Cathaoirleach, Cllr Paul Gibbons, Robert Burns, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council, and Pamela Kerr, Head of Enterprise and Economic Development formed County Monaghan delegation team’s visit to Tennessee (TN) from March 11th – 17th, 2025. This visit provided Monaghan County Council with a valuable opportunity to explore the potential for alliances and cooperation across multiple sectors, including higher education, innovation, economic development, the music industry, and rural development. This report outlines the itinerary during the trip, the key insights and takeaways, potential areas for collaboration, and next steps for promoting lasting partnerships between Monaghan and Tennessee.
ITINERARY – March 12th
On Wednesday, March 12th, the delegation focused on higher education and innovation with visits to Belmont University and Vanderbilt University. A meeting with Dr. Marissa Chandler, Director of Study Abroad, explored opportunities for student and faculty exchanges, global partnerships, and innovation in higher education. Additionally, discussions with Dr. Sarita Stewart from the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University provided insights into music industry education and potential collaborations for students.
The Monaghan Delegation pictured with Vanderbilt’s Wond’ry Innovation Centre staff and Executive Director, Dave Owens.
The delegation also toured Vanderbilt’s Wond’ry Innovation Centre and met with its Executive Director, Dave Owens, to discuss commercialisation and startup incubation strategies, with a visit later in the day to the Vanderbilt Launch incubator where we met some music tech startups companies interested in exporting to Ireland and the EU. The day concluded with a meeting with the Centre for Tech Transfer and Commercialisation, highlighting Tennessee’s commitment to fostering innovation and technology-driven economic growth.
March 13th
On Thursday, March 13th, the delegation met with Franklin, TN Mayor Ken Moore and his colleagues to discuss possible ties with Monaghan. Franklin is a historic city of about 90,000 people and the county seat of Williamson County, located 30 kms south of Nashville and has been very successful at attracting inward investment. The Cathaoirleach made a presentation of gifts from County Monaghan and thanked Mayor Moore and his officials for meeting with the Council delegation and invited them to visit Monaghan in the future.
This was followed by a visit to the Academy of Country Music (ACM) which allowed for discussions on international artist exchange and promotion. The ACM was founded in the USA 60 years ago with a mission to promote country music and support country music artists. The Academy of Country Music Awards are a major awards ceremony held each year to celebrate this very successful genre of music in the USA. The Monaghan delegation discussed with ACM opportunities for collaboration to promote country music in Monaghan and Ireland.
The afternoon included a meeting with Lindsey Cox, CEO of Launch Tennessee, to understand Tennessee’s efforts in business incubation and investment attraction. The delegation also engaged with representatives from the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to explore foreign direct investment opportunities and economic development strategies that could be adapted for Monaghan.
March 14th
A breakfast meeting with the Nashville area chamber of commerce was held on March 14th . The delegation met with Lori Odom, the Vice President of International Business for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The remainder of Friday, March 14th, was dedicated to rural development and agriculture, with a focus on McMinnville and Warren County, a rural county in Middle Tennessee, about 100 kms to the southeast of Nashville. The delegation met with the Southeast TN Young Farmers Organisation, where discussions centred on sustainable farming, agri-tech innovation, and the similarities between Monaghan and rural Tennessee.
A subsequent meeting with Warren County Mayor, Terry Bell emphasised opportunities for collaboration in rural and economic development. The Cathaoirleach made a presentation of gifts from County Monaghan and thanked the Mayor and Warren County officials for meeting with the Council delegation and invited them to visit Monaghan in the future.
The delegation participated in a radio interview with local radio station 91.3 WCP to discuss potential partnerships and concluded the day with a visit to the Historic Park Theatre in McMinnville further strengthening cultural ties between the regions.
March 15th
On Saturday, March 15th, the delegation took part in the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Nashville, celebrating Irish heritage and reinforcing cultural links between Monaghan and Tennessee. This event provided a unique platform to promote Monaghan as a key destination for cultural tourism and investment. The Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive had an opportunity to meet with the Mayor of Nashville, Freddie O’Connell.
March 17th
On Monday, March 17th, the visit concluded with a farewell breakfast at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee hosted by Monaghan County Council, where final discussions took place on fostering long-term partnerships between Monaghan and Tennessee, with a range of people attending from the business, education, tourism, cultural and community sectors in Nashville and the surrounding areas.
