The European strand of the Global Diaspora Forum took place in Killiney, Dublin, on the 14th and 15th of May this year and was attended by 200 delegates from around the world. The two-day programme included seven themed workshops with contributions from a wide range of leaders on diaspora matters.

The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is offering the public a unique opportunity to be part of an exciting book it is producing to mark The Gathering.

The Diocese of Kerry will celebrate The Gathering 2013 with an open air Mass in the historic Ardfert Cathedral. The prelude and Mass will be broadcast live on the internet throughout the world on The Gathering TV Channel.

The Kinsale Arts Festival is inviting friends old and new back to Kinsale for Come Home for Your Tea Party, in celebration of the Gathering.

Are you a Twin? Does your Twin live in Canada, The United States, Australia, or Europe? If so Twin Fest Ireland is offering you the opportunity to be reunited in Ireland this August with your twin.

St. John Fisher College, in Rochester, NY will host an Irish famine remembrance event called ‘A Rochester Irish Gathering’ beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday May 19.

A unique Monaghan-focused family history initiative is being organized as part of The Gathering 2013. It will provide two four-day training courses within the county for tourists tracing their Monaghan ancestors.
 
The project is entitled ‘County Monaghan Genealogy – home to the little hills.’ It will give participants information on the genealogical sources available, the cultural history of County Monaghan and the diversity of origin of its people. The courses will take place in North Monaghan from Monday to Thursday, 14-17 October, and in Carrickmacross from Monday to Thursday, 21-24 October. The courses are designed for individuals and groups with Monaghan ancestry living overseas and members of Irish societies and social clubs abroad.
 
This project is organized by Clogher Historical Society/Cumann Seanchais Chlochair, Monaghan County Library and the County Monaghan Heritage Gathering Committee. The project is also being supported by the County Monaghan Fund and Monaghan Genealogy. The project will be delivered by Ancestor Network Ltd, a professional genealogy company.
 
Substantial funding for the project has resulted in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for overseas visitors to come to Monaghan to trace their roots, experience the warmth of a Monaghan welcome and explore its rich culture and history.
 
If you are a native of Monaghan or know someone who might be interested, contact: John Hamrock, info@ancestor.ie, Tel: +353 87 0505296, Twitter: @ancestornetwork, or on Facebook.
 
About the Training Courses

In honor of Cork Rebel Week (October 14th - 20th), organizers are distributing a special rebel county passport.

The number of visitors to Ireland from the Middle East has increased 15 percent from the same time last year according to the latest figures from Tourism Ireland. There has also been an 8 percent increase in the number of visitor visa applications from last year.

The annual Irish Redhead Convention brings together redheads from Ireland and abroad for games centered around red hair in Crosshaven, Co Cork. 

Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland, have found that the St Patrick’s Day Festival of 2013 had twice the economic impact of the same event in 2010.

Irish men, like prophets, are rarely ever recognized in their hometown, but that’s not the case for the High Kings singer-songwriter Darren Holden. Recently Holden was invited to become an ambassador for his home county of Co. Kilkenny for The Gathering, a yearlong initiative to encourage tourists to visit Ireland.

With an estimated 70 million around the world who claim Irish ancestry, tourism was an obvious market for the government  to enrich the struggling economy.  The government established 2013 as a year to explore all that Ireland has to offer calling it “The Gathering” and have already seen positive results. 

B&B Ireland has reported major rise in booking following a more digitalized system.

Leitrim Tourism are set to launch a recruitment drive to increase the number of Leitrim Ambassadors in the U.S.

Heroes throughout North America, Britain and Europe, especially those with a connection to Ireland, are invited to the Emerald Isle this summer for a celebration of their bravery.

The Gallagher Clan has launched a detailed itinerary of the second Gallagher Global Gathering, which is being held in Co. Donegal from 6th – 14th September 2013. They also launched the search for nominations for the Gallagher Global Award, which will be presented at that event to the Gallagher who gives most reason for Gallaghers to be even prouder to be named Gallagher.