This article is from page 28 of the 2007-05-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 28 JPG
KILLALOE residents are to be- come part of a bigger family after a visit from representatives of a city in Wisconsin which wants to make the Clare town a sister town.
Representatives of The Shamrock Club in New London, Wisconsin ar- rived in the lakeside town last week to put forward plans for the two towns to twin.
The group have been liaising with Clare County Council for several months to see whether there would be a welcome for the proposal here. They made contact with Clare Coun- ty secretary, Marie O’ Neill and Kil- laloe councillor, Tony O’Brien, who is a member of the twinning com-
mittee on the council.
“I was delighted to hear that New London was interested in twinning with Killaloe and to be involved with the plan. I believe it will be a very good fit. It will be good in every respect for both communities, culturally, educationally and for visitors,’ Councillor O’Brien said.
Twenty six per cent of the resi- dents of New London claim Irish descent, and the city changes its name to ‘New Dublin’ once a year for the week coming up to St Patrick’s day, to celebrate the big- gest Irish festival in that part of the United States.
Local groups gathered in Crotty’s Bar in the town to welcome the visi- tors and to hear more about the pro-
posed twinning.
Visiting delegates, Larry and Carrie Katerzynske and David Sar- na were introduced by Councillor O’Brien and they told the gathering that the Irish festival attracts 3,500 people to watch the parade. While visitors eat their way through 1,600 Ibs of corned beef, bars and restau- rants earn up to one tenth of their income for the entire year from the autor
The group decided to look at twin- ning with a Clare town. Carrie said “because myself and Larry have come here many times on holiday. Killaloe and New London have a lot in common with boating, fishing and the agricultural aspects”.
With the plan in place, the Wis-
consin community and Killaloe would enjoy exchange visits from schools, industry and dignitaries as well as signs being displayed to an- nounce the twinning.
The group arrived in Killaloe to be given a helicopter tour and the following day, met with the mayor of Clare.
Thanking all those who had turned out to meet them, David Sarna told the welcome gathering that “Irish people are undoubtedly the most friendly people we have ever met. People here are willing to take time out to smell the flowers, to talk and to be interested in others. I believe that although our two communities are separated by many miles, we will find we have a lot in common”.