Cloughjordan's Ryan O'Meara joins Board of IUSA

Cloughjordan resident and Toomevara native Ryan O'Meara joined the Board of Directors of the Ireland - United States Alumni Association (IUSA) last week.

The IUSA held their AGM this evening (Wednesday, February 2nd) via Zoom, and O'Meara was one of the new Directors elected to the Board for the coming year.

IUSA is a non-profit voluntary network of alumni of U.S. State Department exchange programmes, including participants of Fulbright Scholarships, International Visitor Leadership Programme, the U.S. Embassy Dublin Young Leaders Council, and the Washington Ireland Programme.

The IUSA promotes U.S.- Irish relations and develops the next generation of leaders in the U.S.-Irish relationship.

Ryan is a former member of the U.S. Embassy Dublin Young Leaders Council, having served two separate terms on the Council in 2018 and 2019. He is also a former International Officer of Ógra Fianna Fáil, where he represented the national organisation within its European group, LYMEC, which is based in Brussels.

In this position, O'Meara was responsible for representing Ógra Fianna Fáil's international and European policies and worked to shape and influence LYMEC policy in a manner which was consistent with Fianna Fáil principles.

Speaking on the Tribune, O'Meara said: "I have always had a great interest in Irish - U.S. relations and foreign policy in general. Part of my time in UCD was spent studying international relations, EU law and EU competition law. Ireland is one of the most connected and influential little nations in the world, and we should be extremely proud of this.

“But this has taken an enormous effort, and building and maintaining our international relations is essential in ensuring that our country remains at the heart of the EU, and indeed an influential body of people in Washington DC.

"I'm really looking forward to the year ahead, where I will be working with fellow IUSA Board members and U.S. Embassy Dublin staff on areas of common interest", Ryan concluded.

For the next twelve months, Ryan will serve as a Director of IUSA, organising and attending events, and working with fellow IUSA colleagues and U.S. Embassy Dublin staff to further enhance Irish - U.S. relations among the next generation of leaders within the network and nationally.