Beyond the Shamrock
Unbeknownst to many Bostonians, in North West Ireland, County Donegal, sits a “Massachusetts Room” in the Letterkenny Institute of Technology CoLab innovation center. Created in 2015, the space aids businesses by acting as a launching pad for Irish companies into the Massachusetts market and vise versa.
As the son of Irish immigrants, I could not be more proud that our city’s historic cultural links with Ireland — both in the north and south — have created a strong foundation for the diverse economic bridges we enjoy today.
Ireland is the 5th largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, and is the 4th largest in Massachusetts. New flights to Ireland are making connections in business and tourism even faster. You can now fly direct from Boston and New England to Dublin, Shannon, Cork, and Belfast, making it all the more easier for fans to catch hurling games at Fenway Park and cheer on our favorite college hockey teams during the Friendship Four tournament.
The Irish government has recognized the economic growth that has arisen from our historic ties. The government trade and investment agencies Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland have offices right here in Boston. And to the north, Invest Northern Ireland has made Boston their Americans headquarters, demonstrating a commitment across Ireland to the economic opportunities that Boston can represent as a welcoming location to reach new markets, develop international partnerships, and drive new innovations forward.
Within the life sciences, Boston and Irish talent are partnering in new ways every day to shape how we treat, cure, and revolutionize the industry.
Last year, Cork, Ireland launched a Bridge to MassChallenge international startup competition that identifies and accelerates the top healthcare and life sciences startups in the Republic of Ireland, and connects those startups to the global market and MassChallenge’s global network. Right here in Boston, the world renowned Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is partnering with Randox Biosciences from Northern Ireland to take on the future of cancer therapy together leveraging their expertise in precision medicine. And just this week, Dublin-based ICON plc will cut the ribbon on their new Boston office, which will be home to over 40 employees.
Irish software companies are choosing Boston to launch their U.S. expansion as they develop innovative platforms. In particular, we have deepened our entrepreneurial ties to the North of Ireland, working with our Sister City in Belfast and signing an MOU with the North West of Ireland. This new ‘Boston-Ireland North West Innovation Economic Partnership’ pledges to further develop and expand the existing bilateral relationship between the two regions to create business and job opportunities through joint initiatives in innovation and trade. We look forward to putting that “Massachusetts Room” in Letterkenny to good use!
This week we are honored to welcome officials from the Irish government to the City of Boston as we celebrate our shared Irish heritage on St Patrick’s Day. Whether we individually have Irish roots or not, the values that Boston shares with Ireland mean that together we also share in the economic prosperity, innovation, and scientific discovery that transatlantic partnerships bring when we work side by side.
Together, these values help us support our immigrant community here in Boston. I am proud of the fact that 28% of Boston residents are immigrants, and like myself 48% of our children have at least one immigrant parent. Boston is a global city, reflected by our people and across our businesses, students, and thriving innovative economy. Together, we are solving global challenges, disrupting industries with advanced technologies, and creating shared economic prosperity.
This week we once again proudly raised the Irish flag in City Hall Plaza to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day. March 17th holds a special place in Boston’s heart, and it goes beyond celebrating our Irish heritage. We celebrate the immigrant experience that the Irish and so many others share in coming to the United States, and we celebrate what Boston has come to represent: a global city where everyone is welcome to take advantage of the economic opportunities that have been created with our friends across the Atlantic and beyond.
