Irish Ambassador to United Nations at Iona College

Ambassador Donoghue pictured with Br. Kevin Cawley of ERI and Sr. Kathleen Deignan, CND, from the Iona Spirituality Institute

H.E. Mr. David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations, was a guest at Iona College in April as part of the celebration of Columba Day at Iona.

The gathering was sponsored by the Iona Spirituality Institute, the Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue and Edmund Rice International. The Ambassador had been invited to the event by Br. Kevin Cawley, representing Edmund Rice International at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The college was commemorating the 1450th anniversary of St. Columba’s arrival at the the island of Iona where he founded the monastic center that was to become a source of learning and faith for many centuries.   The day at Iona College was especially graced by the presence of J. Philip Newell , former Warden of Iona, who shared his deep regard for the spirit of Iona and the transmission of these values to Iona College in particular. His prayer and insight were the centerpiece of the day of reflection.

The President of Iona, Dr. Joseph Nyre , welcomed all and shared his enthusiasm for St. Columba which grew out of a recent visit to the island of Iona.   Dr. Nyre has made clear his deep regard for the legacy of the Christian Brothers at Iona and their special connection to the legacy of St. Columba.

Ambassador Donoghue in his remarks thanked Iona for the invitation and shared how especially pleased he was to have some time to visit the campus and to see the large,imposing granite statue of Columba at the center of the college quadrangle. He was also able to view the bronze rendering of Blessed Edmund Rice with students positioned nearby the Columba statue. He had not been to the campus prior to this visit. He was of course familiar with the story of Edmund Rice and his brothers in Ireland and pleased to see it is unfolding still in this part of the world.