Brittany's bright students coming to Longford to experience Irish hospitality

There’s a little bit of ooh la la coming to Ballymahon at the end of October!

A group of bright young students from Landevant in Brittany will be arriving on Thursday, October 30 for a whirlwind weekend of language, laughter, and lively Longford culture — all thanks to Ballymahon Twinning, Bridgeways Family Resource Centre and CYPSC Youth Forum who are co-facilitating the event.

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The French visitors, aged 12 to 15, will be paired with Ballymahon students of their own age for a few days of “parlez-vous-ing” and “how’s-the-craic?” — swapping stories and phrases in English and French as the occasion demands. Their teachers (who, reassuringly, speak perfect English) will accompany them on what promises to be a busy and memorable stay.

After arriving just in time for Thursday lunch, the group will head straight to Bridgeways for an afternoon packed with introductions, warm Irish hospitality, and a delicious taste of local cuisine.

Then it’s time for some fun — try your hand at circus skills, enjoy a few sweet treats, and maybe challenge someone to a game of pool! The afternoon wraps up with a relaxed shopping stroll through Ballymahon’s friendly streets.

That evening, the cultural exchange turns musical with a “Halloween Teen Night” at Bridgeways, featuring local musicians ready to teach a reel or two. Locals with fiddles, bodhráns, or just a sense of rhythm are warmly invited to join in. In return, the students from Brittany will share a few tunes and traditions from their own corner of France.

Friday morning will be all about fun and fitness at Newcastle House, where “exercise” and “amusement” will be the keywords — in both languages, of course! Later, the adventure continues in Longford Town, where the group will take part in The Dead of Night Festival — a spectacular celebration of Samhain, complete with fire, folklore, and a dramatic Fire and Shadows procession in Connolly Barracks.

Expect a night of spooky storytelling, eerie creativity, and Halloween magic that bridges Irish myth and French curiosity.By the time the Landevant students head home on Saturday, November 1, they’ll have plenty of stories to tell — and hopefully, a few new Irish friends to keep in touch with via Zoom meetups and future school visits.

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This cultural connection is all part of the Ballymahon Twinning mission: to build lasting friendships, celebrate shared heritage, and make language learning fun (and maybe just a little bit wild).

For more information, contact Breege at Bridgeways Family Resource Centre on 090 6432691 or email manager@bridgewaysfrc.com.

Vive l’amitié — long live the friendship between Ballymahon and Landevant