Ireland’s President Catherine Connolly to visit UK, meet King Charles

Irish President Catherine Connolly started her first formal visit to England today, emphasising the significant influence of the Irish community on British society during her speech at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith.

The Galway native, who assumed office in November, commended the extensive contributions the Irish have made throughout the UK.

Ms Connolly shared with the audience: "The scope of the Irish influence on British society spans many fields.

"From arts and culture to healthcare, education, construction, and infrastructure, alongside professional, scientific, and technical services."

She remarked that "there is scarcely an industry or area of life" that has been unaffected by the Irish presence in Britain.

While visiting the Hammersmith centre, the president also interacted with students attending an Irish language class.

This evening, Irish ambassador Martin Fraser and Deirdre Fraser will host a reception at the embassy to honour Ms Connolly and her husband, Brian McEnery.

The three-day visit will include a stop at the Chelsea Flower Show on Tuesday, followed by the London Irish Centre in Camden.

A meeting with King Charles is also scheduled during the visit.

In her inauguration, Ms Connolly promised to focus on strengthening ties with the Irish diaspora, a priority reflected in this journey.

The visit will end on Wednesday with activities in Leeds, where Ms Connolly will explore Leeds University and the Leeds Irish Centre.

In Leeds, she will be briefed on the operations of the Irish Health Centre and meet with leaders from various Irish community groups in the region.

This visit to the UK is the president's third official international trip since taking office, following prior visits to Northern Ireland and Spain.

Ms Connolly's agenda this week covers cultural venues, healthcare facilities, and educational establishments across London and Leeds.