San Jose, CA ----  The annual “Spirit of Ireland” Week has come to San Jose this week with today’s arrival of a delegation from Dublin to help celebrate the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program.

“I am proud to provide a warm San Jose welcome to our Irish visitors as we strengthen the ties between our communities during Irish Week.,” said San Jose Mayor Ron Gonzales.

 “We have developed a delightful and beneficial relationship between the people of Dublin and San Jose over the past two decades,” said San Jose Councilmember Linda LeZotte, who also serves as president of the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program. “Irish Week celebrates the heritage we hold in common and the opportunities we build together.”

The delegation from Ireland includes Dublin city councillors John Stafford, Ruairi McGinley, and Anthony Creevey; Dublin City Manager John Fitzgerald; Kevin Dowling, Chairman of the Dublin Sister City Twinning Committee; Peter Webster, President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce; Declan Martin, Director of Policy for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce; Brendan Palmer, Dublin Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Pat Frain, University College, Dublin; and Dr. Eoin O’Neill, Trinity College, Dublin.

This year the annual “Spirit of Ireland” award will be presented to Wim Roelandts, CEO Xilinx, Inc. Xilinx is a San Jose company with operations in Dublin, Ireland. The Irish Development Association, the Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland, and Enterprise Ireland also have recognized Xilinx.

“This award recognizes the company’s outstanding contributions that exemplify our warm relationship between San José/Silicon Valley and Ireland,” said LeZotte. “The presence of Xilinx in Dublin has made a tremendous impact on the economy and the lives of Irish people.”

Previous winners of the Spirit of Ireland award include former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery, Gordon Moore of Intel, John Lewis of Amdhal; Nobel Peace Prize recipient John Hume, Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, and President Bill Clinton.

Activities planned for the Dublin delegation during Irish week include briefings on economic development and Silicon Valley business opportunities; meetings with representatives of San Jose State and Stanford Universities; tours of San Jose and Silicon Valley; and a San Jose Sharks game.

Other public events include:

10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 6:

Sister City Flag Raising Ceremony in Front of San Jose City Hall

801 North First Street

7:30 p.m., Friday, March 8

“Spirit of Ireland Award” Dinner at the San Jose Fairmont Hotel. 

For information, call (408) 537-0893

For general information about the San Jose-Dublin Sister City Program or Irish             Week, call (408) 537-0893