Honorary consul of Ireland in Orlando and RumbergerKirk Partner Patrick Delaney Kicks off Irish Network Orlando

March means Irish Heritage Month in the United States and this year, in Orlando, a new Irish Network is being established.  Irish Network Orlando will bring people of Irish heritage and those with links to Ireland together for social and professional networking.

On March 10, Irish Government Minister Niamh Smyth formally launched the Irish Network Orlando during a visit to Florida as part of Irish Heritage Month. The initiative is led by Honorary Consul of Ireland in Orlando Patrick Delaney, a partner at RumbergerKirk, with support from Consul General of Ireland in Miami Sarah Kavanagh. It is being organized as a charitable and educational nonprofit under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

The community gathered at the Castle Irish Pub in College Park to celebrate the new Network which aims on strengthening connections around community, commerce and culture.

“I am delighted to formally launch the Irish Network in Orlando and I want to thank Honorary Consul Patrick Delaney, Leon Fitzpatrick, Gail Kelly and Shane Hoyne for their work in establishing the Network,” Minister Smyth said.

Consul General Kavanagh noted that Central Florida is home to a vibrant Irish community spread across a large geographic area. The network will help bring people together to celebrate events such as St. Patrick’s Day, Bloomsday and St. Brigid’s Day while strengthening connections between Ireland and the region.

“In my role, I meet Irish citizens working in business, technology, academia, medicine, sports and many other sectors,” Patrick said. “There is also very important connections between Catholic Irish clergy in this Diocese and Irish priests have ministered to local people for generations. The goal of Irish Network Orlando is to serve as a central meeting place to promote Irish culture and preserve Irish heritage through community engagement, educational events and cultural activities.”

St. Augustine Proclamation and Home to the First-Ever Recorded St. Patrick’s Day

“Ireland’s dedicated diaspora is one of our greatest strengths. I am pleased to mark our most important public holiday, St. Patrick’s Day, here in Florida, where the first-ever recorded commemoration of the Feast Day in the Americas took place in 1600 in St. Augustine,” added Minister Smyth.

At their Monday, March 9 Commission meeting, the St. Augustine City Commission proclaimed March as Irish American Heritage Month. Patrick was on hand to accept and represent the Irish community in Central Florida.

Celebrations Across the Community and Florida

Along with Minister Niamh Smyth whose visit included several opportunities to connect with Irish communities and businesses, the small team at the Consulate General and Honorary Consulate fanned out across the state over the weekend to take part in St. Patrick’s Day parades from Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale to Delray Beach and Melbourne, where Patrick and his wife Lindsey participated in the parade as guests of the Florida Ancient Order of Hibernians.

With the launch of Irish Network Orlando, Central Florida gains a new hub where the Irish community and friends of Ireland can connect through culture and shared heritage, while also building meaningful professional relationships. The Network is well positioned to foster collaboration, support business development, and strengthen economic ties between Ireland and the region.