Plans are in motion to make Shawville the twin of municipality Longford in the Republic of Ireland. This move will come as a part of Shawville’s 150-year anniversary celebration next year.

Usually, twin towns (or sister cities as they are sometimes called) refer to relationships between towns, usually in separate countries, which promotes cultural and sometimes commercial ties.

“We thought it would be nice to . . .

twin with a town in Ireland to recognize the Irish immigrants that came and settled in this area in the 1800s,” said Richard Armitage, a municipal councillor in Shawville who was recently on vacation in Ireland and visited Longford.

Richard mentioned that Irish immigrants formed communities not only in Shawville, but across the Pontiac.

“The people are just lovely,” said Richard about the people of Longford. “There are just like a lot of the Irish immigrants that came and settled in this area; they’re hard working and nose to the grindstone.”

Richard was in Longford as a part of an international reunion of the Farrell Clan, which originally hailed from county Longford in the Leinster province of Ireland. Various Farrells settled in Pontiac, and one of their descendants, Anne Armitage, is married to Richard.

“My mother-in-law was a Farrell,’’ said Richard. “The reason all these international visitors gathered in Longford that week was because it was a Farrell clan gathering.”

As a part of his trip, Armitage and his family toured sites in Longford County that played an integral role in the history of the Farrells. This included their ancestral castle and a memorial to James Farrell, who was said to have sacrificed himself to save two little girls on the sinking of the Titanic.

Richard also acted on a motion passed in the Shawville council which called for an exchange of flags with Longford County.

Richard said that there is still planning to be done for what the twin relationship with Longford will look like. He also mentioned that the twinning relationship will be just one special event for the upcoming 150-year anniversary.

Richard said Shawville is planning a ceremony to officially present Longford’s flag to Shawville sometime in the near future.

A newspaper clipping from the Longford Reader, the local paper of Longford about the Farrell clan gathering.

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