History of Exchange
Galway, Ireland Chicago’s Sister City Since 1997
Chairs: William Gainer and Billy Lawless, Sr.
1997
Focus: Signing Agreement Galway, Ireland became Chicago's fourth friendship city when Mayor John Mulholland and Mayor Richard M. Daley formalized the agreement in Chicago March 1997. Mayor Mulholland, along with the city manager and members of the Galway City Council attended meetings, marched in the South Side St. Patrick's Day parade and attended a benefit which commemorated the 150th anniversary of the Great Famine and the founding of St. Patrick's Church.
Focus: Culture The Galway Committee hosted its kick-off benefit, held in conjunction with the opening of "Riverdance."
Focus: Government Mayor Michael Leahy of Galway visited Chicago with a delegation consisting of Galway City Council members. Business contacts were established with Ameritech and Waste Management. Waste Management sponsored a luncheon and tour of a landfill.
1998
Focus: Culture Celtic Fest organizer met with officials of the Galway Arts Festival.
Focus: Culture Galway performers were featured in the Celtic Festival.
Focus: Culture The Galway Committee hosted Mayor Angela Lynch-Lupton and a cultural delegation.
Focus: Culture The Galway Committee hosted a reception honoring Finton O’Toole, Irish Times author and critic on drama, film and literature.
Focus: Culture In conjunction with St. Patrick’s Day, Fr. John O'Donahue, author of Anamcara, lectured in Chicago.
Focus: Culture A World in a Weekend featured Galway.
Focus: Economic Development The Galway Committee Chair was a featured speaker at Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center on doing business in Ireland.
Focus: Economic Development A trade mission of 36 business and government leaders to Galway and Dublin was led by Cook County Assessor James Houlihan and the Honorable Neil Hartigan. Results of the mission included: 1) John Marshall Law School committed to work towards a joint program with University College Galway and Dublin Schools of Law; 2) Chicago law offices of Schiff, Hardin & Waite partnered with a law firm in Dublin; 3) a Galway corporation decided to lead trade mission to Chicago in 1999.
Focus: Education The Galway Committee Chair participated in “Principal for a Day” program.
Focus: Education The Homework Show on local television featured Galway.
Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee's annual benefit highlighted the Galway Horse Races and Oyster Festival at Hawthorne Race Track.
Focus: Government The Galway Committee coordinated with John Marshall Law School on a seminar on the Euro and welcomed leaders from County Down in Northern Ireland to discuss possible collaborations.
Focus: Government The Galway Committee hosted the Irish Ambassador to the United States.
Focus: Government Galway Mayor Leahy, Galway Chief Financial Officer and a municipal delegation visited Chicago.
1999
Focus: Culture While in Chicago for his play “Belfry,” Druid Theater Company playwright Billy Roche was hosted by the Galway Committee.
Focus: Economic Development Mayor Declan McDonnell and a delegation spent two days in Chicago meeting with government and business leaders, and members of the Galway Committee. The Irish Oak hosted a dinner for the delegation.
Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee’s annual fundraiser “Galway Oyster Fest and Races” took place in September at Hawthorne Racetrack.
Focus: Government The Galway Committee hosted the Attorney General of Ireland during his visit to Chicago.
2000
July Focus: Culture A cultural delegation from Chicago visited Galway. They visited with the mayor’s office and attended various conferences, particularly about healthcare, technology and social services.
Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee held its annual Oysterfest fundraiser at Hawthorne Racetrack.
2001 Focus: Culture Galway Committee went as a group to see "The Weir" at Steppenwolf Theater.
Focus: Culture Galway Mayor Quinn marched in South Side and downtown St. Patrick’s Day parades.
Focus: Government Mayor Lyons of Galway and a delegation visited Chicago.
Focus: Culture The Galway Committee hosted a reception to honor Irish author Pat Mason, who participated in the Chicago Humanities Festival.
