Killarney is getting on famously with its twins

At the re-signing of the twinning agreement between Killarney and Concord were, seated from left, Seán Counihan, Chairman, Killarney Town Twinning Association, Cllr Marie Moloney, Bill C Dusch, Mayor of Concord with, at back, Terry Crawford, Matthew Farrell, Killarney Municipal District Officer, Eileen O’Callaghan and Sheila Dickson, Secretary, Killarney Town Twinning Association.

The huge success of an Erasmus programme initiated by the Killarney Town Twinning Association was outlined at the group’s annual general meeting which reflected on another progressive and successful year.

Killarney has lined up a four-year arrangement with its twin town of Pleinfeld to arrange cultural and sporting exchanges and the initiative is of particular benefit to students studying German, French or Italian while the exchange students arriving here get an opportunity to enhance their English language skills.

Association Secretary, Sheila Dickson, thanked the Killarney School of English for the great support and she said it is hoped schools in Killarney would consider visiting one of its beautiful twin towns.

“We have tremendous working relationship with these countries,” she said.

Mayor Misty Buscher from Springfield (centre) pictured in Killarney with Twinning Association officials Seán Counihan (left), Sheila Dickson and Michael O’Leary

Chairman Seán Counihan outlined what was a very busy 2023 with visits from twins in Scottsdale and Concord in the US, Pleinfeld in Germany and Casperia in Italy as well as individual visitors from nearly all Killarney’s twin towns and sister cities.

“We kicked off on St Patrick’s day and our programmes were still going up until end of October,” he said.

Representatives from Concord in North Carolina, including Mayor Bill C Dusch, returned to Killarney to renew the twinning arrangement agreed made 30 years ago.

Mayor Misty Buscher from Springfield took the opportunity to visit during the American Football game in Dublin and he was formally welcomed in the town hall in Killarney.

Scottsdale twinning committee chairperson JoAnn Gardner visiting Killarney for a student golf exchange

“The most exciting element was the double visit from Scottsdale, Arizona with the senior group led by the mayor’s wife, Mary Gannon, while JoAnn Gardner accompanied the visitors for the student golf exchange in conjunction with Killarney Golf and Fishing Club with the support of club representative Meg Dalton.

Students from Scottsdale were hosted by families in Killarney with a return visit by Killarney students in October.

The Killarney Town Twinning Association officers elected for 2024 were Sean Counihan (chairman), Sheila Dickson (secretary) and Michael O’Leary (treasurer).

Happy Christmas from KillaneyToday.com Call 087-2229761 or email news@killarneytoday.com