Monday, 11 July 2022
The Irish Embassy in London was the location for the Donegal Connect launch on Wednesday 29th, as part of the Global Irish Festival Series. The series was set up as a legacy opportunity of the Gathering in 2013 which saw Fáilte Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs collaborate to present this unique opportunity for thousands of Irish people around the world to reconnect with home. The launch was hosted by Ambassador Adrian O’Neill with Patrick O’Donovan T.D, Minister for the Office of Public Works and Flood Relief and Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl also in attendance.
Donegal Connect 2022, is being co-ordinated by Donegal County Council and will take place from 23rd to 25th September and is a county-wide event aimed at encouraging Donegal people to make the trip back home and celebrate the county’s unique culture, uncover shared histories and forge new and lasting connections.
The Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Awards take centre stage for this year’s Donegal Connect. Taking place on 23rd September at the Inishowen Gateway Hotel it promises to be an enthralling night celebrating those who continue to contribute greatly to not just the county of Donegal but the whole island of Ireland and indeed to Irish communities all over the world. Other highlighted events to watch out for are the Donegal Connect Carnival in Swan Park, Buncrana, and the Donegal ‘Its in our DNA’ Genealogy Workshop. Further information on the Donegal Connect programme can be found at https://donegal.ie/en/donegal-connect. The programme will continue to be updated over the coming weeks and months.
Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr. Liam Blaney, commented: “Donegal Connect 2022 promises to be an exciting weekend celebrating all things Donegal, from culture to arts to history and business. Engaging with our Diaspora is such an important focus for Donegal County Council and I’m very much looking forward to Donegal Connect this September.”
Speaking about the Global Irish Festival Series, Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Festivals, Ciara Sugrue, said:
“We are pleased to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs once again on the annual Global Irish Festival Series after a two-year hiatus. The festivals and events supported through the series will help drive tourism to specific locations, including regional areas outside of current hotspots, creating new economic benefits for local communities. This will be hugely important as we drive recovery across the tourism sector.”
