‘Always Close At Heart’: Freehold Borough Welcomes Special Guests From Ireland

FREEHOLD BOROUGH, NJ — There was a joyful mood at Monday night’s council meeting when Freehold Borough recognized special guests from their “twinned” community of Rathangan, Ireland, and the 2nd Infantry Battalion Veteran Association from Dublin.

Their visit came after the Borough Council approved a “Twinning Agreement” with Rathangan, County Kildare, Ireland in 2024.

The Irish town is home to Bruce Springsteen’s ancestors and the agreement aims to connect the two communities, which borough officials noted as “miles apart, always close at heart.”

“It’s like we’ve known everybody forever,” Freehold Borough Mayor Kevin Kane said. “...It’s remarkable the friendships that we’ve developed.”

Prior to Monday night’s council meeting, guests from Rathangan and the 2nd Infantry Battalion were in town for the Borough Arts Council’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which took place on Sunday.

Grand Marshall Tim MacCutcheon and Community Grand Marshall Tommy Taylor led the parade with an afternoon step-off, and hosted music, food, and more throughout the day.

Following the weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities, the borough council welcomed their guests to Monday night’s meeting, where they were presented with a certificate and Freehold-branded gifts.

“The bond between the towns has deepened as we learn our two communities have so much more in common than just an international rock star,” the borough said in an online post.

“It was a special honor to have met and talked to the Irish Veterans, especially when they visited our veteran organizations," the borough continued. "We thank all of them for their service and their commitment to veterans around the world.”

At Monday night’s meeting, the association and guests from Rathangan also presented the borough with gifts, and thanked them for their hospitality during their stay.

“Freehold has shown its strong sense of community and culture,” said Paul Clarke, chairman of the 2nd Infantry Battalion Veteran Association. “It’s a friendly and welcoming place, and yesterday, we witnessed all the different community groups coming together to showcase what is great about Freehold and its citizens.”

Sheila Knightly, a guest from Rathangan, also spoke at Monday night’s meeting, and talked about the growing bond between the two communities.

“We started this out as my hometown to your hometown, and the more it has grown, the more and more it feels like it is a hometown within a hometown, and becoming like a hometown to us,” Knightly said. “...The welcome, the warmth, the generosity of everyone has been amazing.”

To see the agenda from Monday night’s meeting, you can click here. To watch a full meeting recording, you can click here.

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