Focus: Education The Galway Committee hosted a luncheon in honor of Professor Orser of Illinois State University who was conducting an archeological dig in Galway.
Focus: Culture The Galway Committee’s annual fundraiser “Galway Oyster Fest and Races” at Hawthorne Racetrack featured traditional Irish food, music, dancing and a live auction of Irish items.
2002
November 17 Focus: Culture The Committee's annual fundraiser, the Oyster Festival of Racing 2002, was held at Hawthorne Racetrack. Dinner, racing and a silent auction were among the activities at this exciting annual event.
2003 June 28 Mayor Daley was awarded the highest honor in Galway, the Freedom of the City award for his dedication to furthering relationships between Chicago and Galway. Other recipients of the award include President John F. Kennedy, Pope John Paul II, and President Ronald Reagan. He was also conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Ireland, Galway.
August 18-20 Focus: Economic Development The mayor of Galway visited Chicago with the "Spirit of Galway" delegation, and met with Mayor Daley. November 16 Focus: Fundraiser The annual Oyster Festival of Racing took place at Hawthorne Race Track. A day of racing, traditional Irish music, and a buffet of Irish cuisine, including oysters, were enjoyed by all.
2004
March Focus: Education The Upper School Instrumental and Vocal Music areas of the Arts Department of The Latin School of Chicago participated in a music tour to the Republic of Ireland. This educational exchange was very successful, as it allowed students to share their talents with another culture through the universal medium of music; experience enrichment by traveling, meeting, and performing for and with students of another country; through working and living together, obtain a greater understanding for the concept of “team effort” and espirit de corps; initiate a biennial exchange program with schools from other geographic locations; and, in effect, represent the City of Chicago as part of the Chicago Sister Cities International Program.
March 29 Focus: Culture The Second Annual Martha Fox Lecture in Irish Studies presented a lecture by Dr. Niall O Ciosain, “Print and the Irish Language,” about the language shift from Irish to English in Ireland, and the role printing had in this cultural transformation.
May Focus: Culture The Galway Committee hosted Trish Casey, winner of Galway’s Poetry Grand Slam, who traveled to Chicago to compete in Marc Kelly Smith’s Poetry Slam at the Green Mill.
June 4 Focus: Culture “Help Raise Our Sails” Mr. Steve Mulkerrins, in association with Galway Sister Cities Committee, christened the Naomh Bairbre (Saint Barbara). This 47 foot vessel known in Ireland as a Galway Hooker was handmade by Mr. Mulkerrins over a period of 4 years. 20 tons of wood specially shipped from Ireland and a lot of sweat went into making his dream come true. Mayor Richard M. Daley performed the christening of this one of a kind vessel at Montrose Harbor.
June 16 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee and the Irish Repertory of Chicago celebrated the world premiere of A Dublin Bloom by Dermot Bolger, a stage adaptation of James Joyce’s Ulysses. This play is set in Dublin on June 16, 1904. The committee and guests celebrated the centennial of Bloomsday with a special dinner-theatre package that included dining on Celtic fusion cuisine at The Galway Arms.
August Focus: Culture Committee hosted the annual “Spirit of Galway” delegation. The delegation’s tour included a meeting with Mayor Daley and tours of Chicago sites.
October Focus: Culture The Galway Committee sponsored and hosted a welcoming party for two fiddlers from Galway, the Kane Sisters, who performed at Celtic Fest. November Focus: Fundraiser The annual Oyster Festival of Racing took place at Hawthorne Race Track. A day of racing, traditional Irish music, and a buffet of Irish cuisine, including oysters were enjoyed by all.
December Focus: Culture Committee hosts an Irish “High Potential” Managers delegation in conjunction with DePaul University. A reception is held in their honor at Lizzie McNeill’s pub.
2005
Focus: Government Mayor Padrig Conneelly participated in the US Conference of Mayors hosted by Mayor Daley.
