In this episode of Turning Points, Patricia Killeen chatted with Paul Lynch who along with working for Eurocontrol, is also President of the “Irish in France Association”.
He was also one of the founding members of the Paris Gaels GAA, an Irish Athletics Sports club, which is still going strong.
Over the years he has been very active fundraising for charity in the Irish community in France. The glamorous Paris “Goal Balls” he organised over a number of years generated mega funds and he has raised more than €360,000 for Irish charities.
In 2017 Paul founded the Irish in France Association which is the biggest ever Irish association in France. Along with organising the Saint Patrick Day Parades in Paris in 2018 and 2019, the Irish in France organise events throughout the year.
Paul has also proposed ideas to the Irish Government, on how the Irish Diaspora could vote at home. The Irish, like Germans, Maltese, Cypriots and Danish people living in France, are ineligible to vote in parliamentary elections both here in France and in their home countries.
Paul is inviting WRP listeners to a great Saint Patrick’s Day party organised with the Centre Culturel Irlandais, in its courtyard in the 5th arrondisement, on Sunday 13 March from 1PM onwards. This is part of the Centre Culturel Irlandais’ Saint Patrick’s Day festival which runs from 10 to 20 march inclusive, offering wonderful daily exhibitions and events.