Mini-Brittany Fest Celebrates 47 years of Galway And Lorient Link

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2 years ago

Celebrating Brittany and Galway Twinning:

To celebrate 47 years of Galway’s twinning with Lorient, a mini Brittany Fest takes place in the city. Celebrations kick off from Saturday, May 7th -14th. The festival brings together the mutual Celtic connections uniting both communities. For example, there will be sean nós workshops and toe tapping trad sessions. In addition, vibrant Breton dancers (le Cercle Celtique Brizeux) bring their traditional style and steps to Galway’s Shop Street.

Not only that, but expect lots of outdoor Breton games, a Breton life pop art exhibition and a display of a French yawl boat in the Claddagh. One key highlight is a chance to take part in a pop art workshop with Hangar’t. This workshop will be created using photos from the Old Ireland in Colour books.

Mini Brittany Festival 3

Developing Connections:

As part of the festival, the first France-Ireland Twinning Conference takes place on Sunday, May 8th at the Connacht Hotel, Galway. Here, representatives from France and Ireland will gather to motivate committees through talks and collaborative workshops.

Following a trip from Galway to Lorient in March, Mayor Fabrice Loher returns to the city of the Tribes. Essentially, Brittany is looking to develop its Breton and Celtic identity. Above all, Lorient is the primary fishing harbour in France. In line with this, the delegation is set to discuss the maritime economy through visits to Rossaveal and the Port of Galway.

In a similar vein, they will link in with the Portershed and Aerogen to research the development of startups with a European dimension. And the Lorient delegation will visit Galway’s centres of academic excellence, NUI Galway and the ATU. Fundamentally, this is to enhance exchanges and collaboration between the cities. On top of this, they will visit Údarás na Gaeltachta for an overview of economic development in the Gaeltacht.

A Warm Welcome:

In keeping with Galway’s hosting might, the Lorient group will receive a first class welcome. In this regard, they will meet with representatives from the Galway Chamber of Commerce, NUI Galway and the Portershed. Additionally, Mayor of Galway, Cllr Colette Connolly, the Galway-Lorient twinning committee and the French Honorary Consul to Connacht will greet them.

According to the French Ambassador HE Vincent Guerend, these initiatives are an “instrument of peace”

“Through the promotion of sharing and cultural exchanges, twinnings are also an instrument of peace, encouraging the development of individual friendships between citizens of France and Ireland,” he says.

“ I would like to rejoice and welcome the ties that bind our two countries with France being now Ireland’s closest EU neighbour.”