Irish dancing takes over council chambers
Consul general of Ireland makes her first trip to City Hall on St. Patrick's Day
In celebration of St. Patrick's Day, the Los Angeles City Council was treated to performances by students from an Irish dance school in San Pedro while welcoming the general consul of Ireland to City Hall on Friday.
The occasion marked the first time in the city's history that the consul general of Ireland has appeared in the L.A. council chambers. Friday's celebration concluded with dance numbers performed by students from the Lyons Academy of Irish Dance in San Pedro.
The event was organized through the office of Councilmember Tim McOsker, whose paternal grandmother grew up an orphan in Ireland and was sent to the United States as a domestic worker. She later married McOsker's grandfather, also of Irish descent.
Speaking before the council, McOsker noted that a handful of former councilmembers and mayors have claimed Irish heritage: Mike Bonin, Eric Garcetti, Tom LaBonge, Mitch O'Farrell and Richard Riordan.
Marcella Smyth, consul general of Ireland, said that this year, Ireland is celebrating its 90th year of diplomatic relations with the state of California.
Citing an Irish quote — “There is no strength without unity” — Smyth said, “This unity, this solidarity, it is really keenly felt within and by our community here in Los Angeles.”
Nearly 364,500 people in Los Angeles County are of Irish descent — the most of any county in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
About 2.3 million Californians claim Irish heritage and about 7% of all people in the U.S. identify as being of Irish descent.