There have been a series of glitzy parties in Dublin and Washington as two of our top diplomats swap jobs - Sean O hUiginn goes as ambassador to the US and Dermot Gallagher returns here as second secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs. In her Phoenix Park residence last week, US ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith threw a party for O hUiginn, who has been the top civil servant dealing with the North for several years. Washington being Washington there was a string of events. Last Wednesday Senator Ted Kennedy and Congressman Richard Neal hosted a farewell reception at the Mansfield Room Capitol on Hill, where Dermot was presented with a specially-drawn map of the US showing cities, counties and towns with Irish names.
Earlier, Dundalk businessman George Moore who, as well as heading a highly successful software company in the US, also owns Belleek Pottery and Galway Crystal, had a high-powered gathering. Not surprisingly the Gallaghers were presented with a crystal dish and a set of pottery. Guests at the Virginia mansion included Secretary of Education Dick Riley, the director of the FBI Louis Freeh, Senators Patrick Leahy and Charles Robb, White House political aide Susan Brophy, former director of the National Security Council Tony Lake, President Clinton's former legal counsel Jack Quinn, and former Secretary to the Cabinet Kitty Higgins, who is now Deputy Secretary of Labour. Her boss, William Daley, son of the former Mayor of Chicago and brother of the present one, couldn't make it.
Last month Irish organisations in the Washington area gave a big party in the AOH hall in Virginia, and the next day it was the turn of the labour-dominated Friends of Ireland. In New York, Mutual of America, the firm of multimillionaire and peace process activist Bill Flynn, entertained the departing pair. The Republicans on the Hill are also planning a reception and queueing up to say goodbye are the Connecticut Wild Geese and the Baltimore Irish. Then there's the leave-taking in Mexico, where Gallagher was also accredited for the past six years. Dublin will be a comedown after this.