Luck of the Irish touches the South Coast during official visit

Rene Grace, secretary, Australian Irish Welfare Bureau, Anne Ó Fainín, Máirtín Ó Fainín, Irish Ambassador to Australia, and Pamela Morelli, president, Australian Irish Welfare Bureau

THE Irish Ambassador to Australia met with members of the Australian Irish Welfare Bureau in Wollongong this month, to discuss the group’s activities and meet its committee. Irish Ambassador to Australia Máirtín Ó Fainín and his wife Anne Ó Fainín live in Canberra but had a function in Sydney two weeks ago, and took the opportunity to make a short trip to Wollongong. It was the Irish Ambassador came to Australia in October last year and this was his first visit to the Illawarra since he arrived. Among those who had the honour of meeting Mr. Ó Fainín were Local sisters and AIWB Committee members Pamela Morelli and Rene Grace. The pair were born in Dublin, Ireland but have called the Illawarra home for some 30 years. Pamela Morelli is the president of the AIWB and Rene Grace is the Bureau’s secretary.
“We got the committee all together and had a bit of morning tea and then he asked about the Irish Welfare and I explained what we do,” Committee Member and Pamela Morelli’s husband Peter Morelli said. Mr Morelli said that while most of the members of the Irish Welfare Bureau are Irish Australians, they are a multicultural group, and don’t discriminate when it comes to helping others.
The AIWB is a registered charity providing social and welfare support to those in need and are a contact point for the increasing number of backpackers from Ireland travelling to the Illawarra. Mr Ó Fainín was keen to confirm his support for the group, which is sponsored by the Irish government.