The Hackett clan arrive from Kilkenny, Minnesota - to meet the Hacketts from Kilkenny, Kilkenny!

Local publican Tommy Hackett had a surprise visit recently from a group of people with the same family name and also from Kilkenny - but not our Kilkenny.

The Hackett family from Kilkenny in Minnesota made the pilgrimage to Ireland where they toured the country but, at the suggestion of Mayor Andrew McGuinness, spent some extra time in Kilkenny to meet ‘family’.

“When I first visited Kilkenny, Minnesota, I was taken aback by the amount of Kilkenny names, particularly in the cemetery,” says Mayor McGuinness. "There were Doyles, Brennans, Shortalls, and of course Hacketts, among many others."

The American namesake town was founded by Kilkenny man Denis Doyle and named after Kilkenny, Ireland. The church is named after St Canice’s Church with permission granted by then Archbishop of Saint Paul, Minnesota, John Ireland who was from Burnchurch, Kilkenny.

"It’s a unique story and an incredible shared history," said Mayor McGuinness. “I saw Hackett Construction and I met more Hacketts than I have ever met in Kilkenny, Ireland. I immediately thought of my friend Tommy Hackett and how they may very well be related in some way.
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"When the Hacketts in Kilkenny, Minnesota, told me they were planning a trip to Ireland, I said 'wouldn’t it be fun if we connected the Hacketts from both sides of the pond?' And that’s exactly what we did. It was great fun and new friendships have started and they tell me that meeting Tommy and spending time in his bars listening to stories and looking at memorabilia was the highlight of their Irish trip, and - of course - seeing Kilkenny and experiencing all we have to offer."

The Hacketts exchanged t-shirts to mark the occasion and spent time sharing stories with Tommy in Hackett’s Bar and Sean Byrne's Bar. Tommy sent them home with plenty of memorabilia, photographs and stories and plans are already being made for return visits. The Minnesotan Hacketts have said: "We want Tommy to visit our Kilkenny so we can return the great hospitality, Hackett-style."
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Tommy Hackett throughly enjoyed the proceedings: "It was great to have the Hackett’s from Minnesota visit us," he says.

"I was shocked to hear there are so many Hacketts in Kilkenny in Minnesota and I’m delighted we were connected in such a fun way. The stories about the Kilkenny they come from and their genuine interest in our Kilkenny was just incredible. The history between the two Kilkennys is huge, it really is an extension of our Kilkenny all the way over in America. I’m looking forward to them coming back in the future and maybe the Mayor can put me in the suitcase the next time he visits them.”

The Hackett family are just one of many groups of visitors from Kilkenny, Minnesota, who have come here this year.

“I’m blown away by the amount of people from Kilkenny, Minnesota, who have come here this year," Mayor McGuinness told Kilkenny Live.

"It seems like every week we have had a group of visitors who reached out to myself or Eoin Hennessy to meet up and show them around. That twinning with such a small place has given us more visitors than I can keep track of and that is simply down to a very special connection and shared history that is simply unique and long may it continue."
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