Tag Archive for: Conrad Dublin

A Celebration of Ireland-Japan Friendship: Highlights from the IJA Annual Dinner 2025

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The Ireland Japan Association would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who joined us for the IJA Annual Dinner 2025, held on Friday, 16th May at the luxurious Conrad Hotel in Dublin.

This special evening was a celebration of friendship, culture, and the strong connections between Ireland and Japan. It was a pleasure to welcome our members, friends, supporters, and special guests for a night of networking, cultural appreciation, and shared experiences.

 

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson:

“It’s incredible how we (IJA) have evolved from being a cultural society with an admirable mission into a thriving community built upon three foundational pillars: Business, Education and Culture. It’s these three intersecting pillars that make the IJA a unique, vibrant association.

In recent years, we have accelerated our growth not just in numbers but also in impact.

Our individual members, many of whom are here this evening, remain at the heart of this association. Your enthusiasm brings inspiration and energy to everything we do. Whether it is our ever-popular weekly conversation groups, the Book Club, or our amazing and varied workshops, it is your presence that gives these events meaning and success.

Equally, shining a light on our corporate members – you are the engine that allows us to do more and reach further. You play an increasingly vital role in our development. Your support, especially in recent years, has allowed us to scale our ambitions – to deliver high-quality business forums like our Fireside Chat Series, to continue our Ushioda Scholarship Programme, and to invest in wonderful events such as The Japan Experience at Farmleigh. You are not just members of this association; you are partners in advancing the Ireland–Japan relationship.”

 

We were honoured by the presence of our Patron, H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, who joined us as Guest of Honour along with his wife, Mrs. Kaoru Shimada. We were also privileged to welcome Mr. Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, and Mr. Hideo Yura, Director General at JETRO London, along with representatives from the Irish and Japanese business, diplomatic, academic, and cultural communities.

IJA Council and corporate members together with Annual Dinner Special Guests: IJA Patron, H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, and his wife, Mrs. Kaoru Shimada, Mr. Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, and Mr. Hideo Yura, Director General at JETRO London.

 

Ambassador Shimada and Minister Chambers delivered speeches congratulating the IJA on another successful year, and emphasised the association’s vital role in strengthening the Ireland-Japan relationship. On behalf of the Irish Government, Minister Chambers also thanked Catherine Grennell-Whyte for her leadership, dedication, and achievements.

 

IJA Patron, H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland

 

Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation

 

The evening featured a sake and prosecco reception, a delicious three-course dinner, engaging speeches, and a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture and tradition. Guests enjoyed a carefully curated menu with accompanying wine and had the chance to win incredible prizes during the raffle draw – including the grand prize: return flight tickets and a one-week travel package for two to Osaka, Japan, generously sponsored by our 2025 Travel Partners – Finnair and Oomi Travel.

 

The lucky winner of the Grand Prize together with Darina Slattery, Oomi Travel and Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Finnair. The prize included return flight tickets and a one-week travel package for two to Osaka, Japan, generously sponsored by IJA 2025 Travel Partners – Finnair and Oomi Travel.

 

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all our raffle prize sponsors for their generosity and support:
Azumi Uchitani, Dillon Eustace, Eddie Hughes, Fitzwilliam Capital, SuMi TRUST, Yamamori, Neil Cowhey and Laura Goonan.

Special thanks also go to the Dublin School for Japanese Children who prepared beautiful origami decorations for our dinner guests – a thoughtful gesture that added charm to each table and honoured Japan’s rich cultural heritage.

 

 

We are truly grateful to the team at Conrad Dublin for their excellent service, warm hospitality, and meticulous attention to detail, all of which ensured the evening ran smoothly.

We deeply appreciate the ongoing support of our members and community, and we look forward to many more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and strengthen the ties between Ireland and Japan in the future.

Arigatou gozaimasu – thank you once again for being part of this special celebration!

