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Author : Eoin O'Leary
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ireland to the Russian Federation
IRELAND is a young country, only achieving
independence in 1922. However, it is the
home of an ancient culture.
The theme of my address gives me a wide
scope. In the case or Ireland, of course, it is
impossible to understand the contemporary
scene without understanding the deeper his-
tory.
And Ireland's history is a rich and textured
one. It has seen the best and the worst of
times. Between the fifth and ninth centuries, Ireland, a pastoral and pagan society on the
edge of Europe, inhabited by warring Celtic tribes, suddenly became a centre of Christian
faith and scholarship, an Island of Saints and Scholars. One book describes this era as
"How the Irish saved Civilisation."
Of course, modern Ireland is very different to the images many have of Ireland. The days
of the primarily rural economy and society are behind us. Modern Ireland is urban and
economically developed.
In recent years, Ireland has been building a reputation for excellent research and supporting
significant academic-industrial collaborations, including with Russia.
Our foreign policy is shaped by our position as an open, export-oriented democracy. Our
membership of, and active participation in, organisations such as the United Nations, the
European Union, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Coun-
cil of Europe has allowed us to pursue our interests on the world stage, taking our respon-
sibilities to international peace very seriously and yet not compromising our country's
military neutrality.
Russia is the closest of the BRICS economies to Ireland both in terms of distance and
GDP per capita, and is possibly the most familiar to us, culturally and socially. Many Irish
people with experience of working with Russia and Russians point out how similar we are
once the initial ice is broken and the language barrier overcome. This is surely supported
by the very impressive trade figures for exports to Russia which have doubled over the re-
cent past.
Ireland: An Old Nation and a Young Country