St Patrick's Day trip to NY helps maintain bond with Louth emigrants

Maintaining connections with people who left Louth to go to the United States over the years but who still feel a strong emotional bond to the county, is one of the most important reasons a delegation from Louth County Council should travel to New York for St Patrick's Day, according to An Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, Cllr Kevin Callan.

Cllr Callan was speaking to the Dundalk Democrat, after it was confirmed that a delegation from Louth County Council will be continuing with the annual trip to New York this year, at the invitation of the Louth Society of New York. The Dundalk Democrat asked Louth County Council last week if this year's visit was going ahead and if there had been any reservations about making this year's trip due to the current political climate in the United States.

A spokesperson for Louth County Council confirmed that “it is planned that a delegation from Louth County Council will travel to New York for St Patrick's Day at the invitation of the County Louth Society of New York. Securing and building the Irish and local relationship in the US is critical at any time and all Irish representatives that travel will be expected to emphasise the mutually beneficial relationship between Ireland and the US.”

At the Louth County Council February meeting on Monday (yesterday), Cllr Maeve Yore enquired about the New York trip, asking who would be going, what the costs would be, and if a delegation from New York could be invited here for St Brigid's Day instead of a delegation going from Louth to New York for St Patrick's Day next year.

Replying to Cllr Yore, Director of Services Mr Thomas McEvoy, said that the Chairs (Cathaoirligh) of the Dundalk and Ardee Municipal Districts; the Deputy Mayor of Drogheda Borough, Cathoirleach of Louth County Council; along with himself and the Chief Executive, would be making the trip this year.

Mr McEvoy said that they have scheduled to meet with the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Consulate, and the County Louth Society of New York, and that the costings would be provided in a report after the trip. Mr McEvoy added that they did invite the New York delegates to last year's St Brigid's Day Festival but they were unable to attend, although they did meet some of them while they were holidaying during the summer months. He further added that it is important to maintain the connection and that it was “a two way street”.

Explaining more about the New York trip to the Dundalk Democrat at the February meeting, An Cathaoirleach said that there was two parts to it. “One is the State agencies, the IDA, we meet Tourism Ireland, we meet all of the State bodies. “But”, he continued “the most important part is, the Louth Society of New York invite a delegation from County Louth.

“That includes attending the St Patrick's Day mass in the cathedral, you meet people from County Louth, we also attend events with them. We also go to the parade. Every county from Ireland is represented at that parade. 

"I've been on one of these trips before to New York and I've actualy met people who have left Ireland 30/40/50 years ago to go [to the United States], and they're extremely emotional that they still have a connection to here, and to me that's very important. So, as Cathoirleach, if you're invited, you attend, that's the job.”

Cllr Callan added, “Also, with Irish-American relations at the minute, it's extremely important. You may not always get on or agree with an administration's policies but this is above that, this is our community in the United States, and we have an obligation to visit them and to welcome them here.”

Cllr Maeve Yore also spoke to the Dundalk Democrat on the matter, saying that, “I disagree with the junkets to New York every year. I think they're of no economic benefit to us. I think we should be inviting the people here, to see the jewel in the crown that is Louth. We have huge tourism opportunities here and huge tourism potential.”

Cllr Yore continued, “following on from what Thomas said today in relation to connections, I think that's very important to keep the connections, and I'm glad, I asked that the New York delegates be invited last year to the Brigid's Festival. 

"Now they didn't come to the Brigid's Festival, they weren't able, but they did come during the summer. So that's absolutely a positive for Louth, and that's what we should be building on. We should be building on getting people in to Louth, not a delegation going from Louth, because in the ten years I've seen, not one job created.”

“But”, Cllr Yore added, “the connections are important and I don't doubt that at all. But we need money for different things in Louth, and we should be spending it, in my opinion, as I've always said, in people coming to Louth.”