The Kentucky-Ireland Parallel
The search for new economic development ideas has taken community leaders from Louisville to cities across the nation. In the fall of 2007, they decided to look across the Atlantic.
In a trip arranged by Greater Louisville Inc., a delegation of business and civic leaders, state legislators, and others traveled to Ireland’s capital city of Dublin to learn how the Irish educational, business, and government communities have worked together to create the “Celtic tiger”—one of Europe’s most dynamic economies—and to provide a wealth of new opportunities for Ireland’s citizens. While exploring everything from tax incentives to academic cooperation, the delegates returned from their fact-finding mission with several ideas that could be valuable for Louisville and Kentucky.
A KET producer and cameraman accompanied the group to Dublin; you’ll find video clips from the trip below. We have also produced a one-hour panel discussion on the parallels between Ireland and Kentucky and what the Bluegrass State can learn from the Emerald Isle.
Panel Discussion
The Kentucky-Ireland Parallel, a one-hour KET production, explores how the city of Dublin has reinvigorated itself and how its success parallels Louisville’s own resurgence. KET’s Bill Goodman moderates a panel discussion with some of the GLIDE Dublin travelers:
- Joan Coleman, president of AT&T Kentucky
- Bill Lear, managing member of the Stoll Keenon Ogden law firm
- Jeff McKenzie, chairman and CEO of the Greenebaum Doll & McDonald law firm
- Ted Nixon, chairman and CEO of D.D. Williamson, a food and beverage colorant company
The Kentucky-Ireland Parallel also includes segments shot in Dublin that focus on the city’s highly skilled and educated workforce, competitive government vision, and corporate tax incentives.
Bonus Video
The following video clips (available in Windows Media® and RealVideo® format) are from speakers’ presentations to the Kentucky group in Dublin.
- Bertie Ahern, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland
- Mary Cahill, Dublin City Council member
- Danny McCoy, director of policy, Irish Business and Employees Confederation
- Tom Boland, chief executive, Irish Higher Education Authority
- John Haggerty, president of the Irish Universities Association and provost of Trinity College
- Ned Costello, chief executive, Irish Universities Association
- Paul Maloney, Dublin Docklands Development Authority
- Feargal O’Rourke, relationship partner (tax), PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Terry Landers, head of legal and corporate affairs, Microsoft Ireland
- Bernie Cullinan, Dramatic Concepts
- David McWilliams, author of The Pope’s Children
For more information on GLIDE Dublin, see the Greater Louisville Inc. web site.
The Kentucky-Ireland Parallel is a 2007 KET production, produced by Mike Brower.
