Ireland House at SXSW 2025: Where innovation and imagination collide
Posted: 3rd March 2025
Ireland House will return to South by South West (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, providing a shared space for Team Ireland partners, including the Department of Foreign Affairs, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Screen Ireland, to deliver an ambitious cultural and economic programme. Opening its doors in Marlow, Downtown Austin from 9 – 11 March, the Ireland House programme includes nearly 20 events, including expert panels, live demos, podcast recordings, film events and networking moments.
South by Southwest (SXSW) is a series of conferences and festivals that meet at the intersection between culture and technology. In 2024, there were nearly 50,000 in-person attendees from major companies and brands across the US and beyond, many with strong links to Ireland. SXSW is an important showcase for Ireland in the US and a platform to deepen links with US industries and support business–to-business connections in key sectors.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will attend Ireland House at SXSW as part of his broader St Patrick’s Day programme in the United States. He said:
During my visit to Texas, I will have the opportunity to participate in SXSW in Austin. SXSW is a natural platform for Ireland to showcase our world-class offer in the areas of creativity and innovation. I look forward to visiting Ireland House, connecting with our US partners and friends and further building on the strong two-way economic relationship between Ireland and the U.S.”
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said:
Screen Ireland is delighted to support Ireland House at SXSW this year, and to showcase the Irish film and television projects premiering across the festival's programme. It's a fantastic opportunity to highlight the strength of Irish filmmaking, which supports Ireland's overall offering as a global hub for innovation and creativity."
Kevin Sherry, Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland, said:
Enterprise Ireland values the strong economic ties we have with Texas and are proud to celebrate and showcase Irish technology at this years’ SXSW Ireland House Activation. These innovative Irish companies are exemplar leaders in their chosen sectors and with the support of the Enterprise Ireland Austin office, they continue to invest in their US operations and strengthen the partnerships that we seek to celebrate this week, as part of the St Patricks Day Programme.”
Ireland House SXSW 2025 is a Global Ireland collaboration between the Department of Foreign Affairs, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Screen Ireland.
Irish film and panels at SXSW
In addition to the events hosted in Ireland House, a number of Irish film and television premiere screenings and panels, along with showcases of emerging Irish musical talent will take place throughout the 8-day programme at SXSW. This includes Premieres of Screen Ireland supported projects Hallow Road, Mix Tape and Retirement Plan, as well as Lorcan Finnegan's The Surfer, and Wild Atlantic Pictures co-productions Drop and The Astronaut.
Screen Ireland will be hosting the Through the Emerald Lens panel in Ireland House at 2.30pm on Monday, 10th March, exploring the benefits of creating productions in Ireland, the expertise and financial incentives including the types of productions that locate in Ireland and what an international producer/ company can expect. The panel includes Jess Varley (Director of The Astronaut), John Sloss (Producer of Blue Moon) and Tristan Orpen Lynch (Producer and Founder of Subotica).
There will be an In Conversation event with The Surfer director Lorcan Finnegan and Retirement Plan director John Kelly on Tuesday, 11th March at 12pm.
More information and the full programme of events can be found on www.ireland.ie/sxsw.