Longford keeping close ties with twinning trip to northwest France

A delegation from the county town is travelling over to the French town it is twinned with this week and there are high hopes it will 'reinvigorate' an already strong bond and relationship.

Longford Municipal District Cathaoirleach Seamus Butler, who is leading the delegation, and Councillor Niall Gannon will travel over along with three musicians Éamon Ó Ceallaigh, Charlie Dunne and Thomas Igoe.

Cllr Butler said the group, who will arrive in France on Wednesday and are delighted to be travelling over to Noyal-Châtillon-sur-Seiche, a picturesque town in Brittany, France that Longford has been twinned with since 1998.

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Cllr Butler outlined the itinerary and the objectives of the trip.

"We have reinvigorated the twinning now and we are twinning Melview National School with a national school in Noyal which will be a big thing.

"We are reinvigorating on a lot of fronts, there will be a trip by an underage team from Longford Rugby Club in the new year to play a couple of matches over there.

"It's beside Rennes, the capital of Brittany, and they are two rugby clubs in that area."

Cllr Butler stated they are also still exploring possible commercial partnerships.

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"There is a new industrial estate in the town and we hope to see the businesses there and if there's any synergy with anything in Ireland from an import, expert view so they are the main items we will be discussing.

"They will be coming over to us next year."

Cllr Butler stated there will also be a music festival taking place next weekend which they are looking forward to.
"We were thee two years again at the same time," he said.

"It's my last official function as the Cathaoirleach of the Longford Municipal District because we have the AGM of Longford Municipal District on Tuesday, June 24 and I'll be handing the chain back then," Cllr Butler added.