IRELAND’S diaspora minister has begun a three day visit to Texas where he will meet with members of the Irish community as well as business leaders.
Minister Neale Richmond will spend 72 hours in the US, where he will visit Texas Christian University (TCU), meet with the Irish business community in Dallas and visit a Kerry Group facility in Fort Worth, which employs over 240 people.
“Texas is home to almost two million people of Irish descent, making it the fifth largest Irish diaspora across the United States,” Minister Richmond said today.
“As the second largest state in the US, there are exciting economic opportunities for Ireland to explore here,” he added.
“There are already 122 Enterprise Ireland client company sites across Texas, employing over 4,000 people and contributing to the vibrant economy of the Lone Star State," he explained.
"I am looking forward to meeting with our Irish community and businesses here and hearing from them on how we can further boost Ireland-Texas connections."
Back on the road! 🇮🇪✈️ Leading a 72h trade mission to Texas—meeting Irish businesses in Dallas, visiting Kerry Group’s Fort Worth plant, state and city leaders, TCU, and the @dallascowboys
Also promoting next year’s @cfbireland, set to bring 30k US visitors + €150m the economy pic.twitter.com/zAWr4RFP3o
— Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) October 2, 2025
The Minister will also represent the Irish government at an American football game against Colorado University, ahead of TCU participating in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in August 2026.
This will be the first occasion a Texan university has participated in the series.
“I am looking forward to visiting the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and to seeing Texas Christian University’s Horned Frogs in action,” the minister said.
“As the first Texan team to visit Ireland for the Aer Lingus College Football Classic next August, I know that they will receive a warm Irish welcome.”
