Austrian Delegation Concludes Three-Day County Kildare Visit
The Austrian delegation concluded a three-day visit to County Kildare, marking the county’s participation in the EU Presidency County Pairing Initiative through a programme of civic, cultural, educational, heritage, enterprise and community engagements.
Hosted by Kildare County Council as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the programme welcomed Ambassador of Austria to Ireland Melitta Schubert and Ireland’s Ambassador to Austria Barbara Cullinane to Kildare from Wednesday, 23 September to Friday, 25 September 2026.
Across the three days, the group travelled to Athy, Newbridge, Kildare Town, Naas, Clane and Ardclough, engaging with local schools, community groups, heritage projects, enterprise supports and tourism partners.
The itinerary opened in Athy with a welcome event at Athy Library, featuring performances by Row E, Doireann and Siún Ní Bhriain, and Erica Rainsford, students of Music Generation followed by Independent Athy Singer, Makayla Chloe. The group also visited the Ernest Shackleton Memorial in Emily Square and the Athy Food, Drink and Skills Innovation Hub, where they met local food producers and entrepreneurs. The day concluded in Newbridge with the Newbridge Bad Lippspringe Twinning Group at Ryston Hall.
Day two centred on heritage, education and tourism, with stops at St Brigid’s Cathedral, the Round Tower and Kildare Town Community School. In Naas, the group toured Naas Library and Cultural Centre and attended a presentation from Into Kildare on Horse Country, the county’s equine tourism and heritage brand.
The final day included a visit to Hewetstown National School in Clane, where pupils joined the delegation for a commemorative tree planting. The programme concluded in Oughterard, Ardclough, with a focus on County Kildare’s historic connection with Arthur Guinness.
Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Cathaoirleach of Kildare County Council Cllr Tim Durkan said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Austrian delegation to County Kildare and to share some of the people, places and stories that make our county so distinctive. The connections made over these three days reflect the warmth of our communities and the value of building relationships across Europe. I hope those links will continue well into the future.”
Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council added: “This has been a valuable opportunity to strengthen Kildare’s relationship with Austria as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency programme. It brought European engagement to a local level and highlighted the important role local authorities can play in developing meaningful international connections. My thanks to all involved in delivering such a thoughtful and engaging programme.”
Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026. Through its local programme, Kildare County Council is supporting civic, educational, cultural and community engagement to raise awareness of Ireland’s role in Europe and encourage connections with EU partners.
