Tennessee Voices, Episode 345: Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, Irish Consul General

U.S. President Joe Biden recently concluded a trip to Ireland to reaffirm relations between the two nations and also connect with his Irish roots.

A USA TODAY report said half of the United States' 46 presidents had some Irish ancestry -- which is far more than the 20% of Americans who have a similar heritage.

In Tennessee, that figure is 10%, but it's one of the highest rates in the Southeast, said Irish Consul General Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, who serves the region and recently appeared as a guest on the Tennessee Voices video podcast.

Among the Volunteer States' more famous Irish Americans is the Seventh President Andrew Jackson who served from 1829 to 1837 and whose name and legacy is written all over Nashville in places such as Hermitage and Old Hickory.

Ní Chonchúir added that Tennessee receives the most Irish exports of any other state and the main items of trade are medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

In March, the St. Patrick's Day parade returned to Nashville with great fanfare.

The Consul General and I also talked about authors, movies and music. She said country music is deeply popular with Irish people, and superstar Garth Brooks sold out five shows in 2022.

We also talked about her passion for and interest in women's rights and her concerns that there has been pushback on women's rights globally in recent times.

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About Tennessee Voices

The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.

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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Video podcast: Caoimhe Ní Chonchúir, Irish Consul General