August Focus: Culture and Government Committee hosted the annual “Spirit of Galway” delegation, including Mayor Walsh. The delegation’s tour included a meeting with Mayor Daley and tours of Chicago sites.
November Focus: Fundraiser The annual Oyster Festival of Racing took place at Hawthorne Race Track. A day of racing, traditional Irish music, and a buffet of Irish cuisine, including oysters were enjoyed by all.
2006
Focus: Government The Galway Committee actively supported the Immigration Reform Committee in their efforts to improve immigration legislation.
Focus: Government Mayor Walsh participated in the Richard J. Daley Durban Forum, and discussed how globalism has impacted Galway. He had several meetings discussing future cultural and business exchanges.
Focus: Culture Galway was represented in CSCI’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on Daley Plaza with beautiful crafts from Nuada, an Irish dancing troupe, and a student Irish music performance.
Focus: Reception The committee hosted a going-away reception for Consul General Sheehan that was attended by Mrs. Daley.
Focus: Government and Culture Mayor Ó Brolacháin, the first Green Party Mayor in Ireland, visited Chicago as part of the Spirit of Galway delegation. The delegation met with Mayor Daley and Commissioner Johnston of the Environment Depart, and took a tour of City Hall’s rooftop gardens.
September 10 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee, in collaboration with the Chicago Committee in Galway, and the Galway Arts Center, welcomed Brendan Murphy, Galway's Cúirt International Festival of Literature Grand Slam winner. Mr. Murphy performed his winning poetry slam at several venues, including the Green Mill, the birthplace of Chicago poetry slam.
October Focus: Culture The committee helped to sponsor the Flight of the Earls at the Chicago Humanities Festival.
October 3 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee opened a photo exhibit “Images of Chicago – A Spectacle of Urban life at the Water’s Edge” at the Galway City Museum on October 2, which was attended by several high-ranking officials, including the Mayor of Galway. The photos were gifted to The City of Galway, and will travel to schools and libraries. Mrs. Daley also visited Galway and participated in its annual Oyster Festival of Racing.
October 26 Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee held a fundraiser at the Pirate Queen, a Broadway in Chicago play depicting the story of legendary Irish pirate Grace O’Malley.
November 12 Focus: Fundraiser Oysterfest: The committee’s annual day of brunching and racing to celebrate Galway’s Oyster Festival of Racing. This event serves as the committee’s annual fundraiser.
2007
January 24 Focus: General The Committee welcomed a group of Irish City and County Managers in a small reception. The group participated in a DePaul University program with the City of Chicago in a best practice exchange.
August 18 Focus: Art & Culture The ground-breaking celebration of Grainne, a sculpture from Galway placed in Heritage Green Park, across from St. Patrick’s Cathedral took place in August. It was attended by Mayor Daley and Mayor Costello as well as many city and public officials from both Chicago and Galway. The beautiful sculpture celebrates the history of Irish immigration to Chicago and is paid for by the City of Galway and the CSCI Galway committee. The gift will be reciprocated by the committee in Galway sometime in the future.
December 9 Focus: Art The committee welcomed award-winning poetry slam artist Micael Kearney, winner of Galway’s esteemed Cuirt Festival of Literature. He performed at the Green Mill.
2008
May 6 The Galway Committee invited the CSCI community to happy hour at Chicago’s most exciting new Irish address, D 4 Irish Pub and Café. The committee learned about other committee’s projects and welcomed new friends interested in the Galway Committee.
June Focus: General Galway was represented in the Sister Cities International Festival on Daley Plaza with crafts from Nuada.
September 14 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee reserved the fan deck for the White Sox/Angels baseball game at US Cellular Field’s “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day” celebration. The low price of $99 included Irish entertainment, food and drinks, and trolley transportation between Lizzie McNeill’s Irish Pub and the US Cellular Field.
