Council welcomes delegates from Skerries and Guichen as part of 25th anniversary twinning celebrations

Fingal County Council has welcomed representatives from the French Canton of Guichen and Skerries Town Twinning Association to County Hall in Swords as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations between the two areas.

The meeting took place on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the official twinning charter between Skerries and the Canton of Guichen.

Skerries was twinned with the Canton of Guichen in 1994, coincidentally the same year that Fingal County Council was established.

The delegation was greeted by Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O’Brien, Fingal County Council’s Interim Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly, Director of Housing and Community Margaret Geraghty and County Architect Fionnuala May.

The aim of twinning is to foster friendship between two areas. The twinning between Skerries and Guichen is one of the more successful twinning arrangements in Ireland. Skerries has twice been awarded the Etoile d'Or du Jumelage by the European Commission for its work in developing the twinning concept.

Guichen is a canton of small towns and villages in the départment of Ille-et-vilaine in east Brittany. Like Skerries it provides a commuter base for many of those who travel daily to work.

Over the last 25 years, hundreds of people have exchanged visits between the two areas. These have included school exchanges, visits to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and interest-centered visits based on certain themes.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O’Brien said: “I would like to congratulate both groups for reaching this significant milestone this year, which also marks Fingal County Council’s own 25th anniversary since our establishment. It is wonderful that the bonds have remained strong between the two areas over the years and I wish them all the best for the future. ”

Interim Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly said: “I was delighted to welcome the delegation to County Hall where we could exchange views on areas of common interest. I would like to wish both groups every success in the future and hope that their friendship strengthens and flourishes in the years ahead.”

Chairman of Skerries Town Twinning Association Brendan Friel said: “Skerries Town Twinning Association would like to thank Mayor Eoghan O'Brien and Fingal County County for giving such a warm welcome to the delegation from the Canton of Guichen (Brittany) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the twinning charter between Skerries and the Canton of Guichen.

“Over the years hundreds of people from Skerries and Guichen have participated in a variety of exchange programmes that have enriched the lives of both communities. I hope that we will be able to maintain the strong friendship between our two communities over the next 25 years. Against the backdrop of Brexit it's particularly important that the ordinary people of Europe maintain and develop close relationships for the benefit of future generations.”

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Photo Captions:

Photo 1 & 2: Representatives of The Canton of Guichen with Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O'Brien and Fingal County Council's Interim Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly

Photo 3: The delegation meeting Mayor of Fingal Cllr Eoghan O’Brien, Fingal County Council’s Interim Chief Executive AnnMarie Farrelly, Director of Housing and Community Margaret Geraghty and County Architect Fionnuala May