Twinning

Enniskillen is twinned with Brackwede, a suburb of Bielefeld in North West Germany.

The partnership between the two towns was initiated in 1958 when the Fifth Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards were based near Brackwede. The Dragoon’s band took part in the local annual German shooting festival. The event was such a great success that soldiers were invited into the local German homes and they also met the members of the local Town Council. The mayor of Enniskillen was invited to the following year’s event and subsequently a special anthem was composed to commemorate the coming together of the two communities.

Both partners have been actively involved in a variety of exchanges over the years which have been beneficial in a wide range of areas, ie culture and the arts, tourism, education and the economy.

Twinning Sub Committees in both Enniskillen and Brackwede ensure that programmes drawn up for visits reflect the social and cultural traditions of both towns and serve as an educational tool. School exchanges play a pivotal role in the partnership and have taken place on a regular basis since 1972.

Visitors to both towns are usually accommodated privately. Hospitality, on both sides is second to none and great friendships have grown over the years as visitors from the respective towns have gained an interesting insight into the day to day life and culture of their counterparts.