Oranmore wild grass (Photo credit: boocal)Last week marked the beginning of the twinning of the town of Oranmore and the Breton village Clohars-Fouesnant, organised by the Oranmore Twinning Committee and its chairperson, Gerardine Costello. A group from the village arrived in Ireland and was greeted by members of the committee before they commenced their busy week-long visit to the west.For those of you who are not familiar with the village of Clohars-Fouesnant, it is situated in a department of Finistère in the northwest of Brittany. The village has a strong community atmosphere, a very rich history and a healthy tourist market aided in no small part by the large nearby Odet golf course. The Mayor of the village, Michel Lahuec, sought out Oranmore specifically as a potential town to twin. Having already sent representatives over last year to experience St Patrick’s Day in Ireland, they were already on schedule for a very amicable and rewarding alliance.
Prior to the group’s arrival from Clohars-Fouesnant, the Oranmore committee members met with the French ambassador to Ireland, Parisienne Emmanuelle d’Achon. Amid tea, scones and a small photo shoot, Mrs D’Achon expressed her obvious support for such an undertaking and praised committee chairperson Gerardine Costello, the committee and all others from the area who were involved for their efforts in not only securing an EU grant to fund the events of the last week but also for the general effort invested by the community in making it all a reality.
Musical welcome
Following their arrival, the representatives of Clohars-Fouesnant had two days of activities ahead of them witnessing some of the finer sights of the west of Ireland including the Salthill promenade, Spiddal craft village, the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. Upon the groups’ return to Oranmore, local members of the Western Veteran and Vintage Motor Club collected the group in several classic cars and brought them to the Oranmore Lodge Hotel for the centrepiece of the week; the Charter signing ceremony. With the sun luckily shining down, the group was greeted at the door by members of the Oranmore town twinning committee as well some live traditional Irish music from local musicians Tommy Keane on the uilleann pipes and Jackie McCarthy on concertina. In attendance at the event were Galway County Mayor Michael Maher, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames and the Minister for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton, Councillor Liam Carroll and Galway city Mayor Hildegarde Naughton.
Oranmore twins with Breton village
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