Ireland's relationship with Finland
Ireland and Finland are highly developed, prosperous and like-minded EU partners. We are also friends with a respected legacy of contributing to and enhancing international peace and respect for the rule of law.
The friendship and connections between Ireland and Finland stretch back through centuries, with similar experiences of famine and conflict.
In 2022, our countries celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations.
Good Friday Agreement
Finland has been a close friend and trusted partner to the Northern Ireland peace process. Former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri was a co-chair of the multi-party talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, while former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari conducted weapons inspections as part of confidence-building disarmament measures in the early 2000s.
Finland also played a crucial role in the decommissioning of weapons in Northern Ireland. Brigadier General Tauno Nieminen was one of the tripartite members of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD), supported by Chef de Cabinet Aaro Suonio. These connections further solidified the relationship between our countries, which has been built on a foundation of trust and respect.
Economic links
There are growing trade and business links between Ireland and Finland. In 2023, both countries had merchandise trade valued at €472 million, but our services trade volume has been close to €3 billion annually in recent years.
Goods trade has focused on metals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and fertilisers, but there are growing and exciting connections in technology and engineering sectors.
Tourism between our countries is aided by direct flights between Helsinki and Dublin on Finnair. Finns travel to Ireland for golf, music, green fields and whiskey, while Irish tourists come for sauna culture, art and design, forests and of course, to visit Santa Claus in Rovaniemi, Lapland.
People-to-people connections
The Irish community in Finland and Finns living in Ireland are vital to the strength of connections between our countries. As well as active business and cultural communities, many families live across our countries and cultures and continue the Irish-Finnish connection.
Irish and Finnish people share a love of music and dance. A number of Finns learned Irish traditional music at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance in the University of Limerick. There are a number of high quality annual Irish music festivals across Finland, in Oulu, Tampere, Salo and Kalajoki.
As part of celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between Finland and Ireland, a piece of music by Finnish-Irish band Slow Moving Clouds was commissioned that blends our musical traditions. Listen below!
Slow moving clouds – Féile Polska
There are a number of Irish community organisations in Finland who welcome newcomers. Find many of them, from business societies to GAA clubs, listed on the New to Finland page.