DRUMQUIN PLAYS HOST TO FRENCH VISITORS
Drumquin plays host to French visitors
A DELEGATION from the village of Pont-Remy in France, who are considering the possibility of twinning with Drumquin, have visited the district.
Welcoming the party to the Omagh District Council offices, the chairman, Mr Sean Clarke, said the council was in favour of the concept of twinning, with the county town successfully linked to L'Hayes Les Roses since September 1996.
"Over the past two years we have had a series of valuable exchanges between the two areas, the most recent being in March of this year when the council hosted staff and pupils from the College Chevreul, who visited the area as part of the LEONARDO programme. This is just one illustration of the tangible benefits of twinning," said Mr Clarke.
"I am confident that you will benefit from this insight into everyday life in the district, even though the area is still tinged with sadness following the recent bomb attack in Omagh."
He concluded by saying he hoped the party would benefit from Tyrone hospitality, and enjoy links with the district for many years to come.
Development Officer with the Drumquin Development Association, Mr George Kerr, then addressed Madame Roucoux, the Mayor of Pont-Remy, and her colleagues.
Speaking in French. Mr Kerr said he had been looking forward to their visit, and thanked them for coming despite the recent bomb.
"We hope your trip, albeit a short one. will be enjoyable, enlightening and fruitful, and that many long-term links will be forth-coming from our twinning process." he said.
Madame Roucoux then thanked all those who had helped to organise the visit, and assured her hosts she had no hesitation about coming to the district.
"It's by unfortunate chance that our arrival comes so soon after the tragic event. Nevertheless, as a sign of solidarity, we have not put back our meeting," she said.
"This is a decisive step towards the union of our village to yours. There will be opportunities to introduce ourselves, and to start discussions about what we can expect of our future relations. We have, I'm sure, a lot of things to learn."
Over the weekend, Madame Roucoux and her colleagues stayed with their host families in
Drumquin, and had informal meetings with representatives of local groups.
A DELEGATION from the village of Pont-Remy in France, who are considering the possibility of twinning with Drumquin, have visited the district.
Welcoming the party to the Omagh District Council offices, the chairman, Mr Sean Clarke, said the council was in favour of the concept of twinning, with the county town successfully linked to L'Hayes Les Roses since September 1996.
"Over the past two years we have had a series of valuable exchanges between the two areas, the most recent being in March of this year when the council hosted staff and pupils from the College Chevreul, who visited the area as part of the LEONARDO programme. This is just one illustration of the tangible benefits of twinning," said Mr Clarke.
"I am confident that you will benefit from this insight into everyday life in the district, even though the area is still tinged with sadness following the recent bomb attack in Omagh."
He concluded by saying he hoped the party would benefit from Tyrone hospitality, and enjoy links with the district for many years to come.
Development Officer with the Drumquin Development Association, Mr George Kerr, then addressed Madame Roucoux, the Mayor of Pont-Remy, and her colleagues.
Speaking in French. Mr Kerr said he had been looking forward to their visit, and thanked them for coming despite the recent bomb.
"We hope your trip, albeit a short one. will be enjoyable, enlightening and fruitful, and that many long-term links will be forth-coming from our twinning process." he said.
Madame Roucoux then thanked all those who had helped to organise the visit, and assured her hosts she had no hesitation about coming to the district.
"It's by unfortunate chance that our arrival comes so soon after the tragic event. Nevertheless, as a sign of solidarity, we have not put back our meeting," she said.
"This is a decisive step towards the union of our village to yours. There will be opportunities to introduce ourselves, and to start discussions about what we can expect of our future relations. We have, I'm sure, a lot of things to learn."
Over the weekend, Madame Roucoux and her colleagues stayed with their host families in
Drumquin, and had informal meetings with representatives of local groups.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0549
Published Date: 03-Sep-98
Related Images
