Lavery snowbound in USA
By Christy Mac an Bhaird
After years of talking about it, months of procrastination, and
weeks of toing and froing at the US consulate, North Belfast
Councillor Bobby Lavery finally landed in the USA - in the middle
of a snow storm.
Lavery arrived in New York on Saturday on his way to Akron, Ohio.
According to Kevin Gaffney of the AOH in Akron, Lavery landed in
New York but did not have a plane ticket to continue to
Cleveland. Several AOH members bundled into a car and drove for
eight and a half hours to pick him up. He finally arrived in
Akron amid the region's first snow of the year.
Commenting on his first trip to the US Lavery said, ``It's
brilliant. They were all very generous in their welcome and in
their support. The next time I come back, I'd prefer there were
less restrictions on my visa.''
He didn't get his visa approved in Belfast until Friday at
2:45pm. ``I wasn't sure I was going to be able to make it. The
consulate held back my visa until the last minute and then there
was a rush to get the tickets, but I'm glad to be here.''
He was unable to get the ticket for Cleveland before he flew out
and his friends in Akron had difficulty buying the ticket over
the phone. ``The airlines wanted verification and I had to be
there to buy the ticket,'' he said.
During his eight day visit he will meet local politicians and
business people who have an interest in Irish affairs and he will
address Akron City Council's weekly meeting.
Many of Lavery's friends and supporters are expected to meet with
him during his stay. One group from Columbus headed out on
Saturday afternoon during the snow storm, determined to make a
scheduled event at the Stow Army that was being hosted by the St
Brendan's Division of the AOH, which Lavery was expected to
attend.
Over the last four years, Bobby Lavery has got to know scores of
Americans who traveled to Belfast on the Irish People Belfast
March Tour each August. The tour travels with an American host
and a host from Sinn Fein. For the past four years Lavery has
been the Sinn Fein representative.
Larry Quinn, editor of the Irish People, said, ``It's quite
conceivable that Bobby Lavery could land in any city in the USA
and find a friend. He's probably met several hundred Americans in
Belfast just from the tour and every one of them considers him a
friend.''
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