La Crosse Bantry Friendship Association timeline : The idea of an Irish sister city initially started over a cup of coffee between 2 Viterbo grads, LindaPfaff, & Larry Germanson who had done internships in Ireland and Germanson returned to Dublin for a Masters at UCD. In 2004, Linda Pfaff, while visiting Ireland, met with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and City Engineer of Bantry with the sister city idea. Both the Mayor and City Engineer had previously done internships in the U.S. and understood the idea and benefits of exchanges and benefits of cross the water friendship. Soon it was agreed to accept Bantry as sister city. In April 2005, the Mayor Pat Kelly came to La Crosse and signed the proclamation with Mayor John Medinger. Other delegation visits have happened in 2015, 2017 with the last one in October 2023. Various La Crosse citizens have made independent visits to Bantry. Currently, there is a UWL biology group that are doing field studies of Bantry Bay. One year, the local boys choir visited and performed in Bantry. Several official visits have been made from Bantry residents: Former Mayor Lettie Baker and her family; Aidan McCarthy, former mayor and his brother, Dermoud as well as citizens taking time to stop and visit while visiting. In 2016, LBFA initiated its first-ever Coulee Hoolie Ceili fundraiser. Two non-profits, one from La Crosse and one from Bantry with similar missions, are selected, donations and sponsors are acquired and one night, usually the last Saturday of the month, the event is held where a ceili caller teaches and calls the dances, music is donated by local group, Coulee Hooligans, Irish-themed food is available as well a silent auction and a raffle. Admission price is nominal, with $20 the cost of bringing a family in under one ticket. This year, the non-profit was the Jack & Kathy Lucey Family Alzheimer’s Fund here and Age Friendly Bantry in our sister city. $2,700 was raised for each. All monies raised stay local. A check presentation for this year will be May 30th at 10am in the Irish Gardens in the Int’l Gardens areas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