October 21 Focus: Music Accessible Contemporary Music (ACM) and the Galway Committee presented the final concert of the Composer Alive: Ireland project. The concert featured the World Premiere of Sunshowers, a new work written for ACM by internationally recognized Galway based composer Jane O’Leary. The concert also featured Silenzio Della Terra by Ms. O’Learly for flute and percussion and music by Irish composers Grainne Mulvey, Linda Buckley and Stephen Gardner.
November 16 Focus: Fundraising The Galway Committee presented the 2007 Oyster Festival of Racing at the Hawthorne Race Course.
December 7 Focus: Literature The Galway Committee welcomed Miceal Kearney, an award winning poet, in his debut Chicago Performance at various locations and dates.
2009
March The Galway Committee’s Vice Chair, Billy Lawless celebrated St. Patrick's Day in Washington, D.C., with Senator Dick Durbin and Mayor Padraig Conneely of Galway.
April Focus: Government The committee held a reception in honor of Mayor Conneely.
May 17 Focus: Literature The Galway Committee invited guests for a wreath laying at the Grainne statue followed by a reception in the reception hall of Old St. Pat’s with a short presentation in song and story by singer Catherine O’Connell and Mart Pat Kelly, author of “Galway Bay”, a historical novel based on the life of Kelly’s great great-grandmother Honora Kelly who survived the Great Starvation of 1840’s Ireland, escaped with her young children to Chicago and settled in Bridgeport. Her grandson was Ed Kelly, Mayor of Chicago from 1933 to 1947.
September Augustus Burley Elementary began their Sister School relationship with Clare Galway National School.
October 1-4 Focus: Medical Dr. Aoife Lowery from the National University of Ireland Galway & Galway University Hospital participated in the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium – Sister Cities Medical Initiative.
October 9-13 Focus: Government A reception in honor of The Great Garda Run Chicago was held celebrating 150 members of the Irish An Garda Siochana Police Force running in the Chicago Marathon.
November 16 Focus: Trade On November sixteenth, 2009 The Chicago Sister Cities International, along with the Galway Committee coordinated an Oyster Fest of Racing which aimed to increase international trade, promote economic development and support exchanges in the fields of culture, education, medicine, social services, environment, and technology with Sister Cities around the globe for both their benefit as well as the benefit for the City of Chicago.
2010
March Focus: Education The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International partnered with the Chicago Public Library for One Book, One Chicago, Chicago’s annual city-wide book club that featured ‘Brooklyn’ by Colm Toibin. The Galway committee coordinated finding several Chicago and Galway schools to read the book together and take part in a virtual book-club exchange, as well as the Galway Arts Centre.
August 25 Focus: Tourism and Culture The Mayor of Galway County, Cllr. Jimmy McClearn, and Galway committee member Clem Walsh visited Chicago, met with the committee, and visited the Chicago Sister Cities International Festival in Millennium Park to watch a performance of the Trinity Irish Dancers and visit the Irish merchant Because I Like it!
August 25 Focus: Culture Trinity Irish Dancers represented Galway at the Chicago Sister Cities International Festival, and included one of the top-ranked male dancers in the world.
August 27 Focus: Culture The Irish Music School of Chicago represented Galway at the Chicago Sister Cities International Festival.
November 10 Focus: Sports The Galway Committee helped to facilitate a marathon exchange with Galway. The two top male and female runners from Galway participated in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
November 10 Focus: Cultural The Galway Committee and the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago hosted an Advanced Screening of “The Irish Magic of Inis Meain”. Conceived by Executive Producer Melissa Sage Fadim and written/produced/directed by multiple Emmy award-winning filmmaker Terry Spencer Hesser, “The Irish Magic of Inis Meain” is a 30-minute documentary film that shows an up close and personal look at the people who make a living on this wet rock in the Atlantic. The film will be publicly premiered on WTTW-TV Channel 11 at a to-be-determined date in late November.
November 13 Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted the 2010 Oyster Festival of Racing. In celebration of our Sister City's famous food festival, the annual fundraiser includes horse racing, traditional Irish music and a buffet of Irish cuisine.
