INTO THE WEST

Cathy Geagan was appointed Ireland’s first Consul General to Western Canada – covering British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories –in August 2022. She shares the highlights of the last six months and tells Meg Walker why promoting Ireland is the most rewarding job she could ask for.

What have been the highlights and challenges since you stepped into the role?

I tend to be an early riser and I like When you’re new in any place, it’s a learning curve. So much of what we do is relationship based. I’m lucky that my predecessor, Frank Flood, established the consulate; he was the first ever Consul General in Vancouver and did a great job connecting with people and raising the profile of Ireland here in British Columbia. I’m meeting all those people to engage with them myself, while also being the first Consul General here to cover another three provinces and territories –that’s a lot of new ground to cover. What I technically knew, but didn’t fully realise until I got here, was the enormity of Canada. People say, “that place is a lovely day trip” and then you learn it’s a five-hour drive! The country is just on a completely different scale compared to Ireland. It’s an expensive plane journey to many of the people I work with. In some ways, I feel like I’m still trapped in the pandemic because there are a lot of people I’m speaking to over video call rather than in person. That’s been a challenge but overall, it’s been great. Vancouver’s an incredible city. I’m blessed to live here. And, getting to meet as many of the different Irish community groups as possible, learning about the work they’ve done, is a real highlight.

What are your primary goals for 2023?

Everything we do in the Consulate is based on the Global Ireland Strategy for the US and Canada. We are focused on mutually beneficial two-way trade between Ireland and Canada but we are also here to provide consular support to our communities, to deepen political bilateral relations, raise awareness of Ireland and promote our culture and our values. For me, a key priority is to make sure people here understand that Ireland is part of the EU and we’re now the only English-speaking country in one of the largest markets in the world – the EU single market. It’s an exciting opportunity for Ireland.

Are there certain experiences you look back on as particularly influential to who you are today?

I’ve had a varied career and one of the things I love most about my current role and diplomacy, is that it’s a varied career in itself. You can technically have the same job while changing roles and even countries every few years. I think I might have finally landed on the thing that will keep me interested for life. The most formative influence on me is my dad, James Geagan, who passed away in 2021. He was my biggest inspiration because he lived his life with absolute integrity and promoted and believed in character above all else. If you were honest, if you were true to yourself and if you did what you believe was right rather than what was popular, that was the most important thing. That really encouraged me to decide what my own path would be.

What do you miss about Ireland?

Irish people interact with each other in a particular way. We say hello to people we meet in the streets and constantly trade stories. It’s almost like everybody is in a miniature play at all times. One of the highest compliments we have is referring to someone as a ‘character’. You can walk into any pub on your own and leave with friends. I also miss the depth of our culture… theatre, music and literature are steeped into every single institution in Ireland.

How does it feel to be a representative of Ireland and Irish culture when you meet people in Canada and elsewhere? I cannot stress how much I love my job because I love Ireland, so it’s easy for me to promote it. My husband Marc sent me photos from St. Patrick’s week saying, “I’ve never seen you look so happy.” It’s very busy but it’s honestly the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

What would you advise to those thinking of making the move to Vancouver?

Vancouver is an amazing place to be but it is expensive, so be prepared. Unemployment is very low but the process of getting a job here is a bit slower and doesn’t match the way we do it in Ireland, so be prepared to spend some time finding a job and for it to be difficult to find housing and accommodation. Seek the help of I/CAN, which is an organisation serving Irish immigrants to Canada that we work closely with. They have newcomer sessions here in the Consulate and online sessions on job hunting and resources you can enrol in before you get here. The Irish in BC have a website that’ll give you information and there’s an ‘Irish and New in Vancouver’ Facebook group. Come informed – once that happens, you’re going to love it here.

Connect with the Consulate and the Irish community as soon as you arrive. There are great community groups for all ages and interests and lots of GAA teams. I’ve met several people who’ve said, “I came here for six months, 25 years ago” – connecting with the Irish community once you arrive will set you up for short- or long-term moves.

What are the keys to Ireland and Canada’s positive ongoing relationship? Obviously, we speak the same language; there’s a huge economic benefit for our trade but fundamentally, I think the main thing that joins us together is our values. We’re both bilingual countries, we’re both increasingly multicultural countries and we’re both countries that see the value in multiculturalism. That depth of connection that comes from having shared values is so much deeper and more meaningful than just having potential business deals that align. We have a core underlying sensibility as countries that really connects us. And that makes our engagement that bit deeper, that bit warmer. Five years ago, we had one Mission in Canada, our Embassy in Ottawa. Now we have three, so we’ve tripled our diplomatic footprint here in the last five years. Ireland has had a strong relationship with Canada for many years now and it’s one that I believe will only grow and prosper over the coming years.