Enterprise Ireland has launched a networking group for young Irish professionals working in London.
The network, called Young Irish Professionals (YIP), has already attracted 1,000 members. The Irish embassy in London will host a launch party for YIP this evening and among the Irish glitterati attending will be Bob Geldof, Keith Wood, Diarmuid Gavin, Richard Dunwoody, Conor O'Shea and Victoria Smurfit.
"We conceived the Young Irish Professionals as a networking forum to harness the formidable force that Irish talent now represents in the UK", says Ms Laura Turkington, Senior Market Adviser at Enterprise Ireland.
"As the network develops, we will be looking for ways to build commercial relationships among our members, with Enterprise Ireland at the centre of the mix."
The majority of Irish twenty and thirty somethings who class themselves as 'professionals' in London are convinced that sacrifices must be made for their careers, a new survey released today by Enterprise Ireland.
Every response from someone missing home cooking or 'proper' Guinness came hand in hand with the certainty that career comes first. Few want to return home any time soon and although
they may miss Ireland, the vast majority are perfectly happy to forge their careers in Britain.