Galway is to be twinned with the Irish Naval Services new ship, the LÉ William Butler Yeats, at a reception this weekend to mark and honour the relationship between city and vessel.
The ceremony, hosted by the Galway City Council, will take place this Saturday, September 15. It will be attended by Fine Gael Galway West TD and Minister of State for Natural Resources and Digital Development Seán Kyne, who will represent the Minister with responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe.
The twinning of the city with the LÉ William Butler Yeats follows the decommissioning of the LE Aisling in June 2016 after 36 years of service. In a ceremony officiated by the then Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, in October 2016, the LÉ William Butler Yeats was officially named by the poet’s granddaughter Caitriona Yeats, and was commissioned at Galway Docks.
There is a long and distinguished relationship between Galway city, Galway City Council, and the Naval Service. On September 28 1996, the then Galway Corporation, on behalf of the people of Galway, formally adopted and twinned with the LÉ Aisling, and resolved to develop a special relationship with the ship and crew to promote awareness of the role and functions of the Naval Service.
