Naas twinning completed NAAS & DILLINGEN, BAVARIA, 13 April 1999: byTrish Whelan. The return visit of the official twinning of Naas with Dillingen in Germany took place last weekend when a delegation of councillors and the Naas Twinning Committee visited Dillingen for the official signing ceremony. The first signing took place in Naas last October. Pictured are Naas UDC cathaoirleach Paddy Behan with the Mayor of Dillingen, Bürgermeister Hans-Jürgen Weigl. (KNN will be reporting on various aspects of the twinning during the rest of this week.)

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Major benefits for young people from twinning DILLINGEN, BAVARIA, 14 April 1999: byTrish Whelan. Young people and their organisations in Naas are likely to be major beneficiaries of the formal completion of the twinning process of the town of Naas with Dillingen an der Donau in Bavaria, Germany, which took place last weekend in Dillingen. The event was attended by 160 invited guests, including town officials and representatives of local clubs and organisations. But with the formalities over, Mayor Hans-Jürgen Weigl (pictured above during an exchange of presents with Frau Michaela Probst, chairperson of the Dillingen twinning committee, and her Naas counterpart, Pat O'Reilly) said the real hope for the success of the partnership lies with ‘young people.’ He hoped what had happened would ‘be the root of a tree which would grow and prosper.’ UDC cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy Behan was lavish in his praise of German friendship and hospitality over the three-day visit and thanked the host families who had opened their homes to the Naas delegation. He said twinning is ‘the sharing and diversity of each other’s way of life and cultures and that Ireland and Germany had much in common’ and he praised both twinning committees and town clerks for their endeavours to bring it to fruition. Pat O’Reilly said he believed the twinning’s success will come through the involvement of voluntary groups. He said he was ‘enthralled’ by the facilities available in Dillingen and believed ‘the future lies in co-operation between both towns.’ He said the visit would not have been possible without the help and guidance of Naas teacher Orla O’Connell, who acted as interpreter and Naas resident Gunni Schulz, originally from Berlin. His counterpart, Frau Michaela Probst, said the exchange ‘opens many opportunities’ and she hoped many would avail of the opportunities presented. The twinning came about through student exchanges between St Mary’s College in Naas and St Bonaventura High School in Dillingen, arranged by respective teachers Orla O’Connell and Sr Irenäa. So far, over 300 families from both areas have been involved in these exchanges. Plans discussed included a Dillingen pipe band taking part in next year’s Naas Easter Parade and the arrival of a group of young people, with adult supervisors, for a holiday in August 2000 to experience the Irish way of life. It is also hoped that business, tourism, sporting and cultural groups, guides, scouts etc will follow suit and that schools in both towns will use the internet to keep in touch. It is also hoped to provide trainee exchanges between business interests in both areas. Cllr Timmy Conway suggested that the Naas Youth Parliament also become involved. Festivities on the night included songs from St Bonaventura students and a local folk group, the singing of Irish and German songs led by Herr Xaver Käser, poetry readings by Naas UDC Cllr Timmy Conway and local author Herr Erich Pawlu. All in all, an important event in the history of both towns. "Sehr geehrter Herr Weigel, wir sind wieder gut in Dublin gelaudet, leider regnet es hier sehr stark. Vielen Dank noch einmal für Ihre Gastfreundschaft.” - Paddy Behan, cathaoirleach Naas Urban District Council Pictured at the twinning ceremony in the Aula des Johann-Michael-Sailer-Gymnasium in Dillingen last weekend were David and Alice Gibson from Naas with their daughter Gwen and Mathias Heussler. Gwen recently completed her studies in business management in Kunzelsau in Baden-Wurtenberg in south Germany where she has been living for the past four years. David Gibson is a member of the Nas Na Ri Singers from Naas who regularly perform in Waldenburg.

