Consul General

"Welcome to the website of the new Consulate General of Ireland in Milan"

A cháirde, Amici, Friends,

Welcome to the website of the new Consulate General of Ireland in Milan.

I am delighted to have been asked to serve as Ireland’s first Consul General in Milan and, together with my colleague Deputy Consul General Frank Bradley, am honoured to represent Ireland across the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte,Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d’Aosta and Veneto.

The opening of this new Consulate is part of the Global Ireland initiative to expand Ireland’s presence overseas and is a testament to the importance Ireland attaches to our close relationship with Italy.

Ireland and Italy enjoy exceptionally warm and friendly relations with strong people to people links at the heart of this. Today, many thousands of Irish people have chosen to make Italy their home, just as many Italians have based themselves in Ireland for work or studies. We share a deep affection for one another’s culture with hundreds of thousands of visitors travelling between the two countries each year.

Our aims in establishing this new mission are to strengthen the excellent relationship between Ireland and Italy, to enhance trade, investment and cultural links between our countries and to support Irish citizens living and travelling in the region.

As we establish this new Consulate, we will work with partners to strengthen these connections. This will include the Irish Embassy Rome and the three Irish state agencies already present in Milan; Bord Bia-Ireland’s food Board, Enterprise Ireland, and Tourism Ireland.

I very much look forward to meeting many of you here in Milan and throughout the region over the coming months. In the meantime, we hope you find this website useful and would ask anyone with an interest in further developing the relationship between Ireland and northern Italy, particularly in the area of economic, cultural and societal links, to please contact the Consulate through our contact page. For all our latest news and events, you can find us on X and Instagram.

Le gach dea-ghuí / con cari saluti/ with best wishes,

Maria Sheehy

"Benvenuti sul sito del nuovo Consolato Generale d’Irlanda a Milano"

A cháirde, Amici, Friends,

Benvenuti sul sito del nuovo Consolato Generale d’Irlanda a Milano.

Sono lieta che mi sia stato chiesto di ricoprire il ruolo di primo Console Generale d’Irlanda a Milano e sono onorata di rappresentare l’Irlanda, insieme al mio collega Vice Console Frank Bradley, in Emilia Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d’Aosta e Veneto.

L’apertura di questo nuovo Consolato è parte dell’iniziativa Global Ireland per espandere la presenza dell’Irlanda all’estero ed è una testimonianza dell’importanza che l’Irlanda attribuisce alle strette relazioni con l’Italia.

L’Irlanda e l’Italia godono di relazioni straordinariamente cordiali e amichevoli, con forti legami interpersonali al centro di questo rapporto. Oggi molte migliaia di cittadini irlandesi hanno scelto l’Italia come loro casa, così come molti italiani si sono stabiliti in Irlanda per lavoro o studio. Condividiamo un profondo affetto per la cultura dell’altro, con centinaia di migliaia di visitatori che ogni anno viaggiano tra i due Paesi.

Costruendo questa nuova missione ambiamo a stringere le relazioni eccellenti fra l’Irlanda e l’Italia, rilanciare gli scambi commerciali, gli investimenti e i legami culturali fra i nostri Paesi e assistere i cittadini irlandesi che vivono e viaggiano nel nord Italia.

Inaugurando questo nuovo Consolato, lavoreremo con i nostri partner per rafforzare questi legami. Tra questi rientrano l’Ambasciata d’Irlanda a Roma e le tre agenzie nazionali irlandesi che sono già presenti a Milano: Bord Bia-Ireland’s food Board, Enterprise Ireland e Turismo Irlandese.

Sarà un piacere incontrare molti di voi qui a Milano e nel nord Italia nei prossimi mesi. Nel mentre, ci auguriamo che troviate utile questo sito e invitiamo chiunque sia interessato a sviluppare maggiormente le relazioni tra l’Irlanda e l’Italia settentrionale, in particolare nell’ambito dei legami economici, culturali e sociali, a contattare il Consolato attraverso la nostra pagina contatti. Per tutte le ultime notizie ed eventi, potete trovarci su X e Instagram.

Le gach dea-ghuí / cordiali saluti/ with best wishes,

Maria Sheehy

"Fáilte chuig suíomh Gréasáin Ard-Chonsalacht nua na hÉireann i Milano"

A chairde, Amici, Friends,

Fáilte chuig suíomh Gréasáin Ard-Chonsalacht nua na hÉireann i Milano.

Is cúis áthais dom gur iarradh orm feidhmiú mar chéad Ard-Chonsal na hÉireann i Milano agus, fairis mo chomhghleacaí an Leas-Ardchonsal Frank Bradley, is mór an onóir dom ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar son na hÉireann ar fud réigiúin Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Lombardia, Piemonte, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta agus Veneto.

