Come one, come all was the tourism message delivered by two of the Irish government’s leading ministers during a special event at the Irish Consulate in New York on Wednesday evening.
Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore and Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar presided at the launch of The Gathering 2013 in New York City, a major initiative aimed at encouraging members of the Irish Diaspora from around the world to reconnect with their roots in the homeland – and have an unforgettable time while doing so.
Visit IrishCentral's 'The Gathering 2013' section
Varadkar told the more than 300 Irish Americans in attendance that Ireland is ready to showcase itself in a big way next year to visitors from America and beyond.
“Our economy collapsed in 2008 and it’s been very difficult for our people. One of the ways we’re rebuilding is through tourism,” said Varadkar.
Irish Americans are key when it comes to ensuring the success of The Gathering, which will offer special events across all spectrums – culture, sports, heritage and much more – throughout Ireland in 2013.
“The Gathering is going to be a great year, celebrating all that is Irish,” said Varadkar, noting also that 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic visit to Ireland.
Events will be plentiful in Ireland come the start of 2013, and the welcome will be better than ever before promises Varadkar, born and raised in Dublin to an Irish mother and Indian father.
In particular, the 2013 St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin will offer visitors an opportunity like never before, to march up O’Connell Street behind the banner of their country or county of origin.
“It’s the only year we’ve ever done that, and the only year we will do it,” said Varadkar, comparing the start of the Dublin march to the opening of the Olympics.
Irish Americans coming home to Ireland are an integral part of The Gathering, but the initiative also aims to attract those who don’t have Irish roots.
“We’re asking people to come to Ireland, and to bring other people with them,” said Varadkar, noting that corporate outreach in the form of business meetings and conferences will also be catered to via special Gathering initiatives.
Tourism is one of Ireland’s most important industries, Varadkar said, and the U.S. market is second behind visitors from Great Britain. However, American visitors tend to stay longer in
Ireland and spend more during their visits, and they can expect to receive value for their money in 2013.
“I know things were expensive a couple of years ago, but that’s not the case now,” said Varadkar.
Though the focus of The Gathering centers on 2013, Varadkar stressed that the initiative is far from a one-shot marketing deal.
“Not at all,” he said. “In many ways (during the Irish boom) we turned our back on the 70 million
Irish overseas. And the change in Ireland’s fortunes has led us to look at these relationships again, and we will build on that for the future.”
Gilmore, in New York for a series of meetings at the United Nations, also expressed enthusiasm for The Gathering.
Visit IrishCentral's 'The Gathering 2013' section
“We’re looking forward to a lot of tourists in Ireland next year,” he said.
Joe Byrne, executive vice president of Tourism Ireland in North America, promised that visitors to the country next year will have a memorable time.
“The welcome waiting for you will be warmer than ever,” he said.
For more information on all that’s going on in Ireland next year, visit www.thegatheringireland.com.
21 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.canadianirish | Sep 30, 2012, 12:47 PM EDT
Will the Irish tourism minister be paying Toronto, Canada a visit? There are many Irish living north of the 49th parallel. I agree with 'Kilsally' that Northern Ireland should be included in this tourist initiative. Some Canadian friends who are heading to Ireland next year are also including Belfast on their itinerary, myself included.
Seanmor | Sep 29, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT
Suggestion: Since many from the U.S. who are going the attend the gatherings have serverd in the U.S. military, An Bord Fáilte should cooperate with the American Legion posts in Dublin, Claremorris and Killarney in arranging for these veterans to meet Amercasn Legionnaires now living in Irland. These include Patrick Mulcahy, a retired detective of the N.Y.C. PD and a former officer in the New York National Guard who now resides in his native NW Cork.
JessNiLeacai | Sep 29, 2012, 11:25 AM EDT
Let me share a friend's facebook status to show how we, the Irish who are being made to pay for this charades feel!- Do you know what I find a tad bit strange? This stupid government is killing every small business in this country and starving us taxpayers with their invented bullshit taxes. Meanwhile.... They are planning this big "gathering" where we supposed to invite every "rich " and foreign distant or close relative that lives abroad to visit Ireland in 2013. Now to see WHAT?? Roads filled with closed boarded up shops? Villages deserted of businesses and population? Drive through a collection of potholes getting lost in no sign posted roads ? Stay where? In our houses that we can't afford to feed our own? Nor can we afford to go to a restaurant with them or have a drink with them? To show what? Our immense poverty and misfortune? The fact that most of us has no work? Seriously ! Fix the country use our money that you squandered to do what you supposed to in the first place. Then only then we may be calling someone to come here. Don't shame this country even more !!
angrypaddy | Sep 29, 2012, 12:07 AM EDT
Smyrnian What are you ? a dole bludger !! because i can see through you,I guess that during the Celtic Tiger you were claiming your house was worth 600,000 now that you have to pay property tax you will claim its worth 50,000 enjoy the buget
Smyrnian | Sep 28, 2012, 05:03 PM EDT
I cam ser that Angry Paddy is still being an idiot with zero credibility. What a jerk, sorry folks.
WoundedKnee | Sep 28, 2012, 04:29 PM EDT
The real "Gathering" in Ireland is the gathering of Pak, Pole, Pohnpeian, Burundi, Bornean, Botswanan, Bosnian.... (need I go on?) settlers who are now flooding in to settle the country. They're the new Sooners. Any Irish-American who falls for the charade that the Irish tourist people are pulling is a fool. The Irish govt is selling us a sentimentalized version of Irish ethnicity, while its policy is to destroy Irish ethnicity and leave the Irish a minority in their own homeland.
