Canadian Prime Minister invited home to Mayo

CANADIAN Prime Minister Mark Carney is to receive an official invitation to visit his family's home county of Mayo.

Mr. Carney has roots in the Aughagower area outside Westport, where his grandfather Robert Carney and his wife Nora Moran hailed from.

Mayo should be forging links with Canada, Councillor Peter Flynn told a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting, where he proposed that a formal letter of invitation be sent to the recently elected PM to visit the MD in the year ahead.

Canada has a population of over 40 million, with a huge connection to Mayo, and we should be forging links with Canada, especially as the Prime Minister has grandparents linked with the MD, said Councillor Flynn.

The excitement created locally by Mr. Carney's elevation to Prime Minister was commented on by Councillor Johnny O'Malley.