First lady of Laois meets with America's former first lady Hillary Clinton

The first lady of Laois met the former first lady of the USA at big St Patrick's Day event in New York to commemorate the Good Friday Agreement.

Cllr Thomasina Connell, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council, represented Laois at the event where she met with the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

 “It was a huge honour to represent Laois at this event in New York as we celebrate 25 years of peace since the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast in 1998,” said Cllr. Connell. “It’s important to recognise how difficult it was to achieve lasting peace on this island and that, after 25 years, we must never take it for granted. 

“While so much progress has been made in terms of the Peace Process, the vision of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement has not been fully met. Brexit has obviously created significant challenges, and political deadlock in Stormont is currently preventing the North’s institutions from being fully operational. It’s important that we find a way forward for all communities in Northern Ireland, and the United States continues to play a key role in that work," she said.

She also met with Ms Clinton who was America's first lady during the presidency of her husband Bill. Ms Clinton is also a former senator for New York and an unsuccessful Democratic Presidential candidate in 2016 when she lost to Donald Trump.

“It was a privilege to meet so many great friends of Ireland at the event in New York. I had the honour of discussing the impact of the Good Friday Agreement with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who remains committed to Ireland and who is set to visit our shores along with her husband, the former President Bill Clinton, next month," she said.

Cllr Connell also met with the Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Ireland’s Consul General Helena Nolan, and the Chair of the Congressional Friends of Ireland Group, Congressman Richard Neal. 

“I spoke to the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, about Irish-American economic opportunities, but also about matters closer to home. The Tánaiste commended the part played by our Laois communities in Ireland’s response to the war in Ukraine," she said.

The Portlaoise Municipal District Fine Gael representative also lobbied the Fianna Fáil leader on the decision to delay the building of a new school in Portlaoise.

"I also took the opportunity to raise the need for funding to be secured for the Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise, and asked that the Tánaiste discuss this with his colleague, Education Minister Norma Foley.

Why the inspirational young people of Laois were honoured at Laois Offaly awards

“What remains absolutely clear is that the U.S. administration is fully committed to Ireland and the Peace Process. There is great excitement about the visit of President Biden to Ireland next month, as part of the celebrations to mark 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement”, concluded Cllr Connell.

During her visit to the United States, Cllr Connell travelled to Franklin in Tennesse with a delegation from Laois. Franklin County is twinned with Laois.