KildareNet News

Naas twinning with Omaha 'closes the loop'

Chairman of the Omaha Sister Cities Association Larry Uebner signs the twinning charter in the presence of Cllr Pat O'Reilly, chairman of the Naas Twinning Committee; Declan Kirrane, Naas town clerk; and Cllr Eibhlin Bracken, vice-mayor of Naas.

NAAS, 5 August 2002: by Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. "It's been real busy - they've kept us going all the weekend," one of the Omaha twinning delegation said last night during a lull in the Gala Concert which was held at the Killashee House Hotel in their honour.

Indeed it WAS busy, after the day out on the bog on Friday, and a closer look around Naas on Saturday morning, while some availed of the option to visit the National Stud on the afternoon. But it was all preamble to the official signing of the twinning charter from the Naas end, 'closing the loop' on a process which began last November and had the 'other end' signing over St Patrick's weekend.

After the charter was signed by Naas mayor Timmy Conway and other councillors, and the mayor of Omaha, Mike Fahey, there were a number of presentations made, including one of a Navajo bow and arrow set (above) to Cllr Pat O'Reilly, chairman of the Naas Twinning Committee, by Larry Uebner, chairman of the Omaha Sister Cities Association.

Yesterday there was Mass in the Church of the Irish Martyrs, followed by lunch in Naas Rugby Club. A trip to Palmerstown Stud included a wine and cheese reception, and then the piece de resistance last evening brought together one of the biggest selection of local and overseas entertainment seen in Naas for a long time. The event was organised for the Mayor and Naas Town Council by Mona Conroy.

One of the highlights of the evening was a rivetting ensemble performance of local exponents of the art of Taiko (Japanese drumming), Thunderdrums, whose members come from mostly the mid-Kildare area. They have been together only since last September, but brought the house down in Killashee. (NOTE: due to incorrect information, earlier versions of this story decribed the group as a UK group, who coincidentally played at the Riverbank Centre last Friday night.)

Today, the group have a history tour of Naas, followed by lunch in the Town House Hotel hosted by the Naas Twinning Committee.

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