Sunbelt Celt

Standing before a green screen and slideshows depicting images of Ireland, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore launched The Gathering Ireland 2013 in New York last night. “There’s probably nowhere more appropriate to launch this event,” he told an audience of about 400 at the Consulate General of Ireland in New York. The Gathering Ireland is an initiative to bring diaspora across the world together – and hopefully back to Ireland. Billed as “a spectacular, year-long celebration of all things Irish,” it is an open invitation to visit home (there is also an artistic aspect – the Gathering sponsors cultural events such as Irish Film New York and the First Irish Theatre Festival). Mr Gilmore explained the sentiment behind it. “I know that my own family, very often we get together on sad occasions. One of the things that people talk about is that ‘Wouldn’t it be great to get together on a happier occasion?’”