While in Tennessee the delegation took the opportunity to meet with staff at Alside Exterior Building Products, at their facility in Nashville, who are a major customer of CombiLift, with over 200 Combilift machines in use in over 100 locations across USA and Canada. It was a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge the success of the Alside and CombiLift partnership and be able to showcase a great Monaghan-based company and their achievements as a major exporter to the US market.
KEY TAKEAWAYS, INSIGHTS AND POTENTIAL AREAS FOR COLLABORATION
Monaghan and Tennessee have much in common and shared priorities in the areas of economic and industrial development, agriculture, advanced manufacturing and music. Both regions have a deep-rooted history in farming, with expertise in sustainable practices and agri-tech innovation, including precision agriculture and automation. The potential for knowledge exchange on farm diversification and sustainable agriculture is evident, providing a foundation for mutual growth. Additionally, Monaghan and Tennessee are both recognised for their thriving music scenes, with Nashville being at the heart of country music in the USA and Monaghan having a strong musical culture and a track record of hosting notable country music festivals. This cultural connection presents opportunities for artist collaborations, joint music productions, music enterprise and tourism initiatives that celebrate the shared love for country music and the arts.
The engagements with representatives from Belmont University and Vanderbilt University, where discussions concentrated on study abroad opportunities, student and faculty exchanges, and fostering innovation in education and commercialisation were very positive and hold out future potential. Vanderbilt’s Wond’ry and Launch incubator provided insights into building a robust start-up ecosystem, which could serve as a model for Monaghan’s innovation and entrepreneurial landscape. The delegation also explored ways to strengthen industry linkages in music business education, particularly through partnerships with the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business at Belmont University.
Economic development was the focus with the meetings held in Franklin County with Mayor Ken Moore, Lindsey Cox of Launch Tennessee and with Victoria Hirschberg (Assistant VP, University of Tennessee) and the department of Economic and Community Development Tennessee Karel Abboud, Global Director of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Trade for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and Brooxie Carlton, the Assistant Commissioner of Rural and Community Development for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Tennessee has positioned itself as a prime destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), and our discussions provided valuable insights into attracting international investors. The business incubation strategies of Launch Tennessee align with Monaghan’s economic vision, creating potential opportunities for supporting start-ups and SMEs. Moreover, Monaghan’s strategic location as a well-connected county to major cities like Dublin and Belfast, enhances its attractiveness for investment. The newly introduced Aer Lingus direct flight between Nashville and Dublin further strengthens connectivity, promoting business and cultural exchanges between the two regions.
A significant part of the visit was dedicated to rural development and agriculture. Meetings with the Southeast TN Young Farmers Organisation and Warren County leadership highlighted the similarities between Monaghan and Warren County, a rural county with a similar population and economic structure to County Monaghan. The visit to Warren County, included the Historic Park Theatre, emphasised the importance of cultural and economic ties to support rural development. Strong connections could be built between Monaghan and Warren County to drive agricultural innovation and promote cross-regional learning in sustainable farming.
Monaghan’s strengths in engineering and advanced manufacturing were also discussed, highlighting opportunities to collaborate with Tennessee firms on innovation and product development. Both regions are home to thriving industries that produce globally recognised products, and partnerships in workforce development, joint training programmes, and knowledge sharing could be mutually beneficial.
“Looking ahead, several key steps will be taken to build on the foundations established during this visit,” said Robert Burns, Chief Executive of Monaghan County Council. “These include formalising partnerships between educational institutions, developing exchange programmes for students, startups, and artists, and encouraging investment dialogue between stakeholders in Monaghan and Tennessee.
Trade opportunities in agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and the music industry will be further explored, alongside the development of peace-building and cultural exchange initiatives. Strengthening Monaghan’s position as a key player in business and cultural engagement will be central to these efforts, ensuring that both regions benefit from long-term collaboration and shared innovation.”
The Monaghan delegation’s visit to Tennessee has laid a solid foundation for lasting business, civic and cultural partnerships that will drive mutual economic growth and cultural enrichment,” said Cathaoirleach Paul Gibbons. “Continued engagement and structured collaboration will ensure that both regions harness their respective strengths to enhance innovation, economic development, and cultural connectivity.”