#GoldenBridges REBUILDING TOGETHER www.aisling-events.com Connecting Boston, Massachusetts and Irish America with Northwest Ireland NOVEMBER 20, 2020 This year’s annual Golden Bridges Conference and Awards ceremony will be held virtually on 20th November when political leaders, business, community representatives and education providers from Ireland North West and Boston will join together to further bind their relationship despite dealing with the COVID pandemic. This year’s transatlantic conference will be hosted virtually from the historic Guildhall in Derry featuring a range of speakers and delegates from the US and Ireland who will discuss issues including COVID and Brexit. The Golden Bridges Conference will give the US audience a unique insight into how those living and working in the border region of Derry, Strabane and Donegal are collaborating to prepare for Brexit. – SPONSORS – Page Page 16 WELCOME TO THE 2020 GOLDEN BRIDGES CONFERENCE Message from Ireland NW Mayors he Mayor of Derry City and COVID and the repercussions are felt as well as its super digital connectivity Strabane District Council and An on a global level and we sincerely and competitive cost location, puts it in TCathaoirleach of Donegal County hope that the Golden Bridges will offer a very strong position for inward Council believe this year’s virtual Golden us a valuable insight into how we can investment. Bridges Conference and Awards progress our ambitions for the NW Cathaoirleach Donaghey believes ceremony, is a perfect opportunity for region. We believe that by working in that the superb quality of life for those political leaders, business, community tandem with our transatlantic partners living, working and studying in Ireland representatives and education providers and providing a forum to share North West is a very strong selling point from Ireland North West and Boston to learnings that will assist us in getting as well as our cultural compatibility and join together to further bind their strong through the current uncertain our accessibility to business support relationship. economic climate. The Golden Bridges programmes. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane Conference is always a key date in our “We firmly believe that our region District Council Cllr Brian Tierney says business diary, providing an has a very strong selling point for www.irishecho.com / www.irishecho.com Irish Echo / NOVEMBER 18 - 24, 2020 / that despite dealing with the COVID opportunity to forge valuable business investment and with our very positive pandemic, links between the two connections and augment the strong links with our educational, political, regions remain steadfast and there is a network of partnerships we have cultural and diaspora connections in real commitment to learn from one established over the years. While this the US, we can realise the potential of another and share experiences. He says year's event will occupy a different REBUILDING TOGETHER Ireland North West region. While it is he hopes the Conference will give the stage, it will still provide a vital chance disappointing that we can’t meet in US audience a unique insight into how to amplify the voice of the North West Connecting Boston, person, we are confident that this those living and working in the Ireland business community and connect with Massachusetts and Irish America virtual conference will allow us to re- North West border region of Derry, a wider online audience at this with Northwest Ireland engage with our colleagues and Strabane and Donegal are dealing with challenging time.” than ever that we extend our partners across the Atlantic to further the pandemic in the midst of working Mayor Tierney says a key element of connections to incite new opportunities cement our relationships and continue collaboratively in preparation of Brexit. the Golden Bridges is the opportunity for regional economic development." to work collaboratively.” An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County to showcase all that is good about He added that in addition to the The Golden Bridges Virtual Council Cllr Rena Donaghey says the Ireland Northwest to a US audience. “In showcasing the region’s resilience and Conference is jointly coordinated by challenges faced by the Ireland NW the face of the unprecedented strengths, a key message from the Derry City and Strabane District Council region in dealing with the current challenges posed by Covid-19 and conference will be the strategic cross and Donegal County Council in pandemic and preparing for Brexit will Brexit, the region has spearheaded a border location of Ireland North West partnership with Aisling events. It will feature predominately at the strong and unique strategic and Derry/Strabane and Donegal’s take place virtually, broadcasting live Conference, with speakers from various partnership, demonstrating unity and unique position post-Brexit. Mayor from the Guildhall, Derry, on Friday 20 community, cultural and commercial