2011
March 17 The Galway Committee hosted members of the United Nations Irish Veterans Association. While they were in Chicago, they marched in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and met with Mayor Daley.
March 24 Focus: Cultural The Galway Committee hosted an outing to the Druid Theater’s production of The Cripple of Inishmaan at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. After the play, the Committee hosted a reception for the cast and crew of the production.
May 15 Focus: Government Cllr. Michael Crowe, Mayor of Galway City, visited Chicago for the inauguration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. While in Chicago, he was hosted by the Galway Committee.
August 3-8 Focus: Business and Culture The Galway Committee of CSCI traveled to Galway to meet with Mayor Hildegarde Naughton, members of the Galway City Council and their counterpart committee. They helped to facilitate and attended two gallery openings by Chicago artist Matt Lamb. The Irish United Nations Veterans Association hosted the committee for a reception and a tour of the barracks, chapel and museum.
Two individually selected collections, celebrating the life and work of Matt Lamb, were on exhibit at the University of Ireland - Galway and the Galway City Museum, in August of 2011. These two fine institutions collaborated with the Galway City Art’s Council, Matt Lamb Ltd., as well as the Galway and Chicago Sister Cities Committees, in hosting these two special exhibitions.
August 22 Focus: Government and Tourism The Galway Committee hosted Galway City Mayor Councillor Hildegarde Naughton and the Spirit of Galway delegation, a group of Galway city officials and business leaders. Mayor Naughton, who is in the process of establishing a children’s music school in Galway, met with DePaul’s Community Music School to begin collaboration. Members of the group also met with Mayor Emanuel, toured the Chicago Board of Trade and met with the City of Chicago Department of Transportation.
October 8 -14 Focus: Government Janet Attarian, Project Director of the Streetscape and Sustainable Design Program at the City of Chicago Department of Transportation, was invited by the Galway City Manager to present Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Design Initiatives to the Galway City Council at their Sustainable Infrastructure Seminar and a separate presentation to the Urban Design and Civic Governance Seminar at the School of Architecture, University of Limerick. In particular they were interested in Janet’s experience with the Streetscape, Green Alley, Complete Streets and Sustainable Streets programs and how they enhance understanding of governance processes and their relationship to the development of urban form; sustainable development policy as it relates to the built environment; and community process. In addition, Janet’s expertise in maintaining green infrastructure, particularly permeable pavements, is also of interest.
November 12, 2011 Focus: Fundraiser The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted the 2011 Oyster Festival of Racing. In celebration of our Sister City's famous food festival, the annual fundraiser includes horse racing, traditional Irish music and a buffet of Irish cuisine.
2012
March 14 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee held a St. Patrick's Day Reception in honor of delegates visiting from Galway and Cork.
August 6-10 Focus: Culture The 7th Annual Chicago Sister Cities International Festival transformed Daley Plaza into an international village filled with merchants, food, music, and dance from Chicago’s 28 Sister Cities. Merchant Because I Like It! sold traditional Irish souvenirs and the Irish Trinity Dancers performed traditional and beautiful dance representing the culture and heritage of Galway.
August 12 Focus: Culture The Galway Committee of CSCI co-hosted Irish American Day at Six Flag with the Irish American Heritage Center, Chicago Irish Immigrant Support and the Trinity Dancers.
August 12-16 Focus: Mayoral Visit The Honorable Terry O’Flaherty, Mayor of Galway and a delegation met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel to discuss Sister City initiatives and the relationship between the two cities. Mayor Emanuel honored the Galway Committee as the “Gold Star” example of a sister city relationship.
August Focus: Immigration The Gathering Ireland 2013 and Ireland Reaching Out are two exciting programs that invites the 70 million people from around the world who claim Irish decent to visit the home of their ancestors. The Galway Committee of CSCI played an important role in support these two programs by hosting events introducing both initiatives to the Chicagoland Irish community at events Downtown Chicago, Gaelic Park and the Irish American Heritage Center.
