Two Westport publicans on Bridges Street unsuccessfully appeal decision to redevelop old cap factory into an eight bedroom 'boutique hostel'.
Search
18 Nov 2025
Search
18 Nov 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Luke Gibbons pictured with former US Vice President Kamala Harris
It has been quite a few weeks for Mayo native Luke Gibbons, who first represented Europe’s young people at the World Forum for Democracy in Strasbourg before meeting former US Vice President Kamala Harris in Boston days later.
Gibbons, a PhD researcher at Trinity College Dublin from Claremorris, was invited to the prestigious Council of Europe event, where he made two interventions on behalf of European youth. His first addressed the regulation of social media across the European Union.
Pictured: Luke Gibbons represents European Youth at the Council of Europe
The second intervention focused on enhancing the representation of young candidates in elections - issues central to the future of democracy and digital governance.
“It was an honour to contribute to such vital discussions,” Gibbons said, thanking the European Academy of Diplomacy for the opportunity. He also acknowledged ongoing support from Trinity College Dublin School of Law, Research Ireland, the Fulbright Commission Ireland, and the Casimir Pulaski Foundation.
Gibbons then travelled to Boston, where he met with Former US Vice President Kamala Harris during her visit to the city. Meeting former US Vice President Kamala Harris was a significant moment for Luke as Chapter 7 of his PhD is built around a line from Harris’s 2024 concession speech - “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”
-1763462174098.jpg)
“Never, when submitting my thesis in September, did I imagine I’d be discussing that very chapter with the Vice President herself in November,” he said.
Their conversation touched on US–Ireland relations, the Washington-Ireland Program, the European Academy of Diplomacy, and even a light-hearted moment recalling the time Gibbons once snapped a photo behind Harris’s desk.
“A truly memorable day,” he added, expressing particular gratitude to his PhD supervisor, Professor Deirdre Ahern, whose support he described as “unwavering.”
“I can now be sure that the Former US Vice President is well aware of Claremorris, Co. Mayo,” he joked.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
