Mayor sends greetings to 'Welsh' Hungarian town

Closer links are being tied between a Hungarian community and a Montgomeryshire one.

The town of Kunágota styles itself as the most Welsh village in Hungary. And Montgomery is strengthening its links with the town.

This weekend the Mayor of Montgomery, Haydn Andrew, sent a video message to the community which appeared on Hungarian national television.

He sent seasonal greetings in Hungarian to M. Zoltan, Polgármestere of Kunágota. 

"Kunágota styles itself the most Welsh village in Hungary and, although few of the residents have ever visited Wales, they enjoy an annual Welsh concert and never miss an opportunity to sing Sosban Fach or Cwm Rhondda," said Claire Weston of Montgomery.

"Kunágota is a village about twice the size of Montgomery situated in the south of Hungary near the Romanian border. The residents of the town were delighted by Montgomery’s ‘Building Bridges’ video that was even shown on National Hungarian television."

The Mayor also took the opportunity to send greetings from himself, the Mayoress, Town Councillors and Montgomery residents to the Bureau de Commerce and residents of Montgommery in the Calvados region of Normandy, France who also made contact this year and sent the town a translation of the story of the de Montgomerie family and their descendants.

In return, a copy of the seminal ‘Story of Montgomery’ book authored by Ann and John Welton has been sent to France.

In his Christmas and new year greetings to our own Montgomery, Hendomen and Caerhowel, the Mayor commended the hard-working businesses and volunteers who had rallied around in true Montgomery spirit and were a credit to the town. He concluded by wishing all a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy new year on behalf of himself and the Mayoress.