Northern Ireland

Irish Ambassador to unveil John Hume bust in Washington

A bust of former SDLP leader, John Hume will be unveiled in the garden of the Irish ambassador's official residence in Washington.
A bust of former SDLP leader, John Hume will be unveiled in the garden of the Irish ambassador's official residence in Washington. A bust of former SDLP leader, John Hume will be unveiled in the garden of the Irish ambassador's official residence in Washington.

A BUST of John Hume is to be unveiled in Washington next week by Irish Ambassador to the US Dan Mulhall.

It is understood a number of Irish political leaders will attend the unveiling in the garden of the official Irish Ambassador’s residence next Tuesday.

A key part of the late SDLP leader’s political strategy was the harnessing of Irish American influence in the US capital.

The Nobel peace laureate, was received annually by successive US presidents on his St Patrick’s Day visits to Washington.

The unveiling of the new bust is one of a number of events planned around St Patrick’s Day.

Ulster Unionist assembly member and former party leader, Mike Nesbitt will deliver a keynote address in a “Building Common Ground” discussion organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation.

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Alison Gilliland will deliver the opening words at the event at Trinity College, Dublin, starting at 7pm.

Mr Nesbitt’s address at Room G16 in the Irish School of Ecumenics, Loyola Institute, Trinity College.

The John and Pat Hume Foundation secretaryTim Attwood said tonight’s event would be in person and would also be live streamed.

Anyone wishing to register can do so at: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/274150009057/.

Meanwhile Pat Hume will also be the focus of a television programme celebrating her life on RTÉ television next Tuesday.

Part of the “Cloch le Carn” series, the programme is one of four celebrating the lives of prominent public figures who passed away in the last year.

Other programmes feature musician, Paddy Maloney, former Progressive Democrats’ leader Des O’Malley and broadcaster Donncha Ó Dúlaing.