I welcome to the Gallery to celebrate the Bulgarian National Day on Sunday, the Bulgarian ambassador, H.E. Vanya Andreeva-Malakova. The ambassador is very welcome agus cuirim céad fáilte roimpi. Today, we acknowledge and celebrate the Bulgarian people and thank them for their friendship. As Members will know, Bulgarian National Day takes place on Sunday, 3 March, which is called Liberation Day. Ambassador Andreeva-Malakova is new to Dublin and is making a very positive impression so far. I thank her for being here. We are looking at the celebration of a national day going back to Bulgaria's independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1878.
We remember, as the ambassador was telling me in conversation, two great Irish people, James Bourchier and Pierce O'Mahony. James Bourchier was from Bruff in County Limerick and went to Bulgaria to report on the quest for independence and liberation. Pierce O'Mahony set up an orphanage at the time it was emerging from the embers of the Ottoman Empire. We thank and remember them today. We thank the Bulgarian community in Ireland who are making a very positive contribution to our society and to our country. I wish the ambassador a very happy celebration on Sunday and I hope that she conveys to her community my and the Seanad's appreciation and thanks.