A summer of culture and collaborations

Jerry O'Donovan

THIS has been an active and varied summer for the Consulate, spanning cultural collaborations, political engagement and support for a pioneering internship programme between Ireland and Scotland in the renewable energy sector.

In May, we attended the virtuoso performance of Seamus and Caoimhe Uí Fhlatharta at Edinburgh Tradfest in a sold-out Traverse Theatre. This outstanding brother-and-sister duo from Connemara showcased an impressive array of instruments, including the harp, fiddle, whistles, guitar and bodhrán, while performing bilingually in Irish and English. Their set blended stunning sean-nós harmonies with contemporary interpretations of classics such as Blackbird by The Beatles and Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel, earning a five-star review from The Scotsman. Their performance was supported by the excellent team at Culture Ireland.

We were also delighted to host a reception that evening in partnership with the Tradfest team, bringing together guests from across our cultural, community and political networks to celebrate a wonderful festival and the connections it continues to foster between Ireland and Scotland.

To mark Bloomsday 2026, the Consulate hosted an evening of music, discussion and conversation as part of the global Bloomsday & Beyond series celebrating James Joyce’s Ulysses. The event opened with a beautiful selection of music from the period in which Ulysses is set, performed by Edinburgh-based mezzo-soprano Joyce Byrne and accompanied on piano by Mary McCarthy of the Little Ireland Arts Collective. Edward Sweeney provided illuminating introductions to each piece and also delivered an elegant endorsement of this year’s Wexford Festival Opera.

A lively panel discussion on the links between Joyce and Scotland followed, featuring Professors Matthew Creasy and Maria-Daniella Dick of the University of Glasgow and Professor Richard Barlow of the University of St Andrews. From Joyce’s reflections on the Celtic mind and his first overseas visit to Glasgow to a Finnegans Wake reading group’s visit to a Neolithic tomb in Scotland, the discussion provided a fascinating and entertaining tribute to one of Ireland's greatest literary figures.

Global affairs

In early June, the Consulate supported an event organised by The Constitution Society and the Scottish Council on Global Affairs to mark the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Expert speakers, ably moderated by John Edward, explored the impact Brexit has had on relations between the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, assessed the current landscape and considered how those relationships may evolve in the years ahead.

The distinguished panel included David Cooney, former Secretary General of Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and former Irish Ambassador to the United Kingdom; Professor Linda Colley, historian and author at Princeton University; and Professor Nicola McEwen, Professor of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Glasgow. The wide-ranging discussion was complemented by thoughtful contributions and insightful questions from a packed audience at Edinburgh’s French Cultural Institute.

Continuing the theme of European engagement, Ireland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in July, a role it will hold until the end of the year. To mark the occasion, we were delighted to host a reception for the EU Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Pedro Serrano, along with ambassadors from six EU Member States during their visit to Scotland. We were also joined by guests from across Scotland's political, economic, community and cultural sectors, as well as colleagues from EU consulates and honorary consulates.

Later that month, I visited Aquaculture UK in Glasgow to see the impressive Aquatech Ireland pavilion organised by Enterprise Ireland UK and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency. The pavilion showcased an exceptional group of Irish companies from Cork to Killybegs, delivering highly innovative, high-quality products and services.

Aquaculture UK is the largest and most influential aquaculture trade exhibition and conference in the United Kingdom, bringing together global leaders in this important sector. Ireland's blue economy directly employs more than 65,000 people and generates approximately €3.1 billion annually, making a significant contribution to rural, coastal and island communities throughout the country. Seeing BIM and Enterprise Ireland working so closely with world-class Irish companies in a key export market demonstrates Team Ireland’s commitment to supporting a vital sector of our economy and will help drive further growth in Irish-Scottish trade and collaboration in the blue economy. Many of the companies represented already enjoy strong links with Scotland, particularly those based in the northwest of Ireland.

