Poet Laureate to the Canadian Parliament, Ms Louise Bernice Halfe — also known by her Cree name of Sky Dancer — has visited Leinster House as part of a First Nations delegation.
The renowned writer was accompanied on her visit by her colleagues, Mr. Joseph Naytowhow, and Mr. Brian Solomon, as well as Canadian Ambassador Nancy Smyth and Ms Halfe’s husband, Mr. Peter Butt.
Mr. Naytowhow is a Cree knowledge-keeper, singer and storyteller and Mr. Solomon is a dancer of Anishinaabe and Irish heritage.
The visit, part of a wider three-day engagement, was organised by the Ireland-Canada interparliamentary friendship group and hosted by Deputy David Stanton. Ms Balfe and her colleagues later visited President Michael D. Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.