Living in Saudi Arabia

Irish Societies

There are a number of Irish Societies active in the Gulf region. 

The Riyadh Irish Society had its first event in December 2006.  The Society aims to: bring together the Irish community; promote Irish culture, giving locals and ex-pats the opportunity to experience the richness and diversity of Irish heritage; and provide a source of entertainment for the Riyadh Irish Community throughout the year.  If you are interested in joining the Society and / or hearing more about life in Riyadh, please get in touch.

The Kuwait Irish Society can be contacted by email.  The President of the Irish Society in Kuwait is Mrs Jo Rabbitte.

The website of the Dubai Irish Society is: www.irishindubai.com

Irish Embassy Warden Network

Irish Embassy Wardens are a network of volunteers who agree to receive messages from the Embassy and to pass them on to Irish people in their area.  These messages deal with events and developments relevant to the Irish community including any appreciable changes in the security situation.  The network depends on Irish citizens registering their contact details with the Embassy or a Warden.  For their own well-being, Irish citizens are advised to register with the Embassy.  Once someone registers, he or she is assigned to a warden. That warden will contact the person every 6 months to check that their contact details are correct.  If you would like to register with the Embassy, or are interested in becoming a warden, please contact the Embassy.  

Maintain a reasonable level of security

In view of security incidents in recent years, Irish citizens in Saudi Arabia are reminded of the importance of maintaining a reasonable level of personal security at all times.  Such incidents have been relatively rare in recent times, but were the situation to become more difficult, please be aware of the security guidelines.

Travellers may also wish to consult the advisory pages of other countries. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has produced a brief guide which may be of interest to international expatriate employees.  A short version of the guide is available. You may also wish to consult the US State Department Consular information sheet.