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Ambassador Eamonn McKee

Welcome Message from Ambassador Eamonn McKee

Ambassador McKee presents Credentials to the former President of Israel, Shimon Peres

I am delighted to welcome you to the Embassy’s new website. It offers a new range of ways to explore Ireland, learn about what we do here and explore facets of the Irish community in Israel. We regard it as a living resource that will develop over time and deepen the resources we can offer you.

If you are Irish born, an Irish citizen, of Irish heritage or an Israeli interested in Ireland, Irish culture and Irish-Israeli relations, I would encourage you to register with the Embassy. This will allow us to send you messages from time to time, ranging from travel advice and contingency planning to Irish events in Israel, news about bilateral relations and information about the history of Irish-Israeli and Irish-Jewish relationships. You can also follow me on Twitter and on my blog www.eamonncmckee.com.

Your support and encouragement is a vital ingredient in our efforts. We hope you enjoy this website and we would be delighted to get your input and your feedback.

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Ambassador's Biography

I graduated from UCD with a degree in history (modern Irish) and economics in 1982, followed by Ph.D. from the National University of Ireland in 1987 for a thesis on Irish economic policy, 1939 to 1952.

I joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1986 and worked in Anglo-Irish Division, which would become the focus for my work for the following twenty years, including for six years at the Embassy Washington from 1990 to 1996. Professionally, Washington was incredibly fulfilling, involving as it did engagement with Congress on immigration reform and with the Clinton White House on the emerging Northern Ireland Peace Process. Professional and personal life crossed when I met Congressman Bruce Morrison’s legislative staffer, Mary Rae McGillis while lobbying for Irish visas. Ireland got the visas and I got a wife and later three wonderful children.

I served twice more in Anglo-Irish Division focused on security issues, including Bloody Sunday, contentious parades, policing and confidence in the rule of law, the use of lethal force, the Cory process and criminal justice reform. I was honoured to be a member of the Irish Government’s talks team involved in the negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement and later its implementation. I served for two years as press officer at the Consulate General New York.

From 2004 I served in Irish Aid (on the emergency humanitarian side), as UN Director and Director of the Conflict Resolution Unit. I was appointed as Ambassador to Seoul in 2009 and Ambassador to Israel in 2013.