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Monday 15 July 2019 10:31am

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The first gathering of the Irish Business Network NZ in Dunedin will bring ‘town and gown’ together for a night of networking on Thursday, 25 July.

Newly-appointed University of Otago Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies Professor Sonja Tiernan says the event – which was the brainchild of the Irish Ambassador to New Zealand, His Excellency Peter Ryan – is already causing excitement in Dunedin’s business community.

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His Excellency Mr Peter Ryan

Professor Tiernan says it is an honour to be invited to join Ambassador Ryan to speak to attendees about her role at Otago and the importance of the growing relationship with Ireland, and to provide some cultural context on the relationship between the two countries.

“It’s a very exciting time for this relationship because reciprocal embassies have only recently been opened, in Wellington and Dublin, displaying a commitment to forging further co-operation.

“I’m very keen to meet many of the business people with Irish connections in Dunedin because nurturing links with the community can provide many tangible benefits, both cultural and otherwise, and it’s important the University of Otago is involved,” she says.

Professor Tiernan says the University has often benefitted from such associations; the Eamon Cleary Chair in Irish Studies was established after an endowment from the late Eamon Cleary, an Irish businessman who had a home and interests in New Zealand. Her predecessor, inaugural Chair Professor Peter Kuch, retired earlier this year.

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Professor Sonja Tiernan

In addition to a number of scholarships, the Eamon Cleary Trust continues to support the position at Otago.

The event is part of a series hosted by Ambassador Ryan aimed at strengthening connections between Ireland and New Zealand.

The countries share many similarities, have similar paths of economic development, and are small island-nations with open, globally connected, export-driven economies, he says.

“With around 18 per cent of all Kiwis tracing their heritage to the island of Ireland, the scope to develop our network for mutual benefit is immense,” he says.

The Irish Business Network of New Zealand, established in 2015, comprises more than 800 members from a number of industries and sectors. Its aim is to provide a friendly and open forum for business people with a connection to Ireland to network and socialise together.

VENUE: Ombrellos Kitchen and Bar, 10 Claredon St, North Dunedin. TIME: 5:30pm, Thursday 25 July.

Media enquiries can be directed to:

Professor Sonja Tiernan
Email sonja.tiernan@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 3 479 8634

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