Republican News · Thursday 6 March 2003

Sinn Féin leaders visit US for St Patrick's Day

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams will be travelling to the US on 13 March for a series of engagements and will remain there until the 17th. Other Sinn Féin leaders, Martin McGuinness, Gerry Kelly, Pat Doherty, and Martin Ferris will accompany him. Mitchel McLaughlin is travelling to Toronto, Canada.

Rita O'Hare, Sinn Féin US director, said: "This St Patrick's Day period in America will give Sinn Féin the opportunity to talk to our friends and supporters who have helped to make the Irish Peace Process an international issue. We will be speaking to people in Washington who have had a direct role in the peace process and to Irish Americans right across the USA who share our vision of peace, justice and equality in a united Ireland."

Gerry Adams will be in Washington DC for the 13th, Chicago for 14th and 15th, and he will back in Washington DC for the 17th.

Martin McGuinness will be in Manhattan on the 12th of March, Philadelphia on the 13th, San Francisco on the 14th till the 16th and Seattle on the 17th.

Gerry Kelly will be in Manhattan alongside Mr McGuinness on the 12th, Boston on the 13th, Ohio on the 14th, Covington, Kentucky, on the 15th, Cincinnati on the 16th, and Washington DC on the 17th.

Pat Doherty will also be in Manhattan on the 12th, in Warren, Michigan on the 13th, and New Jersey on the 14th. He will march in the Trenton, New Jersey, parade on the 15th and the Philadelphia parade on the 16th. He will return to New York on the 17th for the city's Parade.

Martin Ferris will be in Manhattan on the 12th, and then he will join Gerry Kelly in Boston on the 13th. He will be in Massachussetts on the 14th and 15th, returning to Boston again for the 17th and 18th.

Mitchel McLaughlin will be in Toronto between the 14th and 16th of March and will be on the Review Stand for the city's Parade on Sunday.