Copied from Donegal Daily and Photo from Matt Britton

Ardara woman Kathleen Sheerin has been announced as one of this year’s recipients of the Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Awards.

Kathleen, who lives in Dublin, is a steadfast promoter of her home county and a valued member of the Donegal Association in Dublin since the 1970s. In 2015, she was formally recognised by the Association for her 40 plus years of unbroken voluntary service to their Committee.

The youngest child of Tom Gallagher and Mollie Boyle, Wooden Bridge, Ardara, Kathleen has long worked to promote Ardara, Glenties and wider Donegal at events around the world, including USA, Dubai and London.

Speaking to Donegal.ie, Kathleen said she was truly privileged and honoured to be nominated for a Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award.

“Whilst I was the named nominee, I feel that this nomination is really a recognition of the long standing work of the Donegal Association in Dublin over many years. It is a tribute, in particular, to the dedication and commitment of all my fellow committee members past and present.”

Kathleen also took the opportunity to celebrate her home county and its craft heritage: “Being a member of the Donegal Association Committee has allowed me a platform to promote all that is good about Donegal and I have tried to do that at every given opportunity. The people, the heritage, the natural unspoilt beauty, the culture and the local industries are second to none.

She added “when I was manager of the Donegal Tweed Shop in St. Stephen’s Green customers from all over the world would leave not only with high quality hand-made garments, but also an understanding of the skill, craftsmanship and history that went into the making the cloth. They also learned about how the colours in the tweed captured the natural beauty in the local surroundings”.