Cork reps head to US for St Patrick’s Day celebrations

MAYOR of the County of Cork, Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy along with Deputy Mayor Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley will lead a delegation to the US for this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

The Cork County delegation will visit three US cities; Chicago, Detroit and New York. The focus of the trip will be both to promote Cork as an attractive destination with top class visitor attractions, conference facilities and amenities as well as continuing to build upon and strengthen the connections between County Cork and the United States.

One of the highlights of the visit will be the signing of a Friendship Agreement between the City of Detroit and the County of Cork. This agreement will facilitate Cork and Detroit in fostering international cooperation programmes together with providing significant potential for boosting tourism, investment and trade through collaboration between both regions.

The Chicago visit will mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a similar Friendship Agreement signed between Cook County and Cork County in 1999. Over the last two decades this agreement has served to foster international trade and develop and strengthen relations between companies, institutions, organisations and individual entrepreneurs, particularly in the Information Technology, Biotechnology and Tourism sectors. One of the key fruits of this collaborative partnership was the establishment of the Cork Convention Bureau in 2007.

In New York, Deputy Mayor Mary Linehan Foley will address the Cork New York Association and carry out other formal engagements including meeting with representatives from the Irish Arts Centre, Fáilte Ireland and the Consul General, ensuring that Cork’s abundant offering is promoted extensively.

Mayor Murphy notes the importance of the trip in terms of International relations, trade and foreign investment, “Friendship Agreements, like the one we are entering into with the City of Detroit, open up vast opportunities for our County, from introducing Cork companies to the US market to generating extensive growth in business tourism and much more. Our key mission on this trip is to maximise the potential of the links we have forged and continue to grow between Cork County and the United States. Cork is now competing on a global stage and the relationships we build internationally are fundamental to our economic success.”

Mayor Murphy went on to say, “Cork is uniquely positioned at the beginning of the Fáilte Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East and is the gateway to Ireland’s most renowned tourist-attractions such as Mizen Head, the Old Head of Kinsale, Blarney Castle and Jameson Whiskey Distillery. St. Patrick’s Day attracts levels of publicity and media attention unmatched by the national day of any other country and provides a unique opportunity to promote our beautiful region, showcasing Cork, and Ireland, from both a tourism and investment perspective. ”