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Irish-American Odyssey

US Ambassador to Ireland, HE Mr Kevin O’Malley has spoken of the special links between Ireland and the US at the launch of a new book which chronicles the lives of five Irish-Americans whose impoverished parents emigrated to the US from Galway in the 19th Century. An Irish-American Odyssey: the Remarkable Rise of the O’Shaughnessy Brothers is authored by DCU academic and journalist, Professor Colum Kenny.
 
Responding to audience questions, the Ambassador reaffirmed the commitment of the US government to support the peace-building work of the political parties in Northern Ireland. He also praised the forward-thinking action of President Obama in pressing ahead with important immigration reform while acknowledging that not all undocumented Irish-Americans will be beneficiaries. In response to a question about recent riots over the shooting of a young African American man in Missouri, the Ambassador noted that, as a lawyer, he was satisfied that processes and systems had been followed correctly but admitted that race relations in the area were not what they should be.

Speaking to an audience of DCU students at the launch, Ambassador O’Malley spoke of his many personal resonances with Professor Kenny’s book,

“This book strikes a chord with me.  I am an Irish-American and I am a beneficiary of emigration to the United States.  Many of the events described in Professor Kenny’s book were happening to my own grandparents as they were preparing to leave Ireland.  Over the next few years, I am determined to do whatever I can to strengthen the ties between our two countries, the kind of ties that were built by the O’Shaughnessys, the O’Malleys and all the 40 million Americans who claim Irish ancestry.  In the specifics of the transatlantic investment and trade partnership, it means continuing to work on this shared prosperity that we have developed.  Demographically, Ireland is one of the youngest countries in Europe and that is a tremendous source of potential for all of you and I look forward to finding ways of bringing the next generation of Irish American youth together through culture, the arts, entrepreneurship and technology.”

James O’Shaughnessy was a journalist who became the first Chief Executive of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, described by TIME magazine as ‘the best in the business’. Francis, the first graduate of the University of Notre Dame to be invited to deliver its annual commencement address joined forces with James to found the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago.  Another brother, Thomas became the leading Gaelic Revival artist in America as well as a promoter of Italian-American heritage, campaigning successfully to have Columbus day enacted a public holiday.

Professor Kenny said “I hope this book may serve to remind people of the enormous contribution that so many migrants in general, and Irish migrants in particular, make to their host countries.”