John and Angela Byrne back flying the flag for Kilkenny in San Diego on St Patrick's Day

After nearly three years of pandemic disruption, John & Angela Byrne are back in San Diego for St Patrick's Day and the Kilkenny couple will represent Ireland in the San Diego Parade as Irish guests of honour.

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John and Angela are the proprietors of the well-known Celtic House B&B in Michael Street in Kilkenny City and have a storied connection with San Diego.

“One evening eighteen years ago, an American man appeared at the door of Celtic House looking for a room - his name was Jim Whelan,” Angela recalls.

“He told us he was from San Diego and in Ireland retracing his roots.”

Angela, a self-taught genealogy boffin, decided to help Jim with the task herself on her home computer and within the space of a few minutes she found his relatives and even a picture of his ancestral home.

“He was filled with gratitude and couldn't believe it.”

Jim returned to America with his consolidated sense of identity but kept in constant contact with John and Angela. The following year the couple got a call they’d never forget.

Jim invited John and Angela over to San Diego to represent Ireland in what he described as “the largest St Patrick’s Day parade west of the Mississippi”.

It turned out that Jim was a big business figure in San Diego and held a lot of influence in the Irish-American community there.

“Sure we were in shock but said we would if we could,” Angela said.

“I penned a letter to then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern about the possibility and he got back to say that it’s a great honour and that we have his blessing and told us to send our regards to the Irish Congress in San Diego.”

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When John and Angela got over a media storm ensued and the couple went down a treat. Angela sang 'Hail Glorious Saint Patrick' for the local cable news network and the clip went viral.

The rest, as they say, is history.

The couple went on to represent Ireland in San Diego for St. Patrick’s Day every year since, except for the last two, and gained honorary city citizenship in the process.

They have always represented both the nation, and Kilkenny, with aplomb.

This year they were accompanied by the Consular General Ms. Marcella Smyth. 

They are both networking and working hard in San Diego in a bid to put Ireland and Kilkenny, in particular, back on the American tourist market map.

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