Dear Editor,

The 12 Danville Sister Cities commissioners want to thank the dozens of people who graciously welcomed and royally entertained the guests from our Northern Irish Sister City, Carrickfergus, during their visit last week that began, appropriately enough, on St. Patrick’s Day.

Carrickfergus Mayor Audrey Wales MBE and her Consort, Mr. Chris Wales, toured the Boyle County Public Library, the Community Arts Center, Pioneer Playhouse, the Norton Center, Marksbury Farm and the Dollhouse Museum.

They interacted with the leaders of the Economic Development Partnership, Heart of Danville, Brass Band Festival, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chamber of Commerce, Centre College, Wilderness Trace Distillery, Denyo, and the courthouse and city hall. They visited Shaker Village with all four living Danville mayors. And they were the honored guests at the Rotary International Dinner and a dessert reception for Sister Cities sponsors and benefactors.

When our visitors left Kentucky after touring Alltech with Deidra Lyons and Keeneland, they said they would carry back to Ireland not only lots of useful ideas from their stay but also the warmest memories possible of what “citizen diplomacy” is all about.

Milton Reigelman

Chair, Danville Sister Cities Commission