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5/7/11
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PEOPLE
| HERITAGE | EVENTS | ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT
A Month Full of State Visits to Ireland n May, Ireland will welcome an unprecedented number of important state visits. It was announced on March 4 that Queen Elizabeth II had accepted an invitation from President Mary McAleese and will be making a state visit to the Republic of Ireland for four days from May 17. This will be the first visit by a reigning British monarch since King George V (the Queen’s grandfather) visited in 1911, and will be the first visit of a British monarch in the history of the Republic of Ireland. Members of the Real IRA issued terror threats in response to the impending visit, but the overall sentiment has been that the Queen’s historic trip is a step in the right direction. On St. Patrick’s Day, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed Taoiseach Enda Kenny to the White House and announced that they will also be going to Ireland at the end of May. President Obama plans to visit Moneygall in County Offaly, where his great-great-great-great-great grandfather came from. The visit will be part of the president’s European trip from May 23rd-28th, in which he will also be visiting England, Poland and France. – K.R.
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O’TOOLE JOINS WALK OF FAME rish screen legend Peter O’Toole was awarded a coveted spot on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On April 30, he arrived at the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theater to make imprints of his hands and feet and inscribe his signature in the fresh cement. O’Toole, who was born in Connemara, Co. Galway, received his big break in 1962, when he played the title part in Lawrence of Arabia, one of the most memorable roles in the history of film. He has been nominated for an Academy Award eight times, for his work in films like The Lion in Winter, The Stuntman, and My Favorite Year, and received an Honorary Academy Award in 2003. He recently appeared in the television series The Tudors as Pope Paul III, and will narrate the soon to be released British film Eldorado. – S.L.
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POSSIBILITIES IN IRELAND n April 13, over 2000 people came together at Dublin’s Citywest Hotel for the 2011 Possibilities civic summit. Possibilities is the creation of three Irish non-profit organizations: Afri, Children in Crossfire and SpunOut. The goal of the summit was to inspire people of all ages to make their voices heard and to take action in changing the country and the planet for the better, emphasizing that positive change can come if people believe in it. Inspiration for this movement comes from Gandhi’s saying, “Be the change you want to see in the world.’” The main speaker was the Dalai Lama. The Tibetan leader spoke on the subject of universal responsibility, explaining that it is everyone’s duty to take action and make changes. The Dalai Lama was invited by his friend Richard Moore, a Derry man who was blinded by a rubber bullet when he was 10, and then went on to find and befriend the British soldier who injured him. Other speakers and performers included former President of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson; singer Nóirín Ní Riain; and the Irish music group Kila. Together, these contributors brought an important message of hope to Ireland. – K.M.
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President Obama, Queen Elizabeth and First Lady Michelle Obama are set to be in Ireland around the same time.
IDEAS FOR JOBS uring his recent visit to New York,Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny announced an exciting new plan to involve the Irish Diaspora in creating much neeeded jobs in Ireland.The initiative, which will be overseen by the Irish agency for development, IDA Ireland, calls for any of the 80 million people of Irish descent around the world to invest in or create new business projects in Ireland.Those who plan successful ventures will be rewarded with 3,000 euros for each sustainable job they help create. For some, this inventive plan will present a valuable opportunity to escape the frustration many have felt in watching Ireland face its current economic crisis from abroad. – S.L
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10 IRISH AMERICA JUNE / JULY 2011