County Kildare, Ireland
County Kildare became Lexington’s second Sister City in 1984, furthering the connections Lexington was making with cities of the horse all over the world.
County Kildare is located about 25 kilometers from Dublin, and the County Town Hall is located in Naas.
Home to the Irish National Stud, the top breeding facility in Ireland, County Kildare is the center of the thoroughbred industry in Ireland. Also located at the Irish National Stud are the Japanese Gardens, which were built between 1906-1910.
There are three racetracks in County Kildare: the Curragh, Naas and Punchestown. The Curragh Racecourse holds the Irish Derby each year.
County Kildare is also home to Kildangan Stud, a Darley farm owned by Sheik Mohammad.
County Kildare boasts many museums, parks, castles and golf courses. The 2006 Ryder Cup was held at the K Club. Also located in County Kildare is the Carton House Golf Course, which hosted the 2013 Irish Open.
Gaelic football, one of the most popular sports in Ireland, is prominent in County Kildare. The county team is called the Kildare Lilywhites. Other popular sports include hurling, rugby, soccer and hockey.
Lexington and County Kildare celebrated 30 years of their Sister City relationship in 2014. Lexington delegates visited County Kildare in the fall of 2013 to celebrate this event, where the original signing documents between Lexington and County Kildare were unveiled as a permanent exhibit at the Naas Town Hall.
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| Original Sister City agreement documents now on display at Aras Chill Dara in County Kildare. |
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| Lexington Mayor Jim Gray receives a gift from County Kildare Mayor Fiona O'Loughlin. |
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| Lexington Mayor Jim Gray and County Kildare Mayor Fiona O'Loughlin unveil a permanent display case to commemorate the 30th Anniversary between Lexington and County Kildare. |
Sister Cities Programs between County Kildare and Lexington
High School Student Exchange
Each year, the Lexington Sister Cities Commission and County Kildare Twinning Committee provides a high school student exchanges for students in Lexington and County Kildare. The purpose of this exchange is to provide a genuine family and cultural experience in another country for the students of Lexington and County Kildare.
To be selected for our program, students should exhibit maturity, flexibility, and a genuine interest in Irish culture. They should have qualities that would make them a good ambassador for the city, sate and country.
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| 2015 exchange students meet the American Ambassador to Ireland. |
The exchange takes place during July. County Kildare students visit near the beginning of July and stay for 10-12 days in Lexington. Students from Lexington then visit County Kildare for 10-12 days near the middle of July.
Students must be at least 15 by July 1, 2017 to participate in the 2017 exchange. Students over the age of 18 before August 1, 2017 will not be considered for this program.
Applications are due to the Lexington Sister Cities office by Friday, November 4th, 2016.
To read a first hand experience from a participant in the 2016 exchange, read her blog post here.For more information, you can find a FAQ in our application here.
Skype Exchanges
A 2nd grade class at Cassidy Elementary and 2nd year class at Holy Child School in Naas, County Kildare participated in a Skype Exchange in December 2015. Ms. Meneghetti's class in Lexington and Ms. Lacey's class in County Kildare were able to share their studies on different holidays and how they are celebrated. Students were also able to ask questions about holiday traditions and customs in Lexington and in County Kildare.
Sixth grade classes at Christ the King Middle School and 6th graders from Maynooth Post Primary School in County Kildare participated in a Skype Exchange in February, 2016. Students from Lexington shared group presentations on each state in the United States, including information on population, climate, sports teams, and famous monuments. County Kildare students made presentations on countries in Europe.
University of Kentucky - Maynooth University Exchanges
Students from the University of Kentucky and Maynooth University are given the opportunity to study or work abroad through an exchange between these two schools.
In the summers of 2015 and 2016, Lexington received 3 students from Maynooth to work at Jonabell Farm for a summer internship. Three students from UK were able to study abroad at Maynooth University during this time as well.
To learn more about County Kildare, visit their website at: http://www.intokildare.ie/
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