(Photo: Ambassador Collins (center) at November 2011 reception at the Governor’s Mansion in Denver. On the left is Jim Lyons, Ireland Honorary Consul General, Denver, on right is Governor John Hickenlooper)

Well liked Michael Collins has served as Ireland’s ambassador to the United States since August 14, 2007. According to The Washington Post and Irish Central the Ambassador Collins will make his farewell
this July. The Post said that Collins will head to a post in Berlin in August, and his successor will be Anne Anderson, now Ireland’s representative to the U.N. Ms. Anderson will be its first female ambassador to the U.S

Ambassador Collins visited Colorado in November 2011. He and his entourage spent a couple of days visiting regional government officials (including a reception at Governor’s Mansion), toured Covidien, the Irish-owned international medical equipment, supplies and pharmaceutical company in Boulder, met with local Irish organizations, and was given a backstage tour of Red Rocks Amphitheater by Barry Fey, the concert promoter who brought U2 to Denver and introduced them onstage at Red Rocks, the site of their famous Under a Blood Red Sky music video.