Sligo County Council was pleased to welcome Her Excellency Kara Owen, British Ambassador to Ireland, to Sligo on Friday, 16 October, as part of her ongoing programme of regional engagements across Ireland.
British Ambassador Visits Sligo to Strengthen Irish-UK Connections
The visit provided an opportunity to highlight the strong economic, cultural and community links that continue to exist between Sligo, the northwest region and the United Kingdom. Ambassador Owen's regional programme has seen her engage with businesses, schools, communities and public representatives across the country while exploring the deep and enduring connections between Ireland and the UK.
During her visit, Ambassador Owen was joined by Cllr Ann Higgins, Mayor of the Borough District of Sligo; Martin Lydon, Chief Executive of Sligo County Council; Brían Flynn, Director of Services, Sligo County Council; Liam Kiely, Head of Enterprise and Averyl Dooher, Arts Officer.
A key element of the visit was a stop at Sligo-based health food company Good4U, where Ambassador Owen was welcomed by Bernie Butler, Managing Director. Established in Sligo, Good4U has grown into one of Ireland's leading healthy food brands, supplying innovative, nutrition-focused products to markets both at home and internationally. During her visit, Ambassador Owen met with the company's leadership team to learn more about the family-owned business, its commitment to innovation and its success in building a strong presence across both Irish and UK markets. The discussion also explored the opportunities presented through the UK-Ireland 2030 programme and what closer trade ties could mean for Irish food producers as they seek to expand and strengthen their presence in international markets. The visit highlighted the significant contribution companies such as Good4U make to employment, innovation and economic development in the northwest region.
Ambassador Owen also visited The Model, where she was welcomed by Director Emer McGarry. As one of Ireland's leading centres for contemporary arts and culture, The Model plays a vital role in promoting creativity, artistic excellence and cultural engagement in the northwest. The Ambassador was given an insight into the organisation's extensive programme of exhibitions, education initiatives and community engagement projects, as well as its role in fostering cultural connections and international collaboration through the arts.
Speaking following the visit, Mayor of the Borough District of Sligo, Cllr Ann Higgins, said:
"It was a great pleasure to welcome Ambassador Owen to Sligo and to showcase some of the outstanding businesses, cultural institutions and people that make our county such a vibrant place to live, work and visit. Sligo has long enjoyed strong connections with the United Kingdom through business, education, tourism and culture, and visits such as this help to strengthen those relationships further."
Brían Flynn, Director of Services, Emer McGarry, Director of The Model, H.E. Kara Owen, British Ambassador to Ireland, Averyl Dooher, Arts Officer, Martin Lydon, Chief Executive
