African ambassador pays visit to Kildare's 'Kinshasa'
Old connections renewed
The Ambassador His Excellency Mr Ndolamb Ngokwey Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the United Kingdom Pierrot in Nurney recently
Dan Whelan, formerly of Nurney, received a phone call from his dear friend in The Congo, Pierrot Muller Ngadi asking would he like a surprise visitor, a friend from the Congo.
They informed him that the Congolese Ambassador to the UK was on a visit to Dublin and would be obliged if Dan could meet with him and Pierrot’s friends.
The ambassador, His Excellency Mr Ndolamb Ngokwey, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to the United Kingdom, Mr Ngadi (a Universal Peace Ambassador) and the ladies Mamy Nzema Nkoy and Aurelie Mavakila, and Nornert Mbu-Mputu of the South Peoples Projects Bristol who were accompanying.
The Ambassador and the ladies Mamy Nzema Nkoy and Aurelie Mavakila, and Mr Nornert Mbu-Mputu South Peoples Projects Bristol
The ambassador’s visit was to Dan’s sister’s house in Nurney. The reason being that Pierrot had told the Ambassador about his father 98776 C/S Peter Whelan EX 36 BN Congo and Ammo Depot, The Magazine Curragh Camp.
On Peter’s return from The Congo he said he would name his house ‘Kinshasa’ after the time he spent in The Congo.
A few years later the house was built in Nurney and named ‘Kinshasa’. Later, many years after, his sister Sandra Whelan-Burke built her house in the field behind the old house and named it ‘Kinshasa View’ in honour of their father’s service and in his memory.
A very warm welcome was given to the group by the Burkes, after which they took photos of the name plate ‘Kinshasa View’ on the gateway.
