President Higgins pays tribute to Ireland’s Ambassador, UN Deputy Permanent Representative Jim Kelly
Date: Fri 18th Mar, 2022 | 20:29
"It is with great sorrow that I learned of the sudden death of Ireland’s Ambassador, UN Deputy Permanent Representative Jim Kelly.
As President of Ireland and on behalf of Sabina and myself, may I convey our deepest condolences to his wife Anne and his daughters, Orla and Ciara on their sad loss.
Ambassador Kelly was a hugely popular figure across both the UN and with his colleagues at the Department of Foreign Affairs. He served with distinction in several missions, as Ambassador to Canada, at Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU, at Ireland’s Embassy in Copenhagen, and in variety of roles in Dublin.
Ambassador Kelly will be remembered by his colleagues and a wide circle of friends at home and abroad as a man of great kindness and integrity, epitomising the finest values of public service, through his dedicated work at the UN in New York. Our thoughts are also, at this time, with Ambassador Byrne Nason, and with Jim’s work colleagues at Ireland’s Permanent Mission in New York.
We are thinking of you all at this extremely difficult time of loss of a colleague.
Suaimhneas síoraí dá anam dílis."