Governance and Administration

Cork County Council Government Trade and Tourism Delegation

Introduction and Itinerary

This year, delegations from Cork County will visit three US cities; Chicago, Detroit and New York as part of the St. Patrick’s Day festival, a global event which attracts levels of publicity and media attention unmatched by the national day of any other country and provides a unique opportunity to promote the Cork region from both a tourism and investment perspective.

The focus of the delegations will be both to promote Cork as an attractive destination with top class visitor attractions, conference facilities and amenities as well as continuing to strengthen the connections between County Cork and the United States, such as building upon existing agreements between Cook County (sistership agreement) and the City of Detroit (friendship agreement), aimed at fostering international cooperation programmes together with exploring the significant potential to boost tourism, investment and trade through collaboration between both regions.

In Chicago, the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins will lead a delegation from Cork County which includes the Chief Executive of Visit Cork and representatives of the Irish Hotels Federation Cork Branch in view of the significant focus on tourism promotion. Mayor Collins is the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day 2023 Parade Guest of Honour in recognition of the Sistership agreement between Cork County and Cook County, Illinois. Established in 1999, this sistership agreement is the longest standing international relationship in Cook County. Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the States (5.2 million) while Chicago is the third most populous city in the U.S (2.7 million). In 2021, the USA was Ireland’s largest export market, with exports valued at just over €52 billion. There are significant levels of trade between Ireland and the USA, with over 889 IDA-supported American companies located in Ireland, across all sectors. There are 122 IDA supported American companies located in Cork, including prominent multinationals such as Pfizer, Janssen, Johnson Controls, Gilead Sciences, Eli Lilly, Dell EMC etc.

Over the last two decades, the Cook County Cork County agreement has served to foster international trade and develop and strengthen relations between companies, institutions, organisations and individual entrepreneurs, particularly in the Information Technology, Biotechnology and Tourism sectors. One of the key fruits of this collaborative partnership was the establishment of the Cork Convention Bureau in 2007.

In New York, the delegation will participate in the city’s parade, address the Cork New York Association and carry out other formal engagements including meeting with representatives from the Tourism Ireland and the Consul General, ensuring that Cork’s abundant offering is promoted extensively. In Detroit, a number of engagements centre around Corktown, aptly named after Cork County together with meetings with Tourism operators and a variety of media opportunities.

The delegation's key mission is to maximise the potential of the links already forged while continuing to expand opportunities between Cork County and the United States. Cork is now competing on a global stage and continuing to build international relationships is fundamental to economic success.

Chicago Itinerary

Wednesday, 08th March 2023
  • 11.30 am, Depart Dublin to O’Hare.
  • 6.00 pm, Welcome Reception – Theater on the Lake.
Thursday, 09th March 2023
  • 9.15 am, Meeting with Mr. Kevin Byrne, Head of Mission at the Consulate General of Ireland to the Midwest United States (Consular Offices).
  • 11.15 am, Meeting with President Preckwinkle, President of Cook County Board of Commissioners.
  • 11.30 am, Cook County-Cork County Joint Partnership meeting Conference room at Cook County Administration Building, 69 W. Washington St., 22nd Floor.
  • 12.00 pm, Presentations and meetings between:
    • Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership.
    • ARPA Tourism Alive.
    • Cork County Council.
  • 5.00 pm, St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee Pre - Parade Reception – Lower Hall. Mayor to attend as Guest of Honour of Parade.
  • 7.00 pm, Mayor’s reception for Cook County Representatives.
Friday, 10th March 2023
  • 7.45 am, Pick Up.
  • 8.00 am, Irish American Partnership Breakfast.
  • 10.30 am, Mercy Homes Meeting.
  • 12.00 pm, Blue Cross Blue Shield Lunch. Mayor to attend as Guest of Honour of Parade of Parade Committee.
  • 7.30 pm, Irish Fellowship Dinner Hilton Hotel Chicago.
Saturday, 11th March 2023
  • 7.40 am, Pick Up.
  • 8.00 am, Mass in Old St Pats Church (Mayor and delegation).
  • 9.40 am, Greening of the river (Mayor and delegation).
  • 11.00 am, Mayor - Parade Grandstand and TV interview.
  • 11.00 am, Parade with Cork County Council Delegation.
  • 02.00 pm, Post parade lunch hosted by St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee.
Sunday, 12th March 2023
  • 10.00 am, Mass – Theater on the Lake.
    • Community Event.
Monday, 13th March 2023
  • 11.20 am, Departure from O’ Hare to John F. Kennedy, New York (Mayor).
  • 5.05 pm, Departure from O’ Hare to Dublin (Delegates).

