Connecting Ireland's diaspora with their ancestors
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A new network of regional Irish partners has been formed to connect those of Irish heritage abroad with their places of origin in order to drive regional tourism.
Ireland Reaching Out (IrelandXO), which has more than 150,000 members worldwide, wants to team up with local organisations to help see international visitors return as part of the economic recovery.
The charity plans to build on the surge in people tracing their Irish roots during the lockdowns and who now wish to travel to Ireland as the country starts to reopen.
This new network of regionally-based partners aims to improve the service offered to the diaspora as they visit Ireland – both north and south.
Ballyhoura Development CLG will cover the counties of Cork, Kerry and Limerick is one of the first three partner organisations.
The service offers anyone from anywhere in the world with Irish roots the chance to connect with the community they have descended from by engaging with locals on the ground and online through its online platform – IrelandXO.com. Members avail of free advice from a large team of volunteers, helping them to trace their roots and connect with their Irish place of origin.
Established in 2010, Ireland Reaching Out is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organisation connecting people of Irish heritage with the local community in their place of origin in Ireland. It is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
Laura Colleran, Ireland Reaching Out Programme Manager, said visitors to Ireland may get to see the homestead of their Irish forebearers, walk the land their people farmed before leaving Ireland and see the graves of their ancestors.
David Whyte, Development Officer with Ballyhoura Development, says:
“Ballyhoura Development works on social inclusion, rural development projects and tourism in East Limerick and North Cork. We work with local tourism providers to help promote the region especially in terms of heritage and local history tourism. We help those who want to research where their families came from using local knowledge and connection to the communities.
“Through the partnership with Ireland Reaching Out, we will be covering all areas of Cork, Limerick and Kerry, working with the volunteers and groups that we have built up relationships with over the years, applying the knowledge and expertise we have gathered from over 30 years of community engagement and connecting people from outside of Ireland to those in the local communities. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity for our counties to really help visitors have a different way of experiencing the region and make lasting connections.”