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Seanad Éireann · 2025-03-25

Visit of Greek Delegation

2 contributions · 2 speakers · 263 words

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Summary of this debate

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Today is Greece's national day and we are delighted to have our friends from Greece here to mark the beginning of the Greek revolution. It is more than 200 years since the beginning of the Greek revolution in 1822, a war that involved a Corkman, General Richard Church, who led the Greek army in the latter stages of the war and ended up becoming a Greek senator and a Greek citizen. There are more than 5,000 Greek citizens in Ireland.

The Hellenic Community of Ireland was established in 1964 and runs the Greek school in Dublin. James Joyce insisted the cover of Ulysses be published in the Greek colours such was his love of all things from Greece. In fact, books were being published in Greek in Dublin before they were being published in Greece in their native language.

Built by scoring every sentence in the debate on how distinctive its language is, then quoting the highest-scoring ones back word for word and in the order spoken. Nothing is paraphrased or invented — if a sentence appears here, it was said in the chamber. Drawn from 263 words across 2 contributions by 2 speakers.

Most used terms in this debate

How often each word appears across the whole debate, ranked by how distinctive it is to it rather than common to all parliamentary language.

greek 10
greece 5
greece's 2
ambassador 3
revolution 2
day 5
hellenic 1
ulysses 1
corkman 1
visitors 2
joyce 1
war 2

The full debate

All 2 contributions, start to finish, in the order they were made.

CC Mark Daly

I welcome to our Distinguished Visitors Gallery the ambassador from Greece. Today is Greece's national day and we are delighted to have our friends from Greece here to mark the beginning of the Greek revolution. The ambassador is joined by his wife.

It is more than 200 years since the beginning of the Greek revolution in 1822, a war that involved a Corkman, General Richard Church, who led the Greek army in the latter stages of the war and ended up becoming a Greek senator and a Greek citizen.

There are more than 5,000 Greek citizens in Ireland. The Hellenic Community of Ireland was established in 1964 and runs the Greek school in Dublin. Nearly 150 children from that Greek community are taught in the school. Our cultural links go a long way back. James Joyce insisted the cover of Ulysses be published in the Greek colours such was his love of all things from Greece. In fact, books were being published in Greek in Dublin before they were being published in Greece in their native language.

Next year, 2026, will be the 45th anniversary of Greece joining the European Union, which, I think we can all agree, transformed both our countries. For Greece's support during the tough and challenging Brexit negotiations, we thank our visitors. On their national day, we thank them for being here and wish them a happy national day and independence day.

Anois, I call on the Leader to outline the Order of Business.

FG Seán Kyne

I welcome the ambassador and wish him and his people well on their national day.