Austin – WineGeese reception for Irish Ambassador Anne Anderson and Texas’s new Irish Consul General Adrian Farrell
On September 12, 2014 friends and supporters of The American Ireland Fund provided a warm Texan welcome to Ambassador Anderson on her first trip to Texas – while also making Consul General Farrell feel most welcome in his new hometown of Austin. The reception was co-sponsored by Fionnuala and Barry Conlon, Leslie and Ray Sullivan, and Bernadette and Dan Shelley. From the offices of host Ray Sullivan, all guests were treated to magnificent views of the Texas State Capitol while they enjoyed the 2012 Viognier and the 2012 Tempranillo wines from Winegeese vintners, Brennan Vineyards of Comanche, Texas.
Host Ray Sullivan welcomed everyone and provided a fascinating overview of the little-known history of the Irish in Texas. Consul General Farrell then thanked all present for making him feel so at home in his new city. He said he looked forward to playing his part in enlarging the community of people throughout Texas who are interested in and committed to connecting with Ireland. Ambassador Anderson spoke of Ireland’s decision to invest in Texas through its establishment of an Irish Consulate in Austin. She spoke fondly of her long association with The American Ireland Fund and The Ireland Funds’ WineGeese Society dating back to her time as Ireland’s Ambassador to France, then as Ambassador to the UN in New York and now as her country’s Ambassador to the United States. She thanked The American Ireland Fund for being a good, true and supportive friend to Ireland for the past nearly 40 years, most especially for standing by Ireland during the recent economic crisis.
Honorary Consul General and AIF National Board member, John Kane closed out the evening with a very special presentation to Ambassador Anderson of the second edition of the award winning book, “A Kingdom of Wine” made possible by support from the patrons of the WineGeese Society of The Ireland Funds. Honorary Consul General Kane thanked the Ambassador for being so hospitable and gracious to The American Ireland Fund and to the WineGeese in particular in both France and the US.
