Ireland to Partner with Nagaland’s Hornbill Festival 2025
New Delhi : Ireland has been announced as the official Country Partner for the Hornbill Festival 2025, Nagaland’s flagship international cultural festival. The partnership was announced by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Ambassador Kevin Kelly of the Irish Embassy in India at an event in New Delhi.
As part of the partnership, Ireland will showcase its rich culture and heritage through various public engagements, including investment roundtables, music performances, public arts installation, literary and theatre-arts work, and a dialogue series on Ireland, India, and Empire.
The Irish folk band Bóinn, comprising members of The Mary Wallopers, will perform at the festival’s opening, blending traditional Irish ballads with contemporary spirit. The band includes Andrew Hendy, Finnian O’Connor, Méabh Mulligan, and Caoimhe Ní Mhaolagáin.
Professor Jane Ohlmeyer, a renowned Irish historian, will explore Ireland’s history of colonization and shared lessons with Nagaland in a special discussion. The Embassy of Ireland will also host public arts installations, theatre workshops, and literary engagements, including dramatized readings from James Joyce’s Dubliners.
Ambassador Kevin Kelly expressed Ireland’s commitment to cultural collaboration and peacebuilding dialogue with Nagaland.
“Ireland’s partnership with the Hornbill Festival reflects the growing depth of Ireland-India relations and the shared commitment
to cultural collaboration and peacebuilding dialogue. We hope that people of Nagaland enjoy the best of Irish art, culture and theatre and that the connections we make at Hornbill 2025 lead to even greater collaboration in the future.”said Ambassador Kelly.
Highlighting Nagaland’s support for the collaboration, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, stated,
“Ireland’s participation will greatly enrich the festival and strengthen the bonds
between our peoples. We look forward to celebrating this friendship and forging new pathways of cooperation in the Land of Festivals.”
The Hornbill Festival, scheduled from December 1 to 10, celebrates Nagaland’s rich cultural heritage and unity among its 17 major tribes.