Detroit Itinerary

Thursday, March 9th 2023
  • 11.30 am, Dublin to Detroit.
Friday, March 10th 2023
  • 10.00 am, Meeting at Immigration Department.
  • 12.00 pm, TV interview at Annual Painting of Shamrocks on Sidewalks. Presentation and meeting with City Commissioners.
  • 1.30 pm, Luncheon at the Gaelic League/Irish American Club. Introduction to United Irish Societies President & Board members, President of the Gaelic League, Queen & Court of the Detroit United Irish Societies, Grand Marshal, Queen of the Detroit United Irish Societies. Committee Introductions to City Council & House of Representatives Members.
  • Walk about to Historic Irish locations in Corktown.
  • 5.30 pm, Dinner and meet & greet with the President, CEO & Manager of Visit Detroit, Domestic & International Tourism.
Saturday, March 11th 2023
  • TV interviews being arranged for this morning.
  • 2.00 pm, Meet & greet with City & business owners.
  • 6.00 pm, St. Patrick & St. Joseph Dinner.
  • 8.30 pm, Gaelic League Hall for Irish diaspora event.
Sunday, March 12th 2023
  • Early morning live TV interviews in Corktown.
  • 10.30 am, St. Patrick’s Parade Mass.
  • Lunch, pending location.
  • 1.00 pm, St. Patrick’s Parade.
  • Afternoon meeting representatives of the Irish diaspora in Detroit.
Monday, March 13th 2023
  • Planned meet and greet with the Mayor of the City of Detroit, Michael Duggan.
  • 11.30 am, Luncheon honouring Cork County Delegation.
  • 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm, Live radio interview on Irish Music Cafe.
  • Dinner, Egan’s, hosted by John & Jennifer Winter.
Tuesday, March 14th 2023
  • 11.40 am, Departure from Detroit Airport to Dublin (Delegates).
  • 2.24 pm, Departure from Detroit Airport to John F. Kennedy, New York (Deputy Mayor).

New York Itinerary

Monday, 13th March 2023
  • 11.21 am, Chicago O’Hare Airport to New York, John F. Kennedy (Mayor).
  • 1.00 pm, Shannon Airport to New York, John F. Kennedy (Delegates).
Tuesday, 14th March 2023
  • 12.42 pm, Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport to New York, John F. Kennedy (Deputy Mayor).
  • 5.00 pm. St. Patrick’s Season Reception to celebrate the New York launch of the 2023 US-Ireland Business Report: ‘Ireland – Strengthening Transatlantic Ties’.
Wednesday, 15th March 2023
  • 11.00 am, Meeting with Irish Consul General Ms Helen Nolan.
  • 1.00 pm, A Reception for the Irish Community with An Tánaiste.
  • 2.00 pm, Tourism Ireland Meeting.
  • 3.00 pm, IDA Meeting.
Friday, 17th March 2023
  • 8.00 am, St. Patrick's Day Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
  • 12.05 pm, St Patrick's Day Parade– marching with Cork BP & P Association.
  • 6.30 pm, Cork Association Dinner.
Saturday, 18th March 2023
  • 6.20 pm, Departure from New York, John F. Kennedy to Dublin (Mayor & Deputy Mayor).
  • 7.55 pm, Departure from New York, John F. Kennedy to Shannon (Delegates).

Delegate List and Costs

Delegate List

Delegates Chicago - 8th to 13th of March 2023
  • The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins.
  • Cllr. Michael Hegarty.
  • Cllr. Ben Dalton O'Sullivan.
  • Cllr. Patrick Gerard Murphy.
  • Tim Lucey, Chief Executive, Cork County Council.
  • Mairead Lucey, Senior Executive Officer, Cork County Council.
  • Lisa O'Riordan, Communications and Marketing Manager, Cork County Council.
  • Mary Hickey, Senior Staff Officer, Cork County Council.
Delegates New York - 13th to 18th of March 2023
  • The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Danny Collins.
  • The Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre O'Brien.
  • Clodagh Henehan, Divisional Manager, Cork County Council.
  • Kevin Morey, Director of Service, Cork County Council.
Delegates Detroit - 9th to 14th of March 2023
  • The Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre O'Brien.
  • Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley.
  • Cllr. Kay Dawson.
  • Mags Donovan, Senior Staff Officer, Cork County Council.

Costs

Chicago Costs

Flights - €6,525.88
Hotels - €9,867.59

New York Costs

Flights - €2,989.77
Hotels - €7,797.76

Detroit Costs

Flights - €3,459.68
Hotels - €5,869.00

Page updated on the 1st of June 2023.