Plans are currently being drawn up to begin the process of twinning Clifden with Coyoacan in Mexico City following an agreement which was reached at a recent Galway County Council meeting.
County councillor Eileen Mannion has confirmed Galway Council Council had been contacted by the Mayor of Coyoacan recently requesting a twinning with Clifden. Following on from this Cllr Mannion and the Mayor of Galway County, Cllr Michael Maher, met with the Mexican ambassador, Carlos Garcia de Alba, to discuss the possibility of twinning. The Mexican ambassador is now expected to visit Clifden in June with the twinning ceremony due to take place during the ‘San Patricio Mexican-Irish Festival’ which takes place between September 7 and 12.
Cllr Mannion further explained that there have been close ties between Clifden and Mexico for more than a century due to the influence of Clifden native Captain John Reilly who joined forces with the Mexican army and led the St Patrick’s Battalion in the war against the United States. The final battle of St Patrick’s Battalion was fought in the Convent of Churubusco in the borough of Coyoacan where they were defeated and executed.
Every September Clifden commorates this historic event by honouring Captain Reilly and the San Patricios and it is hoped that the twinning of the town with Coyoacan will forge even stronger links between them.
Cllr Mannion concluded: “Thanks to the work over the years by Brendan O Scanaill and Clifden Heritage Society a relationship has been built up between Clifden and the Mexican community in Ireland. The twinning between the two towns during our 200 birthday celebrations will forge stronger links between Clifden and Coyoacan.”
