Ireland’s EU Presidency brings counties and countries together

The Presidency rotates between EU countries every six months. During its term, Ireland will chair the Council's meetings and help set its agenda, working closely with the other EU institutions to move policy forward. 

The theme chosen by the Irish Government for this Presidency is “Strength with Unity”, which draws on the Irish saying “Ní neart go cur le chéile”. It reflects the idea that through community spirit and partnership we can achieve great things. 

How the EU and local authorities work together 

While the Presidency might sound like something that happens far away in Brussels, EU institutions often collaborate very closely with local authorities. The EU doesn't just develop policy — it also provides funding, and local authorities are often the ones who turn that funding into something people can benefit from in their own community. 

One example is the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme (THRIVE), a multi-million-euro regeneration programme that's funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and managed in Ireland by the Southern Regional Assembly (SRA) and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA). 

THRIVE helps local authorities bring vacant and derelict heritage buildings back into community use. In Limerick City for example, the programme is helping to preserve medieval ruins on King's Island and incorporate them into a new design and innovation hub that will provide training and employment opportunities for local people. 

Rose Power of the SRA says the approach behind THRIVE — local authorities working closely with communities to help shape how projects are delivered — chimes with the Irish Presidency’s Strength with Unity theme. “It’s about something that lifts the community, responds to its needs, and encourages people to participate in what will be delivered there,” she says. 

Celebrating Ireland’s links with our neighbours 

The EU Presidency is also an opportunity to celebrate Ireland's cultural and historical ties with our European neighbours. One of the ways this is happening is through a nationwide pairing programme supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which has paired each of Ireland's 26 counties with a different EU country. 

Between July and December, ambassadors from each EU country will visit the county they have been paired with to attend a range of events, engaging with local authorities and community organisations. 

Alongside the ambassador visits, every Irish county is running a cultural programme to bolster its links with its paired country. Local authorities have been working closely with schools, community groups and the relevant embassies to bring it all to life. 

Rachel Burke of Cork County Council describes what the council is hoping the programme will achieve: "What this programme allows us to do is, through culture and creativity, link everywhere from Bantry to Brussels and hopefully bring Europe closer to communities." 

Cork has been paired with France for example, and the cultural programme includes a talk by the county’s Local Studies Librarian Rory Bunce on the fascinating history the region shares with Normandy. It takes place in Carrigaline Library on 16 October. 

Local schoolchildren also have a part to play. When the French embassy visits Kinsale in the Autumn, senior pupils from Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile will perform excerpts from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in both Irish and French. The dates are yet to be confirmed, but keep an eye on Cork County Counci’s events page for details. 

Exploring culinary connections 

County Waterford has been paired with Denmark, and the county’s thriving food scene gives the pairing plenty to build on. A highlight will be Taste of Denmark, a free event organised by Waterford Libraries, taking place at Garter Lane Theatre on 23 September. 

At the event the renowned Danish chef Emilie Qvist will give a cooking demonstration exploring her interest in locally sourced and sustainable produce. She’ll be meeting with local food producers in Waterford beforehand to select items for the menu, and during the demonstration the audience can taste the results: fresh Danish smørrebrød made with high quality local ingredients. 

Sinéad O'Higgins Senior Executive Librarian with Waterford Libraries, who has helped organise the Taste of Denmark event, explains the connection between the two food cultures. "I think there's almost a Danish way of life around food and a Danish attitude to cooking, and we think that's actually quite similar to the Irish approach," she says.

Find your county's partner

Cork with France and Waterford with Denmark are just two examples of the 26 pairings that have been organised for the EU presidency. Every county in Ireland will be hosting events that celebrate its links to their paired country.

See the list below to find out what country your county has been paired with, and visit your local authority's website to learn more about the events planned for your area.