August Focus: Peace In conjunction with iBAM!, the Galway Committee of CSCI co-sponsored an “Umbrellas for Peace Parade at the Irish Heritage Center. More than 100 participants (mostly children) thoughtfully and creatively decorated umbrellas and cheerfully marched both outside and inside the Center.
October 4-7 Focus: Medical The 14th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium was a professional educational event highlighting the most recent clinical and scientific advances in breast cancer research. Dr. Peadar Waters from the National University of Ireland Galway and Galway University Hospital participated and represented Galway in the 2012 symposium.
November 10 Focus: Fundraising The Oyster Festival of Racing 2012, the Galway Committee’s annual event was special this year since it was in memory of long-time member Frank McMahon that unexpectedly past away earlier in the year. The event was a great success with Frank’s family members and friends all together enjoying horseracing and Irish delicacies at Hawthorne Race Track.
2013
August 5-9 Focus: Culture The 8th Annual Chicago Sister Cities International Festival transformed Daley Plaza into an international village filled with merchants, food, music, and dance from Chicago’s 28 Sister Cities. Merchant Because I like it! sold traditional and authentic Irish merchandise representing the culture and heritage of Galway.
August 19-21 Focus: Mayoral Visit Mayor of Galway Padraig Conneely and the Spirit of Galway delegation visited Chicago and met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel to discuss sister city initiatives and the relationship between the two cities. Also travelling with the delegation was Denis and Martina Goggin, founders of the Strange Boat Donor Foundation and the Circle of Life national Organ Donor Commemorative Garden in Galway, of which the Galway Committee is a major funder.
August 20 Foucs: Donation The Galway Committee of CSCI became a major sponsor of the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden in Galway, donating $32,500 to the cause. The garden remembers and give thanks for the generosity of spirit of the over 2,200 people in Ireland who have given the gift of life through organ donation.
The Circle of Life Commemorative Garden was initiated by the Strange Boat Donor Foundation, established by Denis and Martina Goggin, parents of Éamonn Goggin, a young County Galway who was involved in a fatal car crash in 2006 and became an organ donor.
The Goggins traveled to Chicago with Mayor of Galway Padraig Conneely and the Spirit of Galway delegation where they were presented with the $32,500 check by the Galway Committee of CSCI on August 20, 2013.
September 20 Focus: Culinary The Galway Committee of CSCI, the Irish American Heritage Center and Slow Food presented Taste of Chicago Sister Cities: Slow Food at the Irish American Heritage Center. The evening consisted of tasting stations representing restaurants and organizations such as The Gage, Farmhouse, Quartino’s Ristorante and Wine Bar, Harrington’s Catering & Deli, Galway Bakers, Monty Gale’s Tavern & Grill, Amano Vivere Cafe, Windy City Chefs and more while lively Irish music from the Academy of Irish Music was played.
September 25-29 Focus: Medical The Chicago Sister Cities International Medical Initiative Program took place in conjunction with the 15th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium, a professional educational event highlighting the most recent clinical and scientific advances in breast cancer research. Dr. Peter O’Leary of the University College Hospital Galway participated and represented Galway in the 2013 symposium.
October 18 Focus: Education The Galway Committee of CSCI sponsored a speech and discussion presented by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs with Her Excellency Anne Anderson, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, titled “Ireland: Can the Celtic Tiger Roar Again?” at the Chicago Club.
November 9 Focus: Celebration & Culture The Galway Committee of CSCI celebrated the sister city relationship between Chicago and Galway, Ireland with the 16th Annual Oyster Festival of Racing. Chicago’s own Oyster Festival of Racing pays tribute to two of Ireland’s most popular annual events, the Galway Races and the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, by bringing together enticing food and exciting horse racing in one day of Irish jubilation.
