I hope all our readers, advertisers, distributors and contributors had a happy festive season and I want to take this opportunity to wish you a great New Year and thank you all for your support over the years. We are now entering our fifth year in publication and I want to tell you all how proud I am of the magazine's success so far and to thank all those who believed in what I was doing and all the people that have helped to bring Irish Connections to where it is now. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to make the magazine a success and to have the right people around you makes it all the more special.

I hope you have had as much enjoyment with all our past issues as we have had in presenting them to you. I want to provide a quality product with excellent reading, so keep letting me know your ideas as we strive to bring you the best in entertainment, sports, business and current events for your enjoyment.

We have lots in store for 2004 beginning with the Irish involvement in the history of aviation. Also in this issue we have our annual piece on preparing for your 'Big Day' with dress designers, wedding planners, hotels, and phtographers. The wedding guide should be really useful for all those couples planning their weddings.

Ireland has of course come a long way in the last few years in terms of its economy and its role in the world of sport and the arts, and on January Ist Ireland took over the Presidency of the European Union. Now one of our own has won the most prestigious beauty event in the world. Rosanna Davison the daughter of musician Chris DeBurgh won the title of Miss World in China in December.

Finally a word of sincere congratulations to Colonel James B. Hickey commander of the US Army's 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade in Iraq. Colonel Hickey was in charge of 'Operation Red Dawn', which led to the capture of the former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein. His father, James Snr. is from West Clare and moved to Chicago when he was 18 and his mother, Anne Marie, is from Co Mayo. A huge well done and thank you to all our men and women serving overseas in our armed forces.

Best regards,

Paddy McCarthy - Publisher