Every year the Nottingham St. Patrick's day parade and festival 'twin' with a county/city in Ireland. This cultural exchange is part of building good commercial and tourism exchanges between our two countries. This year the beautiful and historic county of Offaly has be chosen for festival 2011, following county Waterford in 2010.

Two of its most famous sons are world leaders – President Obama's maternal family came from the village of Moneygall and An Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) is county Offaly born man Mr Brian Cowen.