Friends of Ireland is a community supported by The Tara Trust which is based in Aotearoa New Zealand, know Ireland well and share our passion for celebrating the connections between our island nations. So we’ve come together with the mission to bring everyone with an interest and link with Ireland closer together. We’re always open to new ideas and new voices, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with suggestions or feedback, or if you’d like to get involved.

The Tara Trust exists to support the Irish Community in New Zealand through its support of Irish arts,

culture and the welfare of the Irish diaspora. It’s trustees are Niamh McMahon,

Caolan Keegan, Cathy O'Sullivan, Ross Dwyer and Jane Quinn.

During the last 2 years, the trust has supported a number of Irish citizens with welfare support as

well as being involved in the publication of a number of cultural projects.

Around 20,000 Irish-born people according to the latest census. But as you don’t have to be born on the island of Ireland to either be a citizen of Ireland or to celebrate your Irish heritage, it’s safest to say that 1 in 6 New Zealanders are of Irish heritage.

Maybe because we’ve had such great Honorary Consuls in New Zealand – firstly in Wellington

& since the 1970s in Auckland. The longest serving was Dubliner Rodney Walshe, who served

from 1976-2015. The current Honorary Consul is Tipperary woman Niamh McMahon. Until 2018

the Ambassador was resident in Canberra. Now he lives in Wellington.

Yes & Dunedin-native Brad Burgess is the Ambassador. Deputy PM Winston Peters

travelled to Ireland to officially open the new Embassy which is located close to

St Stephen’s Green. See here for contact details;s.

https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/europe/ireland/new-zealand-embassy/

The Embassy and Honorary Consulate work together as seamlessly as possible covering all areas of interaction between Ireland and New Zealand. While the Honorary Consul is a volunteer, working to support our community here, the Embassy team is led by career diplomats sent from Ireland and joined by some locally-recruited staff members.

The various arms of the Irish Government come together under this title – so the Embassy, Honorary Consulate, Enterprise Ireland

(promoting trade to NZ from Ireland), IDA (promoting investment to Ireland from NZ) and Tourism Ireland (promoting tourists from NZ to Ireland). In parallel to this, Invest NI works to promote trade and investment with Northern Ireland with the support of the British High Commission.  

We love to talk so the best thing is to drop us a line directly or give the Embassy a call. They are always on the lookout for partnerships and in recent times have worked with a range of partners on everything from literature events, school visits by the Embassy, music concerts and workshops, whiskey tastings, GAA tournaments, business networking and seminars to book launches. Whatever it is you have in mind, we will be able to help in some shape or form.