Council to Promote Tourism and Trade in Cultural Visit to US

On Friday 30 March, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew, accompanied by Council Chief Executive Liam Hannaway, and Council official Cristina Gaillard will travel to North Carolina, USA, for a week promoting the economic, trade and tourism potential offered by the area.

Travelling with them, as part of the Sister Cities Youth Musical Exchange Programme, will be six young musicians from Rinn Mhic Giolla Rua, Warrenpoint Comhaltas.

The young musicians, Caoimhe O'Hare, Oisín Bradley, Naomi Tully, Thomas Magee, Rachel Goan and Diarmuid O'Hare will be accompanied by Branch Chairperson, Jimi Quinn.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew stated, “This fantastic initiative brings together 12 young musicians to experience a sharing of the diverse culture of music from across the Atlantic.”

The group will visit Southern Pines, Raleigh, Aberdeen, and Pinehurst where, interspersed with learning about the culture, history and geography of the area, the young musicians will engage in a series of musical sessions with young musicians from North Carolina, culminating in a grand concert in the Sunrise Theatre, Southern Pines, later in the week.

This is the return leg of the Sister Cities Youth Musical Exchange Programme, as the young musicians from North Carolina spent a week in the Newry, Mourne and Down area in July 2017. Needless to say the young musicians are looking forward to renewing the friendships forged during that visit.

While the Council officials will be engaged in networking and promoting the Newry, Mourne and Down area, they can be assured that the young musicians, for their part, will also be hitting all the right notes.