Following the national anthems—performed by Maestro Antonio Cascelli on piano and the opera singer Francesca Placanica—Italy’s Ambassador to Ireland, Nicola Faganello, delivered the traditional address of greeting to those present and to the wider community. In his speech, he highlighted the strength of bilateral relations between Italy and Ireland in cultural, economic, and political terms, also in view of the upcoming start of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU (July–December 2026). Ambassador Faganello also reflected on the value and historical significance of the 80th anniversary of the Italian Republic, announcing that, for the occasion, an exhibition will be inaugurated in the coming weeks at the Italian Institute of Culture (IIC) in Dublin. The exhibition, produced by ANSA in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), titled “Women, 80 Years of Achievements since the Republic Referendum,” traces the evolution of women’s rights and roles in Italy from 1946 to the present day through photographs and journalistic materials from ANSA, highlighting the contribution of women to Italian public life and society.
The celebrations then continued over the weekend with events also held in Cork and Galway, attended by Ambassador Faganello, in collaboration with the local Honorary Consuls and with the participation of the Director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Dublin, Michela Magrì. These events were dedicated to the local Italian communities as well as to authorities and representatives from the business, academic, and cultural sectors. In particular, the celebration in Cork—attended, among others, by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Fergal Dennehy, representatives of the local Chamber of Commerce, the Honorary Consuls of the UK, Spain, and Norway, and the Vice President of COMITES Ireland, Luca Mancinelli—took place in the prestigious Aula Maxima of University College Cork and concluded with a highly acclaimed performance of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma at the Cork Opera House, staged by the Irish National Opera with the support of the IIC.
The week concluded with the national day celebrations in Galway at the evocative Claregalway Castle, attended by the local Italian community and Irish authorities, including the Deputy Mayor of Galway, Alan Cheevers, Councillor Helen Ogbu, the Chief Executive of Galway City Council, Leonard Cleary, and the Vice President of the University of Galway, Alex Metcalf.
