- Home
- About us
- Visas and migration
- Travelling to Australia
- Services for Australians
- Doing business with Australia
- Study in Australia
- Media
- About Australia
- Australia- Ireland relationship
- Events
Australia- Ireland relationship
Australia’s relationship with Ireland is underpinned by strong and enduring, family, social and cultural ties. It is characterized by a healthy, if unbalanced, commercial relationship and shared perspectives and co-operation on a range of multilateral issues, including environment, UN reform, non-proliferation and disarmament; peacekeeping; post-conflict intervention.
Up to thirty percent of Australians claim some degree of Irish ancestry - six of the seven Prime Ministers in the twenty years from 1929 to 1949 had Irish forebears. There are 50,000 Irish-born residents in Australia.
General/economic
Cultural relations
Australian arts in various forms have a ready acceptance in Ireland - we share both a common language and many cultural references influenced by our shared histories. Perhaps because of Ireland's small but competitive, cultural market and the distance from Australia, Ireland is rarely on the itinerary of major Australian performers or exhibitions. However, there are opportunities for budding Australian artists to find a niche, owing to the smaller scale of venues and audiences, and Irish enthusiasm for things Australian.
Cultural relations strategy
The Embassy aims its public diplomacy and cultural relations strategy toward updating and rounding out images of Australia. Most usefully for the Australian cultural community, we endeavour to promote visiting Australian artists and exhibitions by providing contacts and encouraging interest by Irish producers and distributors. The Embassy has a small budget for cultural relations purposes, which in some circumstances can be used to assist in promoting visiting Australian artists or performers.
Cultural contacts and resources
For Australian artists visiting Ireland:
The Association of Irish Festival Events is a voluntary network organisation that brings together organisers of festivals and events in Ireland. It is an umbrella body representing over 400 festivals and events from prestigous international events to a range of smaller town and village festivals throughout Ireland.
The Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize is a biennial award offered alternately to enable an Australian poet to visit Ireland and to facilitate the visit of an Irish poet to Melbourne. The prize consists of a return airfare and a contribution towards living expenses. The next call for submissions will be in April 2007.
Hot Press Website and Yearbook is an excellent source of information on the music industry in Ireland - it lists who's who in the industry, record companies, promoters, bands and artists, media, venues, lists of festivals and much more.
Music Network was established by the Irish Arts Council in 1986. It aims to make live music of the highest quality available and accessible to everyone in Ireland and support the career development of highly skilled Irish and international artists.
For Irish artists visiting Australia:
Australia's Cultural Network is Australia's largest on-line cultural resource. It has information on Australian arts and culture, events, exhibitions, grants and services, media, books, music, training and much more.
Australia- Ireland organisations
Ireland Australia Association
The Association’s aim is to foster friendship between Ireland and Australia and to offer a congenial meeting point for Irish people interested in Australia and Australians interested in Ireland. The Association's programme of events includes lectures, music sessions, crafts and hobbies, outings and Australia Day and St Patrick's Day celebrations. Guests are most welcome at all activities. Membership information can be obtained from the Association's President, Nell Foley Tel: 01 288 4057.
Ireland Australasia Business Association (IABA)
Please see Doing business with Australia.
Australian wine in Ireland
Australian wines are commanding international attention and respect with their distinctive full-bodied character and deep fruity flavour, and the high consistency of quality. These characteristics result from Australia's range of climates, suitable soils, stable water resources and minimal use of chemicals. The Australian industry is also noted for its down to earth approach to marketing and user friendly labelling.
The growth of Australia wine in Ireland over the past ten years has been phenomenal. From having just 2% of the Irish market in 1989, this has grown to just under a quarter of the market. Australia is now the largest supplier of wine to Ireland. Ireland is Australia's sixth largest wine market.
In 1995, to nurture and support this growth, the Australian Wine Bureau Ireland was set up. The Bureau works by organising, or taking part in, various events around the country. Such events include trade and public tastings, Australian wine evenings to wine clubs or wine interested groups, participation in the Kinsale Gourmet Festival, taking stands at events to promote Australia wine (for example the Irish Open Golf competition), providing Australian wine information to journalists, trade and the public and helping Australian wine producers who are not yet in the market to secure a distributor.
The Bureau is funded by the wine industry in Australia, and is run by John McDonnell, a graduate of Roseworthy College, South Australia. The Bureau is located in the pretty coastal town of Ballyvaughan in Co Clare, where John and his wife run a restaurant and craft shop.
For more details, contact John McDonnell Tel: (065) 707 7264; Fax (065) 7077155.
Australian Wine Links:
National Wine Centre of Australia.
Australian Wine Cellars, an on-line wine club and shop/information base of Australian wine.
Australian Wines of Distinction, information on some of Australia's high profile wine makers and links to other wine information.
Australian Wine Online, a feast of information on the Australian wine industry. Includes an excellent winery search facility and comprehensive statistics on the industry.
Liquor Merchants Association of Australia, promotes the exchange of information concerning liquor promotions in Australia.
Jim McMahon's Wine World 2000, includes information on what's happening in the Australian wine industry.
Sydney International Wine Competitions.
Australian Wine Centre, on-line wine purchasing and tasting notes. Learn more about Australian wine.