'We can do better on visas for Colombians' — Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar

@wwaycorrigan

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), Leo Varadkar, has said he wants to make the visa process easier for Colombians who want to study and work in the country.

Leo Varadkar at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, with Colombia's Vice President Marta Lucía Ramírez (top left).

Speaking at a St Patrick's Day reception at the Irish ambassador's residence in Bogotá, the Tánaiste stated that he would 'love to see more Colombian students coming to Ireland to study in our universities, to learn English, to work if they want to.'

However, he acknowledged that the current visa regulations are rather restrictive for Colombians compared to those from other South American countries such as Argentina and Brazil.

Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Colombia's Ministry for Education aimed at greater collaboration in higher education, Varadkar admitted that Ireland 'can do better' on visas but it is something he intends to address. 'Colombians need a visa to come to Ireland, (they) have to pay for that visa, that's not the case from a lot of other countries in Latin America, so that's something I'll try and improve or change and I've been in contact with Minister McEntee (Ireland's Minister for Justice) about that already.'

The Tánaiste, who also serves as Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, said that while trade between the two countries is small, 'there is scope for expansion'.

Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar officially opened Ireland's embassy in Bogotá this week, an office that began operating in 2019, the same year that Colombia opened an embassy in Dublin.

Before visiting Colombia, Varadkar was in Chile where Ireland also has a new embassy. During his stay in Santiago, he attended the inauguration of the country's new president, the leftist Gabriel Boric. 'Potentially, he represents a new generation of left-wing leaders in South America. Even though he comes from the student protests, the radical left, he has been very clear on Venezuela and Nicaragua. To a certain extent that gives me some encouragement,' Varadkar said of the Chilean president.

Click on the following link, https://youtu.be/3XgauTqKJOw (or see video below), to listen to the full interview with Leo Varadkar where he also speaks about Russia's war in Ukraine and the cocaine trade.

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St Patrick's Day with Bogotá's Irish

It's fair to say that it's largely down to the Irish Americans, those in the US to be clear, that St Patrick's Day is as big and wide-reaching a celebration that it is these days. They glamorised, as only they can, what had been back in its origin of Ireland a pretty tame affair.

Of course, they've caught on back home; Paddy's Day (or week as it tends to be now) is a significant and important money-spinner for the Irish economy. The once somewhat sombre tone to it has been cast aside. The churches mightn't be as full as they once were, but there's no sign of straightened times in the pubs on 17 March.

An Irish-Colombian mix for St Patrick's Day in Bogotá.

Personally, I've always been indifferent towards our national holiday. Thus, that I haven't been home for one since 2011 is no big deal.

Nonetheless, it doesn't pass without being acknowledged here in Bogotá. For one, you've a number of (badly) Irish-styled pubs in the city that know the day exists and do their best to get the numbers in. 

The problem with most of those venues is that they're ridiculously overpriced; $100,000 Colombian pesos won't get you too far in them. And considering many Colombians who are keen to recognise St Patrick's Day with a drink or two say they like to do it with genuine Irish people, you're less likely to find us in such establishments (unless we're being, um, sponsored).

What's more, with a small and scattered Irish community in Bogotá, not much in terms of organised celebrations took place in the past.

That changed a little last year thanks to the support of the Irish embassy in Mexico (we're still waiting for an embassy to open here!).

Building on that, this year members of the Irish community have got together to organise a gathering for all those who want to 'wet the shamrock', as we say (see the accompanying photo flyer, above, for details).

There'll even be some traditional Irish music on the night from the Colombian (yes, Colombian!) group Paddy's Season.

So if you're looking for something slightly more Irish (whatever that is exactly) this St Patrick's Day, you could do worse than come along to this get together.

Plus, with 17 March being a Friday, most of us don't have to worry about an early start the next day. A potentially 'close-to-perfect Paddy's' then.

P.S: Some of the Irish are also planning a late afternoon meet up, before the Cervecería Gigante event, at the bust of General Daniel O'Leary, a gesture that was started back in 2015.

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'IQuiz you not; Bogotá's top trivia night is back!'

