fullastern
23-06-2008, 10:24
I just couldn't ignore this article which appears in the current issue of the Great Island News (19.06.08).
COUNCILLORS VISIT TO CITY OF LAKE CHARLES, USA
Mayor Paddy Whitty and a delegation from Cobh Town Council have returned from a highly successful visit to our sister community of the City of Lake Charles in the United States.
Mayor Whitty accompanied by his wife Ann, Cllrs. Stella Meade, Danny Crowley, Paddy Histon and his wife Lil were met a Baton Rouge airport by the Flavin family, who invited them to their city, and were given the use of a chauffeur driven stretch limousine (with fully stocked bar) for the duration of the visit.
They visited many local landmarks including a trip to New Orleans where they toured the 9th Ward, the area most affected by Hurricane Katrina, and an exciting trip on an air boat on an alligator hunt down as far as the Gulf of Mexico.
They visited the State Government Building and were received in the House of Representatives where Mayor Whitty addressed the house. Part of the address was televised State-wide on their main evening news bulletins, with video footage of scenes of Cobh in the background.
Mayor Whitty also had the privilege to address the Senate and the delegation attended a dinner at which House Representatives and Senators along with many local and national business people with Irish connections were present.On Friday May 23 the group travelled to the City of Lake Charles for the Twinning Ceremony by limousine escorted by a police car and two out-riders. They were met at the City Hall by Mayor Randy Roach and his Council, who warmly welcomed the Cobh delegation.
Both Mayors spoke at a press conference, which was televised State-wide, as was the signing ceremony and exchange of gifts. This was followed by lunch and a tour of the Port of Lake Charles aboard a luxury corporate yacht. Later that evening the group attended a public open-air party to mark Memorial weekend. A huge banner adorned the stage welcoming Mayor Whitty and the Cobh delegation. Both Mayors were persuaded to entertain the crowd and later met many of the locals who had visited Cobh last July, including Irish-born folk singer and tour operator Daniel O’Flaherty.On Saturday the party attended Mass celebrated by Fr. Keith Pelham, who was also a visitor to Cobh last year and who had celebrated mass in St. Colman’s with Fr. Jim Killeen.
Mayor Roach invited Mayor Whitty to be the VIP guest at the American Football game that evening where he addressed the crowd supporting the Lake Charles Swashbucklers as fellow citizens and tossed the coin to start the game.
On Sunday morning the two Mayors made tentative plans for cultural, educational and business links between the twinned communities and the delegation left for Baton Rouge airport with the entire Flavin family there to wave good-bye.
Mayor Whitty said it was a most enjoyable trip, but more importantly, was very successful as many new friendships were made, there was a great interest in Cobh both locally and Statwide and the value of the excellent publicity which Cobh and Ireland received during the visit could not be measured.
While the luxury yacht, alligator hunt and limo with fully stocked bar were presumably provided by the local council in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge along with local businesspeople there, I just have to wonder can our small town afford to send the Mayor, four councillors and some of their partners across the Atlantic when the council is badly strapped for cash for essential works around the town, including maintenance of local authority housing.
:eek:
At least our resident councillor on CobhNet Forums has his priorities right.
COUNCILLORS VISIT TO CITY OF LAKE CHARLES, USA
Mayor Paddy Whitty and a delegation from Cobh Town Council have returned from a highly successful visit to our sister community of the City of Lake Charles in the United States.
Mayor Whitty accompanied by his wife Ann, Cllrs. Stella Meade, Danny Crowley, Paddy Histon and his wife Lil were met a Baton Rouge airport by the Flavin family, who invited them to their city, and were given the use of a chauffeur driven stretch limousine (with fully stocked bar) for the duration of the visit.
They visited many local landmarks including a trip to New Orleans where they toured the 9th Ward, the area most affected by Hurricane Katrina, and an exciting trip on an air boat on an alligator hunt down as far as the Gulf of Mexico.
They visited the State Government Building and were received in the House of Representatives where Mayor Whitty addressed the house. Part of the address was televised State-wide on their main evening news bulletins, with video footage of scenes of Cobh in the background.
Mayor Whitty also had the privilege to address the Senate and the delegation attended a dinner at which House Representatives and Senators along with many local and national business people with Irish connections were present.On Friday May 23 the group travelled to the City of Lake Charles for the Twinning Ceremony by limousine escorted by a police car and two out-riders. They were met at the City Hall by Mayor Randy Roach and his Council, who warmly welcomed the Cobh delegation.
Both Mayors spoke at a press conference, which was televised State-wide, as was the signing ceremony and exchange of gifts. This was followed by lunch and a tour of the Port of Lake Charles aboard a luxury corporate yacht. Later that evening the group attended a public open-air party to mark Memorial weekend. A huge banner adorned the stage welcoming Mayor Whitty and the Cobh delegation. Both Mayors were persuaded to entertain the crowd and later met many of the locals who had visited Cobh last July, including Irish-born folk singer and tour operator Daniel O’Flaherty.On Saturday the party attended Mass celebrated by Fr. Keith Pelham, who was also a visitor to Cobh last year and who had celebrated mass in St. Colman’s with Fr. Jim Killeen.
Mayor Roach invited Mayor Whitty to be the VIP guest at the American Football game that evening where he addressed the crowd supporting the Lake Charles Swashbucklers as fellow citizens and tossed the coin to start the game.
On Sunday morning the two Mayors made tentative plans for cultural, educational and business links between the twinned communities and the delegation left for Baton Rouge airport with the entire Flavin family there to wave good-bye.
Mayor Whitty said it was a most enjoyable trip, but more importantly, was very successful as many new friendships were made, there was a great interest in Cobh both locally and Statwide and the value of the excellent publicity which Cobh and Ireland received during the visit could not be measured.
While the luxury yacht, alligator hunt and limo with fully stocked bar were presumably provided by the local council in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge along with local businesspeople there, I just have to wonder can our small town afford to send the Mayor, four councillors and some of their partners across the Atlantic when the council is badly strapped for cash for essential works around the town, including maintenance of local authority housing.
:eek:
At least our resident councillor on CobhNet Forums has his priorities right.