I was educated at St Paul’s College Raheny and University College Dublin, earning a PhD in modern Irish history from the National University of Ireland. I joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1986 and have served in Anglo-Irish Division, Washington, New York, Political Division (UN Director and Director of the Conflict Resolution Unit) and Irish Aid. I was appointed Ambassador to Korea in 2009 and to Israel in 2013. I returned to Headquarters in August 2015 as Director General, Trade Division.
The blog contains a variety of material, including my Ambassador’s Messages, speeches, and reviews on a range of topics related to Ireland, our history, economy, literature and the Northern Ireland peace process; and on the intersections between Ireland and the countries to which I have been posted, such as the story of the Irish involved in the Korean War, Irish missionaries in Korea, impressions of North Korea, the history of Jews in Ireland, the Holocaust, and the history of Irish Jewish relations. Recent blogs reflect my travels and interest in history and contemporary economics.
All views expressed on this blog are personal and do not reflect the views of the Government of Ireland.
Eamonn McKee
Shalom and welcome to Israel from Northern Ireland Friends of Israel – http://www.nifi.org.uk
We wish you good luck and success in your new position – would welcome your reflection about relations between the Republic and Israel – as its often the subject of headlines and blogs in both countries. What can you tell us about what is going on underneath the headlines.
Also I would be grateful for the Irish government’s view on the call by the Teachers Union of Ireland in February 2013 for a boycott of Israeli scientists and academics and for Israeli students to be banned from educational visits to the Republic.
Many thanks
Steven Jaffe
Co chair NIFI