Olive Hempenstall presented her credentials in September 2016, becoming the second resident Irish Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia. During her 15- year career in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, she helped establish Ireland's Embassy in Tallinn, served as the Deputy Head of Mission in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania and, most recently, was a Departmental advisor to two Committees in Ireland's parliament, the Houses of the Oireachtas. She joined the diplomatic service of Ireland in 2000. Ambassador Hempenstall has a Master of Laws from the University of Edinburgh and a Law Degree from University College Cork. She is in Zagreb with her young family.
Welcome to the website of the Embassy of Ireland, Croatia.
Dobro došli na stranicu Veleposlanstva Irske u Hrvatskoj.
On this website, you will find lots of useful information about Ireland and Croatia-Ireland relations. If you are an Irish person living in Croatia, or just visiting, or you are a Croatian thinking of visiting Ireland, I hope this website will be a useful resource for you. However, if you cannot find what you are looking for, please drop us an e-mail or give us a call.
My job as Ambassador, together with Bernard and Kristina in the Embassy is to continue to build on the good relations between Ireland and Croatia. Croatia is a beautiful country, full of spectacular scenery and fascinating history. Like Ireland, it's become a tourist destination of choice because of its natural beauty but also because of its friendly and welcoming people. The Irish also pride themselves on the quality of that welcome and since my appointment I have seen evidence of this natural affinity in abundance.
Croatia is the European Union's newest member state; Ireland is also a committed member of the European Union and I look forward to working with Croatians on the many issues that Europe faces at this time. Ireland is a business orientated, open economy and the Embassy stands ready to do all it can to assist business and trade relations between our two countries. There is also a deep interest in Irish culture here, from the legion of Irish dancing schools, to the interest in Irish film from the Zagreb Film festival and a unique Bloomsday celebration in Pula where Joyce spent a brief period of his life. I look forward, in particular, to the Embassy's work in this area.
I am Ireland's second resident ambassador to Croatia and I would like to thank my predecessor for all the work he did in establishing the Embassy here. I look forward to building on these solid foundations.
Once again, I would encourage you to get in touch with us and let us know how things are going and how we can help.
Is mise le meas/Srdačan pozdrav,
Olive Hempenstall
Ambassador
Fáilte chuig suíomh gréasáin Ambasáid na hÉireann sa Chróit.
Gheobhaidh tú a lán eolas úsáideach ar an suíomh gréasáin seo faoi Éirinn agus faoin gcaidreamh idir Éire agus an Chróit. Más Éireannach tú a bhfuil cónaí ort sa Chróit, nó más ar cuairt ar an tír sin atá tú, nó más Crótach tú atá ag smaoineamh ar chuairt a thabhairt ar Éirinn, tá súil agam go mbeidh an suíomh gréasáin seo áisiúil duit. Más rud é nach féidir leat teacht ar an eolas atá uait, áfach, cuir ríomhphost chugainn nó glaoigh orainn le do thoil.
Is é an cúram atá ormsa i mo cháil mar Ambasadóir, mar aon le Bernard agus Kristina san Ambasáid, ná leanúint ar aghaidh ag tógáil ar an dea-chaidreamh idir Éire agus an Chróit. Tír álainn is ea an Chróit, ag a bhfuil tírdhreach iontach agus stair thar a bheith suimiúil. Ar nós na hÉireann, tháinig sí chun cinn mar cheann scríbe turasóireachta mar gheall ar a háilleacht nádúrtha, ach freisin mar gheall ar a muintir a bheith cairdiúil agus fáilteach. Is cúis bhróid ag muintir na hÉireann é freisin an fháilte a fhearann siad roimh dhaoine, agus ó ceapadh mé tá an-fhianaise go deo feicthe agam ar an mbá sin atá againn lena chéile.
Is í an Chróit an ballstát is nuaí san Aontas Eorpach; tá Éire ina ball tiomanta den Aontas Eorpach freisin agus táim ag tnúth le bheith ag obair leis na Crótaigh ar na deacrachtaí iomadúla atá le sárú ag an Eoraip faoi láthair. Geilleagar oscailte is ea Éire, atá dírithe ar an ngnó, agus tá an-fhonn ar an Ambasáid gach iarracht a dhéanamh cuidiú leis an gcaidreamh gnó agus an caidreamh trádála idir an dá thír seo. Cuirtear spéis mhór i gcultúr na hÉireann anseo freisin: tá an-chuid scoileanna damhsa Ghaelaigh ann, cuirtear suim sna scannáin Éireannacha ag Féile Scannán Shágraib agus bíonn ceiliúradh ar leith ar Lá Bloom ar siúl in Pula, áit ar chaith Joyce seal gearr dá shaol. Táim ag tnúth go háirithe leis an obair a dhéanfaidh an Ambasáid sa réimse sin.
Is mise an dara hambasadóir cónaitheach de chuid na hÉireann sa Chróit agus ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an té a tháinig romham as an obair ar fad a rinne sé chun an Ambasáid a bhunú anseo. Táim ag tnúth le tógáil ar an mbunchloch stuama sin.
Arís eile, ba mhaith liom sibh a spreagadh le dul i dteagmháil linn agus insint dúinn conas mar atá cúrsaí libh agus cén cúnamh is féidir linn a thabhairt daoibh.
Is mise, le meas/Srdačan pozdrav,
Olive Hempenstall
Ambasadóir
