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Diaspora festival to bring people home to Kerry

At the London Launch of the Global Irish Festival Series in the Irish Embassy London. Left to Right: John Griffin, County Tourism Officer, Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council, Cllr. John Francis Flynn, Mayor of Kerry, Azeta Seery, Failte Ireland, Noel O'Sullivan, Kerry Association London, Pat O'Leary, Kerry Tourism Industry Federation and Sean Scally, Community & Tourism Department, Kerry County Council. Expand

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At the London Launch of the Global Irish Festival Series in the Irish Embassy London. Left to Right: John Griffin, County Tourism Officer, Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council, Cllr. John Francis Flynn, Mayor of Kerry, Azeta Seery, Failte Ireland, Noel O'Sullivan, Kerry Association London, Pat O'Leary, Kerry Tourism Industry Federation and Sean Scally, Community & Tourism Department, Kerry County Council.

At the London Launch of the Global Irish Festival Series in the Irish Embassy London. Left to Right: John Griffin, County Tourism Officer, Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council, Cllr. John Francis Flynn, Mayor of Kerry, Azeta Seery, Failte Ireland, Noel O'Sullivan, Kerry Association London, Pat O'Leary, Kerry Tourism Industry Federation and Sean Scally, Community & Tourism Department, Kerry County Council.

At the London Launch of the Global Irish Festival Series in the Irish Embassy London. Left to Right: John Griffin, County Tourism Officer, Moira Murrell, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council, Cllr. John Francis Flynn, Mayor of Kerry, Azeta Seery, Failte Ireland, Noel O'Sullivan, Kerry Association London, Pat O'Leary, Kerry Tourism Industry Federation and Sean Scally, Community & Tourism Department, Kerry County Council.

kerryman

Sinead Kelleher

In one of his first functions as Mayor of Kerry Cllr John Francis Flynn was London to launch of the Global Irish Festival Series at the Irish Embassy as part of plants for a month long Kerry festival to bring the diaspora home to The Kingdom.

The festival series, jointly funded by Fáilte Ireland and Kerry County Council, places Kerry among the counties at the centre of a national effort to connect with their diasporas.

Kerry’s mini gathering titled ‘An Turas Mór/ Homecoming Kerry’ takes place over five weekends during the month of October.

An impressive programme of over thirty events, some existing and others new, will take place in towns and villages across the county. These will include Street Spectacles, seasonal festivals, clan gatherings of the O’Sullivan, O’Connor, McCarthy and Fitzgerald families, sporting events and a large diaspora business event in Tralee.

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Mayor Flynn said that he is hopeful that the festival will bring Kerry people from all around the world home, not just from the UK. He said such events are hugely important to make connections with the Kerry diaspora who despite living around the world are a huge part of the county.

Cllr John Francis Flynn also met with the Kerry Association in London during his trip to the UK last week and he invited Kerry’s London Association to become actively involved in the event and a number of joint initiatives were discussed including honouring those past and present who have brought honour to Kerry and their host communities abroad through their exceptional service.

Speaking at the launch in London, Chief Executive, Kerry County Council Moira Murrell, said An Turas Mór would deliver memorable visitor experiences that will attract overseas and domestic visitors to the county and provide a welcome boost for tourism businesses during the shoulder season.

Voluntary and community groups are being invited to become involved in the various activities.

A new website has been set up to promote the event at: www.homecomingkerry.com

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