The Longford town mayor is leading a seven-person delegation to the US this week in an effort to revive Longford's twin city status with a Nevada gambling town.
The delegation, whose travel costs are paid for by Longford Town Council, are helping celebrate the centennial of Sparks, a Nevada city close to the better known gambling city of Reno.
The group are staying at a local casino hotel where they were to be guests of honour at a centennial gala ball last night. The local mayor also held an official reception for them at a brewery on Thursday.
The delegation includes Mayor Peggy Nolan and her husband; Cllr Tony Flaherty and his fiancee; county manager Michael Killeen and his wife, and town clerk Dan Rooney. Three other people - a Longford solicitor, a car salesman and a retiree - are joining the trip in a private capacity.
Sparks, with a population of 82,000, has been twinned with Longford since 1976 as a way of celebrating the contribution of Longford nuns who established a convent nearby. Contacts have faded in recent years and the delegation hopes to re-establish strong twin city links between Sparks and Longford.
Ms Nolan said yesterday the visit has been a great success and the delegation were encouraging investment for Longford.
She said Longford Town Council had paid for the delegation's air fare but accommodation at a local casino hotel was paid for by Sparks city.
Festivities at the ball include prizes for the best pair of whiskers, as well as runner-up prizes for most colourful whiskers, the longest whiskers and the curliest whiskers.
The delegation are to visit the Sisters of Mercy St Thérèse Little Flower Church and Catholic School on Sunday to mark the contribution of the Longford nuns.
Yesterday, the delegation met the Nevada governor and visited the state senate. On Thursday, before the brewery trip, they visited Longford Park - named in honour of ties between Longford and Sparks.
Today, the group will go on a sightseeing trip to Lake Tahoe and have dinner at Captain Cook's Cabin, a restaurant in the Nugget Hotel.