2014
March 14 Focus: Business Mayor Rahm Emanuel welcomed the Irish Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, Seán Sherlock, to Chicago. Mayor Emanuel met with Minister Sherlock to discuss Chicago’s continued efforts to foster industry in big data analytics and how the recently announced Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute will work to make Chicago a center of excellence.
May 5-9 Focus: Health & Culture Eighteen Galway Committee Members of CSCI traveled to Galway, Ireland from May 5–9, 2014. While in Galway, the committee attended a number of events and meetings to both celebrate and further strengthen the sister city relationship between Chicago and Galway. The main focus of their visit was to attend the official opening of the Circle of Life National Organ Donor Commemorative Garden, which celebrates the lives of organ and tissue donors and their recipients, while offering the public a place of beauty, inspiration, healing and hope. The Galway Committee was a main sponsor of the garden, donating $25,000 to the construction costs. They also attended the unveiling of the Umbrella for Peace sculpture by Chicago Irish- American artist Matt Lamb at Galway City Hall. These projects reciprocated the Grainne sculpture, a gift from the people of Galway to the people of Chicago in 2006.
May 11 Focus: Government The Galway Committee of CSCI was honored to host an intimate lunch with His Excellency Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland; First Lady Sabina Higgins; Her Excellency Anne Anderson, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States; and the Honorable Aidan Cronin, Consul General of Ireland in Chicago. During President Higgins’ Midwest trip, he delivered the commencement address at his alma mater Indiana University; met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel; visited Gaelic Park, the Irish Heritage Cultural Center, the Art Institute of Chicago (where Ireland on a World Stage, 1690–1840, will be on exhibit in 2015); and spoke at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
May 12 CSCI sponsored the Chicago Council on Global Affair’s lunch with the President of Ireland, His Excellency Michael D. Higgins.
August 19 Focus: Government The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted a mayoral delegation from Galway, Ireland, including Galway City Mayor Donal Lyons and Galway County Council Chairperson Mary Hoade. Mayor Rahm Emanuel met with Mayor Lyons, Councillor Hoade and the delegation. Galway and Chicago have developed a longstanding sister city relationship based on a shared vision of promoting arts, culture, business and education.
In their meeting, Mayors Emanuel and Lyons discussed the commitment and close relationship shared by Chicago and Ireland. Mayor Emanuel has welcomed over 10 Irish government officials since taking office, including a visit from President of Ireland, Michael Higgins earlier this summer and Taoiseach Enda Kenny in March of 2012.
November 8 Focus: Celebration & Culture The Galway Committee of CSCI celebrated the sister city relationship between Chicago and Galway, Ireland with the 17th Annual Oyster Festival of Racing. Chicago’s own Oyster Festival of Racing pays tribute to two of Ireland’s most popular annual events, the Galway Races and the Galway International Oyster & Seafood Festival, by bringing together enticing food and exciting horse racing in one day of Irish jubilation.
2015
May 15 Focus: Award Galway Mayor Cllr. Donal Lyons and Galway City Council presented Billy Lawless, Sr. Vice-Chair of the Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, with the Freeman of the City of Galway.
Mr. Lawless was recognized for his work on behalf of the city of Galway and on behalf of Irish immigrants, and the Irish in the United States over a number years. Billy Lawless is a prominent business figure in Chicago, but it his work as an immigration advocate that has brought him to attention in political and media circles in Chicago and in Washington, D.C. He is Chair of Chicago Celts for Immigration Reform and is also a board member and co-founder of the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition and fights tirelessly for immigration reform. Last year, Mr. Lawless introduced President Obama at a major rally in Chicago following the President’s announcement of major immigration reforms.
August Focus: Government The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted a mayoral delegation from Galway, Ireland, including Galway City Mayor Frank Fahy and Galway County Council Chairman Peter Roche. While in Chicago, the delegation met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Deputy Mayor Steve Koch, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and various business and Irish community leaders, toured Chicago’s new River Walk, and attended a reception hosted by the Galway Committee of CSCI.
