Honorable Anne Anderson
Guest Speaker

Hon. Anne Anderson, former Irish Ambassador to the United States, will be the Keynote Speaker at the 282^nd Charitable Irish Dinner on 17 March 2019 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.  In recognition of her long and distinguished career in the Irish diplomatic service, the Society will confer our 2019 Life Achievement Award on Ambassador Anderson.

Born in Co. Tipperary and educated at University College, Dublin and King’s Inn Dublin, Ms Anderson joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1972 and held a variety of posts at home and abroad before she became the first woman appointed as the First Secretary at the Irish Embassy in Washington, D. C. in the mid-1980s.  After four years in a senior management position at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, Ms. Anderson’s first ambassadorial appointment was to the United Nations, Geneva (1995-2001).  This was followed by subsequent assignments as Ireland’s Ambassador to the European Union at Brussels (2002-2005), France (2005-2009) and the United Nations at New York (2009-2013).

In 2017 Ms. Anderson became Ireland’s 17th Ambassador to the United States, the first woman to hold that position.  During her four year tenure in Washington, Ms. Anderson focused on strengthening Ireland’s economic, trade and investment links with the United States.  She was frequent speaker at various educational and cultural venues, and made her first ambassadorial appearance in Boston in October 2017 when she spoke to our society. Through her speeches and lobbying on Capitol Hill, Ambassador Anderson did much to highlight Ireland’s interest in promoting reform of US immigration law, and also encouraged continued United States interest in and support for the evolving Northern Irish peace process and the cause of reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

Ambassador Anderson has been the recipient of multiple honors and awards, including honorary doctorates from the National University of Ireland and Fordham University as well as the Gold Medal Award from Trinity College’s Historical Society.  She was named as “Diplomat of the Year” by the European Voice in 2004 in recognition of her effective leadership during Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union.  The Charitable Irish Society looks forward to Ambassador Anderson’s keynote address and her perspectives on contemporary issues relating to the Irish diaspora and immigration.  We are delighted to have her join our distinguished past honorees such as Charles S. Parnell, M.P., President Mary McAleese and President Michael D. Higgins and the late Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney.

Fairmont Copley Plaza

The Charitable Irish Society has reserved a room block at favorable rates ($299 for standard and $339 for deluxe - exclusive of taxes and fees) at the Fairmont Copley for the evening of March 17th.   Ten rooms are available.  If you are attending the dinner and plan to stay overnight, please contact the Fairmont Copley directly and let them know you are attending the CIS St. Patrick's Day Anniversary Dinner to reserve your room at these rates.   Please note reservations must be made by February 17th.

Invite your friends and relatives and join us on St. Patrick's Day as we celebrate this momentous event.