A sixty strong delegation from Spokane in Washington State, USA will arrive in Limerick this Sunday to celebrate the links between both sister cities.
The group which will be led by the Mayor of Spokane, David Condon, will spend three days in Limerick where they will be officially welcomed to the city on Sunday afternoon at 2pm for a reception in City Hall by Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin.
As part of their Limerick visit, the US group will bring a welcome injection of tourism revenue to the Mid-West enjoying a traditional Irish music session, experiencing an open top bus trip around the city and a tour of the River Shannon and Lough Derg. They will also visit County Limerick taking a trip to Adare Manor and are looking forward to a medieval banquet in Bunratty Castle.
They will also visit two community projects on the North and South side of Limerick; Our Lady of Lourdes Community Enterprise Centre and St Munchin’s Community Enterprise Centre.
The Spokane-Limerick Sister Society officially began on March 4, 1990 when a joint agreement linking the two cities was signed in Spokane by the Mayors of Spokane and Limerick. Foremost among the objectives of the relationship is to foster and encourage bonds of friendship and understanding between the two cities and to bring events of Irish culture to Spokane, while encouraging educational links and the promotion of tourism between the two cities.
“In the past 23 years a strong bond of friendship has formed between the two cities and many delegations from Spokane and Limerick have strengthened that relationship,” said Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin. “I’m delighted to host our friends from Spokane this weekend particularly during my final days as Mayor and that members of the group will be present at the Mayoral Elections in Limerick on Monday night next when the city’s 817th Mayor will be elected.”
Other exchange highlights between both Limerick and Spokane over the years have included the dedication of the Spokane Walk along the Shannon in Limerick; faculty exchanges between Eastern Washington University and the University of Limerick, city employee exchanges and amateur theatre group exchanges.
