History
The inflow of Polish people into Ireland observed during the past few years is some kind of marvel. No other ethnic group has arrived in Ireland in numbers comparable to ours. What is more, we have not been passive in view of these numbers and we have been acting and setting up organisations and associations in order to support each other, integrate ourselves and to be present not only in the professional field. What the Polish community in Galway also stands for is vast potential, which, if properly informed and supported, can contribute to highlighting our – Polish - presence on the island and creating a positive image of the Polish community.

With this in mind, in May 2007, we founded the Galway Irish – Polish Association (GIPA; Polsko – Irlandzkie Stowarzyszenie w Galway - in Polish), which has fifteen active members of both nationalities at the moment and which operates in Galway City and Galway County. At the beginning, the Association was operating unofficially, as a group of people willing to help their compatriots in difficulty and seeking to integrate the Polish and the Irish communities. The Association was registered with the Galway Community Forum in August 2007 and is part of the local government project called the Intercultural Forum, supported by Galway City Partnership and Galway City Hall.

Goals
The Association’s main goals are:

• To integrate the Polish and the Irish communities in County Galway and to educate both nations about their respective cultures;
• To provide information about everyday life in Ireland, as well as the local law and regulations, in a broad sense;
• To promote Polish traditions and culture.

Projects
As part of the goals mentioned, the Association is running the following projects:

1. The Polish Information Point (in cooperation with Galway City Partnership)
2. English language courses for Polish people
3. Polish-Irish evenings in local pubs
4. Preparation for the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity finale, to take place in Galway, January 2008.
5. Polish Business Network (in Polish: Sieć Polskich Biznesmenów)

Among the accomplished projects are:

1. The Integration Walk, which took place on the 2nd of May 2007;
2. The Polish Evening in Java Café – an integration evening for Polish people, with piano music.

The GIPA closely cooperates with Galway City Partnership, Galway City Hall and the Migrant Service, as well as is in contact with the following media: ‘Galway Advertiser’, ‘Polska Gazeta’.