Colombia–Ireland relations
Encyclopedia
Colombia–Ireland relations are relations between Colombia
and Ireland
. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Colombia is represented in Ireland through its embassy in London
, England
. Ireland is represented in Colombia through its embassy in Mexico City
, Mexico
and an honorary consulate in Bogotá
. The Irish have a long relationship with Colombia dating back to involvement by Irish volunteers in the Colombian wars of independence.
. Between 1,000 and 2,000 Irish volunteers led by Irishmen such as William Aylmer
, Francisco Burdett O'Connor
and James Towers English
assisted in the struggle. The Irish leader James Rooke
led his British Legions
with Simon Bolivar
's army in its epic march from Eastern Venezuela across the plains and up into the Andes, where the Irish troops played a key role in the Vargas Swamp Battle
and the subsequent decisive Battle of Boyacá
. When offered laurels after the victory at Boyacá, Bolívar credited the victory at Boyacá to the English and Irish volunteers, declaring that "those soldier liberators are the men who deserve these laurels". In the subsequent upheavals in Colombia in the 1820s, Irishmen such as Daniel Florence O'Leary, Arthur Sandes and John Johnston were among Bolívar's most faithful officers. The descendants of the Irish volunteers live in Colombia to this day.
founded in Dublin, Ireland
, by layman Frank Duff
sent Seamus Grace and Alphie Lamb to Bogotá in 1953 to expand their mission in Colombia. Grace and Lamb established Legion praesidia throughout the country. The Legion was well received in Colombia, especially by the poor, brought many people back to the Catholic faith, and later expanded to other parts of South America.
(IRA) in Bogota, alleging they had been training members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC), a revolutionary guerilla movement in Colombia, allegedly with the cooperation of the British police. In 2005 the three were able to flee to Ireland while waiting appeal. Ireland has taken no action to extradite
the men back to Colombia.
has been accredited to Colombia, while the Ambassador of Colombia in London
has been accredited to Ireland. Ireland is also represented by an Honorary Consul in Bogotá
.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Colombia is represented in Ireland through its embassy in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Ireland is represented in Colombia through its embassy in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and an honorary consulate in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. The Irish have a long relationship with Colombia dating back to involvement by Irish volunteers in the Colombian wars of independence.
Colombian independence
Irish volunteers played a central role in the wars in which Colombia gained independence from SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Between 1,000 and 2,000 Irish volunteers led by Irishmen such as William Aylmer
William Aylmer
William Aylmer from Painstown, County Kildare, Ireland was a leader of the United Irishmen in the 1798 Rebellion against the British government. At the Battle of Ovidstown on 19 June 1798 he led a fierce battle against superior forces in which 200 insurgents died. Aylmer retreated into the...
, Francisco Burdett O'Connor
Francisco Burdett O'Connor
Francisco Burdett O'Connor was an officer in the Irish Legion of Simón Bolívar's army in Venezuela. He later became chief of staff to Antonio José de Sucre and minister of war in Bolivia....
and James Towers English
James Towers English
James Towers English was an Irish commander of British Legions forces in the South American wars of independence....
assisted in the struggle. The Irish leader James Rooke
James Rooke
James Rooke was a British career soldier in the Napoleonic wars. He became commander under Simon Bolivar of the British Legions during the South American wars of independence....
led his British Legions
British Legions
The British Legion or British Legions were foreign volunteer units that fought under Simón Bolívar against Spain for the independence of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru. The Venezuelans called them the Albion Legion...
with Simon Bolivar
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
's army in its epic march from Eastern Venezuela across the plains and up into the Andes, where the Irish troops played a key role in the Vargas Swamp Battle
Vargas Swamp Battle
Vargas Swamp Battle was an armed conflict that occurred near Paipa, on July 25, 1819. The joint Venezuelan and Neogranadan army commanded by Simón Bolívar was trying to prevent the Spanish forces from arriving at Santafe de Bogotá, which was lightly defended, before they did...
and the subsequent decisive Battle of Boyacá
Battle of Boyacá
The Battle of Boyacá in Colombia, then known as New Granada, was the battle in which Colombia acquired its definitive independence from Spanish Monarchy, although fighting with royalist forces would continue for years....
. When offered laurels after the victory at Boyacá, Bolívar credited the victory at Boyacá to the English and Irish volunteers, declaring that "those soldier liberators are the men who deserve these laurels". In the subsequent upheavals in Colombia in the 1820s, Irishmen such as Daniel Florence O'Leary, Arthur Sandes and John Johnston were among Bolívar's most faithful officers. The descendants of the Irish volunteers live in Colombia to this day.
Legion of Mary
In a different form of relationship, the Catholic lay movement Legion of MaryLegion of Mary
The Legion of Mary is an association of Catholic laity who serve the Church on a voluntary basis. It was founded in Dublin, Ireland, as a Roman Catholic Marian Movement by layman Frank Duff. Today between active and auxiliary members there are in excess of 10 million members worldwide making it...
founded in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, by layman Frank Duff
Frank Duff (religious worker)
Servant of God Francis Michael "Frank" Duff was a native of Dublin, Ireland, the eldest child of a wealthy family. He is best known for bringing attention to the role of the laity during the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church, and for founding the Legion of Mary.-Early life:Frank...
sent Seamus Grace and Alphie Lamb to Bogotá in 1953 to expand their mission in Colombia. Grace and Lamb established Legion praesidia throughout the country. The Legion was well received in Colombia, especially by the poor, brought many people back to the Catholic faith, and later expanded to other parts of South America.
IRA Incident
In 2001, Colombia arrested three members of the Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) in Bogota, alleging they had been training members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
(FARC), a revolutionary guerilla movement in Colombia, allegedly with the cooperation of the British police. In 2005 the three were able to flee to Ireland while waiting appeal. Ireland has taken no action to extradite
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
the men back to Colombia.
Formal relations
Ireland established diplomatic relations with Colombia through the exchange of notes on 10 November 1999. There are no resident ambassadors. Since 1999, the Ambassador of Ireland in Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
has been accredited to Colombia, while the Ambassador of Colombia in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
has been accredited to Ireland. Ireland is also represented by an Honorary Consul in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
.
See also
- Foreign relations of ColombiaForeign relations of ColombiaColombia seeks diplomatic and commercial relations with all countries, regardless of their ideologies or political or economic systems. For this reason, the Colombian economy is very open, relying on international trade and following the guidelines given by the international law.Regional relations...
- Foreign relations of the Republic of IrelandForeign relations of the Republic of IrelandThe foreign relations of Ireland are substantially influenced by its membership of the European Union, although bilateral relations with the United States and United Kingdom are also important to the country. It is one of the group of smaller nations in the EU, and has traditionally followed a...