First Boyne Citytour group visits the Royal County

Gerry Meade

The first organised tour group from Boyne City, Michigan, has visited the Royal County as part of an ongoing twinning partnership between the two Boyne Valley communities.

The regional twinning initiative, which brings together the Irish and Michigan Boyne valleys, has generated growing interest among residents of Boyne City in visiting their counterparts in Meath.

While a number of individual visits have taken place in recent years, a local travel agent in Michigan has now begun organising package tours to Ireland, including a stop in Meath. Another group visit is planned for next spring.

Meath county councillor and historian Noel French, who has been involved in the twinning project since its inception and spoke at the 2019 twinning ceremony in Boyne City, welcomed the visitors and guided them around Trim.

Mick Hughes of Trim Tourism Network also outlined the history of the partnership to the group at a commemorative plaque on the wall of Trim Castle.

Tour organiser Ann Holland presented Cllr French with gifts from Boyne City during the visit.

The twinning programme is supported by Meath County Council and the Boyne City Commission in Michigan, with four key areas of focus: business, travel, education and culture.

Organisers say the partnership also aims to encourage visitors from Meath to travel to Michigan and discover the American Boyne Valley.

Further information about the initiative is available at www.twinboynevalleys.com and on Facebook at @twinboynevalleys.