It's a new year (are we still allowed to call it that?) and time for a new IQuiz. Yes, that somewhat novel — in a Bogotá context anyway — night out that has taken the city by, um, storm. Well a sort of inconspicuous storm.

The first ever IQuiz winners. Can they win again?!

It was a case of 'eight not out' last year with each of them being fairly successful for a fledgling event. The concept of a pub table quiz generally doesn't require explaining to Western expats, but for some Colombians it does. It's not a 'serious' test of one's knowledge, just a few differently-themed rounds of generally light-hearted questions in a fun, slightly alcohol-fuelled (if that’s your wont) environment. And you do it with company; friends and/or strangers. You could call it — at a stretch — salsa for those who don't want to get off their seats.

This time, for the first one of 2016, we're trialling a new venue; the idea always has been that IQuiz can be a moveable feast. So after alternating between The Pub's (or the 'Irish Pub' as some call it) La Candelaría and Zona T venues, for this latest renewal we're at the newly opened Pub House on Carrera Séptima with Calle 51 in Chapinero.

As a heads-up for this latest edition (keep it to yourself), we've got an audio round based on Oscar-winning songs, a picture round where you've to name the beer from its logo, a crossword puzzle round, a round of 'firsts' and a couple of general knowledge rounds.

Now while a quiz is nothing without the participants (and thanks to all those who have come and, hopefully, are going to come), having decent prizes also helps. In this regard, our host venues have been helpful providing free drinks and discounts while the trophy prize comes courtesy of the Irish whiskey Tullamore DEW. Ron Medellín is also on board this time around. The sponsorship is of course well received; more is always welcome, too!

So if you find yourself looking for something to do on Thursday February 18th, you could do worse than check out IQuiz "The Bogotá Pub Quiz"; honestly, you could. The Facebook event page has all the details. Plus, with St Patrick's Day coming up next month, we're in line to have an IQuiz special to celebrate that. What fun times ahead; here’s hoping anyway!

*For an idea of what to expect, below was our picture round from a previous quiz. How many of the landmarks do you know? (No cheating!):

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'Celebrating' Ireland

Oh no! Here it comes again. Yes, it’s that semi-awkward time of year for all Irish-born people; St Patrick's Day (17 March), our national holiday.

Time to get the silly leprechaun hats out. (Image from Tourism Ireland.)

You see most Irish, from my experiences anyway, tend not to get too excited about things; we prefer to leave the fanfare and hyperbole to the Yanks, it’s what they’re good at. So when you have a day to celebrate all that's, um, good about our island and its people, things can get uncomfortable.

How do we normally cope? Well, in not untypical fashion, drink alcohol-containing liquids and grin and bear it.

For in some quarters, which I kind of go along with, there's a feeling that events seem to have got a little bit out of hand, thanks in no small part to those aforementioned, flamboyant North Americans.

Now, of course, for as long as I can remember and since I commenced downing the odd tipple whilst socialising, beer has always been part of this day.

Growing up in rural Ireland, you may have got a token parade in the local town, although it wasn't always a given, and perhaps some Irish football (or hurling) game (not soccer, American football nor rugby that is, we’re talking Irish football) to provide other entertainment. All very tame stuff really.

Also, in my early adolescent days and before, a trip to mass was obligatory. It is, after all, a feast day commemorating the man who supposedly brought Christianity to Ireland; a Welshman at that. (You could say it's like Colombians venerating someone born in Venezuela. What's that? They do?!) Thus, at its root, it's a Christian church — both Protestant and Catholic — holiday.

Nowadays, though, in a more multicultural and, thankfully, somewhat inclusive Ireland, the day has broadened to become a festival of all things Irish, much less tied to religion.

Plus, a modern, confident Ireland — the current economic problems notwithstanding — has upped the ante in terms of how it's honoured. There’s a little bit more glitz involved now. And it’s not even just a one-day celebration any more; you’ve got a week-long festival in many of the country’s bigger urban centres. ‘Hey, there's money to be made from them there tourists!’

Guinness time ... (Photo from Tourism Ireland.)

