MORE than 80 O'Neills
are scheduled to travel this week from America for
the inaugural Tip O'Neill Donegal Diaspora Award in
memory of the late former Speaker of the US House of
Representatives.
The clan gathering, starting this Friday, will take
place in Buncrana, Co Donegal, home of Tip O'Neill's
maternal ancestors.
US-based journalist, Niall O'Dowd, will be the first
recipient of the Tip O'Neill Donegal Diaspora Award.
The weekend programme will also include the
presentation of Irish American Partnership bursaries
to five local national schools and the first annual
Tip O’Neill Lecture to be delivered by Professor
Paul Arthur. A permanent sculpture commemorating
O'Neill will also be unveiled at Buncrana's Shore
Front by the town’s mayor, Cllr James Gill.
Tip O'Neill's daughter, Susan O'Neill, said: “It is
a great honour to come back to Ireland and
especially Inishowen to participate in the Tip
O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award and the great
festivities planned over the weekend.
"Tip’s grandmother Eunice Fullerton was born outside
Buncrana so this part of the world still resonates
as home for many of us.
"There are over 80 making the trip and this is a
great opportunity for members of our family to visit
our ancestral home and meet the local community who
have put so much work into organising this weekend
of events," Ms O'Neill added.
Donegal County Council director of services, Michael
Heaney, said this year marked the centenary of Tip
O’Neill’s birth.
"This award has been established to acknowledge his
many outstanding achievements and give credit to the
grandson of a Donegal emigrant and an eminent member
of the Irish diaspora," said Mr Heaney. |
