Civic reception honours Mayo - Cleveland twinning
THE celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the twinning agreement between Mayo County Council, Achill and Cleveland have opened with a civic reception.
The reception was awarded to Gerry Quinn and marks the council's highest honour.
Cathaoirleach Councillor Michael Loftus, who hosted the event, said: “The awarding of a civic reception is the highest honour that Mayo County Council can bestow on anyone, and Gerry Quinn is the latest in a very small and select group of people to receive this honour.”
Gerry Quinn, a native of Garracloon, just outside of Ballina, has been a tireless ambassador for Mayo and Ireland for over three decades through his widely acclaimed Gerry Quinn Irish Radio show on WHK 1420.
His dedication to Mayo and its diaspora extends beyond the airwaves, as he conceived and founded Cleveland's Irish American Club in 1978 and later established the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland in 2004.
As president of the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland, Gerry has tirelessly worked to promote Mayo as a world-class tourism and investment destination. Additionally, the society supports various Irish American charities, including an annual donation to the Mary Dugan Centre in Cleveland and a scholarship program between John Carroll University and the University of Galway.
The annual Cleveland Mayo Person of the Year award, initiated by the society, serves as a significant highlight, recognising outstanding achievements in politics, business, academia, and industry by individuals with strong Mayo connections.
The chief executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly, added: “The civic reception for Gerry Quinn is a testament to his enduring commitment to promoting Mayo's heritage and culture. We are pleased that this honour can be accorded as part of the wider occasion of the 20 year anniversary of the twinning agreement between Mayo County Council, Achill and Cleveland City Council.
“Mayo County Council continues to work hard in building up relationships with our diaspora. The work that Gerry Quinn and other Mayo diaspora groups do around the world is something that we don’t take for granted and it is fitting we get to recognise him in a formal way.”
The 20 years of the twinning will also be celebrated in the US in October when a delegation from Mayo will visit Cleveland for an event being hosted by the Mayo society there.