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 – Video Highlights

Photos: Shane Cullen, K9 Studio

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson (Finnair/ATTS) and Neil Cowhey, IJA Vice Chairperson (Dillon Eustace)

 

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 | Conrad Dublin

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, Mrs. Kaoru Shimada and H.E. Mr. Junji Shimda, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, Raymond Hegarty, IJA Council

 

Raymond Hegarty, IJA Council and Master of Ceremonies

 

Teresa Weafer, Google Ireland, William Smyth, Fitzwilliam Capital, Graham Ryan, Yamamori Group, H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland and Mrs. Kaoru Shimada

 

H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, and Mrs. Kaoru Shimada

 

Saara Heinola, Embassy of Finland in Ireland, Keiko Nakata, Embassy of Japan in Ireland, Mrs. Kaoru Shimada and Darina Slattery, Oomi Travel

 

Peter Vambeck, Fitzwilliam Capital, Saara Heinola, Embassy of Finland in Ireland, Graham Ryan, Yamamori Group, William Smyth, Fitzwilliam Capital, Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation, Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland and Mrs. Kaoru Shimada.

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and Jack Chambers, Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation

 

H.E. Mr. Junji Shimada, Ambassador of Japan to Ireland, Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and Mrs. Kaoru Shimada

 

Oomi Travel team with Darina Slattery, founder of Oomi Travel and Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson (Finnair) – with the IJA Annual Dinner 2025 Grand Prize ticket

 

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 | Conrad Dublin

 

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 | Conrad Dublin

 

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 | Conrad Dublin

 

IJA Annual Dinner 2025 | Conrad Dublin

 

We gratefully acknowledge the sponsors of the raffle prizes for the IJA Annual Dinner 2025!

IJA Annual Dinner 2024: Celebrating the Irish-Japanese Community

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Ireland Japan Association’s Annual Dinner 2024, a significant event for the Irish-Japanese community, was held on May 17th at the Conrad Dublin hotel. Esteemed members of the Ireland Japan Association and distinguished guests, including key figures from government, business, academia, and the arts, gathered to celebrate the strong ties between Ireland and Japan.
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The evening began with a Sake & Prosecco reception, creating an atmosphere of elegance and camaraderie. Master of Ceremonies Raymond Hegarty warmly welcomed attendees. Guests then enjoyed a sumptuous three-course meal in the beautiful Ballroom, followed by a Prize Giving ceremony.
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IJA Council Members with special guests: H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland, H.E. Ms. Leena Gardemeister, Ambassador of Finland to Ireland, and Mr. Jack Chambers, State Minister for the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

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H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland and IJA Patron, honoured the event with his presence and delivered an inspiring address.
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Special guest Mr. Jack Chambers, State Minister for the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, gave a memorable speech, sharing insights from his recent visit to Japan.

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H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland.

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Mr. Jack Chambers, State Minister for the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

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IJA Chairperson Catherine Grennell-Whyte highlighted the association’s mission and recent achievements. She noted the rapid growth and expansion of the association, marked by a variety of events and activities throughout the year and an increasing number of individual and corporate members.
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“We are committed to fostering education, cultural exchange, and business opportunities between Ireland and Japan,” said Catherine Grennell-Whyte. “Our goal is to build a vibrant community offering real benefits and opportunities through close collaborations, cultural appreciation, innovative business discussions, and invaluable networking.”
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Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson

 
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The IJA Annual Dinner 2024 was a memorable night, celebrating the enduring bond between Ireland and Japan.
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IJA Annual Dinner 2024 Prosecco & Sake Reception at The Conrad, Dublin.

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The IJA Council expresses its gratitude to the Dublin School for Japanese Children for crafting and presenting exquisite Japanese origami decorations to our dinner guests. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the event team at Conrad Dublin for their exceptional hospitality and service during our event. We also want to extend our thanks to Raymond Hegarty, Master of Ceremonies, and our dedicated event team for their invaluable time, support, and contributions in making this year’s event a resounding success.

