Meath shares the amore with Italy as EU Presidency pairing launched

Flag-raising ceremony at Council headquarters

International politics descended on Meath on Thursday of last week when the county marked its pairing with Italy for the EU Presidency, as the Meath branch of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a ‘peaceful protest’ at the ceremony at Buvinda House, the Meath County Council headquarters.

The county’s two ministers, both in external affairs portfolios, Helen McEntee and Thomas Byrne, were joined by Italian and Irish diplomats and local authority members for the flag raising ceremony which saw the launch of the county’s European Cultural and Library Programme 2026.

Twenty-six European states have been paired with the 26 counties in the Republic, in an effort to bring Europe closer to its citizens during the six months of the Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Among those attending the ceremony were Ambassador of Italy to Ireland, Nicola Faganello, and Ambassador of Ireland to Italy, Elizabeth McCullough, as well as members of the Italian community living in Meath, including the Lupo family from Navan.

While the Palestine demonstration fell under the definition of ‘peaceful protest’, it was certainly noisey at times, as speakers were chanted over, but Foreign Affairs Minister McEntee did acknowledge their presence and said ‘we’re doing our best’ to them on her arrival.

Cllr Sarah Reilly, cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, raised the flags of Ireland, Italy, and the European Union, assisted by Meath Civil Defence members, Shane Quinn, Michael Fitzsimons, and Mark Hennigan.

Cllr Reilly said the flags were raised in Meath with a particular pride, as the county had always acknowledged and celebrated the importance of connection, as thousands of years ago people gathered on the Hil of Tara to celebrate, share ideas, and discuss the future of our country.

“In many ways, the Hill of Tara was the Brussels of an ancient Ireland,” she said.

“The 12 stars on the European Union flag stand for unity and harmony – the flag also represents equality, democracy, solidarity, and respect for human dignity. These are the values that shape the type of communities we want to create, and the responsibility we have to respect and uphold them.”

She said the EU presidency also gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate friendship.

“Meath is extremely proud not only to twin with Italy, but also for long-standing twinning partnerships with Broccostella and Bobbio. And many members of the Italian community call Meath home.”

She said the two countries didn’t just share a love of pizza and pasta, but also had a shared EU story.

“Both joined the EEC back in 1973, a journey that shaped not only our our economies and our societies, but our place in Europe. It led to that open, outward-looking, connected Ireland of today.”

Italy holds a special place in the cathaoirleach’s heart - she got engaged there, she said.

And she recalled the love affair that began with the country during Italia ’90.

“Italy might have brought our World Cup dream to an end then, but you won us over with your warmth and hospitality, your culture, cuisine and people.”

The Italian Ambassador, Nicola Faganello, recalled being at those World Cup matches in the Stade Olympio, with his high school friends, and the Italian tricolour painted on his face.

“We celebrated with the Irish fans after the match – that friendship has endured,” he said.

He spoke of the lasting friendship between people and places in the two countries, and of how the partnership between Meath and Italy is most appropriate given the already strong cultural and historical links.

The ambassador referred to St Columbanus leaving Ireland to evangelise Europe and in 1641 founded an abbey in Bobbio, Italy, while 400 hundred students from Ratoath College are involved in a language exchange programme with Parma. Ambassador Faganello also spoke of education and business opportunities.

He said he looked forward to returning to the county in October for more public events, alongside Ambassador McCullagh, with whom he had travelled on Thursday.

Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, said it was St Columbanus who first coined the phrase ‘Totus Europaea’ – ‘We are all Europe’, one of the first visions of Europe coming together, and the Schuman Declaration which formed the foundation of the European Union was first presented at the Congress of Lisieux in France which was held to mark the 1,400th anniversary of the death of St Columbanus, who is remembered in Meath in the name of the Columban Missionaries headquarters at Dalgan Park, Navan.

Foreign Affairs minister Helen McEntee said that she has grown up in a world where she has only ever known the European Union.

“I am an Irish citizen and have always been a European citizen, and that is the same for so many. And with that there have been so many benefits, the ability to have to work, to study, to travel, and to do so much that we take it for granted, and to do it so freely. Over the next six months we have the opportunity to build on these benefits, and as a country shaping the direction of the EU, we have a chance address many of the challenges that we know that we face.”

She highlighted the many business and tourism opportunities that exist, and said after domestic visitors, Italian tourists accounted for the most number of visitors to Meath’s Púca Festival.

County Council chief executive Kieran Kehoe explained that the council’s economic development unit and Irish Centre for Food Culture has built up a strong relationship with the University of Pollenzo, where they were sharing ideas on gastronomy and science, with a view to creating a cultural and food set piece tourism experience for Meath.

Vita Bella!