On the other hand, a Bogotá St Patrick's Day, personally speaking and unsurprisingly, adheres to the more traditional, low-key affair i.e. it goes off without much fuss. A good reason for this is that not too many are aware of it; you wouldn’t expect them to be in any case. The Irish ‘Empire’ has its limits.

For the uninitiated, a trip to one of the 'Irish' pubs is a must, surrounded by some 'Plastic Paddy' types. However, for the Irish friends I have here, of the rare occasions such establishments are visited, this is the least likely day to find them (and me) there.

It’s more likely to be spent in a neutral location, with, hopefully, a can of Guinness or two if they can be sourced (something that has become harder to do in Bogotá these days), drinking to the day and badmouthing any silly gimmickry in its honour we witness.

So in a sense, like most other days; we just have an extra excuse to get merry.

Pimp my isle

We Irish have been, and are, called many things but ostentatious can never really be one of them. In comparison to our brethren across the pond (the bigger pond that is), we tend to be quite a reserved bunch; then again, who isn’t when viewed in such a light?

Halloween — less substance, more shabby style?

Even at the height of the Celtic Tiger when many people had more (borrowed) money than sense, we never really became too brash or cocky. 

Sure we may have built to excess but we tended to stick to the ‘less talk, more action’ mantra. Things were ‘grand’ (in Ireland that means an ordinary 'fine'); you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone use that flamboyant, quintessentially North American word ‘awesome’.

Perhaps much of this was due to the fact that deep down, even if we didn’t outwardly acknowledge it, we knew our newfound (borrowed) wealth wouldn’t last.

So now that the arse has well and truly fallen out of our ‘mighty little’ economic miracle, you would think being showy is the last thing on our minds – considering, that is, that we traditionally don’t do it, it just doesn’t sit well with us at all. Rather than things being awesome, they’re just awkward.

Yet, as the dust settles on our gluttonous years, one obvious legacy, very much in evidence over the Halloween period, is the desire for young families to pimp up their homes for various events and festivities. 

OK, one might have expected a scaling up in this regard when the country was awash with (borrowed – get it?) money, but there appears to be no sign of scaling back now that we’ve returned to our ‘normal’ financial state (hard-pressed that is).

Christmas decorating predates the boom years and it’s not something we’ve too many misgivings about, although its arrival seems to get earlier and earlier each year with an accompanying increase in the lavishness of these Yuletide manifestations.

It’s the relatively recent uptake of Halloween folderol that has us scratching our heads. 

We’ve always recognised the day, of course – in fact, it’s an Irish festival, its roots going back to pagan times on the island. But the odd costume and trick-or-treater aside, we were never too bothered about jazzing up our houses and streets with a host of Halloween paraphernalia – we left that to the Yanks, in much the same way we ‘let’ them outdo us with the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

That all seems to have changed now. Decorations are a prerequisite these days – fake spiders’ webs are hung up (while at the same time frantically sweeping away real ones), figures of witches and skeletons put on display and pumpkins are ‘planted’ in every corner of the house.

Decommissioned. 

Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with such practices – you could argue that they bring some lesser-spotted cheer to surroundings in these hard-pressed, almost gloomy times (the current state of play being far spookier than any contrived Halloween scare). 

However, when you’re preaching poverty to strait-laced neighbours who happen to be paying your way, being a bit flashy doesn’t send out the right signals, does it? 

It’s a bit like the struggling parents, who apparently never have money for anything, hiring a private photographer when it comes to their little Johnny’s or Mary’s Communion Day. Well come on, they couldn’t be expected to share the one laid on for the group or, whisper it, take their own amateur photos on such a momentous day.

Back to Halloween, how about returning to some of our more, um, traditional, simpler customs? 

The innocent days of kicking some old man’s hard-saved cabbage, launching fireworks and mild explosives at legitimate targets and subsequently getting chased by An Garda Síochána (the Irish police) appear lost in the past. Solid substance has been replaced by shallow style.

Come on guys, you know this showiness doesn’t suit us. It’s not always best practice to slavishly follow Mr and Mrs Jones.