Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has led tributes to Jim Kelly, a senior Irish diplomat representing Ireland at the United Nations, who has died suddenly.
As The Irish Times reports, Mr Kelly (57) was Ireland’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, and previously served as ambassador to Canada.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Coveney said it was with “great sadness” that he had learned of the diplomat’s death.
“Ireland has lost an outstanding diplomat, a great public servant and a kind and generous human being,” he said.
Mr Kelly had been “central” to Ireland’s “robust response” at the UN to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said.
“Little of what Ireland has achieved in the Security Council would have been possible without Jim’s wise counsel, extensive network and encyclopaedic knowledge of the UN,” he said.
“Whether maintaining open humanitarian crossings from Turkey into Syria that provide life-saving aid to 3 million people, championing the role of women in international peace and security, or acting as Security Council facilitator on the Iran nuclear deal, Jim has been a vital leader,” Mr Coveney said.
Previously Mr Kelly also worked in the department’s EU office in Brussels, in the Copenhagen embassy, as well as a number of roles in Dublin.
In a post on Twitter, the Irish mission to the UN said Mr Kelly was an “outstanding diplomat, generous colleague, and dear friend”.
He is survived by his wife Anne, and two daughters Orla and Ciara.
Abdulla Shahid, the president of the UN General Assembly, said Mr Kelly was a “great colleague, and a talented diplomat,” expressing condolences to his family and colleagues.
Minister of State for European affairs Thomas Byrne said he was sad to hear news of the diplomat’s death, adding he had “represented Ireland over many years with dignity, honour and aplomb”.
The Irish embassy in Canada said it was “devastated” to learn of Mr Kelly’s death. “He was beloved by the community here and represented Ireland with pride. We are thinking of his family today, and all who had the honour of knowing him,” the embassy said in a statement.
Today the Irish mission mourns an outstanding diplomat, generous colleague, and dear friend, Jim Kelly.
Our deepest condolences and love to his family for this unspeakable loss. We are all heartbroken. https://t.co/L5PeJ2W1h4 pic.twitter.com/gT7JcnsUMH— Ireland at UN (@irishmissionun) March 18, 2022
