Cork March on America

2023 is a year of milestones for Irish foreign policy. It marks 100 years since Ireland joined the League of Nations, 50 years since Ireland joined the EEC and 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Our voice has continued to grow on the international stage since our independence. This can, in part, be put down to our successful engagement with our diaspora and how we utilise these relationships to enhance the effect of our soft-diplomacy.

There can be no greater example of this success than in the United States. Irish America has had a deep affiliation with home which has allowed us to open doors that remain closed to other nations. This has resulted in retaining and strengthening the.economic, political and cultural ties with the US. This year is no different and it is important that there is a strong Cork representation as part of the month of missions to the United States.

Through the Connecting Cork initiative Cork Chamber ensures that the Cork business community has a voice at these events that take place throughout March across the Atlantic… and there was a busy schedule again this year.

CEO Conor Healy joined Deputy Lord Mayor Cllr. Colm Kelleher, Cork City Council Chief Executive, Ann Doherty and senior officials from Cork City Council as part of their visit to Cork City twinned city San Francisco. The delegation had a number of engagements including meeting Mayor London Breed on UN International Women’s Day. There were further meetings with our counterparts at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce to discuss sustainability, climate action and how the business community is responding to the challenges and opportunities of carbon neutral commitments which both cities have signed up to. Consul General Micheál Smith and colleagues welcomed the delegation to Ireland House - the new host building for the Irish Consulate and state agencies on the west coast. Meetings with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland provided the opportunity to update on developments in Cork and gain an understanding of local market developments and business environment.

At the start of March, President Ronan Murray and Conor Healy travelled to Washington DC to fly the flag for Cork as part of a very collaborative approach from Team Ireland. Here they had a series of meetings culminating in the Ireland Funds National Gala 2023. This event brings together many of the key decision makers from Ireland and Washington including the House Speaker Kevin McCarty, Majority Leader of the US Senate, Chuck Schumer and An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason hosted a reception in honour of An Taoiseach’s visit with representatives from across culture, business, education, research and and government sectors. This level of access and visibility is invaluable to Ireland as a whole and to the future of Cork.

Attracting new investment and talent to Cork in the international financial services (IFS) sector is a strong focus of the Connecting Cork initiative. Cork Chamber’s International Relations Manager, Cathal McSweeney was in Boston and New York to represent the Cork Financial Services Forum on the 15th and 16th of March at the Irish Funds North American seminars. Speakers at the events included An Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheál Martin TD, Laoise Moore, Consul General of Ireland, Boston and many key figures from the funds industry in the US and Ireland. These events provide the opportunity to promote Cork as the IFS solution for industry organisations without a location in Cork at present.

Cork Chamber has continued its partnership with Ireland Gateway to Europe (IGTE) for 2023. IGTE promotes bilateral trade between Ireland and the US.

The initial mission this year featured engagements in Chicago, Boston and New York. The foremost event was the Boston College Ireland Business Council Peace Dinner to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and celebrated Senator George Mitchell’s distinguished contribution. Guest speakers included Bertie Ahearn, Tommy Gorman and Joseph Patrick Kennedy III, United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. This programme aims to bring renewed funding and focus to the Good Friday Agreement pledge to “facilitate and encourage integrated education” which can only be positive for the island of Ireland.

March is always a busy and hugely productive month internationally for Cork Chamber. We are honoured to represent the Cork business community at such an important time for Irish US relations and to witness the success of Ireland on the international stage especially during a year with so many foreign policy milestones for our country.