National days around the world are a celebration of a country’s identity, history and values.

The Cathaoirleach, Senator Mark Daly, regularly marks national days in Seanad Éireann, often in the company of ambassadors or delegations from those countries.

Noting these national days in the Seanad allows the Members and staff in Ireland’s Parliament to be part of the celebrations while taking the time to appreciate Ireland’s friendships, shared histories, cultural ties and positive influence across the globe.

Austria · National Day

Austria’s National Day marks the adoption of the Constitutional Law on Permanent Neutrality on 26 October 1955, which followed the restoration of the country’s sovereignty and the end of occupation after the Second World War.

The relationship between Ireland and Austria has deep historical roots going back to the 8th century, when Saint Virgilius of Salzburg, who was known in Ireland as Fearghal, became Bishop of Salzburg. Vienna’s Schottenstift Abbey was founded in 1155 by Irish monks and stands even today as a symbol of the connection between our two nations.

In the 17th century, Austria provided refuge to the Irish soldiers know as the “Wild Geese”, and as a result, Irish surnames feature prominently throughout Austrian military and political history. A notable example was Count Maximilian Karl Lamoral O’Donnell von Tyrconnell, who is remembered for helping to save the life of Emperor Franz Josef I during an attempt on his life in 1853.

Both Ireland and Austria are EU member states and they have a diplomatic relationship dating to 1951. The countries are united by a shared commitment to multilateralism, conflict resolution, international co-operation and participation in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

There is a vibrant Irish cultural presence in Austria, including music and dance organisations, exhibitions by Irish artists, the Vienna St. Patrick’s Day parade and annual Bloomsday celebrations. Vienna is also home to the Vienna Gaels Gaelic football club and the Centre for Irish Studies at the University of Vienna. There are also strong academic and literary connections, with James Joyce, Samuel Beckett and Oliver St. John Gogarty spending timing in Austria. The renowned Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger, meanwhile, spent more than a decade working in the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

Czech Republic · Independent Czechoslovak State Day

The national day of the Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, on 28 October is a commemoration of the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the First World War.

There are deep historical links between the Czech Republic and Ireland, with Irish monks helping to shape the Christian heritage of the region in the 6th and 7th centuries and Irish Franciscan monks establishing a monastery and church in Prague in the 17th century, the legacy of which remains on Hybernská Street.

The two countries share common values and commitments through our membership of the European Union and United Nations. Indeed, the Czech Republic joined the European Union in May 2004 during an Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Moreover, it is now more than 30 years since embassies opened in Dublin and Prague in 1995, an indication of the importance of the relationship between the Czech Republic and Ireland and our growing bilateral trade and co-operation.

In 2015 a bust of Václav Havel, the first President of the Czech Republic, was unveiled in Leinster House to mark the 25th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution, and today that memorial stands as a reminder of the importance of freedom and democracy to our nations.