Galway City Council welcomed over 100 delegates from Lorient, France, to Galway City, to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the twinning of Galway and Lorient – the first such twinning agreement between Ireland and France.
The twinning coincides with Brittany Fest in Galway City, which took place from May 9 – 18 this year.
A mayoral reception was held at City Hall on Thursday, May 15, where Mayor of the City of Galway, Cllr. Peter Keane welcomed the delegates, including the Mayor of Lorient, Fabrice Lohrer.
Speaking at the reception, Cllr. Keane said that he was delighted to welcome the delegates to City Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of this relationship.
“A friendship and exchange that celebrates a shared culture of maritime, sport, education and sustainability – strengthening ties between Galway and Lorient through business, education, tourism, and cultural exchange.”
Galway and Lorient signed a twinning agreement in 1975 – the first such twinning agreement between Ireland and France. This reflected a shared Celtic heritage and the geographical proximity of the two cities.
A delegation led by Galway City Council visited Lorient in March 2025, which was a milestone visit that provided a platform to celebrate past achievements, while fostering new opportunities for cooperation in business, research, educational exchanges and community engagement.
The delegation included representatives from Galway Chamber of Commerce, Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Portershed, Galway Harbour Company and the Galway Lorient Twinning Committee.
The visit featured high-level discussions, site visits, and cultural events that underscored the deep ties between both cities.
Mayor Keane commented, “I am delighted to be in a position to return the wonderful hospitality Lorient showed the Galway City delegation in March.”
“The importance of these visits has been already shown by the wonderful collaborations that have sprung up since that trip and which we will showcase during your stay.”
A programme of events took place over the weekend as part of the annual ‘Brittany Fest’ to celebrate the twinning anniversary including a Breton Breakfast at Áras na nGael, a Trad and Breton Session Trail, Claddagh Boat Trips to the Bay and much more.
