Gov. Holcomb concludes Ireland trip, citing new direct links to Indiana via flight and ship

Governor Eric J. Holcomb returned to Indianapolis concluding an international economic development trip to Ireland. The governor met with business, government, infrastructure and academic leaders, fostering opportunities to elevate Indiana’s global partnerships and advance future-focused industries.

In Dublin, Gov. Holcomb, First Lady Janet Holcomb and Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg toured Aer Lingus facilities and met with company leadership, fostering its new partnership with Indiana and celebrating the new transatlantic connection to Indiana. The governor joined a press conference at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) via video to celebrate Aer Lingus’ new nonstop flight between IND and Dublin that will launch in May 2025, enabling more efficient travel from Europe to Indiana and better connecting Hoosier businesses and residents to global markets.  

Indiana established another direct link to Ireland while in Cork – the country’s second-largest city – where Gov. Holcomb joined officials from Ports of Indiana and Port of Cork as the two signed a memorandum of understanding to formalize collaboration across economic, environmental and technology initiatives and to explore the feasibility of an Ireland-to-Indiana express container shipping service. 

Gov. Holcomb and the delegation traveled to Kinsale to visit Eli Lilly and Company’s Kinsale manufacturing campus, which specializes in producing active pharmaceutical ingredients for global supply. The company recently unveiled a new $800 million production facility at the campus that will play a key role in Lilly’s global manufacturing network, alongside the company’s $13 billion investment at the LEAP Research and Innovation District in Lebanon, Indiana.  

In Dublin, Gov. Holcomb and the delegation participated in a roundtable discussion with the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, exploring mutually beneficial opportunities to advance business and innovation partnerships. Indiana and Ireland already share strong ties as Indiana counts Ireland as its highest volume trade partner and hosts 52 Ireland-based business facilities, supporting companies across life sciences, manufacturing, technology and aerospace. 

The delegation also pursued new partnerships to advance talent and education. In Dublin, Gov. Holcomb visited Notre Dame Dublin at historic O’Connell House to meet with students and faculty and, in Cork, hosted a workforce-focused university luncheon in conjunction with Lilly, convening area stakeholders to discuss today’s talent landscape and how to meet the needs of a global, future-focused economy. 

Gov. Holcomb met with Minister Thomas Byrne in Dublin to bolster collaboration in the sports tourism and sports tech industries and to learn how Indiana and Ireland can lead the way in growth and promotion of the industry on a global scale. 

While in Cork, Gov. Holcomb and the delegation attended a reception hosted by Cork Chamber, which champions the city as a globally recognized place for business, innovation and quality of life. Cork shares a number of connections to Indiana, including being home to Wiistream, a provider of fully-customizable streaming platforms for sporting associations. The company launched its U.S. headquarters in Indianapolis following its participation in the 2023 class of TechStars Sports Accelerator powered by Indy, as well as investment and support from Elevate Ventures, the state’s venture development partner. 

This concludes Gov. Holcomb’s 26th international economic development trip as governor. The cost of the governor’s travel was paid through private donations to the Indiana Economic Development Foundation.