Irish to Celebrate Obama in Denver

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Irish Voice News

Irish to Celebrate Obama in Denver

August 22, 2008

By Cahir O’Doherty

STELLA O’Leary, president of Irish American Democrats, will host a lunch in Denver next week during the Democratic National Convention, to celebrate Senator Barack Obama’s shared Irish and African ancestry. Irish Ministers Mary Hanafin and Noel Dempsey, and opposition party leaders Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore are among the Irish political figures expected to attend the event.

“On Tuesday we’re organizing an Irish party for 200 people at the Celtic Tavern in Denver. Then on Wednesday we’re hosting an event at the exclusive Hotel Teatro recognizing Obama’s Irish and Kenyan ancestry, which will be a small private luncheon for 30 people,” O’Leary told the Irish Voice.

“We have invited both Irish and Kenyan delegations, who’ll attend after the convention. Right now we think the Irish delegation will outnumber the Kenyan’s 20 to one at current estimates.”

Obama’s father came to the U.S. from Kenya but his mother’s family traces their ancestry to the village of Moneygall, in Co. Offaly. Kenya’s Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Water Minister Charity Ngilu and the country’s ambassador to the U.S. Peter Ogego are expected to attend the lunch.

“Irish American Democrats have submitted our own ideas to the Obama campaign and if they follow through on them I think they can reach out to Pennsylvania and Ohio and do good work with the ethnic communities. I think the Obama campaign is now really starting to reach out to Irish America,” O’Leary feels.

Asked about the opportunities facing the Obama campaign with regard to Irish American vote O’Leary replied, “I think once people get to know Obama and his platform and get to know what he’s willing to do for immigrants they’ll be very interested. I think they’re not known well enough yet. I’m very happy that in the two months that we have after the convention that we’ll be able to sell the message that he’s a very good candidate for Ireland.”

Carol Wheeler, who coordinates Irish outreach for the Obama campaign, told the Irish Voice, “The labor unions have joined together with Governor Martin O’Malley (of Maryland) and Stella O’Leary of Irish American Democrats to run some events during the convention. There’s going to be a lot of talk about ethnic outreach.

“Expect a good number of folks particularly interested in Irish American outreach to attend those meetings. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes and I think we’ll see the results of that after Labor Day.”

Other Irish dignitaries invited to attend the Irish and Kenyan celebrations include former Irish President Mary Robinson, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and EU Ambassador to Washington John Bruton, and Irish Ambassador to Washington Michael Collins.

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