Embassy of Ireland Newsletter – Spring 2015
Dear friends, Chers amis,
St Patrick’s Day is always the high point of the year for the Embassy, « le Nouvel An Irlandais » when we celebrate the best of our culture and heritage with our friends in France. It is the time of year when Ireland captures the imagination of audiences around the world. 2015 was a great St Patrick's Day in France.
I am very proud that this year, for the first time, a major public landmark, the Sacré Cœur Basilica, joined the Global Greening Initiative. Indeed, 14 iconic buildings throughout France, from Lyon to Bordeaux to the towns of Côte d’Azur went green for St Patrick’s Day; shining a light on the strong friendship that unites Ireland and France. I am particularly grateful to the Rector of Sacré Coeur Père Laverton, the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and the Mayor of the 18th arrondissement Eric Lejoindre for their support in facilitating the illumination of the basilica and to our Honorary Consuls and to officials in other cities for the immense goodwill shown to us on St Patrick’s Day.
Minister Richard Bruton started his four day “Promote Ireland” Mission to France with a special Irish mass in advance of the “Greening” of Sacré Coeur. The Minister’s programme included over twenty substantial engagements ranging from a meeting with France’s influential Minister for the Economy, Emmanuel Macron, to trade, media and cultural events. I would like to thank and commend the excellent “Team Ireland” staff from our State Agencies and the Embassy team without whom such an intensive programme would not have been possible. I look forward to many more excellent national days during my posting - we have already replanted our shamrock in the Embassy garden in preparation for next year!
Since our last message in January, I had the pleasure of presenting credentials in Monaco to Prince Albert and giving him Irish handcraft gifts for his twin new arrivals, Jacques and Gabriella. During my visit to the south of France, I also met with the Mayor of Cannes and the Deputy Mayor of Nice to strengthen links between Ireland and the Côte d'Azur. I undertook a trade visit to Lyon to take part in Sirha, the world’s largest foodservice tradeshow and a tourism promotion event. Our engagement with the regions in France will continue throughout the year with another trade mission planned to the south east region in the autumn and, of course, the Cannes Film Festival this week where the Irish movie, the Lobster, is nominated for a Palme d'Or.
High-level bilateral contacts were strengthened by the major and successful first visit of Prime Minister Manuel Valls to Dublin in April. Agreements in the areas of education and research as well as the hospitality and design sectors were signed which augur well for future cooperation. On the Irish side, we were delighted to host a visit to Paris by Minister Simon Harris in March to promote the new Financial Services Strategy, "IFS Strategy 2020". Minister Noonan and Minister Humphreys will also be with us before the holiday period.
Looking to the summer, we have a rich series of cultural events to mark Bloomsday, Yeats Day and the Year of Irish Design to look forward to in June as well as the WWI commemorative events in the Somme on 1 July.
As ever, any suggestions or feedback are most welcome via our Embassy website or Twitter.
With best wishes, meilleures salutations,
Geraldine Byrne Nason
Ambassador