Korean ambassador gets a céad míle fáilte at Newgrange

The Korean Ambassador to Ireland, Chang Yeob Kim, recently paid a visit to County Meath at the invitation of the Meath County Manager, Tom Dowling. The Korean delegation was warmly welcomed to Newgrange by the cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr Eoin Holmes; the county manager; Kevin Stewart, county council director of services, and Clare Tuffy, manager of the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. Clare Tuffy took the ambassador on a guided tour of the ancient monument through the 19 metre-long inner passage to the cruciform chamber, and he was given an overview of the Brú na Bóinne area and all it has to offer in terms of history, heritage and archaeology. It was the ambassador's first visit to the World Heritage Site. He said he was very impressed with its unique history and remarked the there were clear similarities between the ancient cultures of both Korea and Ireland. "The visit provided an opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas about County Meath's tourism potential," said Mr Dowling. "We intend to have further meetings and more in-depth discussion on some opportunities that might exist for interactions between Ireland and Korea." Cathaoirleach Cllr Eoin Holmes described the meeting as a great success, "The ambassador has left Meath with the clear impression that Meath means business. The South Korean delegation were hugely impressed by their visit to Newgrange and were quite moved by the experience," he added. The ambassador was presented with a piece of local craftwork prior to his departure from the area.