Chateaubriant students trade croissants for sliotars

A group of French teenagers traded croissants for sliotars on a recent visit to Athlone as they took to the pitch to play the world's fastest field sport and national game, hurling.

The visit was part of an ongoing twinning initiative to promote cultural understanding and youth engagement between the two towns. It was part of a week-long trip by 24 teenagers and their group leaders to Ireland.

Members of the town twinning committee, Niamh Dalby, Moira Hardiman, Nancy Murray and Francis Cunningham, accompanied the students during their visit to Athlone which started with a most interesting and informative walking tour of the town with local historian Anne-Marie Slevin.

They also visited the Luan Art Gallery and walked over the new pedestrian bridge which for the duration of their stay they christened 'Le Pont de Châteaubriant'. This was followed by a visit to Athlone Castle and then onto Garrycastle GAA pitch with hurling proving to be the highlight of the trip.

Under the guidance of coaches Lisa-Ann Roche, Irene O’Neill, Tony O’Keeffe, Declan Finn and Pat Ryan, the students were given a crash course in the basics of the game, from grip and swing techniques to puck-outs and soloing. With the help of drills and then a friendly mini-match, the teens quickly picked up the spirit of the game. Watching them go from never having held a hurley to scoring points within an hour was incredible. Though rules were loosely applied and plenty of laughs were shared, the competitive spark was undeniable. They brought great enthusiasm and energy, and it was a joy to share the hurling experience with them. Huge credit must go to the wonderful Southern Gaels coaches for their patience, understanding and explanation of the rules.

It was a great cultural exchange and a reminder that sport is a universal language. Hurling may be uniquely Irish, but it brought together people from two different countries in a very special way. Friendships have been forged and perhaps a few new hurling fans too!

Niamh Dalby, chairperson of Athlone-Châteaubriant Town-Twinning committee, expressed her gratitude to all in Southern Gaels for hosting this event and to the teenagers from Châteaubriant for demonstrating their excellent hurling skills during their Athlone visit.