Listening to (Jim) M. Lyons

In our last meeting at the school before heading to Ireland we had the privilege to listening to Jim Lyons speak to us about his time serving the United States under the Clinton Administration as the United States Observer of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) from 1993-2001.  This was a Presidential appointed position.  Contributions to this fund come from the United States, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It supports projects in Northern Ireland and helps provide jobs in the region, supporting the "underlying economic problems", Lyons stated.   The fund was part of the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1986, and was not only used to promote prosperity but it was also focused on the reconciliation of Northern Ireland (UK) and the United Republic of Ireland, which tensions were hostile at the the time of starting this process.  I found Jim Lyons a great speaker, laid back and passionate about what he was able to accomplish during that time.