Minister of State with special responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy, Charlie McConalogue TD landed in Milan today for a three day visit around the Winter Olympics.
He will participate in a series of cultural, sporting and policy engagements linked to the Games.
The visit is aimed at strengthening cultural and commercial ties with Italy as a result of the sporting spectacle.
The Minister will attend the Abbey Theatre’s co-production of Mirandolina at Teatro Verdi, part of the Milano–Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad. The production is an international collaboration between the Abbey Theatre, the Teatro Stabile del Veneto – Teatro Nazionale Foundation and the Croatian National Theatre of Rijeka (HNK Rijeka), supported by the Italian Cultural Institute in Dublin.
Speaking ahead of departure, Minister McConalogue highlighted the longstanding relationship between Ireland and Italy.
“Ireland and Italy share a deep cultural connection, built on centuries of exchange in arts, heritage, education and sport,” he said. “The Milano–Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad is an opportunity for the Abbey Theatre to strengthen that partnership.”
The Minister also paid tribute to Ireland’s Winter Olympians, congratulating Thomas Maloney Westgaard, Anabelle Zurbay, Cormac Comerford and Ben Lynch on their getting to the Games and taking part.
“In qualifying for the Olympics and representing the best of us in Milan-Cortina, our athletes are an inspiration to the entire nation,” he said.
Beyond cultural engagements, the visit will include meetings with key Irish State agencies operating in Italy, including Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia. The Minister will also attend an Enterprise Ireland business networking dinner, providing an opportunity to meet Irish client companies, including those operating in the sports technology sector.
On Friday, Minister McConalogue will attend a speed skating event at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium within the Milano Ice Park, before participating in a working dinner hosted by the Olympic Federation of Ireland. The session will include engagement with stakeholders supporting Team Ireland, including commercial sponsors and partners, including Allianz, Sport Ireland and the Snowsports Association of Ireland.
Sport Ireland has provided €50,000 in Winter Sports funding to the Olympic Federation of Ireland over the 2023–2026 cycle to support participation at the Winter Olympic Games. In addition, €25,000 in High Performance funding was allocated to the Snowsports Association of Ireland in 2024 to assist athlete preparation and qualification efforts.
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