Irish American Cultural Institute
Rochester, NY Chapter
Consul General honored
at annual meeting
The Rochester Chapter of the Irish American Cultural Institute presented its Eoin McKiernan Achievement Award to Irish Consul General Barbara Jones as part of the group’s annual meeting activities on Saturday May 30.
Jones is a native of County Wexford in Ireland. In September 2012, she was appointed Joint Secretary at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat in Belfast. She took up duty as Consul General of Ireland in New York in September 2014. From 1999 to 2002, she served as Speech Writer and Special Adviser in the Department of the Taoiseach (Ireland’s prime minister). From 1997 to 1999 she worked in the Trade Section of the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, where she developed a new strategy for promoting Irish trade with China and Asia.
Jones was presented with the award by Ed Hourihan, managing director of Bond, Schoeneck and King LLP law firm, who received the award last year for his and his firm’s contributions to the IACI and the Rochester Irish community.
The event at St. John Fisher College also included induction of new members to the local chapter’s board
Photo gallery of images from 2015 Annual Meeting on May 30 at St. John Fisher College. Use arrows to scroll through photos and click on them for an enlarged image and more informatuon
of directors by IACI national chairman Peter Halas. They are Michael McCarthy, a former board member who retired from the group 2 years ago and now has rejoined the board as its president; and Jeanne Crane. IACI national chairman Peter Halas was on hand to help induct them to the local board.
Following the business portion of the meeting, Dublin born folklorist and folk-singer Tom O'Carroll presented a program on Irish Travelers, also known as “Tinkers." They comprise a small-but-interesting segment of Irish society with their own language, folkways and traditions and O’Carroll’s songs and stories told of the Travelers’ efforts to conduct their lives in a rapidly changing society.