A group of 57 visitors from the French port town of Crozon are guests of Sligo Town Twinning this week, in the North West capital to honour the 35th anniversary of the union of the two towns.
35th anniversary celebrations of the Sligo/Crozon twinning began on Saturday, September 10 when they arrive and will continue until tomorrow evening, Friday, September 16.
The 57 visitors are staying in a mixture of rented accommodation and with a number of host families, many of whom were themselves accommodated by families in Crozon during visits to the town, located on the Finistere Peninsula in Brittany.
The visitors arrived on Saturday afternoon and were fittingly welcomed into the Crozon Inn for a meet and greet session.
On Sunday, there was an anniversary mass held in Sligo Cathedral at 12 noon and on Sunday night the Glasshouse Hotel echoed to the sound of traditional music and singing.
On Monday many of the visitors departed for a day-trip and tour of Dublin City. On Tuesday the touring was closer to home – a trip on the Rose of Innisfree pleasure cruiser around Lough Gill. This tour was opened up to host families as well, fostering the spirit of friendship further. They were then treated to lunch in the Riverside Hotel.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Town Twinning Committee member Marie Claude Ward took a group on a Walking Tour of Deerpark while a special concert from the Orpheus Choir was held in Calry Church on The Mall in Sligo.
This afternoon, Thursday, the visitors from Crozon will be offered a guided tour of Sligo Gaol before the dedication of a Sligo Town Twinning Plaque takes place at the Anniversary Garden in Doorly Park.
This will be followed by a Civic Reception and renewing of the Charter between Crozon and Sligo, in County Hall, Riverside, from 4pm.
Tonight, the Sligo Park Hotel will play host to the official 35th Anniversary Dinner at which a number of special guests, including some of the French visitors, will speak. That gets underway from 7.30pm.
On Friday, Committee member Michael Carty will lead the visitors on a walking tour of Sligo, starting at City hall.
And the visitors have also been made aware of Culture Night, which takes place on Friday, and all the free events which are open to them throughout the town centre.
The Crozon delegation will conclude with farewells from Carraroe Retail Park on Saturday morning at 8am.
