Newry and Mourne District Council

20th April 2009

On Thursday, Newry & Mourne District Council were pleased to host a reception for the Milwaukee Hurling Club, many visiting Northern Ireland for the first time.

The 51 strong group, which included 25 children, are in Ireland as part of a programme of hurling and cultural activities. During their visit they will spend 3 days in the Newry & Mourne area during which time through the efforts of Craobh Rua Hurling Club they will take part in some coaching, games and also enjoy some local cultural entertainment

The trip to Irish Fest last year involved Councillor John Mc Ardle, Councillor McGinn and Cathy Lambert. The Council representatives met with representatives from the Hurling Club and used the opportunity to persuade them to come north to visit, sample the unique atmosphere, culture and landscape and importantly the shopping delights of Newry City and the wider Newry & Mourne area

The Milwaukee Irish Fest has proven to be an excellent forum for Newry & Mourne Council to promote the District and to meet groups with an interest in visiting the area. Just some of the groups who have visited the area since the Councils participation at the Festival have included the Milwaukee Choir who performed along with the Nolan School of Dancing and the Newry & Mourne Orchestral Society at a spectacular evening of entertainment organised by the Council. This year the Council along with the St Patrick’s Centre and the Milwaukee Irish Fest or organising for a young person from Newry & Mourne to act as an ambassador and spend two weeks in Milwaukee as part of the preparations and duration of the largest Irish Festival in America.

The Councils participation at the Irish Fest proved very fruitful in addition to the contact with Milwaukee Hurling Club a contact with a golfing club reaped benefits the Council hosted a group of Golfers from Milwaukee at Warrenpoint Golf club to showcase the excellent golfing product Newry and Mourne has, and encourage the inclusion of our golf courses in golfing packages.

In welcoming the Milwaukee Hurling to Newry & Mourne, Mayor Colman Burns “thanked Milwaukee Hurling Club for taking the time and Croabh Rua for providing the opportunity to enable the group to spend 3 days in the Newry & Mourne playing Hurley but also getting an opportunity to experience what a great area this is and how much it has to offer”

The reception organised by the Council had representatives from Ulster Council GAA, US Consulate, Councils Sports Committee, MP’s and MLA’s, Croabh Rua Hurling Club and other local representatives invited.