Honouring Hibernian FC

Hibernian FC’s summer visit to Ireland formed part of the club’s 150th anniversary celebrations and highlighted the deep historical links between the Edinburgh club and Ireland. Founded in 1875 by Ballingarry-born Canon Edward Joseph Hannan, Hibernian has long celebrated its Irish heritage. The 2026 tour included a pre-season training camp for the men’s senior team and a fixture against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium on June 30, which attracted more than 1000 travelling Hibs supporters.

As part of the visit, Hibernian Women travelled to Limerick for a pre-season training camp, making use of local facilities and engaging with community and sporting organisations across the region. A highlight of the tour was their friendly fixture against Treaty United Women at Markets Field on July 14, which strengthened sporting links between Scotland and Ireland while showcasing top-level women’s football in the Mid-West. The visit also included a civic reception hosted by the Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, at County Hall in Dooradoyle. Players, coaches and club representatives celebrated Hibernian’s unique Limerick roots and enduring connection to Ireland. Contributions from Mayor Moran, Hibernian Women Head Coach Joelle Murray and local football representatives reflected on the shared history between Limerick and Hibernian and underlined the value of continued cultural and sporting exchange between the two countries.

In August, I attended a special event at St Patrick's Church in the Grassmarket, an area long known as ‘Little Ireland.’ Alongside parish priest Fr Ninian Doohan and members of the St Patrick’s Branch of the Hibernian Supporters Association, a scroll honouring Canon Hannan from the Mayor of Limerick was formally presented. It was a fitting celebration of the historic and contemporary links that Hibernian Football Club continues to foster between Edinburgh and Ireland.

Pioneering programme

Later that month, I visited the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland outside Glasgow to meet young Irish and Scottish interns participating in a pioneering cross-border programme. Drawn from universities, companies and training bodies across both countries, the interns spoke enthusiastically about their experiences, the projects they had undertaken and the skills they had developed. It was also valuable to meet officials and stakeholders who had travelled from Ireland to support the initiative, including representatives from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the National Maritime College of Ireland and Cork Education and Training Board.

These talented young people (above) took part in the first Scottish-Irish Offshore Wind Internship Pilot, a joint initiative of the Irish and Scottish Governments designed to develop the skilled workforce required for the rapidly expanding offshore wind sector. Launched this summer, the programme offers 20 paid internships, split equally between students from Ireland and Scotland, providing 12 weeks of practical industry experience with offshore wind developers and businesses across the renewable energy supply chain. The initiative strengthens collaboration between the two countries while helping address shared skills challenges and creating pathways into high-quality employment in the clean energy sector.

The programme is delivered by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, operated by the University of Strathclyde, in partnership with the Propel Ireland network of Enterprise Ireland and with support from both governments. Alongside hands-on experience in engineering, manufacturing and renewable energy businesses, the initiative aims to build a highly skilled and mobile talent pool capable of supporting future offshore wind development in both countries. The scheme also contributes to wider commitments under the Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Review and Bilateral Cooperation Framework 2030, which promotes collaboration in renewable energy, innovation, supply chains and economic growth across the Irish Sea region.

Festival fever

It is fair to say that Edinburgh in August hosts one of the largest gatherings of Irish artists and performers anywhere in the world, with more than 140 Irish acts participating across the city’s festivals.

We were delighted to host performers from across the festivals, alongside key contacts and stakeholders from throughout Scotland, at our annual Meet the Irish reception, co-hosted with Culture Ireland and the Edinburgh International Book Festival at the Edinburgh Futures Institute. From Ian Rankin and Jan Carson to street performers and set designers, the event brought together a wonderfully diverse mix of guests from Ireland and Scotland. Special thanks are due to the Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh, Robert Aldridge, for welcoming our guests from near and far.

We also attended this year’s Culture Ireland Showcase, where eight world-class productions met with international festival programmers and booking agents to discuss future touring opportunities. With a particularly strong Canadian delegation present ahead of next year’s Canada-Ireland 180 commemorations, the showcase provided an invaluable platform for Irish artists to forge new international partnerships. The connections made this month will help ensure that outstanding Irish creative talent continues to reach audiences around the world in the years ahead.

Jerry O’Donovan is the Consul General of Ireland in Scotland