Honorable Mayor Ohtaki and Council Members, Appearing on the Agenda for this week's City Council meeting, agenda item E-1 indicates "Proclamation welcoming Mayor of Galway, Ireland". With the annual holiday of St. Patrick's Day being celebrated this week on Saturday, March 17, 2018, what better way can there be than to have the Mayor of Galway City, Ireland attend this week's Menlo Park City Council meeting. This follows a long tradition, dating back to year 1853 when two Irish immigrants, Dennis J. Oliver and D.C. McGlynn traveled from their homeland in Menlough (Menlo) village in Galway, Ireland to what is now known as the City of Menlo Park. This creates a heritage and cultural tie to their 500+ year old city, and our beloved city. Interesting to learn that both cities have much in common, with vibrant universities nearby, world headquarters of Hewlett Packard nearby and a number of other common links. Recent Galway Mayors traveling to the City of Menlo Park include: 1) 2013 - Mayor Padraig Conneely, who signed the Friendship Agreement with Menlo Park 2) 2015 - Donal Lyons 3) 2016 - Frank Fahy, who signed the Sister City Agreement with Menlo Park 4) 2017 - Noel Larkin 5) 2018 - Pearce Flannery What is equally exciting, the famous Menlo Gates is also on your agenda tonight. As it turns out, following many, many years of effort, Galway City is getting started in the refurbishment of their Menlo Gates. This is definitely a mutual occasion and reason to celebrate. Local Menlo Park merchants traditionally get in the spirit of the holiday by providing a number of opportunities. Greeting cards are generally available at Village Stationers, Walgreens, CVS, Safeway and Draeger's, for instance. Festive lunches are often available at both the Menlo Park Senior Center in Belle Haven and the Menlo Park Little House on Middle Avenue. The REFUGE has offered for many years a festive environment, Irish Beer and once a year delicious Corn Beef and Cabbage. For more information on this, please refer to the attached flyer. For more information about Mayor Pearce Flannery, go to www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/mayor_of_galway. HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY !! James Lewis President Menlo Park Historical Association (MPHA) 800 Alma Street, Lower Level Menlo Park, CA 94025 Tel. (650) 330-2522 Website: www.sites.google.com/site/mphistorical Facebook: www.facebook.com/menloparkhistorical Also, information is available at the MPHA website: www.sites.google.com/site/twomenlosisters Encl.: Refuge - flyer 2018 application/pdf attachment: Letter_to_MPCC_re_St._Pat_s_Day_2018.pdf
