Government plans 'Day of Welcomes' for May Day
A special 'Day of Welcomes' is to be held here on the first of May next, to mark the accession of the 10 new member states into the EU.
Each new member will be officially welcomed by an Irish town or city which will stage special cultural events of music, poetry, street theatre and pageantry on the day.
The 'Day of Welcomes' will be at the centre of a national weekend of celebration marking the accession.
This will also include a fireworks display, concert and European Fair in Dublin.
Tourism Minister, John O' Donoghue said the accession will be an opportunity to showcase our unique culture and famed welcome as well as celebrating the qualities and individuality of our new European neighbours.
The ten towns and cities and their corresponding new member states are as follows:
Bray - Cyprus
Cork - Slovakia
Drogheda - Latvia
Galway - Estonia
Kilkenny - Lithuania
Killarney - Czech Republic
Letterkenny - Poland
Limerick - Slovenia
Sligo - Hungary
Waterford - Malta.
