Packed agenda as Cork twinned with France for EU Presidency

A packed schedule of events organised by the Cork City Council and the French Embassy in Ireland has been announced as part of Ireland’s term as President of the Council of the European Union.

As part of the Presidency, the Department of Foreign Affairs has paired each county in Ireland with one of the 27 EU member states, and Cork has been paired with France.

The itinerary will include an official visit by the French Ambassador to Ireland, Céline Place, alongside the Irish ambassador to France, Alison Milton.

There will also be a series of cultural engagements, such as the Bastille Day Ireland Film Festival, West Cork Literary Festival in Bantry, a ‘Cultural Third Places’ symposium and the cultural program of Cork’s Alliance Française.

The Bastille Day Ireland Film Festival will run between 11-19 July. It us organised in associated with Alliance Française Cork, Cork City Library and University College Cork (UCC), and the Cork International Film Festival.

The films will be available to stream for free online and will include comedies, short films, and family screenings. All films are in French with English subtitles.

At the West Cork Literary Festival on 16 July, French author and journalist Nolwenn Le Blévennec will present the English publication of her novel ‘Friends and Lovers’.

On 15 and 16 October, Paris-based choreographer and dancer Wanjiru Kamuyu will present his show, ‘An Immigrants Story’, at Firkin Crane.

From 16-18 October, a special October edition of the Cork French Film Festival will be run in Cork City, presented by Alliance Française Cork.

A film screening of contemporary short films from nine countries around Europe, including Ireland and France, will form part of the Cork International Film Festival on 17 November.

Throughout the Presidency, Alliance Française Cork will host a series of events celebrating French language and culture, and the close links between Cork and France.

The lineup spans exhibitions, presentations, interactive quizzes, film screenings, and tastings.

A spokesperson from the French Embassy said that “France is Ireland’s closest EU neighbour, and until December this year, the new pairing means Cork will be the closest Irish county to France”.

This article was produced with the support of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme funded by Coimisiún na Meán.