Pictured (L-R): Ian Hyland (Business and Finance Media Group), Brendan Boyle (Member of US Congress) and Kevin O’Malley (US Ambassador)
Congressman Brendan Boyle was the guest of honour at a lunch with Irish business leaders at the Shelbourne Hotel on Tuesday, September 1st 2015.
Congressman Boyle, from Pennsylvania, is the only member of the US House of Representatives with an Irish born parent. He is visiting Ireland on a number of personal engagements and was also honoured by Donegal County Council last week. Congressman Boyle was present with his brother Kevin, a State Representative from Pennsylvania who, in addition to his brother, is seeking re-election in 2016.
The lunch was hosted by Ian Hyland, CEO of Business & Finance Media Group and Ireland INC and was attended by the US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin O’Malley, chairman of Enterprise Ireland, Terence O’Rourke and IDA CEO, Martin Shanahan in addition to a number of executives from global companies with a presence in the United States.
Congressman Boyle (38), is the son of Frank Boyle, an emigrant from Glencolmcille in the Donegal Gaeltacht area, and was elected in 2014 to a Democratic stronghold covering the popular area of Philadelphia.
Topics discussed at the business luncheon included the economic relationship between Ireland and the US and the ongoing concerns regarding peace in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the luncheon, congressman Boyle spoke of Ireland being “a second home” and talked about the importance of “maintaining the strength of the economic ties between Ireland and the United States”.
The Certificate of Irish Heritage was launched in 2011 at the Global Irish Economic Forum as an expression of the importance the Government attaches to recognising people of Irish descent and encouraging people to trace their roots. The Department of Foreign Affairs announced that they were discontinuing these certificates last week but that the certificates would still be presented to prolific individuals with Irish heritage.