As the first-ever all-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil kicked off in Belfast, a top American labor leader was striking a chord with local government and trade unionists.
Sean O'Brien, President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, was in Belfast to build bonds with the James Connolly Centre in West Belfast — which promotes the labor message of the 1916 Leader — while also taking part in meetings related to his role as a Director of the Massachusetts Port Authority, Massport.
Among those he met were Ethel Buckley Deputy General Secretary of Ireland's 'strongest union' SIPTU and Áras Uí Chonghaile co-founder (and former Sinn Féin President) Gerry Adams. Significant funding for the center has come from the American labor movement, in particular from construction union LiUNA. 'SPIRIT OF 1916': The Teamsters delegation which met SIPTU outside the James Connolly Centre/Áras Uí Chonghaile in West Belfast
On the fringes of the West Belfast Féile — a 700-event community festival which overlapped with the Fleadh Cheoil — Sean O'Brien met with community activists and viewed a moving display of shoes belonging to state victims of violence. Each pair of shoes had been donated by relatives of victims and included a brief bio of the person and how they had been killed.
FÁILTE: Gerry Adams welcomes Teamsters chief of staff Brain Rainville to Belfast
Joining a delegation from Massport led by CEO Rich Davey - an honoree at the Irish Echo Maritime Awards — the Teamsters President took part in engagements with Belfast Port, Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport and Belfast City Hall. Discussions around continued collaboration on green hydrogen production, port-to-port co-operation and a direct flight between Boston and Belfast dominated the agenda at the transatlantic meetings. ALL ABOARD: Teamsters and Massport delegations joined Belfast Port officials on a tour of Belfast harbour
Highlight of a whirlwind four day visit was a brief engagement with President of Ireland Catherine Connolly who was in Belfast for the Fleadh. The visit came on the back of a pledge by Sean O'Brien at the Irish Maritime Awards in New York in April to do more to build relations between "two great countries: Ireland and America."
Sean O'Brien and his Deputy President Fred Zucherman (who joined him on the Belfast trip) were returned for another five year term at the Teamsters' Convention in Las Vegas in September.
