Consul General Orla McBreen.
By Ray O’Hanlon and JC Sullivan
rohanlon@irishecho.com
Ireland has six consulates in the United States in addition to the embassy in Washington, D.C.
And of the seven diplomatic outposts, three are now headed by women diplomats.
The latest arrival is Orla McBreen, the recently appointed Consul General in Chicago with responsibility for the Windy City and the Midwest states.
[caption id="attachment_80565" align="aligncenter" width="150"] Terrence O’Donnell.
McBreen joins Ambassador Anne Anderson in Washington, and Consul General Barbara Jones in New York.
One of consul General McBreen’s first out of Chicago-forays will take her to Cleveland, Ohio for the Mayo Society of Cleveland’s Annual Ball, set for Saturday, October 10.
The gathering, one of the main events in the Ohio city’s annual Irish American calendar, will this year be honoring 2015 Person of the Year, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell.
O’Donnell will be honored at the black tie event being held at the Cleveland Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, Public Square, Cleveland.
A native Clevelander, O’Donnell began his judicial career in 1980 on the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
Since joining the Supreme Court in 2003 he has led statewide efforts to increase professionalism among lawyers and judges across the Buckeye State.
He regularly speaks on topics of ethics, professionalism and appellate advocacy, and also supports the expansion and strengthening of lawyer mentoring in Ohio.
He and his wife, Mary Beth Brown, a pediatric nurse, have four children, Terrence, Michael, Colleen and Nora. They have seven grandchildren living in Columbus and Cleveland.
Consul General McBreen, meanwhile, is Ireland’s 21st Consul General at the Chicago consulate.
She holds a BA in History from Trinity College Dublin and an MA in European Studies from the College of Europe in Natolin, Poland.
McBreen worked in Poland (always a subject of conversation in Chicago) and Belgium before joining the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2000.
For additional information on the Mayo Ball contact Kelly Welsh (216)346 3962 or welsh.kelly@gmail.com.
