Wednesday, October 08, 2014

Langenfeld group visits Ennis in latest exchange

A trip to Cusack Park to watch Cratloe beat Crusheen in the Clare County Hurling Final was among the highlights of a three-day visit to Ennis by a group from Langenfeld in Germany.

The group, comprising four students and their leader, Matthias Beck, were hosted by Clare County Council’s Twinning Committee as part of the Ennis-Langenfeld Twinning Programme for 2014.

Ennis and Langenfeld were officially twinned earlier this year on St. Patrick's Day, when the Mayors of both locations to sign a Twinning Charter. Since and before this, numerous sporting, educational, political and cultural exchanges have taken place.

During their trip to Ennis and Clare at the weekend, the German group also visited the Cliffs of Moher, the Clare Family Resource Centre and Áras Contae an Chláir, where they met with a number of staff from Clare County Council. The group also enjoyed a private Walking Tour of Ennis.

Cllr. Michael Begley, Chairperson of the Twinning Committee, commented: “Twinning is an important tool in developing links with other locations to foster and promote tourism, economic and cultural development, all of which is economically beneficial to the County.”

"I look forward to the outcome of the various cultural and community exchanges between the towns over the coming months and years as both locations seek to build further on the links that have already been established," Cllr. Begley added.

Since the Irish Embassy in Berlin first facilitated contact between Ennis and Langenfeld in 2009, relations have been strengthening in the areas of culture and youth affairs.  A Council delegation visited Langenfeld in late 2010 followed by a visit by a group of Ennis students to an International Youth Conference hosted in the West German city. The Mayor of Langenfeld led a delegation in both 2013 and 2014 to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade while soccer players and officials from four local soccer clubs have also visited Langenfeld as part of a sports exchange.