Mark Carney concluded successful bilateral visit to Ireland

Trisha Matabalan, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
June 17, 2026

(Photo courtesy: Mark Carney/Facebook)

IRELAND – Prime Minister Mark Carney concluded a successful bilateral visit to Ireland on the way to a G7 meeting in France, marking the first visit a Canadian Prime Minister has made to Ireland in nearly a decade. This is significant, as in 2024, Canada and Ireland celebrated 85 years of diplomatic relations.

His first stop was Dublin, before heading to Country Mayo, where he met with the President of Ireland. While there, he announced that he and President Catherine Connolly spoke about the “flourishing” Canada-Ireland relationship when they met in Westport, County Mayo.

“Tadhg O’Brennan of County Kilkenny made the first official journey from Ireland to Canada in 1661,” he said in a social media post. “Good to see the ties are still strong.”

After County Mayo, he headed to Aughagower, his ancestral hometown. He added, “Like millions of Canadians, my ancestors left Ireland in the shadow of the famine. They carried hope across the Atlantic and helped build the Canada we know today. To return to Mayo, and receive a welcome such as this, is a testament to the life they built for their children – and the indomitable spirit of the Irish, everywhere – whose pride in their heritage is unbroken by distance and time.”