On Monday night, County Executive Robert P. Astorino met Michael D. Higgins, the president of Ireland, at the Irish consulate in Manhattan.
Higgins, who is in New York on his first official visit to the United States since taking office last November, met Astorino at a reception hosted by the Consul General of Ireland, Noel Kilkenny.
Astorino and Higgins discussed potential economic development opportunities between Westchester and Ireland. On a lighter note, Astorino, who was accompanied by his wife Sheila, recalled his 2001 wedding at Kinnitty Castle in County Offaly, where Sheila’s ancestors hail. Higgins was joined by his wife Sabina.
According to the U.S. Census, approximately 125,000 Westchester County residents claim Irish ancestry, the second largest ancestry reported after Italian.
Photo (l. to r.): Sabina Higgins, Michael Higgins, Robert Astorino and Sheila Astorino.