Tipperary County Council to be represented in US trade visit to Philadelphia and Maryland

Two Tipperary County Council representatives will visit the United States as part of a trade delegation later this month during which they will work to progress the establishment of a proposed “Friendship Arrangement” between Tipperary and the state of Maryland. 

Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Roger Kennedy and Head of Enterprise & Economic Development Anthony Fitzgerald, who is over Tipperary Local Enterprise Office, will join representatives of two Tipperary businesses on the trade visit that is being organised with Philadelphia and The Lehigh Valley Economic Area in North Pennsylvania. 

The trade mission takes place between February 20 and 24 and is being co-ordinated through Local Enterprise Offices and Littus Business Consultants in Philadelphia. 

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Clare, Sligo and Mayo Local Enterprise Offices are also taking part in the trade visit. 

Ger Walsh of Tipperary County Council’s Corporate Affairs Section, said for the Tipperary representatives, the first day of the trip will be given over to a visit to the neighbouring state of Maryland where they will meet with the Maryland Sister State Committee.  

He outlined that this committee has expressed a “strong desire” to sign a Friendship Agreement with county Tipperary focusing on the equine sector. 

There is a particular focus in Maryland on the sports horse sector, which includes show jumping, he outlined.  

The council’s elected members gave the green light for Cllr Kennedy to represent the local authority on the trade mission at their latest monthly meeting in Clonmel on January 16. 

Fianna Fáil Cllr Kieran Bourke proposed that he take part in the trade visit  and Cllr Michael Fitzgerald of Fine Gael seconded the proposal.  

This trade visit follows on from an equine trade mission to Ireland made by Governor of Maryland State Larry Hogan, Secretary of State John Wobensmith and a representative of the Maryland Horse Board  last June.

 Visit to Coolmore Stud

 During that trip, the Maryland delegation paid a private visit to Coolmore Stud and the Fethard Horse Country Museum.  Experience.   

This was followed by two US State of Maryland representatives involved in the state’s Sister State Committee  visiting Ireland last month  to further progress the relationships forged by last summer’s trade mission.   The purpose of their trip was also to progress the establishment of Friendship Agreements  with counties Tipperary, Kildare and Longford and  reconnect with county Cork where a Friendship Agreement is in place since 2013.  

Cllr Kennedy, Maurice Moloney of Coolmore Stud and Anthony Fitzgerald met with the Maryland official at the Cashel Palace Hotel during their Irish visit  from January 5 to 11.