Delegation from Newport visits Kinsale to mark twinning

COUNTY mayor Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy welcomed a  delegation from the city of Newport, Rhode Island to County Hall to mark the success of their twinning with Kinsale.

Newport is a coastal city in the state of Rhode Island which prides itself on its beautiful harbour and quality dining.  

Since the formal twinning agreement was signed in 1999, delegations from the worlds of business, tourism and politics have travelled between the two regions, facilitating growth in both.

The delegation experienced a number of tourism offerings during their stay, including the Gourmet Food Festival in Kinsale.

Cllr Patrick Gerard Murphy highlighted how their shared similarities and the interest of many Newport residents in Ireland have helped developed this successful relationship: ‘With direct flights between Providence and Cork people from Newport and Kinsale have a second scenic coastal town, a second marina and a second culinary haven on their doorstep.’ He added: ‘We know that international visitors want to explore our beautiful landscape, our history and culture, our festivals, our food and our way of life. Hill walking, golfing, food tourism, mountain biking, these are just some of the activities that attract and sustain the visitor. Visitor numbers continue to increase and now with direct access in and out of Cork Airport to the US market we are certain that we can add to these increasing numbers in the years ahead.  This will be good for Ireland, but great for Cork.’