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Naas jobs training offer from German twin town NAAS & DILLINGEN, BAVARIA, 15 April 1999: by Trish Whelan. The Glasveredelung Dillengen factory which employs some 130 people in Naas's German twin town, has offered the possibility of bringing trainees from Naas for work experience in the factory which processes sheet glass into items of furniture, bathroom furnishings, items for use in industry and plate glass windows for some of the most famous buildings in Europe. The offer has come from Herr Matthias Pachmann (pictured above) who personally conducted a tour of the factory and showrooms for the Naas twinning delegation last weekend and later presented each person with a glass momento of the visit. Other industries in Dillingen include the giant Bosche factory which manufactures dishwashers. Meanwhile, the Naas twinning delegation were the first Irish group to visit the nuclear power station outside Dillingen - the first commercial power station in Germany. It produces as much power as would satisfy’s Ireland’s needs. Over 800 people are employed at the station (91 are women) which produces 30% of the Bavarian power requirement. Some 2,000 more jobs spring directly from the station and 250 of the 800 employees have third level education. Water for use in the station is sourced from the nearby River Danube. Pictured (below) in protective gear during the tour are Willie Callaghan, Timmy Conway, David Gibson, Cait Cusack, Gunni Schulz, Trish Whelan, Anne Behan, Alice Gibson and Paddy Behan.

THINKING OF RETURNING TO IRELAND? ARTHUR E MACMAHON, solicitors in Naas, can represent you in all your legal, conveyancing, and commercial needs with professionalism and confidentiality. Email us or phone +353 (0)45 897936; fax +353 (0)45 897615 CHAPMANS OF KILDARE Main Rover, Land Rover and Volvo dealers, Kildare town. Phone 045 521203; Fax 045 521785. See our selection here. The most delicious of gifts from our finest Irish chocolates range are selling around the world from here.

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Greetings between clubs exchanged during twinning visit NAAS & DILLINGEN, BAVARIA, 16 April 1999: by Trish Whelan. Good wishes from several Naas clubs and associations were passed on to their opposite numbers in Naas’s twin town of Dillingen during the recent twinning visit to the Bavarian town. Naas Twinning Committee chairman Pat O’Reilly said discussions have been held with many clubs in Naas which are interested in taking part in exchanges with Dillingen clubs. Meanwhile, plans are already afoot for the colourful Dillingen pipe band (some of them pictured on left) to take part in next year’s Naas Easter Parade and a group of their young people, with adult supervisors, will come to Naas in August 2000 to experience the Irish way of life. It’s hoped this will be the start of many such exchanges. Almost half the population of one area of Dillingen, c.1,100 people, have enrolled in a local sports centre where facilities include an indoor bowling alley, tennis courts, football, badminton and an athletic track. It was suggested that matches could be arranged between teams from both Naas and Dillingen. There are also a number of other such facilities in the town. Dillingen also boasts two enormous gymnasiums (one to be officially opened at the end of the year - especially high for international badminton tournaments), with an ice skating rink which doubles for rollerblading in summer, a football stadium and a number of swimming pools.

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Sheltered workshop expertise share offer from Germany NAAS & DILLINGEN, BAVARIA, 18 April 1999: by Trish Whelan. A sheltered workshop society in Dillingen, Bavaria, has offered to share expertise and experiences with similar organisations working in County Kildare, following a visit to Dillingen recently by a delegation from its twin town of Naas (pictured above after the unveiling of the twin town sign). The society was founded in 1972 and provides over 200 handicapped people with useful employement while giving them necessary care and attention. Society chairperson and founder John Kabrhel said ‘every kind of course and therapy is available, including a therapeutic swimming pool and lift’. He explained that a new extension under construction will double capacity. While most employees continue to live at home, accommodation is also provided and many local firms help by subsidising contract work. “We buy in and sell out, and do not make a profit,” he said. Each employee is only expected to work to his/her own levels and the centre is manned by a staff of 95. The local council works closely with the centre which costs arounf DM 5/6 million a year to run. Employees of 20 years are entitled to a state pension. John Kabrhel suggested that representatives of similar organisations from the Naas area should travel on the next trip to Dillingen. Pictured below are Cllr Paddy Behan and Orla O'Connell during the visit to the workshop complex.

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