The Cavan diaspora will be at the heart of the St Patrick's Day festivities in New York this week.
Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feely, arrived in New York yesterday ahead of today's parade in the Big Apple.
He alongside a strong Co Cavan contingent will represent the county; meet people with links to the Cavan; and attend a special event to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.
Later, today, they will attend a special Mass in St Patrick's Cathedral and meet Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, whose ancestors hailed from Cavan.
One of the highlights for the local contingent will be a gala dinner over the weekend to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Cavan Association in
New York.
Speaking to Shannonside Northern Sound from the US, Cllr Feely said it was the oldest county organisation in the Big Apple and was instrumental in supporting generations of Cavan people who were forced to leave these shores in search of a better life on the other side of the Atlantic.
"When you look back on the history of the organisation, you see the very challenging circumstances of Irish immigrants coming to New York 175 years ago and with very limited supports available to them, the challenge in terms of language, coming to a very different place than Cavan was at that time. The association was set up to try and protect people and give them a 'leg up' in New York. They have the distinction of being the oldest county association."
