March 2026 Newsletter of The Irish Chamber of Commerce of Hong Kong

 

 

Welcome to the March edition of The Irish Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong’s newsletter where we bring you the latest news, insights, and updates from our community of Irish businesses and professionals. From upcoming events and member news to industry trends and networking opportunities, this edition is packed with everything you need to stay connected and informed. We also regularly highlight news from Ireland and if you know of any event or news that you think will be of interest to others, then drop us a line at info@irishchamber.hk and on LinkedIn.

 

 

We begin with some exciting news. Gracie Seif is now our local partner and based in Ireland! Gracie’s role is to actively engage, build and foster relationships with Irish companies, networks and Chambers to generate more investment by Irish companies in the Hong Kong market. By building these connections, Gracie acts as an intermediary between companies and the support systems available - connecting our members with each other and to the right networks.



 

For any Irish company searching for information, support and guidance in their endeavours to expand into Hong Kong, please contact Gracie Seif at Gracie@irishchamber.hk or Tel: 00353 89 973 2341. Gracie is based in Ireland.

 

The Irish community lived up to their hard earned reputation for organising and enjoying a good craic, marking St. Patrick's Day with such enthusiasm that the celebrations inevitably stretched into a full week of food, drink, music, and merriment. From lively pub gatherings and traditional Irish music sessions to cultural performances and festive dinners, the city truly embraced the spirit of the Emerald Isle.

 

Celebrations kicked off on 14 March 2026 with the St Patrick’s Day Ball held at the Hong Kong Football Club with special performances by the one and only Eleanor McEvoy and the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir. This was followed by a string of events held in and around Hong Kong including a St Patrick’s Day takeover of Central Market which saw a river of Guinness poured, Irish dancing, traditional music and another appearance by Eleanor McEvoy.

 

On a more solemn note, a mass was held at St. Joseph’s Church, and a wreath was laid at the Cenotaph war memorial in Central*.

 

In all, Hong Kong’s Irish community came together and demonstrated yet again why St. Patrick’s Day here is truly something warm, welcoming and, above all, very special.

 

* In World War I, many Irishmen from Hong Kong companies volunteered for service in France; see this article in the SCMP for more information.

 

 

St. Patrick’s Day was also celebrated in more formal fashion at the St. Patrick’s Society Gala featuring performers of Irish song and dance.



 

The sponsor this year was Ahascragh Distillery, Ireland’s first eco-distillery and a well-known brand since their attendance at the HKTDC wine and spirits fair and our own whiskey tastings where we provided a unique platform for both buyers and amateur connoisseurs to meet Irish producers. Ahascragh Distillery is run by Michelle and Gareth McAllister who, after many years of work and travel in China and Hong Kong, decided to return to their roots and begin a new, yet old, family tradition. Old because whiskey making was in fact the trade of the McAllister family some generations prior, when they were one of the main producers in Ireland.

 

Today, Michelle and Gareth run a distillery from their beautifully restored mill in the countryside of Co. Galway, in the tiny village of Ahascragh. Their vision is to bring Irish Whiskey to Hong Kong, China, and the wider region, so that people will come to know and cherish this ancient, and unique product.

 

These award winning whiskeys as well as their Hong Kong inspired Xin Gin are all available for purchase at Delaney’s Pub and online.

 

 

 

 

 

Our very own Philly Quinn and Nikita Leung appeared live on RTHK Radio 3's Brunch with Shazia Awan-Scully to talk all things St. Patrick's Day, Irish exports, how the Chamber supports young professionals in Hong Kong and why Ireland produces so much wonderful music. We are delighted to say that both Philly and Nikita excelled in representing the Chamber by delivering an engaging and insightful interview.

 

We always like to highlight member activities outside the world of business and this month we are doing just that with the news that Chamber member and Hong Kong photographer Henry Au has joined forces with Scofield Chan for Follow the Shadows, an exhibition at Fayaque in Taipei. Follow the Shadows explores urban public spaces through the contrasting lenses of street photography and aerial imaging. If you’re in or going to Taipei in April, make sure you check out the exhibition from 3 to 30 April 2026 at 5th Floor, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi Place A9.

 

 

A St. Patrick’s Day Ministerial Visit Business Lunch Reception, organised by Enterprise Ireland in partnership with IDA Ireland, took place at The American Club with The Counsel General of Ireland to Hong Kong and Macau, Mr. Jennifer Bourke and the Minister of State for Charities, Gaeltacht, Islands and Rural Transport, Mr. Jerry Buttimer, T.D. and the Ambassador of Ireland to the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Nicholas O’Brien as guests of honour. This lunch was also attended by Board members from the Irish Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong.

 

The American Chamber of Commerce and the Irish Chamber held a joint networking event that brought together members from both chambers for a lively St. Patrick’s Day celebration, offering a great opportunity to network over Guinness, Irish whiskey, and festive fare. The evening highlighted the strong Irish American connection in a spirited and convivial setting.

 

On 5 March, over 100 guests from Ireland's vibrant business community gathered at The Westbury, Dublin, for a Chinese New Year reception co-organised by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong Trade Development Council, London, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels, and Invest Hong Kong. It was a fantastic evening of warm conversation, fresh connections, and many a pint of Guinness poured. We look forward to building on this momentum with even greater Irish participation on HKTDC platforms and events in Hong Kong in the year ahead. Oh, and Happy 60th Anniversary to the HKTDC! See here for the full story.

