Argentine Navy are invited to Mayo
The ARA Libertad, the Argentine Navy tall ship training vessel.
Mayo County Council has invited the Argentine Navy to bring its naval training vessel, ARA Libertad, to Killala Bay next year to mark the 225th anniversary of the birth of Admiral William Brown in Foxford.
Admiral Brown was the founder of the Argentine Navy and is revered in the South American country as a hero of its independence movement in the nineteenth century.
The invitation was proposed by Foxford-based Cllr Neil Cruise in a notice of motion to the October meeting of Mayo County Council. Cllr Cruise said the visit would strengthen the established links between Mayo and Argentina.
The Fine Gael councillor told the forum: “The training vessel is doing a tour in 2027 and we would like to see it coming into Killala Bay. It is quite a sight to behold. This would also strengthen ties between Foxford, Mayo and Ireland with Argentina and all of South America.”
There have been long-standing links between Foxford and Argentina and the Libertad docked in Killala Bay in 1998 as part of the 200th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion.
Cllr Jarlath Munnelly seconded the motion, saying it would be “fantastic to have the Libertad in Killala Bay”, with the invitation to approved by all members.
- Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
