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Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Grand Marshal
Enda might face a bit of trouble later at Atlanta's St Patrick's parade
There are growing calls for a boycott.
TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY could face some trouble later this afternoon when he marches in Atlanta’s St Patrick’s Day parade.
A local television station has claimed they have been ‘flooded’ with messages calling for the parade to be boycotted, or to be met with a counter-demonstration.
The Taoiseach will be grand marshal of the city’s parade later today.
11Alive has described Kenny as “a controversial figure in Ireland, with many people there accusing him of racism and turning his back on the poor”.
Friday evening, 11Alive’s newsroom was flooded with Facebook posts and emails – all from people planning to boycott or protest Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
In a Facebook post last night, Atlanta St Patrick’s Parade responded by saying the parade “is not political in nature”.
“The Irish Prime Minister’s role as grand marshal symbolizes the strong cultural and economic bonds that Atlanta shares with Ireland,” the post read.
We are honoured that the elected leader of the Irish government has chosen to honour our Irish-American traditions by serving as our Parade’s grand marshal.
The calls for a boycott has gained traction in Ireland among groups such as Tallaght Says No.
Kenny is currently in the United States ahead of St Patrick’s Day. He last night bumped into Hozier, describing him as ‘the most famous man in Ireland’.
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