By Susan Lahey
Reporter with Silicon Hills News

For the second time, an Irish Prime Minister will be coming to SXSW; only Leo Varadkar is a very new brand of Irish Prime Minister. Ireland’s youngest, and the first LGBT prime minister is leading a country that will soon be the only English-language country of the European Union and thus will have a new role in the world.

One of the world’s first LGBT leaders, in the first country, to legalize gay marriage by popular vote, Varadkar will be speaking on gender and diversity issues, as well as global change, and Austin’s relationship to Ireland, with Evan Smith of the Texas Tribune. The session will take place on 2 p.m. March 11 in Hilton Salon F, Varadkar will officially kick off the Irish Consulate’s celebration of St. Patrick’s week and the consulate’s third anniversary in Austin. Ireland remains the only European country with a consulate in Ireland.