Coming Home to Belfast with Máirtín Ó Muilleoir & Connla McCann

When you have a good story to tell, why not invite the world? For our Lost In Belfast series finale, we convene in the Titanic Hotel’s grand vaulted hall, where the ill-fated ship was designed. Hundreds have gathered from across local communities and from around the globe for the Belfast International Homecoming—civic leaders, elected officials, business executives, investors, entrepreneurs, culture makers…and two peripatetic podcasters. Co-host and a Belfast Homecoming Ambassador himself, John Lee spoke with the event’s creator Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, a former Lord Mayor, long-time publisher, and Irish Stew alum and Connla McCann, who organizes this and many other high-profile events on both sides of the Atlantic as co-founder and director of Aisling Events. We glean their insights on the purpose, evolution, outcomes, and future of this much anticipated annual event (returning Sept. 25, 2025), and grab soundbites from Dan Dennehy--VP Council for American Ireland Relations, Bryan O’Dwyer, a New York lawyer dedicated to advancing Ireland’s cause in the United States, and Smuggling Nun Poitín’s Maura Clare, another past Irish Stew guest and a 2024 Belfast Homecoming Ambassador. We also heard about the Homecoming’s sister event, the New York New Belfast Luncheon Conference, coming to the stately New York Athletic Club on Thurs., June 12. See the link below for last-minute tickets! So, we are lost no more—we found our way home to Belfast. We thank Tourism Ireland for all their support and Máirtín and Connla for inviting us to the Belfast Homecoming! Links2025 New York New Belfast Conference - Thu, Jun 122025 Belfast International Homecoming - Thu, Sep 25Aisling Events Máirtín Ó MuilleoirLinkedInTwitter/XFacebookEarlier Irish Stew episode Connla McCannLinkedInFacebook Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 21; Total Episode Count: 124