Athlone hosts visiting delegation from twin town Chateaubriant
Representatives of the Athlone-Chateabriant twinning committee recently welcomed Fr. Jean-Louis Gomis, Seminarian Gwenvael Riche, and eight Catholic youth members from the French town for a four-day visit to Athlone.
During their stay, the group was hosted by local families and St. Mary’s Presbytery, giving them an opportunity to experience Irish hospitality and parish life at first hand.
The first day of their visit coincided with the feast day of the French Saint Jean Marie Vianney (Le Curé d’Ars) about whom Fr. Pat Murphy (Administrator St. Mary’s) spoke at morning mass. Sister Anne O’Flanagan and the choir members provided the music and after the church service, the staff in the parish office served refreshments in the Clonmacnoise Room.
A guided tour of Ss Peter and Paul church by Parish Priest Fr John Deignan ensued. He spoke about the challenges faced by Dean Crowe to fund the construction of this beautiful edifice, and the pilgrims were in awe of the magnificent Harry Clarke windows.
The group were then invited to visit the Liturgical Centre, operated by the Sisters of the Divine Master. Sr Kathryn Williams and Sr Juliana Peril spoke about the history of their religious order and the services they now offer to the people of Athlone and the Midlands. .
In the afternoon, the French visitors were taken by the host families to Clonmacnoise where they explored one of Ireland’s most important early Christian Monastic sites and learned about its rich spiritual and historic heritage. They insisted their visit to Athlone would not be complete without a swim in the Shannon waters at Hodson Bay.
The next day the group travelled to Knock where, together, they took time to pray, reflect and experience the peaceful atmosphere of the shrine.
At a function on the last evening of their visit, Cllr Liam McDaniel, Mayor of the Athlone Moate Municipal District, welcomed the group to Athlone.
He recalled happy memories he himself had of a visit to Châteaubriant in May 2025 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the twinning arrangement between both towns. He thanked the members of the twinning committee for their enduring work to promote the twinning between the two towns and looks forward to a return visit to Châteaubriant in the near future.
Fr. Jean-Louis Gomis of Châteaubriant thanked the hosts, St Mary’s Presbytery, Sr Denise O’Brien and Sr Marie Hawkes, Margaret Skelly, Anne Fallon, Maurice and Deirdre Collins, Anne Walshe, and Nancy Murray for their kindness and hospitality. On his own behalf, and on behalf of the whole group, he appreciated the generosity shown to them and the warm welcome they received in Athlone.
The pilgrims concluded their Irish sojourn with a visit to Galway. They made a memorable visit to Croagh Patrick where they undertook the challenging climb to the summit. Despite the demanding ascent, they embraced the experience with determination and faith, enjoying the breathtaking views and the deep spiritual significance of Ireland’s holy mountain.
Niamh Dalby, chairperson of the Town Twinning committee, said that the visit of the delegation from "our twin town in France was a valuable and enriching experience providing an opportunity to strengthen the longstanding links between our two communities".