Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award formally launched in Buncrana

The Tip O’Neill Donegal Diaspora Award has been formally launched today, commemorating the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, whose maternal roots are in Buncrana.
The award and related events are being coordinated by Buncrana Town and Donegal County Councils to honour Mr O’Neill’s achievements in American political life and his contribution to the peace process.
The weekend of September 7th and 8th will be devoted to Tipp O’Neill, with the first annual Tip O’Neill Diaspora Award being presented on the Friday night.
Irish American Partnership Bursaries in honour of Tip O’Neill will be presented to schools in the Buncrana on the same evening, both events in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel.
On Saturday morning, the first annual Tip O’Neill Diaspora Lecture will be delivered by Prof. Paul Arthurs, and that afternoon, the Tip O’Neill Commemorative Monument will be unveiled on the Shorefront.
The Diaspora Award 2012 will be presented to a selected person or people who are actively working on behalf of the Irish Diaspora globally or in Ireland.
The Mayor of Buncrana, Cllr James Gill told the launch that Buncrana is proud of its links with Tipp O’Neill. and said that commemorating him will bring very positive cultural, heritage and enterprise events to the area.