Fermoy and twin town Ploemeur celebrate 40th anniversary
On 3rd May last, a group of 15 people from Fermoy including Councillor Noel McCarthy visited our twin town of Ploemeur for a period of 5 days. This was a very special trip because it marked the 40th anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter between both towns.
Our hosts had organised a comprehensive programme for us: a river cruise on the river Vilaine, which included lunch on board, a visit to the old town of Hennebont where the local farmers’ market is held weekly and boasts a beautiful cathedral, ramparts, a museum etc. We also got to visit reconstructed war houses which were donated by several countries in order to house the inhabitants of Lorient and surrounding areas after their city was bombed during the war. This was a very interesting peek into their history.
After 40 years of travelling to Brittany, we thought we had seen everything in the surrounding areas only to be surprised with a visit to Lizio, to see the work of Poet Ferrailleur, a sculptor and inventor of sorts. His work included mechanical pieces with moving parts and abstract pieces both indoor and outdoor.
The Mayor of Ploemeur, M Ronan Loas, hosted a civic reception in the town hall to mark the 40th anniversary of the twinning and gifts were exchanged and glasses raised. Councillor Noel McCarthy also spoke and praised the hard work of both committees in keeping the twinning active for so long. Both committee presidents also spoke on the night and thanked the relevant councils for their continued support.
A big part of the twinning week involves music and dance and with Ciaran O’Connor and Gerry Feerick providing the music along with local Breton musicians and singers, this has kept our bond strong. The Ploemeur choir entertained us on many occasions and Breton dancing also featured.
We look forward to welcoming a group from Ploemeur next year to continue the celebrations. We would welcome new members to our group (French language not essential). If anyone is interested in learning more, please contact Gerry Feerick (086) 2334099.