Kilsally | Sep 28, 2012, 07:44 AM EDT
There needs to be more effort to include Northern Ireland in this including the Ulster-Scots / Scots-Irish . Northern Irish tourism minister Arlene Foster should be involved
IrelandNorth | Sep 28, 2012, 05:41 AM EDT
Irish diaspora can gather any time they chose to come. They don't need the anyones permission. Governments need to get past emigrants remittances mentality, to bail out political incompetance back home. What's so special about 2013, other than the Great Dublin Lock Out and Strike which an indigenous middle-class political caste may can to forget. Besides, 2013 not happen, if those Mayan chaps in South America were/are tight. This should be a not for profit event. Emigration was/is a shameful haemorrhage too sacrosanct to be exploited for material gain. By all means come, preferably cheaper off peak Winter/Spring/Autumn or Fall, and avoid conventional Summer tourist season. And be prepared for an Ireland with a European insistent Gathering of other diaspora of cheap labour to service you.
angrypaddy | Sep 28, 2012, 12:40 AM EDT
There is one thing the Irish are good at BEGGING,here we go again "The Gathering" should say "The Big Ripp Off"All you have to do is look at the clowns running the country
bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 08:31 PM EDT
Who is using my username to different bobby. (bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 04:00 PM EDT) you are using the same name as me.
JimmieM | Sep 27, 2012, 07:36 PM EDT
Well we are planning to come in 2013 and stay for a month or two...maybe 3?...will be looking for a vacation house and seeing what can happen?
bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 04:25 PM EDT
Jess those begging on the streets are not Irish, we have alot of beggers on the streets in London and i saw loads in NY. 216,000 people emigrated from England so far this year. And yes every other shop is closed in many towns and cities in the UK. You are not alone in these hard times. It is a very tough time for many Americans to, im just back from the states. People are losing homes with very little help. And no jobs. Some are thinking of moving to Canada. Lets hope it gets better for us all soon.
bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 04:00 PM EDT
Well at least in the video they didn't show only the typical Irish cliche's. I saw footage from what looked like Macna's Galway parade, which is spectacular. I would say if Ireland simply just has these people come and then they leave, it is only a temporary aid to the Irish economy. But if when they come they make it easy for Americans (and others from the diaspora) to stay and buy a vacation home since the market is good, start a business (like I believe google and facebook are) or develop family ties to come back, that could be a good long term gain for Ireland.
JessNiLeacai | Sep 27, 2012, 01:44 PM EDT
So who is paying for this?!! Oh wait, us- the stupid Irish taxpayers who can't afford our own rent, who can't pay our bills, who are struggling in debt and every other shop is boarded up. Who wants to see that?! Who wants to visit a country where the youth are leaving in droves, where people are begging on the street and we have a government so keen on bringing in the Yanks to laugh at us. Yeah good job! Wonderful. Come see the shambolic country in bits.
cillowen | Sep 27, 2012, 01:41 PM EDT
what kind of a name is that - wonder if he's another Shatter type who trashes the natives of Eire for not saving his much loved brethern.
bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 01:26 PM EDT
The cheapest return flights i found from Boston to Dublin with Aerlingus is $629, or with United $1027 same dates in November or December. Book 3 months in advance and you will get a similar fare to the one above. Thats what i do. Ive never paid more than €500 to the states. I flew business sometimes and i paid €799 return. If you book 8-9 months in advance with Aerlingus they have fixed fares you will pay over $1000.
joan1954 | Sep 27, 2012, 01:12 PM EDT
Well, I would like to know how the Irish Government defines the Diaspora in the United States. Do they think that it is Boston, Chicago, New York and San Francisco and he rest of the US not? Really there is a great deal of Irish migration southward and the Minister for Tourism needs to look at that and not just the Irish comfort zones.
bobby | Sep 27, 2012, 12:25 PM EDT
The Government do not run Aerlingus, i flew Aerlingus to New York many times and paid €499 Return, the cheapest fare i paid was €429. Aerlingus is alot cheaper to fly to the states than any American airline that fly out of Dublin.
bostonrugby | Sep 27, 2012, 12:02 PM EDT
Will Aer Lingus an outfit the Irish Government has an ownership stake in, be offering "Gathering Specials"? Fares are still high, and a great way to incentivize a return of the Diaspora is to enable them to get there without raping them before they leave the Airport.
EasyGoingIrish | Sep 27, 2012, 11:15 AM EDT
Will we have the financial rape of tourist as was evident in the Notre Dame/Navy game, especially regarding accommodations. Small minded greed, no long range view.
Seanmor | Sep 27, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT
Tourist Minister Varadkar wants the Diaspora to visit Ireland and "celebrate all things Irish". This begs the question: By "Ireland" does the minister mean the whole Irish nation or only the 5/6 of the country which is 'independent', and do "all thinks Irish" include an Ghaeilge, teanga nach bhfuil meas mo mhadra ag an ngnáth T.D. uirthi? Does a U.S. tourist have to pro-partitionist and never speak a weord of Irish in order to be welcome in Varadkar's 'Ireland'? I'd really like to know.