Consulate General of Ireland opening
News
29 June 2021
Ireland’s newest diplomatic mission, the Consulate General of Ireland for the North of England, will begin its work in Manchester on 1 July 2021.
The new mission will strengthen political, commercial, community, and cultural ties between Ireland and the North of England. Its establishment also demonstrates the Irish Government’s commitment to strengthening the British–Irish relationship following the UK’s departure from the European Union.
The new Consulate General will be responsible for representing Irish interests in the northeast, the northwest, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Enhancing collaboration with important regional and local government partners in the North of England will be an important part of its role.
The Consulate General is currently located in temporary offices in central Manchester, where it will work alongside and in partnership with the Manchester office of Enterprise Ireland, which was established in April 2019 to support the growth of Irish businesses and trade.
A formal opening ceremony for the Consulate General will follow later this year.
Ireland’s Ambassador to Great Britain, Adrian O’Neill, visited Manchester for this occasion. He said, “I am delighted that the new Consulate General of Ireland for the North of England is now operational in Manchester. I warmly welcome Consul General Sarah Mangan and Vice Consul General Carina O’Brien as the newest members of Team Ireland in Great Britain.
The relationship between Ireland and the North of England region has deep roots in history but is also very contemporary in the vibrancy of links across the Irish Sea. These connections encompass the realms of business, education, culture, sport and, above all, community. The new Consulate General will play a crucial role in maintaining and deepening this rich and multi-faceted relationship, and to advancing and promoting Irish interests across the North of England.
The new Mission forms part of a wider programme of investment in Ireland’s footprint in Great Britain in recent years, including an enhanced whole-of-Government presence in London, and the re-opening of the Consulate General in Cardiff in 2019 and the establishment of an Enterprise Office in Manchester in the same year.
I would like to thank the UK Government for their support with the establishment of our new diplomatic mission in Manchester and wish my new colleagues well as they begin their work in the North of England.”
The new mission will be led by Consul General Sarah Mangan, who says, “I am very honoured and greatly privileged to be appointed as Ireland’s first Consul General to the North of England. The opening of a Consulate General in Manchester is a concrete example of the Irish Government’s enduring commitment to the British-Irish relationship, to the Irish community in Britain, and to Irish businesses operating here. Building on the work of the Irish Embassy in London, and in close cooperation with Enterprise Ireland and other State Agencies, the Consulate General team will work to promote Irish interests in the North of England. My team and I are greatly looking forward to getting to know the Irish community and friends of Ireland across the region in the coming months.”
Ms Mangan will be joined by Vice Consul Carina O’Brien. Ms O’Brien says, “I am proud to take up the role as Vice Consul General for the new Irish mission in the North of England. I look forward to strengthening and expanding the relationships with the Irish community, businesses, and networks across the region.”
The Irish Embassy in London will continue to provide most consular services to Irish citizens in the North of England, including passport and visa services, to Irish citizens. Please see the Embassy London website for more information. While in its temporary premises, the new Consulate General will not provide direct consular services to the public.