Italian visitors in Navan for festival

A delegation of 85 people from Navan's twin town of Broccostella in Italy visited Navan last week for the Shamrock Festival and took part in the St Patrick's Day parade. The delegation, which included the Mayor of Broccostella, Sergio Cippitelli, members of the local authority and the 45-strong Evan Gorga band of musicians, were welcomed to Navan on Tuesday of last week at a reception in Fr Andy Brennan Park, where Cllr Anton McCabe stood in for the Mayor of Navan, Cllr Phil Brennan. The reception was followed by a meal in the Newgrange Hotel where they were entertained by Paul Byrne and Navan Silver Band and The Big Band Sound. The Italian musicians also performed. The following day, the group visited the Guinness brewery in Dublin and the musicians performed in a gala concert in the Solstice Arts Centre that evening, which also featured the Kentstown Accordian Band, the Irish Foresters band, the Navan Male Voice Choir and the 27 local musicians whose visit to Broccostella last year made the recent visit possible. On St Patrick's Day, the Italian musicians played at 1pm Mass in Navan and then the Mayor of Broccostella and other Italian officials sailed along the Boyne on a motorboat, behind 'St Patrick', to Andy Brennan Park, where the Mayor of Navan, Cllr Phil Brennan, and Mayor Cippitelli planted a tree. The Italian delegation took part in the Navan parade and were guests of honour at the fireworks display in the town that evening. The delegation returned to Italy on Friday.