School art and essay competition organised by Donegal County Library, dealing with the themes of emigration, diaspora and the life of Tip O’Neill. See pictures below of our worthy winners Leah, Alana and David.

 

Well done to you all!!!!

 

Press Release

4 September 2012

‘Donegal honours the Great O’Neill’

Inishowen will be a hive of activity this weekend when a massive eighty members of the O’Neill clan and the Irish Immigration Centre will descend on Donegal from all parts of the USA to commemorate the inaugural ‘Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award’ and to celebrate the pivotal role he played for Ireland in a worldwide arena.

This award is an initiative of Buncrana Town Council and Donegal County Council. Michael Heaney, CEO of the Donegal County Development Board and Director of Planning of Donegal County Council, has played an instrumental role in the establishment of this award and this week states “This is a landmark event for Donegal honouring one of the most esteemed members of the Donegal Diaspora through recognition of the work of a member of the present day Diaspora. The Donegal Diaspora Project is a key initiative of the Donegal County Development Board. The Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award will over the years continue to be a key part of our reaching out to broad Irish Diaspora throughout the World”.
According to the Mayor of Buncrana, Cllr James Gill says “ Inishowen is full of excitement this week because of the influx of people attending to honour O’Neill and the Tip O’Neill Diaspora Committee are already in the throes of organising 2013’s Donegal Diaspora Award event”

Speaking from the US this week, Susan O’Neill, daughter of Tip O’Neill expressed her excitement about the trip. “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 eighty 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.”

Séamus Neely, Donegal County Manager, welcomes the Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Initiative “2012 marks the centenary of the birth of Tip O’Neill, 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 and will continue on an annual basis in Donegal.”

On Friday evening the Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award ceremony will take place in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel and this award will be conferred to the deserving Niall O’Dowd by Mrs Pat Hume, the wife of John Hume who was a close associate of the late Tip O’Neill.

Other events taking place over the weekend include:
The Turning of the Sod on the Drumfries Community/Heritage Centre

Presentation of Irish American Partnership Bursaries to five Buncrana Schools

Presentation of Tip O’Neill School Essay/Art Competition

First annual Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Lecture by Paul Arthur, chaired by Declan O’Carroll

Unveiling of Tip O’Neill Diaspora monument on the shorefront, Buncrana. This monument was commissioned by Maurice Harron and will be unveiled by the Mayor of Buncrana, Cllr James Gill

The Flight of the Earls Exhibition will be on display in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel during the whole event

For more information on these events please visit:
http://donegalgathering.com/september/annual-tip-oneill-donegal-diaspora-/