SFLimerickToday

If you love animals and want a Limerick/Bay Area connection come join us at the Marin Humane Society for Whiskers and Wine on Saturday, October 18th.

Marion Fitzgibbon from Limerick Animal Welfare has been chosen as the Marin Humane Society's Humanitarian of the Year. Marion will be here to accept her award for the wonderful work she has done over the years for the animals of Limerick City and beyond. If you would like to learn more about Limerick Animal Welfare check out their website at:

www.limerickanimalwelfare.com

In 1988 I was a teenager “back home from America”, visiting relatives and friends in Ireland, and had the enormous privilege of volunteering at the Global Communications Conference at the then newly restored Dromoland Castle. Put on by the National Institute for Higher Education and Irish Peace Institute Research Centre in Limerick speakers included Live Aid’s Bob Geldof and US media mogul Ted Turner who had recently started the Moscow Games. The focus of the conference was how to use technology and global communications for peace building and I was fascinated.

Hi all, I have just chanced on this site and it looks great. I have just written a book about my grandfather, especially his activities during the Irish Civil War in Limerick, please have a look at my website http://www.conniemackey.com/ and sign my guestbook.

Jim Corbett

What a wonderful idea! We in the California Irish Forum have wonderful memories of our visit to Limerick and thank all we met for so graciously welcoming us.

Kate O'Brien was born into a prosperous Limerick family in 1897. She began her writing career in 1926 and Without My Cloak, a novel written in 1930, was her first best seller. Other works include The Ante Room, That Lady, The Land of Spices and The Last of Summer. Although frequently returning to Limerick, the inspiration for much of her work, Kate O'Brien spent the latter part of her life in England. She died in 1974.

In 1984 Arlen House held a seminar in Limerick to mark the tenth anniversary of Kate O'Brien's death, Arising from the success of this event, the Kate O'Brien Committee was formed and it was decided to hold an annual literary weekend in Limerick in honour of the city's most famous deceased author.

The Kate O'Brien Weekend 2009

The theme of the twenty fourth Kate O'Brien Weekend, held on Feb 29 - March 2, 2008, was "the transforming power of money".

SFLimerickToday and it's author, Frank Ahern, would like to propose a theme for the Kate O'Brien Weekend 2009 -- San Francisco's Irish literary tradtion. A good example of this is The Irish Literary & Historical Society which was founded in San Francisco in 1945 to provide an open, nonsectarian, and nonpolitical forum for the presentation and discussion of Irish and Irish-American art, history, literature, society, and culture.

See http://www.kobweekend.com

Limerick is an ancient City steeped in history since receiving its Charter in 1197.

As the City’s 811th Mayor, I very much welcome the opportunity to congratulate Frank Ahern on the setting up of the website SFLimerickToday.

Having recently visited California, I had the pleasure to meet Mayor Gavin Newsom in San Francisco and experience first hand the unique bond that exists between us.

There are so many opportunities and benefits to be derived to further foster and enhance our sister city relationship that I would encourage people from all sectors to play an active part in this promotion.

With good wishes and continued success.

CLLR. GER FAHY,

MAYOR OF LIMERICK.

It is my pleasure to seek my way into SFLimerickToday.com at the invitation of its creator, Frank Ahern. I give my congratulations to SFLimerickToday on behalf of the CALIFORNIA IRISH FORUM. The universal concept of exchanging information is central to the IRISH FORUM purpose of promoting dialogue for good cause.

IRISH FORUM connections with the University of Limerick range in time from an early 1980s reception in San Francisco at the Marines Memorial Club and Hotel with Dr. Brendan O’Regan, who spoke of Cooperation North and Peace Institute activities at the University of Limerick, to a May 20 2005 IRISH FORUM group visit to the University. On the latter occasion we were welcomed by the exuberant Mr. Tony Bretherton, Executive Director, University of Limerick Foundation, we met with Dermot Walsh, brilliant Professor of Law, toured the wonderful campus and enjoyed a delicious lunch on campus.

Look for CALIFORNIA IRISH FORUM members to make entries describing experience and thoughts relating to Limerick.
Happy St. Patrick’s Season 2008
J. Patrick Goggins
Chair, California Irish Forum

Rugby star scores a try for hospitality - Rugby star Mike Mullins launched his new hospitality company this week. The Irish Rugby international and key Munster player's new Limerick-based hospitality company, 4U Hospitality, will offer pre-match hospitality packages at all major sporting events in Ireland and abroad.

[News from Limerick]

The City and County of San Francisco
Certificate of Honor
Presented to
Frank Ahern
August 2, 2007

Whereas, on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco, I am pleased to recognize and congratulate Frank Ahern for his outstanding commitment to improving the community around him. Your dedication and efforts to connect the citizens of your homeland in Limerick, Ireland to the citizens of San Francisco are greatly appreciated. Your enthusiasm will surely contribute to your continued success. Congratulations and good luck in your future endeavors!

Therefore, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco to be affixed.

Gavin Newsom
Mayor

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newson presents a certificate of honor to Frank Ahern, creator of SFLimerickToday.com

We at SFLimerickToday.com invite your active participation in this site. (Click here to contribute or add a comment to any of our articles). The mission of SFLimerickToday.com is to encourage and stimulate the connection between Limerick, Ireland and San Francisco, California. A number of San Francisco-based groups including the Irish Literary and
Historical Society and the membership of the Irish Cultural Centre are interested in the tremendous history and literature of Limerick. The purpose of SFLT is to develop networking, and provide a space for communication between the two cities in relation to social, political, cultural (including artistic, theatrical, poetry, literary, linguistic, musical), business (including entrepreneurial), academic, European Union and religious matters.

San Francisco is a cosmopolitan city with many ethnic groups, and there is a well-established connection between San Francisco and Ireland including a sister-city relationship between San Francisco and Cork. A sizable number of people in San Francisco have connections with Limerick and there is huge potential for a deeper relationship between the two cities.

And so we invite you to get involved, contribute your thoughts about information we can provide on this site. As we are at the very early stages of conceiving and developing the content of this site and forming a community around it, we are seeking your input and participation. Please leave your thoughts on our guestbook, and contact me at frank@sflimericktoday.com