Midleton may twin with city in Oklahoma, strengthening Famine-era ties

By Peter McCarthy, Corkman

Midleton could be twinned with the city of McAlester in the US state of Oklahoma, strengthening ties that go back to the 1840s when the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma sent a donation to Ireland during the Famine.

The money raised by the Native American tribal nation was used to support famine relief efforts in Midleton in 1847. To commemorate that donation, a sculpture of nine 20 ft-high stainless steel eagle feathers in the shape of bowl was unveiled in the East Cork town’s Bailick Park in the presence of Choctaw tribe members in 2017.

The piece, created by Cork-based sculptor Alex Pentek and commissioned by Midleton Town Council, is called Kindred Spirits although it’s more commonly known locally as the Feathers. A companion piece called Eternal Hearts was unveiled in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma last year.

In a motion at this week’s meeting of the East Cork Municipal District, Cllr Rory Cocking proposed the twinning, saying it would be appropriate given the shared historical links between the two places.

“The Choctaw Nation undertook this donation at a time when native communities were being displaced to reservations in states like Oklahoma. This process of forced travel during the 1830-1850s was known as the Trail of Tears with many suffering from starvation and disease on the journey,” the Fine Gael councillor said.

“Since being unveiled, Kindred Spirits has proved enormously popular with both local and international visitors. It is has become a centrepiece in Midleton’s cultural offering and has encouraged the establishment of the sister sculpture in Oklahoma,” he said.

Cllr Cocking said he met with the former mayor of McAlester, John Browne, on a recent visit to Ireland and has also been in touch with the public information officer for the city of McAlester.

He spoke of the benefits of a twinning arrangement, “whether that be cultural celebrations that showcase Choctaw or Irish traditions, student exchanges that build lasting friendships, tourism promotion that highlights historic ties or community projects that reflect our shared spirit of generosity.”

The motion was supported by his fellow councillors and the proposal will now go before Cork County Council’s Corporate Policy Group in November as the first step in initiating a twinning process.

McAlester is the county seat of Pittsburg County, Oklahoma and has a population of around 18,000 with 10pc classified as Native Americans. Midleton recorded almost 14,000 inhabitants in the most recent census.