 

Our Ireland-based colleague, Gracie, attended the event and reported that speakers included representatives from the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, HKTDC, and InvestHK, and the owners of Lough Rea Distillery and Ahascragh Distillery. Gracie described the evening as informative and enjoyable, highlighting insights, support and experiences relating to the Hong Kong market from an Irish perspective.

 

 

A reminder for anyone who wants to become part of the organising team for the Asia Pacific Irish Business Forum 2026 taking place in November this year on the sidelines of the Asian Gaelic Games. More news about this event will be revealed in future newsletters. If you are keen to help, contact info@irishchamber.hk

 

A quick look at business news from Ireland you may have missed:

 

1. In 2025, Ireland secured 323 foreign direct investment projects, a 38 per cent increase on the previous year and the highest annual total on record, according to IDA Ireland. Employment in IDA-backed firms also rose to 312,400, with more than 1,800 multinationals now operating in partnership with IDA Ireland.



 

2. £937 million in new Irish investment into the UK has been announced, set to create around 850 new jobs. The package includes two major energy connector projects linking Ireland with both Northern Ireland and Wales, with one alone expected to power 570,000 homes and help reduce electricity costs on both sides of the border.

 

3. Irish companies are planning at least US$6.1 billion in new investments across the United States, spanning technology, manufacturing, and food and nutrition, reinforcing the deepening economic ties between the two countries.

 

 

We know it’s March but considering how fast January and February blew past, November doesn’t seem that far off at all. In just over seven months’ time, Hong Kong will see the arrival of players and their supporters for the Asian Gaelic Games. This will be an exciting event with Gaelic football, hurling and camogie teams from China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Vietnam and many other countries represented.

 

 

March has seen two sporting greats pass away.

 

Ronnie Delany, the legendary middle-distance runner who captured gold in the 1,500m at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, has died at the age of 91. Delany’s victory was widely regarded as a defining moment for Ireland as it was a powerful demonstration that the country could compete and triumph on the world stage. In a deeply poignant postscript, his wife Joan passed away just two days after his funeral. Married for 64 years, Joan’s passing was described by their family as "reunited once more in gentle peace”.



Former RTÉ Sport broadcaster Michael Lyster has died aged 71. Best known as the long‑time presenter of The Sunday Game, he became a familiar and trusted face in presenting RTÉ’s reporting of the Olympic Games and sports such as horse racing, motorsport, rugby and football. President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin paid tribute to the broadcaster and his RTÉ colleagues highlighted his professionalism, warm humour and the friendship he showed to many who worked with him. A minute’s silence was observed before Galway’s Allianz League match with Dublin in his honour.

 

 

Theatre du Pif presents Brian Friel’s Faith Healer, a celebrated masterpiece with its trademark physical and emotional intensity, offering a haunting meditation on art, faith, and the stories people use to survive.

 

 

Frank, a travelling faith healer, journeys through remote Scottish and Welsh villages performing miracles, curing the sick and restoring the weak, raising the question: are his powers real? Faith Healer follows Frank, his wife Grace, and his manager Teddy as each recalls their shared past in turn, revealing a mosaic of fractured, often contradictory memories that probe the boundaries between truth and belief.

 

Performances run 10–11 and 13–18 April 2026 at 7:45pm at The Jockey Club Studio Theatre, Fringe Club; performed in English with Chinese surtitles. Tickets: HK$340 (free seating). Visit here for ticketing information.

 

Showcased to Asian buyers at the March 2026 Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) was The Three Urns and starring the great Ciarán Hinds. This Irish road trip comedy has Hinds racing across Ireland in a milk float to scatter his late wife's ashes all while a French woman is in hot pursuit. Having premiered at the 2026 Dublin Film Festival, the film opens in Ireland in April. At this time, the release date in Hong Kong is yet to be announced.

News reaches us from ‘Monty’, an avid TV & movie fan, about an Irish series currently playing on Netflix in Hong Kong. How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is a dark comedy about friends who reunite after the sudden death of an old schoolmate. As they dig deeper, their search for truth spirals into a mystery far beyond their control. From the writer and creator of the Derry Girls, Lisa McGee, HTGTHFB stars Caoilfhionn Dunne, Roísín Gallagher and Sinéad Keenan.

 

13-16 April – INNOEX 2026 (88,000 buyers from 148 countries and regions attended last year).

17–19 April - Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens

20-23 April – Hong Kong Web3 Festival at the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre.

[For Hong Kong Trade Development Council events, visit https://event.hktdc.com/]

 

The Irish Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong supports Irish businesses and professionals and provides a trusted platform for connection, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. While deepening commercial and cultural ties between Ireland and Hong Kong, we also welcome the opportunity to help new and existing members to find new opportunities, forge meaningful partnerships, and navigate the dynamic landscape of business in Hong Kong. Contact us at info@irishchamber.hk or find us on LinkedIn.

The Irish Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong is proud to be supported by Airwallex, AMT, Atelier Bouclier, Boase Cohen & Collins, Crown Worldwide Group, Enterprise Ireland, the Government of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme, InvestHK, Kildare Village, LynxCap Investments, Precious Metals Asia, Sors, The Beat Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Corporate Services Group. Their valued support enables the Chamber to deliver high‑quality events, insights and networking opportunities that strengthen and connect the Irish business community in Hong Kong.

Our WhatsApp group provides members with an easy way to stay updated on the latest Chamber news, events, and updates.

Unit 1201 Heng Ngai Jewelry Centre, 4 How Yuen Street East, Hunghom, Kowloon

 

Website: https://irishchamber.hk/

Email: admin@irishchamber.hk