There was a warm welcome in Boston last week for a high-powered delegation from North West Ireland - led for the first time by female mayors from both Derry and Donegal.
The joint visit was co-financed by the Stormont Executive and the Irish Government and helped showcase the business, tourism and academic offering of the North West City Region with Derry City at its heart.
Highlight of the visit was the 16th annual Golden Bridges conference, this year relocated to Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Repeatedly recognised as the number one university for entrepreneurship in the US, Babson, under VP Kevin Sullivan, former Mayor of Lawrence, MA, has forged strong links with North Ireland over recent times and this year hosted 25 students from Ulster University who were selected as future leaders to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
FULL HOUSE: Attendees at the 16th annual Golden Bridges conference luncheon
Among speakers at the Golden Bridges conference were head of Tourism Ireland in the US, Alison Metcalfe and Colin Walsh of Crescent Capital in Northern Ireland while delegates, who represented all the main Irish organisations in the greater Boston area, also received a video message from Stormont Economy Minister Conor Murphy.
However, the spotlight throughout the event was on the women leading Donegal and Derry/Strabane councils: Mayor Lilian Seenoi-Barr and Mayor Niamh Kennedy (just one of three women on Donegal's 37-member Council). Mayor Seenoi-Barr is the first person of color to lead a Council in the North. She told the conference she had been "bowled over" by the warmth of the welcome throughout her American trip, which also included a visit to Philadelphia.
Derry City and Strabane District Council CEO John Kelpie, said the Stateside events had offered "a positive platform" to focus attention on the many benefits of living, working and investing in the North West.
“I think we were able to convey the spirit of positive change in the North West and how this closely aligns with the priorities of investors in the US," he said.
That view was echoed by John McLaughlin, CEO of Donegal County Council. “This is the time to really build on the relationships already established with our partners in Boston and Philadelphia to ensure we maximise the potential for investment and growth," he said.
HONOREE: Joley accepts the Dave Burke Memorial Award from Dave's widow Patricia
Before the conference got underway, Boston immigration attorney and Irish peace process advocate John Foley was presented with the Dave Burke Memorial Award in recognition of his service to the Irish community over 40 years of activism.
Other Golden Bridges Ambassador Awards were presented at a reception hosted by the Consul General of Ireland Síghle FitzGerald in her Back Bay residence. Honorees were Barry Malone, President of Worcester State University, Prof. Gareth Doherty of Harvard, John Buckley, Plymouth County Register of Deeds and Rep. John Lawn of the Massachusetts State Legislature. Jointly honored were the late Fr Myles Kavanagh and Sr. Mary Turley for their work in regenerating North Belfast.
Among guest speakers at the Golden Bridges luncheon were John Healy, Chair of Invest NI and Siobhán Ní Ghadhra, Cathaoirleach of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Sponsors of Golden Bridges included Atlantic Technological University, Ulster University, the two North West councils, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Tourism Ireland and Bushmills Irish Whiskey.
