Embassy history

The Irish Embassy is located in the beautiful Whitehall Mansions, located on the western shore of Msida Creek in Marsamxett harbour, with views of the Valletta bastions.

Whitehall Mansions is also home to the embassies of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and the British High Commission, together with a number of private sector businesses.

The building is perhaps best known locally as being the home of the WRNS (Women's Royal Navy Service), popularly known as the Wrens, after WWII until 1972. The WRNS recruited women for roles such as code breakers, telephonists, clerks, drivers. Msida Creek also served as the base for submarines operating out of Malta in WWII.

The links between Ireland and Malta are as varied as they are surprising.

In 1799 the first group of 700 Irish soldiers and their families are believed to have arrived in St Paul’s Bay having sailed from Cork to Sicily initially. They were likely assumed by the Maltese to be English since the men spoke English and wore the same uniform as English soldiers.

Throughout the 1800s, records show young Irish women and men continued to arrive in Malta, to marry and have families and become part of Maltese society. Where occupations are listed for the women, schoolmistress is the occupation that occurs most regularly, most likely working with the children of British troops.

Dr Mary Josephine Ahern (1889-1976) qualified as a doctor in 1913 from RCSI Dublin, the only woman in her class. She was in the first group of women doctors recruited into the British Royal Army Medical Corps in 1916. Along with a number of Irish women doctors, she served in Malta and Salonika for three years up to 1919. Their extraordinary experience and story is well documented in “Lady Doctors of the Malta Garrison” and in other publications.

The Irish have also played a role in Maltese politics. In the 1920's Doctor Michael Dundon from Patrickswell in Limerick led the Parliamentary Labour Party and was responsible for the Health portfolio.

During colonial times, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, who was born in County Down, served as the British Governor of Malta from 1824 to 1826. Hastings Gardens in Valletta is named in his honor. Richard More O'Ferrall, a native of Kildare, served as Governor from 1847 to 1851 as one of the few Catholic governors during the British era. He helped found the Malta Chamber of Commerce before resigning in protest against the British Ecclesiastical Titles Bill.

A rather poignant story relates to the grave of a young Irishman in San Lawrence cemetery outside Birgu. A 23-year-old marine, Thomas McSweeney, originally from Kanturk, was executed on HMS Rodney on 8th of June 1837.

Research by Brenna Thornley, an MA student at the Classics and Archaeology Department at the University of Malta, documents McSweeney's tragic story and the affection still felt for him today among the Maltese people. McSweeney's grave had been maintained with flowers and candles being laid on a regular basis.

In 1895, the Primate of All Ireland, Cardinal Logue paid a short visit to Malta and was given a rousing welcome. Cardinal Logue was so impressed by the Maltese he asked the Vatican authorities to elevate St Publius, Floriana’s patron saint to “First Class” on the hierarchy of saints’ feast days. In return the Floriana parish commissioned a portrait of Cardinal Logue which today still hangs in the sacristy of Saint Publius parish church in Floriana.

All across the Maltese Islands there are footprints of Irish influence. In Birgu, "Irish Street" reflected the numbers of soldiers stationed in the area. There are a number of streets named after St Brigid and St Patrick and many sports clubs with references to Shamrocks, Hibernia or St Patrick. In the summer of 1905, Floriana town played a friendly football match against the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who were stationed locally. After the match, the Irishmen gave their green and white striped vests to Floriana who immediately adopted them as their new official colours.