Governor Chafee and Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny at the State House. Photo by Andrew Augustus, WPRO News.

Andrew Augustus, WPRO News

After a visit to a climate change conference at the United Nations, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny visited Rhode Island before traveling back to Ireland.

During his visit, Kenny met with Governor Chafee and many officials at the State House where they talked about an increasing partnership between Ireland and Rhode Island.

“This is the start of a deepening relationship between Ireland and Rhode Island,” said Kenny.

Chafee had recently visited Ireland on a trade mission and the state has now seen many companies from Ireland open up places in Rhode Island.

“Rhode Island needs to continue to strengthen our role in global economic discussions. Throughout our country, states are looking beyond their borders to the international community to entice businesses to set up shop in their cities and towns. Companies want to do business in Rhode Island,” said Chafee.

Also during Kenny’s trip he visited the Rhode Island Irish Famine Memorial along the Providence River. While there President Donald D. Deignan of the Memorial presented Kenny with a plaque and a replica of the statue that sits in downtown Providence.

This was Kenny’s only other visit in the United States before traveling home to Ireland.

Later in the evening Ireland based Horizon announced they will be opening up a location here in Rhode Island.

CEO Aiden Corcoran said “this is a place I can invest in, this is a place where I can grow and develop and we can bring companies over.”

He says they will be looking for 8-10 employees by next Christmas to help the business grown.

Horizon is the second company from Ireland to announce they are opening up in the ocean state. In May, Greencore announced they will be opening up a location at Quonset Point.