The Gathering Ireland 2013

The Gathering Ireland 2013 is a unique chance for everyone to join a countrywide, citizen led initiative to bring 325,000 visitors to Ireland in 2013.

Over 70 million people worldwide claim Irish ancestry. The Gathering Ireland 2013 provides the perfect excuse to reach out to those who have moved away, their relatives, friends and descendants, and invite them home. It's about asking anyone who has Irish blood, a link to Ireland, or even just loves the country to join us in 2013.

The Gathering is the people's party. It will kick off in spectacular style at the New Year's Eve Festival in Dublin and will be celebrated through gatherings of the people and Ireland's major festivals during 2013. After that it is over to individuals, families, clans, communities, towns and cities to bring people to Ireland.

There will be clan gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts taking place all across the country, all year long Communities throughout Ireland will showcase and share the very best of Irish culture, tradition, business, sport, fighting spirit and the uniquely Irish sense of fun.

Gatherings can be big or small, family size or festival size. They just need one ingredient to make them a gathering - a visitor from overseas in attendance. The Gathering also provides a platform for Irish businesses to connect with their networks around the world and encourage them to come to, or indeed, return to Ireland in 2013.

The Gathering has many stakeholders, partners and supporters, including Government departments, State bodies, local authorities, local development companies, private businesses, the global Irish community and the tourism industry. The initiative is also fully supported by Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. But Irish individuals and community groups - both at home and abroad - are at the heart of the Gathering.

National organisations such as the GAA, the ICA, Comhaltas Ceóltóirí Eireann, Scouting Ireland and many more are organising Gatherings of their members and inviting overseas contacts to join them throughout 2013.

Log on to www.thegatheringireland.com to see what else is planned or to plan a gathering of your own.