President of Ireland Catherine Connolly visited Enniskillen on Wednesday to mark the 15th anniversary of the cross-border arts organisation Arts Over Borders.

The President toured the FIND Centre on East Bridge Street, where the organisation is based, and met with co-founder Seán Doran. Arts Over Borders was established in 2009 by Mr Doran and the late Liam Browne.

President Connolly said the organisation has made a valuable contribution to cultural diplomacy and to building cross-border relationships over the past 15 years. She said its events have helped raise the international profile of Enniskillen and Ireland.

During her visit, the President viewed the Flight of the Little Golden Swallow sculpture trail in the town centre. The trail consists of 12 sculptures installed by Arts Over Borders in 2021, celebrating Enniskillen’s literary connections with Oscar Wilde and his story The Happy Prince. The sculptures were designed by Seán Doran and created by Fermanagh sculptors Simon Carmen and Helen Sharp.

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Chairperson Debbie Coyle presented President Connolly with a golden swallow sculpture, which she said she intends to install at Áras an Uachtaráin. The President said she was leaving inspired and invigorated and looked forward to returning.

Mr Doran said the President showed particular interest in the Northern Literary Lands Ireland initiative, which aims to develop cultural and literary tourism across the island’s 11 border counties. The project proposes nine cross-border literary travel routes celebrating writers including Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Brian Friel and Seamus Heaney, with a longer-term ambition of securing UNESCO Region of Literature status.

President Connolly’s visit came days after Arts Over Borders was recognised at a reception hosted by British Ambassador Kara Owen at her residence in Dublin. The organisation has staged 13 cross-border literary multi-arts festivals in Ireland between 2012 and 2022, including the Happy Days Enniskillen International Beckett Festival.