What is the DIG?
The Deutsch-Irische Gesellschaft Düsseldorf (Club Gaelach Gearmánach – German Irish Club) exists since 1979 and is the only organisation of its kind in Düsseldorf and the surrounding area. Our goal is to promote German-Irish relations.
The club takes care of the organisation of concerts and readings (if possible in cooperation with the respective cultural offices and adult education centres), exchange about culture and society in Ireland, organising further cultural activities uniting the two nations (sports, theatre etc.) as well as the promotion of the Irish Gaelic language. Furthermore, the association promotes the integration of Irish people living in Germany. In this way, we provide assistance to Irish people who for example do not have any experience with German bureaucracy yet.
As an association, we live bilingually using the German and English languages, thus opening the doors to each other's languages (as well as to the Irish language). There is plenty of opportunity for this at each of our gatherings. In general, we want to be there for each other and thus live the welcoming and open-minded spirit that characterises Ireland and the Rhinelands so much.
Official documents (only available in German)
- Aktuell gültige Satzung
- Neue Satzung, noch nicht final gültig bis zur Eintragung im Vereinsregister
- Beitragsordnung
Our Team
Our board has been elected in October 2025 and consists of seven members:
- Chair: Haris Trgo & Rona Behrentin
- Treasurer: Michael Kohl
- Elected members: Kathleen Cowe, Laura Klöppinger, Nathan Rennick, Orla Minish
If you want to reach out to us, send us an email to vorstand@deutsch-irische-gesellschaft.de or a message via the contact form here.
Rona Behrentin, Chairperson
Hi, I'm Rona. I grew up in Dublin and have lived in Düsseldorf for about 25 years, where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Ireland is where my roots are, but through the German-Irish Club Düsseldorf I can keep a little of that here – through culture, conversation, and friendship. For me, the club is about community, openness, and bringing people together, something I also value in my work as a native English speaker in a kindergarten in Düsseldorf.
Haris Trgo, Chairperson
I'm Haris, in my early 30s, and born and living in Cologne. Apart from working in IT, I'm interested in politics and philosophy, and I'm involved in amateur radio and in the Chaos Computer Club. My love for Ireland stems from the very welcoming nature of Irish people, the mesmerising nature as well as the fascinating history of the island.
Kate Cowe, Board Member
I'm Kate, a London-Scot, and my long connection with Ireland is because of my lovely Irish-speaking husband Lorcan, tragically now dead, who I met here in Düsseldorf many years ago. I often went to Ireland with him and enthusiastically learnt some Irish from him thanks to his hands on teaching.
Laura Klöppinger, Board Member
I'm Laura, I'm originally from Solingen and now based in the beautiful Ruhr region. After completing an internship abroad at the Goethe Institute in Dublin, I didn't want to leave Ireland at all. Through the German-Irish Club, I have found peple who share my enthusiasm for the island and its warm-hearted people. I studied British and Postcolonial Studies as well as German Studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen. In my free time, I enjoy playing the guitar and blogging.
Nathan Rennick, Board Member
I'm Nathan. I'm an Irish speaker from Contae an Mhaigh Eo, and I've been very happy to continue learning Irish while living in Germany. I moved here in early 2025 with my partner Orla. We both loved how green Düsseldorf is and how friendly everyone has been.
Orla Minish, Board Member
Hi, my name is Orla and I grew up in the countryside of Mayo, Ireland. I moved to Düsseldorf in early 2025 with my partner Nathan and have fallen in love with the city! Irish trad music is my passion, I'm a banjo player, and I'm glad to have found wonderful Irish sessions throughout NRW to partake in!