Warm welcome for US congressman Boyle
US Democratic Congressman, Brendan Boyle received a warm welcome during a visit to his ancestral home of Easkey.
The Congressman from Philadelphia has strong family connections with Rathlee, where his maternal grandparents once lived.
Congressman Boyle’s relations on his father’s side come from Glencolmcille, County Donegal.
Congressman Boyle spoke fondly of his grandparents, who lived near him in Philadelphia when he was growing up, and spoke often of their upbringing in County Sligo.
The Congressman and his brother Kevin who is a State representative for the Philadelphia district and their father, Francis, arrived at Easkey Community Centre last Tuesday morning where they were welcomed by the local community and met with relatives in the area.
During their stay, they paid a visit to Easkey graveyard, where Congressman Boyle’s great- grandparents are buried, as well as attending a tree- planting ceremony and a plaque was unveiled at the Walsh ancestral home at Cooga near Easkey.
There was also a reception in the local community centre.
Brendan Boyle’s maternal Great Grandmother Mary Ellen Harrison, Cooga, married a Mayo man, Michael Walsh.
Their son Josie Walsh married Celia Wall and they immigrated to the USA.
They had one daughter, Eileen, now deceased. She married Francis Boyle, a Donegal man, and they in turn had two sons: Brendan and Kevin.
Philadelphia was where Congressman Boyle grew up close to where his grandparents lived and he was therefore heavily influenced by this Irish background.
Congressman Boyle has visited Ireland in the past, the last time about four years ago when his brother got married in Donegal. The congressman has been keen in recent days to stress his immigrant roots in light of the recent clashes with far right protesters. Congressman Boyle tweeted: As the son of an immigrant, I’m proud to stand with immigrants in Pennsylvania and across the country # IStandWithImmigrants