Ireland's relationship with Poland
In recent decades, the connections between Ireland and Poland have really flourished.
The links between Ireland and Poland go back centuries. The first ever history of Poland in the English language was written by an Irishman, Bernard O’Connor, a physician in the court of King Jan Sobieski III in 1698.
With parallels in our histories achieving independence, Ireland and Poland have long drawn inspiration from each other’s striving for freedom.
In recent decades, the connections between our countries have really flourished. In 1990, Ireland opened its first Embassy in Warsaw, building strong links and working closely with the Polish government to prepare for EU membership.
European Union membership
In May 2004, Poland joined the European Union under Ireland’s Presidency. Over the next years, over 300,000 Polish citizens moved to live in Ireland, greatly enriching our society and building lasting bonds between our countries.
As members of the EU, our countries work very closely together on common EU challenges. We are united in support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people, with both our countries hosting tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees. There are regular Ministerial and official visits between our countries to discuss all issues on the EU agenda.
Polish language in Ireland
Today, there are almost 100,000 Polish people in Ireland, and Polish is our most third most spoken language after English and Irish. Poland meanwhile has become a very popular destination for Irish students and tourists, including the memorable months of Euro 2012.
Trading partners
Growing links between our countries have also been reflected in trade and investment. Bilateral trade grew to over €7.4 billion by 2022, and is increasing by around 20% annually.
Dozens of Irish companies are operating with great success across Poland, bringing jobs and innovation in a diverse range of sectors, including growing areas like advanced construction, data centres and cyber.
Enterprise Ireland estimate that Irish companies employ over 25,000 people in Poland.
Irish culture in Poland
The Irish community in Poland includes several hundred students, who have established GAA Clubs in Warsaw, Wrocław and Bydgoszcz.
There is also huge interest in Irish culture in Poland, including literature, cinema, music and dancing. The Embassy works with partners including the Irish Culture Foundation to support and promote Irish culture.