Language no barrier as Athlone Pop Up Gaeltacht welcomes Châteaubriant visitors

A larger-than-usual crowd was in attendance at Athlone Pop Up Gaeltacht’s weekly ciorcal comhrá in the Castle Inn last Thursday night, where the Irish speakers were joined by a large entourage from Châteaubriant, the French town twinned with Athlone.

To accommodate the guests and overcome the language barrier, the usual first hour of conversation was cut short, and swiftly moved to the music and song section of the evening.

Old Irish language classics such as Trasna na dtonnta & Óró 'Sé do bheatha 'bhaile were belted out, with the French contingent in fine voice, courtesy of printed out lyric sheets which were shared among the group.

The musical theme continued with a fusion of Irish and French traditional music as musicians from Châteaubriant joined the usual Pop Up musicians, including local traditional act Ná Bádórí and friends.

Local Uilleann piper and Ná Bádórí member Liam Winnett, a man himself making waves on the trad scene nationally, said, "While our friends from France may not have understood the language element of the evening, music has no borders.

"This was a great opportunity to share our culture and traditions with our friends from Châteaubriant."

Ná Bádórí are no strangers to Châteaubriant, having played a number of gigs there last summer as part of a cultural exchange between Athlone and the French town.