Spanish and Irish Relations

The Embassy plays an important role in fostering the strong and close relationship between Ireland and Spain.

The two Governments work closely together on many issues, particularly in the EU context, with the Taoiseach visiting Spain for a bilateral meeting with PM Rajoy in Granada in April 2013. The two leaders also met in March 2014 in Dublin where they took the opportunity to discuss the economic recovery underway in both countries and strategies aimed at boosting employment.

We continue to work together in solidarity with one another and with our fellow EU Member States to ensure a full and sustainable economic recovery in both countries and in the Union as a whole.

A strong historical bond

Both countries enjoy close historical bonds stretching back to prehistoric times, with many legends even suggesting that the first Celtic inhabitants of our island came from the Iberian peninsula. These legends have been supported by some of the most recent research and archaeological evidence in both countries.

A constant flow of Irish visitors has continued ever since, from medieval pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, through to the very many Irish who found refuge here in Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The many Irish Colleges founded during that period helped not only to preserve a distinct cultural identity, but also to facilitate Ireland's engagement with the wider world. Many of those educated here went on to pursue careers in Spain and throughout the Spanish-speaking world as merchants, mariners, administrators, governors, soldiers, academics and clergy.

Educational and tourism links today

Today, the importance of educational links between Spain and Ireland remains as true today as it did in the past, with Spain serving as a hugely significant market for English Language students, with over 35,000 Spanish students visiting Ireland in any one year. The presence of such a large number of students is very important, not only in terms of its direct impact on the Irish economy, but also in terms of the valuable reputational benefit which it subsequently brings to our country as a whole.

Beyond educational tourism, tourism more generally remains a crucial component in our relationship, with some 1.4 million visits by Irish people to Spain last year. In the same period, over 263,000 visitors from Spain came to Ireland – making it the market’s best performance on record and ensuring that Spain is now Ireland’s fifth overall market in terms of visitors.