish-American representatives on Capitol Hill and a leading American supporter of the Northern peace process. The other members of the congressional delegation represent constituencies in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New Jersey. All members are Friends of Ireland on Capitol Hill.

In the course of the visit to UCC, the delegation will have the opportunity of viewing UCC’s distinctive Ogham Stone collection and will also engage in discussions about the new US-Ireland relationship which has a specific focus on educational cooperation. There are currently some 750 American students studying in UCC and a high proportion of these students are from the Massachusetts area, which Congressman Neal represents at Congress. Congressman Neal’s ancestors hail from Ventry, Co. Kerry and, like many other families from the region, emigrated to Springfield, Massachusetts. The presentation by the President of UCC of a personalised ogham and bogwood gift, with Congressman Neal’s name in Ogham, the ancient Celtic language, will serve as a symbolic connection to Congressman’s Neal Irish heritage.  

Dr Murphy said: “We are honoured to welcome this very distinguished delegation to UCC. The fact that the first official appointment of the group takes place at a university indicates the importance of education in the newly defined US-Irish relationship. UCC has significant links with US universities and our discussion with Congressman Neal and his fellow congressmen will allow us to take forward our ambitious international education strategy with key influencers in the US. I am particularly delighted to say that the hosts for this visit to Ireland, Ceann Comhairle, John O’Donoghue and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin, are both graduates of UCC and, as such, represent the university in their important inter-parliamentary and governmental links with the US.”

Picture:  Congressman Richard Neal with UCC President, Dr Michael Murphy in UCC on Saturday, June 27th 2009.

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