The 50th anniversary of the twinning between Galway City and Lorient in Britany takes place year. As part of the celebrations, people are being asked to share photos, stories, and memorabilia relating to the two cities.

The golden anniversary celebrations will kick off next month and run until August. Events will include concerts, dance workshops, sporting occasions, a display marking the maritime traditions of both cities, and a celebration for whiskey fans.

The twinning agreement between the cities was developed in 1974 and made official in 1975. The main instigators were Michael D. Higgins, then a member of Galway Corporation, now Uachtarán na hÉireann, and Jean-Yves Le Drian, then a Breton councillor, who later served as a minister in French governments.

Town twinnings sometimes operate just at local government level, but the Galway-Lorient pairing has always had public involvement, partly because of the shared Celtic culture of Ireland and Brittany.

Galway musicians have featured regularly at Brittany’s InterCeltique Folk Festival, while in sports, Galway and Breton teams have also played each other, usually in rugby and Gaelic games – France and Brittany have their own GAA teams.

The business engagement of the twinning has also been important over the five decades and this will be marked as part of the 50th anniversary, as will the political aspect.

Catherine Gagneux is French Honorary Consul in Galway and head of the Galway-Lorient Twinning committee.

“Long and lasting friendships have been formed over the last 50 years,” she says. “The one between Uachtarán Michael D Higgins and Jean-Yves Le Drian is often mentioned but many others exist and are developing, especially since a sailing trip in 2019, and more recently with Galway Bohemians Soccer club, music group Galvian Way and more. It is the true reflection and definition of twinning where people share their common interests and cultures, and grow together as communities.”

The other members of Galway;s Twinning Committee are Séamus Keady, Marian Ní Chonghaile, Julie Ann de Brún, Isbeal Nic Aoidh, Johnny Shorten and William Cahill.

And to mark 50 years of shared activity between Galway and Lorient, Catherine Gagneux is appealing to people locally to share photographs and memorabilia from past twinning events, as well as stories and memories, especially those relating to friendships between people from the cities.

The items will go on display during the 50th anniversary celebration, to highlight the legacy of the twinning on Galway and Lorient.

“The Galway-Lorient twinning is the first and oldest twinning between France and Ireland,” explains Ms Gagneux. “The 50th anniversary marks a significant milestone, during which we wish to celebrate all who were involved and look towards new ways to develop the exchanges.”

To share stories, photos or other memories of the last 50 years of the twinning, email galwaylorienttwinning@gmail.com.

Pictured: Julie Ann de Brún, Marian Ní Chonghaile, Catherine Gagneux and William Cahill of the Galway-Lorient Twinning Committee.