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Please be advised that the Embassy of Ireland, Chile website has moved and this page is no longer being updated. The Embassy website is now available at Ireland.ie/santiago.

Irish community in Chile

Ireland has very strong historic links with Chile dating back over 500 years. It is thought that the first Irish people arrived in Chile in a contingent of soldiers in the 1500s. While there are only around 250-300 Irish citizens living in Chile, it is thought that some 120,000 Chileans claim Irish ancestry.

A group for the Irish community of Chile, “The Wild Geese- The Irish Community in Chile” was originally formed in the mid-1990s. They regularly meet and celebrate Irish culture and traditions.