"My Thoughts in Galway" Letter from Ambassador (February)

Dear Readers

In the lingering chill of early spring, I hope this message finds you well. Perhaps because February is the shortest month of the year, it is a time when I find myself thinking, “Goodness, is it March already?” while at the same time taking quiet pleasure in the gradual advance of dawn each morning and in hearing the approaching footsteps of spring as daffodils and crocuses begin to emerge. At the Winter Olympic Games in Italy, many athletes from Japan took part and, day after day, delivered truly splendid performances.

This month, I had the opportunity to visit Galway, on Ireland’s west coast, for the first time. My purpose was to pay a courtesy call on Minister of State at the Department of TransportMr Seán Canney TD, who is scheduled to visit Japan and the Republic of Korea from Ireland in March for St Patrick’s Day, and to hold discussions to ensure that his stay in Japan will be fruitful. I also met with members of the Japanese community residing in Galway, who are always most supportive of the Embassy’s work, including the one-day consular service held earlier this month in Galway by the Embassy of Japan. In addition, I exchanged views with representatives of Galway City Council and Irish businesses, and attended the opening ceremony of Akumakon 2026, the annual festival of anime and cosplay organised by students at University of Galway.

At Minister Canney’s local office in Tuam, County Galway, we received an exceptionally warm welcome. After a comprehensive exchange of views on matters of mutual interest — such as the long-cherished hope among businesses and tourists in both countries for the establishment of direct flights, and the growing interest in Ireland in autonomous driving technologies — we were kindly shown around the town of Tuam by the Minister and his wife, Geraldine, accompanied by my wife. As we strolled through the town, we spoke at length about Japan. I was told, among other things, that the pronunciation of “Tuam” resembles, in Japanese terms, something like “shoo!” which has amusingly earned it a reputation as the fastest town in Ireland. We were also shown the workshop of Mr Tom Callanan, who crafts the traditional wooden Tuam Chair, as well as the hospital where the Minister and his siblings were born. I understand that Mr Ken Spratt, Secretary General at the Department of Transport, will accompany the Ministerial couple on their visit to Japan, and I look forward to meeting him shortly to discuss some details. I sincerely hope the visit will further develop the transport infrastructure and services that underpin exchanges between Japan and Ireland, and that events such as the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Tokyo and Yokohama will offer many people in Japan the opportunity to experience Irish culture.

Galway is an international city of culture. It is home to University of Galway, with its long history, and to Atlantic Technological University, established through the integration of national engineering and technological institutions. A wide range of cultural events and academic exchanges take place throughout the year. With regard to relations with Japan, nine Japanese exchange students are studying at University of Galway this year, and the university has previously maintained exchanges with the University of Kitakyushu, Kobe University, Aichi Shukutoku University, and Aoyama Gakuin University. 

More than 160 Japanese nationals reside in County Galway. The one-day consular service held in early February was used by many members of the Japanese community. From my conversations with Cllr Alan Cheevers, Deputy Mayor of Galway, Ms Sally-Ann O’Brien, Director of Tourism at Galway City Council, and Mr Declan Slemon, Senior Executive at the Irish pharmaceutical company Aerogen, which invests in Japan, I sense strong expectations for further development in tourism, trade, and investment. Most striking of all was the tremendous energy of the students from University of Galway who planned and participated in the three-day event Akumakon. The very name of the event — probably combining “akuma” (demon) and “convention” — reflects their avant-garde spirit. Standing among them in the brisk winter wind, clad in their handmade costumes or even in vivid blue T-shirts, one cannot help but imagine that new sister-city relationships between Galway and Japan may be in the making, or perhaps that an entirely new Irish–Japanese culture is being created in Galway already.