Niall Burgess, Irish Ambassador to France, was present in Dinard this Thursday, August 8, in the yacht club members' lounge. A whirlwind visit that fits more broadly into the history of the special relationship between the two Celtic lands of Brittany and Ireland.

“None of this would have been possible if Ireland had not experienced a cultural boom in recent years,” underlines Deputy for Culture Vincent Remy. Having cycled through Ireland as a teenager, fascinated by the early days of Alan Stival and the country's emblematic Celtic harp, the elected official thinks there is “real meaning in bringing Dinard and Ireland together”.

Movie theater

Dominic Green, artistic director of the Dinard Film Festival, recognized the wind coming in 2022 by creating a section dedicated to Irish cinema. Two years later, the Dinard event was renamed the “Dinard British and Irish Film Festival”. “Dinard was created by the British and included the Irish. So, this year, Ireland's place in the festival's program has never been more important.

50 years ago

This is Niall Burgess's second visit to Dinard. “The first time was with the family, 50 years ago … my first holiday abroad,” recalls the diplomat, historian and archaeologist by training, “not far from here, an Irish monk landed on the beach of St. Columban. Gesclin before leaving to evangelize Europe.

Today, the ambassador recognizes, “French-Irish relations have strengthened. Our cultural ties are a great source of pride. From James Joyce to Eileen Gray, Irish artists have made France their home, and culture is one of our nations' many shared passions. Breton ports play an important role in this reconciliation, the idea being to ensure that Dinard is a port of entry for Irish culture, particularly in the field of cinema.

First A

Niall Burgess has not forgotten that the Dinardais Cinema event offered a showcase for John McGahern's “Quiet Girl” with its first screening in France. “Irish cultural life cannot be separated from its French roots. Moreover, the Irish system is increasingly inspired by the French system. Exchanges have led to the establishment of a partnership with the Festival. But this partnership does not stop at cinema, it takes the form of projects in other fields such as literature (with a media library), theater and of course music. »