Irish Chamber of Atlanta is the presenting sponsor of Global Atlanta's Ireland Channel. Subscribe here for monthly Ireland newsletters.
A new Irish consul general has taken up her posting in Atlanta officially this week, the second woman in a row to occupy the role.
While her position was announced by Ireland’s foreign ministry in mid-December, Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir was officially appointed in late January to the consulate, whose territory spans seven states across the Southeast U.S.
Ms. Ní Chonchúir comes to Atlanta from a posting at Ireland’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, where she led the human rights and gender equality team. Her stint coincided with Ireland’s term as an elected member of the UN Security Council, giving her a chance to co-chair the council’s informal expert group on women, peace and security with her Mexican counterpart.
She replaces Ciara O’Floinn, who left Atlanta last August after a term cut short after just one-year when she was offered a promotion as the ministry’s new director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Prior to heading to the UN, Ms. Ní Chonchúir also worked in the Latin America division as deputy director from 2015-18. Before that, she served at Ireland’s embassy in Spain, and previously led work on the foreign affairs’ first equality and diversity action plan. She has also worked at headquarters in the political, corporate services and consular divisions.
She speaks Irish, Spanish and French, and holds a degree in European studies from Trinity College Dublin that included a year of study in France, a master’s in international relations from the University of Cambridge and a diploma in law from the National University of Ireland. She hails originally from Lucan, County Dublin.
Married to husband Pádraig, she arrives in Atlanta with two young children, much like her predecessor.
In an exit interview with Global Atlanta, previous Consul General Ms. O’Floinn said she hoped her successor would press in on Ireland’s strong civil rights connections with Atlanta and take advantage of the shared opportunities afforded by Ireland’s growing diversity.
The Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia is the presenting sponsor of Global Atlanta's Diplomacy Channel. Subscribe here for monthly Diplomacy newsletters.
