Galway

<p>A Book of Condolences in memory of Billy Lawless, Freeman of Galway City, has opened in City Hall, Galway City Council. His Worship, the Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Peter Keane opened the book, which will be available to the public for the entry of messages of sympathy.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It will remain open until December 2nd, 2024 and is available online <a href="https://apps.galwaycity.ie/gccapps/index.php/359621?lang=en" target="_blank">here</a> and in hard copy during normal opening hours.</p>
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<h4>Extending his condolences, Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr Peter Keane said:&nbsp;</h4>
<p>“On behalf of the people of Galway City, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the family of Billy Lawless, Freeman of the City of Galway, and former Senator, on his passing on Thursday, November 7th - especially to his wife Anne, and children, John Paul, Amy, Clodagh and Billy, and their partners and families.</p>
<p>A native of Dangan, Billy Lawless played an important role in the civic, political and social life of Galway City and his adopted home in the City of Chicago, where he moved in the 1980s.</p>
<p>Billy served the Irish people as a Senator from 2016-2020, and likewise in the United States, championing immigration reform and the case of the 50,000 undocumented Irish men and women living in limbo in the United States.</p>
<p>As Vice Chairman of Galway/Chicago Sister Cities Committee, Billy was instrumental in nurturing the Chicago-Galway Twinning relationship, and in supporting the Circle of Life Garden in Salthill.</p>
<p>While he became a citizen of the United States in July 2014, he remains always of Galway – the 29th Freeman of the City, a friend of the city, and a one of our own.</p>
<h4>A Galway Ambassador</h4>
<p>When he was honoured with the status of Freeman of the City of Galway in May 2015, Billy spoke of how easy it was to be an ambassador for Galway - delivering milk with his father to the restaurants and hotels, rowing up and down the river Corrib more times than he could care to remember, milking cows at family lands across from Menlo Castle – from simple beginnings, Billy found himself included in a club of people who have had a profound and positive influence in the world in which we live – joining the list of Freemen of Galway City that includes Doughlas Hyde, Eamon deValera, Hilary Rodham Clinton, Michael D Higgins and President John Fitzgerald Kennedy among others.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Over the coming days, Billy Lawless will be rightly celebrated for his achievements in Galway, in Ireland and in Chicago – thank you Billy for your service, your commitment to the undocumented, and for your continued friendship with the people of Galway City.</p>
<p>Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam”</p>
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Book of Condolences at City Hall in Memory of Billy Lawless

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