November 14 Focus: Celebration & Culture The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International celebrated the sister city relationship between Chicago and Galway at the 18th Annual Oyster Festival of Racing at The Turf Club of Hawthorne Race Course. A buffet featuring oysters accompanied by thoroughbred horse racing, live Irish music, a silent auction and raffle prizes comprised the celebration. Over 200 guests were in attendance, including Consul General Orla Mc Breen of Ireland.
2016
February 25 Focus: Co-chairs Recently, the Advisory Board of Chicago Sister Cities International approved a resolution to require each of our sister city committees to have two individuals serve as co-chairs. Billy Lawless Sr., previous vice chair, is now Co-chair of the Galway Committee.
May 14 Focus: Culture Chicago Sister Cities International hosted a Eurovision Song Contest viewing party at Old Crow Smokehouse. Since 1956, the Eurovision Song Contest has been one of Europe’s most popular television programs and one of television’s longest running music shows. Over 200 people came to cheer on their country.
August Focus: Government The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted a “Spirit of Galway delegation”, which included Sean Kyne, Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources and Cllr. Noel Larkin, Mayor of Galway City. While in Chicago, the delegation met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Deputy Mayor Steve Koch, the World Business Chicago and various culture, business and Irish community leaders, toured Chicago’s new River Walk, and attended a reception hosted by the Galway Committee of CSCI.
November Focus: Celebration & Culture The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International celebrated the sister city relationship between Chicago and Galway at the 19th Annual Oyster Festival of Racing at The Turf Club of Hawthorne Race Course. A buffet featuring oysters accompanied by thoroughbred horse racing, live Irish music, a silent auction and raffle prizes comprised the celebration.
2017
April: Membership The 20th Anniversary of Chicago and Galway Sister Cities Partnership was highlighted at the CSCI’s Annual Membership Reception “Celebrating Citizen Diplomacy”. The Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe band, sponsored by the Galway Committee, performed at the event.
April: Education The Galway Committee hosted Mary McPartlan, Traditional Artist in Residence and University Teacher, Director of Arts in Action at the Centre for Theatre and Performance at NUI Galway, and Anna Cunningham Director of International Affairs at NUI Galway. The delegation visited the Irish Heritage Center, Art Institute of Chicago, attended a brunch with Committee members and had meetings with local universities and Chicago Sister Cities International.
May-June The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International sponsored the Irish American Hall of Fame Awards Gala and ICDI (Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants) annual fundraiser.
July: Education Lisa Passman (16) represented Galway, Ireland at the second annual Global Youth Ambassadors Leadership Summit, July 22-29.
August Connemara Peated Irish Whiskey was featured on Aug. 17 at the CSCI event “Unifest on the River: One Globe, Many Cultures” to represent Chicago’s sister city Galway.
August 13-19: Culture, Government The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted the annual delegation from Galway which included Cllr. Mayor Pearce Flannery, Mayor of Galway City, Seamus Walsh, Deputy Mayor of Galway County Council, Brendan McGrath, CEO, Galway City Council, Keith Finnegan, Chairman of Galway Sister Cities Committee and several other officials (29 persons). While in Chicago, Mayor Pearce Flannery met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and signed a sister city Declaration in honour the 20th Anniversary of Chicago – Galway sister city partnership. The group attended the Rededication of Grainne Garden and 20th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 15. Delegation also attended a welcome reception at The Legacy, toured TechNexus, the American Writers’ Museum, Riverwalk and were hosted to a Shoreline boat tour before continuing to Milwaukee for the annual Irish fest.
August 15 The Galway Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International hosted the Rededication of Grainne Garden at the official 20th Anniversary of Galway-Chicago sister city partnership celebration at the Grainne Garden and Old St. Patrick’s Church. The event was attended by the Ciarán Cannon TD, Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Councillor Pearce Flannery, Mayor of Galway City, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and several other notable Galway and Chicago officials.