Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visits Ireland
On 13 June, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is travelling to Ireland for a two-day visit.
This is the first official visit to Ireland by Prime Minister Carney following an invitation from Taoiseach Michéal Martin while he was visiting Ottawa last September.
Irish heritage
Prime Minister Carney has strong Irish heritage, with three of his grandparents hailing from Ireland with two from Co. Mayo and one from Co. Cavan. On Sunday, he will travel to the homeplace of his paternal grandparents, Aughagower in Co. Mayo.
While visiting Aughagower, Mr Carney will attend mass in the parish church and visit the nearby cemetery, where some of his ancestors are buried.
Economic partnership
On Saturday, he will meet with the Taoiseach in Government Buildings. The Taoiseach will also host a dinner in Dublin Castle on Saturday evening in his honour. The two leaders will agree a framework for a strategic and economic partnership.
- Bilateral trade in goods and services between Ireland and Canada increased from €3.2 billion in 2016 to more than €12 billion in 2024, supporting tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic
- Ireland is among the top ten investors in Canada, with inward investment flows of over $14.3 billion, and significant potential to increase our bilateral trade across multiple sectors in years to come.
Expansion of Irish footprint in Canada
Under Global Ireland 2025, the Government of Ireland has made significant investment in its relationship with Canada.
New Consulates General have opened in Vancouver (2018) and Toronto (2022), with plans for an Ireland House in Toronto underway.
Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland also have a presence in Canada with offices in Toronto.
Global Irish Famine Way
The longest heritage trail in the world. The Global Irish Famine Way launched in Canada on 1 May 2024, with a cargo of bronze shoes taken on board the Marine Institute of Ireland’s research vessel, RV Celtic Explorer in Galway.
180 years of shared history
Next year will mark 180 years since 1847, the climax of the Great Irish Famine, a defining moment in the shared history of Ireland and Canada.
As a result of the famine, over 100,000 Irish people migrated to Canada in search of a better life. From that point onward, Irish-Canadians would became a core part of Canada’s history, national identity and culture.
Canada-Ireland 180 will seek to honour the past, examine the present, and build a creative vision for the future.
Canada-Ireland 180 will be a major cultural and commemorative initiative, with a year long programme of events. Marking the shared history of Ireland and Canada it will seek to honour the past, examine the present, and build a creative vision for the future.