A high-level Galway delegation has attended a special meeting of Milwaukee City Council in Wisconsin, USA, to mark more than two decades of civic, cultural, and economic links between the two cities.
The event, convened at Milwaukee City Hall on Friday (15 August 2025) during the city’s Irish Fest celebrations, brought together local officials and international guests. It was chaired by Michael T Murphy, a former council member and son of Irish immigrants.
Speakers included Cavalier Johnson, the Mayor of Milwaukee; Cllr Mike Cubbard, Mayor of the City of Galway; Dan Devine, Mayor of West Allis; and Dennis McBride, Mayor of Wauwatosa. Ireland’s ambassador to the United States, Geraldine Byrne Nason, also addressed the gathering. Galway County Council was represented by Leas-Chathaoirleach Cllr Mary Hoade, alongside Cathaoirligh and officials from local authorities across the west.
Galway City and Milwaukee have been formally twinned since 2001, with 2026 set to mark the 25th anniversary of the partnership.
The Milwaukee engagement formed part of a series of tourism, cultural and economic development initiatives by Galway City and County Councils across Illinois and Wisconsin in recent days. The delegation has met with government, tourism, cultural and business leaders as part of an effort to deepen Irish American links.
Central to the visit has been Galway’s participation in Irish Fest, the world’s largest Irish cultural event, which draws more than 120,000 visitors annually. Galway has been represented at the festival for more than 30 years, and this year’s delegation operated a stand promoting the city and county as visitor destinations for US audiences.
Mayor Johnson told the meeting that Irish Fest, first held in 1981, offered an opportunity to honour heritage while building lasting cultural and economic partnerships. He praised Milwaukee’s embrace of Irish culture each August, noting that the festival attracts visitors from across the United States and beyond. Galway will also be represented at the Chicago Irish Fest, which will take place at Gaelic Park from 22 to 24 August.
Mayor Cubbard said the enduring bond with Milwaukee underscored the value of civic partnerships in promoting trade, cultural exchange and deeper understanding across the Atlantic.
Organisers said the Irish presence at Irish Fest highlighted the continued vitality of the Sister Cities programme and its role in strengthening cross-border collaboration.
