Embassy Newsletter - Winter 2023
Ambassador's message
I am looking out at an icy Warsaw in December, and looking back on an extremely interesting year.
As we come to the end of 2023, I want to thank my wonderful colleagues at the Embassy for all their hard work this year.
Our most important priority is always helping Irish people in need of assistance. The Consular team have responded to dozens of Irish people in difficulty this year, from lost passports to serious health emergencies.
Another core function of Embassies is also providing reporting and analysis on political and economic developments in their countries of accreditation. This has been especially important in Poland in recent months, with Parliamentary elections taking place in October. We’ve also maintained a strong dialogue with the Polish government on EU issues, above all our support for Ukraine.
We have supported a number of important visits to Ukraine, including by the Tánaiste and the Cathaoirleach. We’re extremely grateful to Polish government protocol and security services for their assistance in facilitating these visits. The Cathaoirleach’s visit also provided an opportunity to have an introductory meeting with the new Marshal of the Senate, Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, as well as a meeting with some of the Irish community in Warsaw.
We have of course followed the elections in Poland very closely, and look forward to engaging with the new government in Poland throughout 2024.
We’ve marked some important anniversaries this year. 2023 marked 150 years since the death of Paweł Edmund Strzelecki, an explorer and philanthropist from Poland who oversaw relief to tens of thousands of people in Ireland during the famine. His home village of Głuszyna and the city of Poznań organised a wonderful programme of events to commemorate his life throughout the year.
I visited Wrocław to share the story of Ireland’s 50 years of membership of the EU, and the huge benefits this had brought us as a country. I also visited Łódź for the unveiling of a mural to U2, commemorating their song New Year’s Day, released in 1983 in honour of the Solidarity movement in Poland.
As well as looking back, we are looking forward. Trade between Ireland and Poland reached over €7.4 billion by 2022, having grown by around 31 per cent from the previous year. I’ve been delighted to meet Irish companies such as PM Group, Portwest and OPG Property Professionals who are thriving in Poland, and it is great to see new businesses expand. In September I had the huge honour of officially opening the office of RKD Architects in Kraków. I wish them, and all Irish companies in Poland, every success.
We are also building links in education and culture. The Irish Culture Foundation organised a fantastic event at the Raczyński Library in Poznań to celebrate the Centenary of Yeats’ Nobel Prize in Literature. Alice Lyons became our first poet in residence at the Heaney-Miłosz Residency, with a six week Residency in Kraków. It’s also been fantastic to meet many of the hundreds of Irish students studying in Polish universities.
We are already looking forward to another exciting year in 2024. For the moment though, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas, and every happiness next year.
Patrick Haughey
Ambassador of Ireland to Poland
The Heaney-Miłosz Residency
This Autumn saw the launch of the first Heaney-Miłosz Residency, in Kraków. The Residency aims to support writers, resident in Ireland, who are at the early to mid-stages of their careers.
Starting in October, Alice Lyons spent six weeks as the first writer-in-residence. Pictured above, Alice visited the former apartment of Czeslaw Miłosz, where a copy of Seamus Heaney's 'Mise Raftery (I am Raftery)' still hangs in the study. The Embassy is sincerely grateful to the Heaney Estate and KBF for all their support and cooperation. Visit the Heaney-Miłosz Residency webpage to learn more.
Cathaoirleach visits Warsaw
The Cathaoirleach (Speaker of the Senate) Jerry Buttimer visited Warsaw on 24 and 26 November.
The Cathaoirleach had an introductory meeting with Marshal Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, where they discussed the strength of Irish-Polish relations, including the hugely positive impact that the Polish community have played in Ireland. The Cathaoirleach and Marshal also discussed the need to maintain our strong support for Ukraine.
During his visit, the Cathaoirleach had the opportunity to visit Warsaw’s old town, and to meet with some of the Irish community in Poland.
Visits Across Poland
Over the past few months, the Ambassador has continued a series of visits across Poland, meeting regional authorities, Irish companies, cultural organisations and educational institutions.
First up, in September, was Wrocław, where the Ambassador was joined by Deputy Ambassador Lisa-Marie Joyce and Joanna Warecka. The visit was an opportunity to discuss the growing ties between Wrocław and Ireland with regional authorities. The Embassy staff also visited Irish company PM Group, where the team heard about their ambitious plans for further growth.
Other recent visits have included:
- Łódź: Ambassador Haughey attended a special concert to officially launch the new U2 mural at the OFF Piotrkowska space, located in heart of the city. Read more.
- Głuszyna: The Ambassador attended a number of ceremonies in November to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of Paweł Edmund Strzelecki. During the Great Famine in Ireland, Strzelecki oversaw the provision of relief to tens of thousands of children, and saved many lives. Read more.
- Poznań: The Ambassador met with Deputy Marshal of the Wielkopolskie region, Wojciech Jankowiak, to discuss the strong links between Ireland and the Wielkopolskie region, including the presence of an Honorary Consulate in Poznań, the work of the Irish Culture Foundation, and Irish companies. Read more.
Economic delegation visit to Podkarpackie region
In October, Embassy Head of Economic Affairs, Brendan Farrell, along with economic counsellors from 20 other embassies in Warsaw, participated in a study visit to the Podkarpackie voivodeship organised by the Polish Chamber of Commerce. During this visit, participants learned about economic opportunities in the region through meetings with officials from the Podkarpackie Marshall’s office, the Rzeszow Regional Development agency, the Podkarpackie regional tourist organisation, and the Investors and Exporters services centre. The visit also included site tours of leading Polish companies in Podkarpacie such as ML System, EME Aero, Splast and Bury. The group also learned about the establishment of Poland’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Mielec in 1995. It was pleasing to hear of an Irish connection: experts from the Shannon Free Zone – the world’s first free trade zone - travelled to Mielec almost 30 years ago to share expertise and support the establishment of the Special Economic Zone.