co-operation across many areas. We Tierney believes the region’s unique November from 08:30 to 14:00 EST. sectors from both sides of the Atlantic, have seen the extraordinary resilience border location will be of huge interest Golden Bridges aims to promote sharing their experiences. of our businesses and community to the American audience who are partnerships between Ireland Northwest She says: “We will be highlighting leaders in recent months and Golden interested in finding out more on how and Boston, Massachusetts and also to the positive work being done in both Bridges will serve as a platform to they can benefit from this unique highlight various community, business, regions in the face of these shared showcase these initiatives and profile geographic location that has the and education initiatives in the two economic challenges. The world has our regional offering to delegates potential to tap into both markets. He regions by bringing together influential been rocked in recent months by across the Atlantic. It is more important says, the region’s talent and skills base, business and political leaders. Golden Bridges Faces Into Brexit Divide By Ray O’Hanlon Massachusetts, and Ireland are stand- himself had been honored in the 2007 tive one, however. The prime convener out, permanent, very special. event and had spoken the following of Golden Bridges, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, For more than a decade the Golden As such, there are many bridges year at the JFK Library gathering. Of was serving as Lord Mayor of Belfast Bridges conference has focused on between the Bay State and the Emerald Burke, Ed Forry of the Boston Irish and duties there ruled out both his spans - spans across the border in Isle: cultural, social, emotional, and Reporter would write: “Burke was a organizing work for the event and his Ireland, and spans across the Atlantic physical in terms of trade and economic member of Division Eight, Ancient bridging the Atlantic. linking Ireland's Northwest, Boston and exchange. Order of Hibernians for over 40 years The conference reconvened in 2014 Massachusetts. Hence Golden Bridges, an annual and served as an officer in various at the Seaport Hotel and worked to the During the most recent gatherings in endorsement and celebration of all capacities on national, state and coun- theme of “New Alliances in a New Era.” Boston, Brexit has been a subject of these links now twelve years on the go, ty boards as well as on the division In 2018, Golden Bridges was again discussion. This year, with the confer- though this year not in its favorite level. An enthusiastic supporter of based at the Seaport Hotel and this ence based in Derry and going virtual venue: Boston's Seaport Hotel. Irish history and culture, he was marked a decade of association with as a consequence of Covid-19, Brexit, The Golden Bridges conference took instrumental in organizing and orches- the venue. The 2018 Dave Burke Award not surprisingly, is again a subject of initial flight in New York in 2007 but very trating annually Irish Heritage Month winner was Dave Barrett, Director, Irish conversation - and not a small degree of quickly took wing northward to its first in the city of Lawrence. He was the Cultural Center of New England. The consternation. Boston gathering, in 2008, at the John founder and president of the Irish 2019 winner was Maureen Lenihan, Once Brexit comes to finally and fully F. Kennedy Library where eleven Golden Foundation of Lawrence, Inc., and also Vice President of AEW Capital pass there begins a period of consider- Bridges awards were presented to ten the Irish Room and Hibernian Management. able uncertainty, this in the face of any individuals and one company. Those Collection at the South Lawrence As it is every year, the purpose of the and all reassurance. individuals were as varied as former Branch Library, which houses one of conference is to promote partnerships And amid such uncertainty, the congressman Marty Meehan and Ken the largest collections of Irish books, between the Northeast United States importance of the transatlantic link Casey of the band Dropkick Murphys. media, memorabilia and periodicals in and Northwest by highlighting commu- grows all the more vital. From that sacred space the confer- the Northeast.” nity, business, and education initia- If you were going to build a literal ence moved the following year to the The inaugural David Burke Award (it tives, this by bringing together leaders bridge from America to Ireland, Boston Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center would become more familiar as the from both sides of the Atlantic. Harbor would be as a good a place to where it convened in all the years up to Dave Burke Award) was presented by Bridges are links. Golden Bridges start as any. 2019 with a contributory input from New Dave’s wife, Pat, to a legendary son of links Massachusetts, Boston, and the If symbolism and heritage had any York, Belfast and Dublin.