Tánaiste launches St Patrick’s Day campaign celebrating Irish change-makers abroad
- Published on: 14 March 2025
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, has launched a digital media campaign celebrating St Patrick’s Day and paying tribute to Irish people, and people in the Irish diaspora, making remarkable contributions to society at home and abroad.
In this year’s St Patrick’s Day video, footage of the impact Irish people are making across the globe is accompanied by a rendition of the iconic track from The Pogues, “A Rainy Night in Soho”, performed by singer-songwriter Cat Dowling.
The Tánaiste said: “This St Patrick's Day, I am delighted to pay a special tribute to Irish people making a positive contribution to communities the world over. From healthcare to business, culture to education, our diaspora have always been our best and most important ambassadors, making all of us in Ireland proud.”
“No matter how far they have travelled, or how long they or their families have lived abroad, our Irish diaspora shares a bond that transcends borders – they call Ireland home.”
From Miami to Copenhagen, and Tanzania to the Philippines, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day video captures the everyday contributions of Irish people living around the world, offering a unique window into their working lives. It showcases a diverse range of activities and professions, from peacekeepers and humanitarians to entrepreneurs and nurses, highlighting the contribution that these Irish individuals and millions more in our diaspora are making across the world.
The video can be viewed on the social media channels of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the following links:
Notes
A full list of participants in the video is detailed below. More information on the individuals featured can be found on Ireland.ie.
Participants featured include:
- Aduke Gomez, Writer & Irish-Nigerian Scholar, Nigeria
- Caoimhe Dowling, Fashion Designer, Denmark
- Corporal Fintan Cultra & Private Keenan Barrett, UN Interim Force, Lebanon
- Dr Tom Flaherty, National Team Triathlete Guide for Blind, United States
- Dr Trish Scanlan, Paediatric Oncologist, Tanzania
- Eamon Eastwood, Food Entrepreneur, Australia
- Fr Shay Cullen, Human Rights Campaigner, Philippines
- Neil Tobin, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Jordan
- Niamh McNamara & Clementine Leaver, Mine Action Group, Ukraine
- Orla Hillary, Critical Care Nurse, London, United Kingdom
- Santiago O’Reilly, GAA Player & Coach, Argentina
- Sheena McGrandles, Dancer, Germany
- Stephen McGonigle, Watchmaker, Switzerland
- Steven Grattan, Journalist, Colombia