The Embassy plays an important role in fostering the political relationship between Ireland and Chile and with the other countries to which we have accreditation. Ireland and Chile enjoy a longstanding and warm relationship, which we wish to grow with the opening of our new Embassy in Santiago. These links date back to the early 1500’s with the first Irish arriving as part of a contingent of Irish soldiers who left Ireland to serve in the first instance mainly Catholic countries and were known as the “the Wild Geese”
President Michael D Higgins became the third Irish President in succession to visit Chile when he arrived in 2012, displaying the warmth of the friendship between the two countries. President Higgins also visited Argentina on that occasion. President Mary Robinson also included in one of her trips in the spirit of warmth and friendship a visit to Chile in 1995.
The year 2000 saw the ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile make a decision to open an Embassy in Dublin for the purpose to strengthening cultural and commercial links between both countries and to conclude an Association Agreement with the EU. The first Chilean Ambassador to Ireland was Ambassador Alberto Yoacham Soffia who presented his credentials in 2002. The current Ambassador is Mr. Cristián Streeter Nebel.
Former President Ricardo Lagos visited Ireland in July 2003 and a reciprocal visit by President Mary Mc Aleese followed when she visited Chile in March 2004. Ireland and Chile enjoy a permanent dialogue mechanism through the Bilateral political Questions which takes place every two years.
This provides a means to discuss global and regional topics, including political, commercial, and cultural matters and an opportunity to build on the good relations between both countries. There have been and number of exchange visits and delegations between Ireland and Chile in the past 20 years, in particular in June 2010 The Irish patrol ship “LE Niamh” (The ship is named after Niamh, queen of Tír na nÓg, from Irish mythology)it visited Valparaiso harbour as part of the celebrations of Chile’s Bicentenary.
The ship carried medical supplies and materials donated by Cork University Hospital as part of their response to the largest ever recorded Earth Quake which took place in February 2010. In the same year “An Post” together with “Correos de Chile” launched two commemorative stamps with the images of O’Higgins and General Juan MacKenna simultaneous. A bust of Bernardo O’Higgins was presented to the City of Dublin during the first ever and historic visit of the training “Esmeralda” to Ireland by the Chilean government in 1996.
This bust can be found in Merrion Square, Dublin. There is also a commemorative park and plaque to Ambrosio (Born in Sligo) and Bernardo O’ Higgins (Son born in Chile) in Ballinary Co. Sligo. The plaque was placed there by the Ambassador of Chile in London in 1997.
