(Radio Iowa) – A member of the Irish parliament spent the weekend in northwest Iowa. For the first time since the pandemic, Emmetsburg resumed its tradition of having an Irish politician as a guest at the city’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Paul Daly is one of 60 Irish senators. He’s from the town of Kilbeggan, about 55 miles west of Dublin.

Daly became an engineering teacher and he farmed as well. Daly served on a council council in Ireland for eight years until he was elected to the Ireland’s senate in 2016. He says the Iowa landscape has impressed him.

He owns thoroughbred race horses and is chairman of the racecourse in his home area.