The British Ambassador to Ireland, Kara Owen, visited Limerick (19 & 20 November) to underline the strength of UK-Ireland partnerships in regional development, innovation, and education.
The Ambassador opened the “Joining the Dots” event in the Strand Hotel; a flagship programme delivered in partnership with Limerick City and County Council and the UK’s Connected Places Catapult. The initiative, running since 2018, fosters collaboration across regions to tackle shared challenges such as night-time economies, transport connectivity, and cluster development.
In her address, Ambassador Owen emphasised the importance of innovation and partnership in driving sustainable economic growth across both islands:
“Limerick city and region are working to deliver liveable, prosperous, healthy places and as such, it is a hub of creativity, ambition, and collaboration. Today’s conversations reinforced how much the UK and Ireland can achieve together – from regional development and trade to embedding inclusion in growth to cutting-edge research tackling global challenges. These partnerships are not just about economic growth; they are about building resilient communities, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities that benefit people on both sides of the Irish Sea.”
During her visit, the Ambassador met Mayor John Moran to discuss Limerick’s ambitious economic development plans. Speaking about the visit, Mayor Moran said:
“Limerick’s and the Midwest region’s future prosperity will, in part, depend on the partnerships we can forge. Joining the Dots and the actions arising from the event show what can be achieved when communities, businesses and local authorities, this time here in Limerick, work together with ambition and a real sense of progress. It was a pleasure to meet again with British Ambassador, Her Excellency, Kara Owen, to reaffirm our shared commitment to regional growth. Limerick is committed to balanced regional development and building a resilient, vibrant city region to act as a counterpoint to Dublin. To do so, it is critical to foster strong economic, political and personal links with our nearest neighbours.”
On the visit, the Ambassador explored the city’s heritage at the Limerick Civic Trust Museum before visiting the Engine Collaboration Centre, where she connected with local businesses and Innovate Limerick to strengthen UK–Ireland trade links and champion support for start-ups and scale-ups.
The Ambassador also visited University of Limerick, where she met Acting President Professor Shane Kilcommins and British academics driving research on climate, biodiversity, and water through the Co-Centre initiative. She also celebrated the work of Professor Ann McPhail, UNESCO Chair in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy for Sustainable Development.