Overview
- President Catherine Connolly met Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney at Bute House during the opening day of her four‑day official visit, with both leaders stressing stronger cooperation and historic links between the countries.
- She received an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Society of Edinburgh and was briefed on the ‘Silent Harm’ project, a programme backed by the Royal Society and the Royal Irish Academy that supports deaf victims of gender‑based violence in rural areas.
- On Wednesday evening Connolly held a private meeting with King Charles at Dumfries House after a Harmony in Food and Farming reception; she described the conversation as “very interesting.”
- Her itinerary includes visits to Glasgow, Coatbridge and the Isle of Skye where she will tour Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, meet Irish community groups and see projects that link Gaelic language and culture across the two islands.
- The visit builds on recent bilateral exchanges and Shared Island funding and could lead to more joint cultural and social programmes that directly improve local services for vulnerable people and widen access to national collections.