Tá oscailt na Consalachta nua seo mar chuid den tionscnamh Éire Dhomhanda chun láithreacht na hÉireann a mhéadú thar lear agus is léiriú é ar an tábhacht a leagann Éire ar ár ndlúth-chaidreamh leis an Iodáil.

Is croíúil cairdiúíl é caidreamh na hÉireann leis an Iodáil, agus naisc láidre idir dhaoine ina chroílár. Sa lá atá inniu ann, roghnaigh na mílte Éireannach a mbaile a dhéanamh san Iodáil, díreach mar a chuir go leor Iodálach fúthu in Éirinn le haghaidh oibre nó staidéir. Tá meas mór againn ar chultúr a chéile agus bíonn na céadta míle cuairteoir ag taisteal idir an dá thír gach bliain.

Is iad na haidhmeanna atá againn agus an misean nua seo á bhunú ná an caidreamh iontach idir Éirinn agus an Iodáil a neartú, naisc thrádála, infheistíochta agus chultúrtha a fheabhsú idir ár dtíortha agus tacú le saoránaigh Éireannacha atá ina gcónaí agus ag taisteal sa réigiún.

Agus an Chonsalacht nua seo á bunú againn, oibreoimid le comhpháirtithe chun na naisc seo a neartú. Áireoidh sé seo Ambasáid na hÉireann sa Róimh agus na trí ghníomhaireacht stáit Éireannacha atá i láthair cheana féin i Milano; Bord Bia, Fiontraíocht Éireann, agus Turasóireacht Éireann.

Táim ag tnúth go mór le bualadh le go leor agaibh anseo i Milano agus ar fud an réigiúin sna míonna amach romhainn. Idir an dá linn, tá súil againn go mbeidh an suíomh gréasáin seo úsáideach duit agus iarrfaimid ar aon duine ar spéis leo an caidreamh idir Éirinn agus tuaisceart na hIodáile a fhorbairt tuilleadh, go háirithe i réimse na nasc geilleagrach, cultúrtha agus sochaíoch, dul i dteagmháil leis an gConsalacht trínár leathanach teagmhála. Le haghaidh na nuachta agus na n-imeachtaí is déanaí go léir, is féidir leat teacht orainn ar X agus Instagram.

Le gach dea-ghuí / con cari saluti/ le dea-mhéin,

Maria Sheehy

Maria Sheehy took up her position as Ireland’s first Consul General to Milan in September 2024

Before taking up her assignment in Milan, Maria served as Deputy Director of the EU Institutions and Coordination Unit at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, specialising in the areas of Rule of Law and Irish representation in the EU Institutions.

Prior to this, she was Consul and Cultural Attaché at the Irish Embassy in Rome.

She has previously worked in the Department’s International Security Policy Section and in its Asia Pacific Unit with a focus on South and Southeast Asia.

In addition to her time in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Maria spent four years working in the Irish Department of Justice as Ministerial Liaison Officer and as Deputy Director of the Garda (Police) Governance and Accountability Section.

Prior to joining the civil service, Maria spent a number of years studying and working in Japan, Poland and South Korea.

Maria holds a BA in History and Irish from University College Dublin and an MA in Interdisciplinary European Studies from the College of Europe, Bruges.

She is joined in Milan by her husband and two young children.

Maria Sheehy ha assunto il ruolo di primo Console Generale d’Irlanda a Milano a settembre 2024

Prima di assumere l’incarico a Milano, Maria ha ricoperto il ruolo di Vice-Direttrice dell’Unità Istituzioni dell’UE e Coordimento del Dipartimento degli Affari Esteri a Dublino, specializzandosi in Stato di diritto e rappresentanza irlandese nelle istituzioni dell’UE.

Precedentemente è stata Console e Addetto Culturale presso l’Ambasciata d’Irlanda a Roma.

Ha lavorato presso la Sezione Politiche di Sicurezza Internazionale del Dipartimento e l’Unità Asia Pacifico, focalizzandosi sull’Asia meridionale e il Sudest asiatico.

Oltre che presso il Dipartimento degli Affari Esteri, Maria ha lavorato per quattro anni al Dipartimento di Giustizia irlandese come Liaison Officer del Ministero e come Vicedirettrice della sezione Governance e responsabilità della Polizia.

Prima di entrare nella pubblica amministrazione, Maria ha trascorso diversi anni studiando e lavorando in Giappone, Polonia e Corea del Sud.

Maria ha conseguito la laurea in Storia e Irlandese presso l’University College Dublin e il master in Studi interdisciplinari europei presso il College d’Europe, Bruges.

Vive a Milano con suo marito e i suoi due bambini.