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The IJA Council extends gratitude to the prize sponsors for their ongoing support and generous contributions: Dillon Eustace, Finnair, Japan Rugby and Football Union, KWE Ireland, Oomi Travel, Mitsubishi Electric, NTT Data, PwC Ireland, and SuMi TRUST.
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Photo Gallery | IJA Annual Dinner 2024

Photos: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

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(If you were a guest at the IJA Annual Dinner 2024 and would like to receive an access to full photo gallery from the night, please email your request to: info@ija.ie)

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IJA Annual Dinner 2023 | Photo Gallery

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On 12th May the IJA members, friends, and supporters celebrated and enjoyed one of our biggest events of the year – the IJA Annual Dinner 2023. This year’s event took place at one of the most beautiful and luxurious Dublin venues – Conrad Dublin Hotel.

 

 

The IJA Council was delighted to welcome H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland and the IJA Patron, as well as Mr. Jack Chambers, State Minister for the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, as special guests and speakers at the event.

 

From left: Ms. Tsugumi Yamamoto, IJA Vice Chairperson, H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland and the IJA Patron, Ms. Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, Mr. Jack Chambers, State Minister for the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications, and Mr. Raymond Hegarty, IJA Ex-Officio and Master of Ceremonies. Photo: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

 

The evening began with Sake reception, kindly supported by the IJA Council in cooperation with Retro Vino Wine & Sake. Reception was followed by welcome words from Raymond Hegarty, IJA Ex-Officio and Master of Ceremonies, and after that dinner guests enjoyed a delicious 3-course meal in the beautiful Ball Room.

 

Raymond Hegarty, IJA Ex-Officio and Master of Ceremonies. Photo: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson, expressed her gratitude to the IJA corporate and individual members present at the event, inviting everyone to enjoy ‘the celebration of cultures and our successes, a celebration of friendships forged through the Ireland Japan Association and of our achievements together’.

 

No association can function effectively without a strong membership who are committed to the ongoing activities, and we believe the members of this association are one of the main reasons we are so successful.  We can see the evidence of this here this evening with such a large attendance.  I would like to reiterate how much we value your individual, family, student and corporate membership participation in the many events we host and support throughout the year. – Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson.

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson. Photo: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

 

Catherine Grennell-Whyte thanked the IJA Patron member – ElectroRoute – for their support to the association and a very successful cooperation. Special gratitude was expressed to the IJA Patron H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland. ‘Your patronage of the association is most gratefully appreciated and so is the support of the entire team at the Embassy,’ said Catherine Grennell-Whyte.

 

Ms. Catherine Grennell-Whyte, IJA Chairperson and H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Ambassador of Japan in Ireland and the IJA Patron. Photo: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

 

Prize Giving this year was sponsored by the IJA Corporate members – ElectroRoute, Dillon Eustace, Oomi Travel (former Unique Japan Tours), PwC Ireland, SuMi TRUST and Yamamori,  and we would like to thank everyone for their continued support and very generous prizes. The Grand Prize this year was sponsored by our Corporate member Finnair, and we would like to congratulate the lucky winner who received a return flight to Japan – Mr. Yiannis Gkoufas.

We would also like to thank everyone at the Dublin School for Japanese Children who created and gifted beautiful Japanese origami decorations to our dinner guests, and to Mrs. Tomoko Ozaki who created stunning Ikebana flower arrangements for the event. Huge thanks to the event team at Conrad Dublin for being great hosts and providing excellent service during our event.

We would like to thank Raymond Hegarty, Master of Ceremonies, and our event team and volunteers from the IJA Council – Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Tsugumi Yamamoto, Darina Slattery, Laura Goonan, Azumi Uchitani, Eva Reavley and Verity Swan – for their time, support and help to make this year’s event such a great success. Special thanks to Eddie Hughes, former IJA Council member, for his dedication and help with the event arrangements.

 

Photo Gallery | IJA Annual Dinner 2023

Photos: Stephen Cullen, K9 Studio

(If you were a guest at the IJA Annual Dinner 2023 and would like to receive an access to full photo gallery from the night, please email your request to: info@ija.ie)

 

 

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