New York event showcases Leitrim as a dynamic place to live, work and invest

On Friday, April 7, Leitrim County Council, in conjunction with Leitrim GAA, hosted a high profile business event in New York.

The event presented County Leitrim as a dynamic location to live, work and invest in.

The event took place on the eve of the Leitrim v New York Senior Connacht Championship match.

The main focus of the event was to showcase what the county has to offer to a range of people in business in the USA with a Leitrim or Irish connection and who were interested in learning of the many opportunities in County Leitrim.

Key objectives achieved included:

• Disseminating information on Leitrim from an economic perspective, including demographics, details on economic sectors, growth and employment opportunities while emphasising the economic opportunities that the county has to offer.
• Showcasing the ongoing development of Carrick-on -Shannon as a regionally and nationally recognised centre for growth.
• Showcasing flagship strategic infrastructural projects planned and already delivered within the County.
• Tourism developments including expansion of attractions and experience offerings.
• Highlight improvements in the quality of life offering through enhanced recreation, town centre presentation and regeneration, quality childcare and school placements.

Facilitated by Caitriona Clarke, JP Clarke’s, Yonkers, New York, the speakers for the event included Brian Conroy, Head of IDA in North America, Lar Power, Chief Executive Leitrim Co Council, and Keith Dimmock, Principal Architect, Cora Systems, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

The event was aimed at an invited audience of people in business in the US, including many for whom it was a new experience to hear first hand of the opportunities now available in the county.

The opportunities showcased on the night included investment opportunities, the high quality jobs available from growth industries in Leitrim and remote working options now opening up in the post Covid era and property solutions including the recently acquired Carrick-on-Shannon Business Campus and ready to go site for Advanced Technology Building.

Those in attendance felt it was a worthwhile and very informative evening and it is envisaged they will share what the county has to offer with their own networks.

Speaking of the event, Lar Power, Chief Executive of Leitrim County Council said, “This is a wonderful opportunity to promote County Leitrim on a world stage, the county has so much to offer companies wishing to invest either through expansion or a new venture or for people considering a move or relocation including significant quality of life, world class jobs and a pace that allows people to flourish across all areas of their life.”

Mr Power went on to thank those in attendance stating he looked forward to the opportunities this event will bring to fruition for County Leitrim.

Since the start of the Covid pandemic, Ireland's smallest county in terms of population has found itself on an upward trajectory, in part fuelled by an influx of professionals who are able to work remotely from Lovely Leitrim.

Preliminary census figures have shown an increase of approximately 9% in the county, the highest increase in the region, with the county showing a 40% cumulative population increase since the mid 1990s.
Leitrim County Council’s slow tourism initiative and Tourism Ireland's 'Hidden Heartlands' campaign has also attracted record numbers of tourists to the country's least-populous county.

The organisers were particularly appreciative of the participation in the panel of Brian Conroy, Head of IDA Ireland North America, who has responsibility for IDA activity in the USA and Canada and for the Agency’s nine offices there.

Brian presented the overall attractions of Ireland to US investors and then focused on the specific attractions of Leitrim and the North West region.

He highlighted the potential of the Carrick Business Campus, now that it was in the ownership of Leitrim County Council.

One of the county's premier businesses: software company Cora Systems joined the delegation to the Big Apple with a view to promoting what Leitrim has to offer.

They are keen to lure professionals to take up positions in their growing companies - either Americans or Irish American returnees.

Cora is also a shining example of the operation of a worldwide high-tech business from the county.

Representing Cora Systems, which sells its software products in 53 countries and has 53 staff in the US, was principal engineer Keith Dimmock — a Yorkshire man who married Leitrim woman Michelle Reynolds and then relocated to her home county where he joined the surging software company.

Cllr Enda McGloin, on behalf of the Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, commented on the great Leitrim showcase presented at the event saying, “The goodwill to see the county of Leitrim develop, grow and sustain itself into the future was definitely present in the room and as a local authority we look forward to forging stronger links with the New York network and seeing the outputs from today’s event.”

The consensus among the organisers is that those attending the Good Friday event will be the basis of a network of goodwill and influencers on behalf of the many opportunities now available in County Leitrim.