Letterkenny welcomes Rudolstadt visitors in twinning friendship spanning generations - Donegal Daily

A 55-strong delegation from Rudolstadt has arrived in Letterkenny for a weekend of celebrations marking the two towns’ growing ties.The delegation’s arrival mar...

A 55-strong delegation from Rudolstadt has arrived in Letterkenny for a weekend of celebrations marking the two towns' growing ties.

The delegation's arrival marked another chapter in a partnership that began officially in 2018, when then-Mayor of Letterkenny Ian McGarvey signed the town twinning agreement alongside German Mayor Jörg Reichl.

Eight years on, it was Ian's nephew, Cllr Pauric McGarvey, who had the special honour of welcoming the visitors as Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District.

Ian, now 96, retired from politics in 2023 but remains a local legend in Rudolstadt . Despite being a lifelong pioneer, a grapevine in the German town's vineyard is dedicated to him and his wife, Marjorie.

Mayor Reichl fondly remembered Ian's contribution to the partnership during Friday's reception.

"It is very good to see that you are following his footsteps and achievements," he told Pauric through a translator.

A grapevine dedicated to former Letterkenny Mayor Ian McGarvey and his wife Marjorie in Rudolstadt town centre. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin

Mayor of Rudolstadt Jörg Reichl and Mayor of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Cllr Pauric McGarvey at the official welcome reception for the 55-strong German delegation.

Cllr Pauric McGarvey, who visited Rudolstadt in 2024, welcomed the delegation for a weekend of "culture, craic, music and food."

"Each year you come here, the twinning seems to get stronger," he said.

The reception, attended by local councillors and council representatives, featured a lively performance by Letterkenny's Bellows and Beats band.

Letterkenny's Bellows and Beats band provided a lively musical welcome for the German visitors at Friday evening's reception.

Music was in the air as Bellows and Beats entertained the Rudolstadt delegation.

Mayor Reichl praised the personal connections that have developed between the two towns and highlighted the importance of passing the friendship on to younger generations.

He said school exchanges were a particularly important part of the partnership, helping to keep the relationship alive beyond the official delegations.

He said there was no limit to what the two towns could achieve together.

The twinning originally grew from a friendship between Letterkenny native Karol Kerrane, who runs the Letterkenny Irish Pub in Rudolstadt, and Mayor Jörg Reichl. After a walk in Glenveagh National Park in December 2017, Karol, Mayor Reichl and Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh planted the seed for the towns to form a partnership in 2018.

The partnership has grown ever since through regular visits and cultural exchanges, including Rudolstadt’s annual St Patrick’s Festival .

Mayor Jörg Reichl shows Cllr Jimmy Kavanagh his feature in Rudolstadt's EVR Magazine, featuring photography by André Kranert. The magazine's 2026 edition includes an interview with Cllr Kavanagh about the town twinning partnership.

This year's delegation has already experienced Donegal's famous Wild Atlantic weather during a visit to Grianán of Aileach on their journey from Dublin to Letterkenny.

Sharing their first impressions on Instagram, the visitors described the ancient ringfort as a "stormy but unforgettable start" to their journey.

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Their packed itinerary will also include a farm visit, coastal attractions, local seafood tasting, traditional music and a trip to Crolly Distillery.

"It's impressive to see what kind of programme you have already planned for us. It shows that partnership is always between people," Mayor Reichl said.

Cllr Donal 'Mandy' Kelly and his wife Aislinn with Mayor of Rudolstadt Jörg Reichl at the welcome reception in Letterkenny.

The friendship is also flourishing in Letterkenny's classrooms. Ten students from Rudolstadt's Gymnasium Fridericianum school have arrived this week for a student exchange at St Eunan's College.

The school has been involved in exchanges with Rudolstadt since the early years of the town twinning partnership.

Teachers Kevin Bowdren and Niamhín Herron say the programme has created friendships that continue long after students return home.

" It’s been very successful. T hey are building friendships and connections," said Ms Herron.

"Last year, we discovered a group of six students, after their State Exams, went back to Rudolstadt for their summer holidays and met up with students and host families," Mr Bowdren said.

Some students from the earliest exchanges have even gone on to live and work in Rudolstadt.

"It's a brilliant programme and a brilliant opportunity for the students of Saint Eunan's and Rudolstadt," Kevin said.

This year's visiting students will attend classes and enjoy trips to Fort Dunree, Derry and Glenveagh National Park.

German teachers Cornelius Borchardt and Benjamin Lützkendorf are also being welcomed to Letterkenny this week.

With the exchange proving so successful, the St Eunan's College teachers hope to build on the support already received by securing annual funding to keep the programme accessible to every student.

“We have embraced this, and we understand the value this has for our students," Mr Bowdren said.

“The continued support from the council would be brilliant.”

Coláiste Ailigh also maintains a partnership with Rudolstadt's Friedrich Schiller School, which was formally signed in March 2019.

The twinning has inspired learning, lasting friendships and more.

German photographer André Kranert , whose visits to the county inspired him to write Good Old Donegal , performed the song during Friday's celebrations, which coincided with Culture Night.