Polish school children bring Heaney’s words to life
Our friends at the Irish Culture Foundation in Poznań organised a competition for school children across Poland this year, asking them to paint a picture based on one of Seamus Heaney’s poems.
There was huge interest, with over 145 students taking part, and a really high quality of entrants. In August, the results of the competition were announced, with the winning pictures displayed in the Ambassador’s Residence.
One for everyone in the audience!
To mark the beginning of the Christmas season, the Ambassador was delighted to invite members of the Irish community to the Residence to enjoy the Late Late Toy Show with a festive celebration. Snow arrived on cue to lend the Residence a festive appearance, and it was a pleasure to spend time in the company of a great group of people. There were even some Irish sweets for everyone in the audience!
Consular support
Citizens' Registration
We encourage all Irish residents of Poland to register with the Embassy via our Citizens' Registration platform – this allows us to reach you in case of emergency. You can also sign up to receive news about upcoming events in Poland.
Passports
Irish Passports can be renewed from anywhere in the world using Passport Online. First time applicants in Poland can also apply online. More information here.
News from Enterprise Ireland in Warsaw
Enterprise Ireland hosts the first Irish – Polish Data Centre Forum
The first Irish Polish Data Centre Forum was held on 6 December in Warsaw as part of an ongoing campaign by Enterprise Ireland Warsaw to connect the Irish and Polish data centre sectors. The event, designed and led by Bartosz Siepracki, attracted general contractors, data centre investors and operators, design and engineering companies, real-estate consultants, energy and fit-out systems suppliers, and recruitment agencies.
A key achievement from more than two decades of the data centre sector in Ireland is a very strong and diverse cluster of around 60 high-tech construction companies delivering global hyperscale projects for the most demanding technology multinationals. Enterprise Ireland’s mission is to connect these companies to the growing Polish data centre sector, facilitate business partnerships, and provide a platform for sharing best practices.
Ambassador Haughey opened the event highlighting the strong economic and cultural links between Ireland and Poland and Enterprise Ireland Warsaw manager Tonia Spollen-Behrens spoke about the agency's role in supporting Irish companies in overseas markets. Irish companies presenting at the event included HOLDEN Installations Ltd., PM Group, Ward Personnel, SilverBack and RKD.
Enterprise Ireland participates in the Lifescience Summit Kraków
On 30 November Enterprise Ireland Warsaw, along with client companies and distributors, participated in the LifeScience Summit in Kraków. The Summit was organised by the National Lifescience Cluster in Kraków in cooperation with top Healthcare providers and R&D Institutes, and attended by approx. 120 medical professionals.
Excellent insights were provided by representatives of medical multinationals from across Europe on a variety of topics including Active ageing; Hospital of the future; AI in Healthcare, Healthy Lifestyle and Wellbeing; and Personalised Medicine.
“Study a Masters in Ireland” Virtual Fair for European students
On 6 December Enterprise Ireland and Education in Ireland jointly organised a virtual fair for students in Poland and the Baltics who are interested in studying in Ireland. Over 500 students attended the virtual fair which is indicative of the interest in Ireland as a place to study and the strong reputation of our educational institutions.
News from Irish Polish Chamber of Commerce
The Irish Polish Chamber of Commerce is a friendly and outward-focused Chamber, run by a dedicated group of volunteers. It acts as a focal point for the Irish business community in Poland as well for Irish people living in Poland and Polish nationals with Irish connections. Working frequently with the Irish Embassy and Enterprise Ireland, the Chamber performs this function by regularly organising networking meetings and social events – which include family events in May and December in Warsaw – and business mixers with other chambers of commerce as well as business and economic briefings throughout the year. Whether you are an entrepreneur in Poland or a professional working in an organisation, the Irish Chamber of Commerce offers a ready-made community of friendly, approachable and interesting people whose love of Poland is matched only by their special connection to Ireland. Membership is open to individuals as well as businesses, with very reasonable annual fees that offer excellent value. To find out more about us and potentially join the Chamber community, check out our website at www.irishpolish.pl and get in touch with Brian Mason today at brianmason@irishpolish.pl.
Recent events: Christmas Céilí 2023
On 10 December, the Chamber welcomed family and friends to celebrate the annual IPCC Christmas Céilí at the Fontanna Restaurant in Warsaw’s Old Town. In keeping with the festive tradition of previous years, guests were entertained with delicious, wholesome food and warm beverages as well as traditional Irish music played by local musicians. The younger members took part in arts and crafts activities with a Christmas theme and were also entertained by a regular performer at IPCC social events, the excellent Rob the Magician!
Flavours of Ireland 2023
On 27 September, the Chamber hosted the annual Flavours of Ireland at Aruba Restaurant in Warsaw. Sponsors ABP Meats and Dawn Meats provided the highest quality Irish beef and lamb which enabled the talented chefs at Aruba to prepare a range of traditional Irish dishes, including shepherd’s pie and roast beef. Our other sponsor, Tullamore D.E.W., provided a range of beverages which were prepared with great skill and panache by their specialised bar staff. The event was an opportunity for Chamber members to meet with members of the Irish community from across Poland, and once again copper fastened Flavours as a primary Autumn social occasion for the Irish community in Poland.
Upcoming events: Maciej Reluga Economic Outlook for Poland 2024
On 8 February 2024, IPCC member and Chief Economist at Santander Bank Polska, Maciej Reluga, will present his annual economic outlook for Poland during an event co-organised by the Chamber and the Embassy of Ireland in Poland. The event will provide an opportunity to avail of Maciej’s expertise and gain an insight into economic developments which may be relevant to your business in 2024. To receive updates on this and other events, please contact us to discuss membership.