Bandon seeks namesake twinning

BANDON is unique in that there are very few towns with the same name across the Atlantic, according to one councillor who is hoping to strengthen links between the town and its namesake in Oregon in the United States of America.

Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) raised a motion at last month’s meeting of the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District proposing that officials and elected representative from both towns host a virtual meeting with a view to strengthening cultural, historical and social links.

Cllr Coughlan said this was following up on a meeting that was held in Bandon in 2019 with officials from Bandon, Oregon.

‘There is certainly an appetite locally for this and that’s what I want to impress on officials. I have letters of support  from numerous clubs and groups in the town,’ said Cllr Coughlan.

‘I think it could be a good news story for Bandon and it gives us a little bit of hope and there are very few towns that have the same name across the Atlantic. It would be great to forge these links.’

Her colleague, Cllr Sean O’Donovan, said it is very important to get something up and running. ‘Bandon doesn’t have a lot of tourism and this could go some way to attracting Americans to the town. It would be welcome for the town,’ he said.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (FG) said it is very timely considering the planned completion of works in the town.

‘It would be important to forge links and showcase Bandon in its new coat of arms as the town will be landscaped end-to-end,’ said Cllr Murphy.

His colleague, Cllr John O’Sullivan, said it would be right and proper to keep up the contact with officials from Oregon.

Senior executive officer Mac Dara O h-Icí said that traditionally twining events would have been community-led rather than Council-led and said a local committee would need to be set up before anything happens.

Cllr Coughlan said that people in the town are willing and that there’s already a little group working on it, but added they do need the formal support and the funding from Cork County Council.

Bandon in Oregon was named by George Bennet who settled there in 1873 and named the town after his hometown, thus attracting even more Cork people.