The Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Jimmy Moloney, will travel to the United States next week for a number of engagements during the St Patrick’s Day period.

He begins his official visit at the weekend by travelling to Listowel’s Sister City of Shawnee in Kansas where he will dedicate the new Listowel Park. He will review the Shawnee St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday with Mayor Michelle Distler and meet members of Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, Council members, State representatives and the ‘Visit Shawnee’ Tourism Group.

Cllr Moloney will be in New York on Monday next for an evening meeting hosted by the American Ireland Chamber of Commerce in the Irish Consulate. The New York leg includes meetings with IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland, and an official visit to the Ellis Island Memorial Park in New York Harbour as a guest of the Ellis Island Foundation’s President, Mr. Jesse Brackenberry. Here more than 3.5 million Irish immigrants were processed during its 63 years in operation from 1891 to 1954.

On St Patrick’s Day, the Cathaoirleach will attend a breakfast event with the new Mayor of New York, Mr. Eric Adams, at his residence in Gracie Mansion. He will also lay a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial with members of the New York Fire Department of Kerry descent and attend Mass in St Patrick’s Cathedral. He will later join members of the Kerry Association and Kerry Pipers on the traditional parade down 5th Avenue and attend a meeting of Irish diaspora groups hosted by Minister Eamon Ryan at the Irish Consulate.

On Friday (March 18), Cllr Moloney will attend a tourism briefing co-hosted by Tourism Ireland and Shannon Airport for the Tri State Travel Trade which features Kerry. That evening he will attend the Annual Kerry Association Dinner in Yonkers. He will be accompanied in the US by John Griffin, County Tourism Officer.