2016 visit of Athy's friends

47 people arrived in Grandvilliers on April 22d evening from Beauvais airport. This number included families, sportmen, scouts, art and culture representatives.
Saturday 23d was dedicated to visiting County Oise (Noyon, Wagonde l'Armistice and Compiègne. At around 8.30 pm, took place the official diner at restaurant l'Etoile. Among guests was M. Jacques Larcher, Grandvilliers Mayor and his wife. Both boards of twinning committees were attending. M. Tom Kearbney, on behalf of the town of Athy and district, gave to M. Larcher, a copy of the 1916 Irish Constitution which will be hanged in the Grandvilliers Town Hall. Jean-Pierre Vasseur, chairman of the Grandvilliers-Athy twinning committee, also received a frame with bog-oak and Irish cuneiform writings.
Sunday 24th morning happened friendly sports meetings (soccer, judo/kemp and tennis). After them the chairpersons or representatives of Irish and French associations met at the soccer club to talk about following years projects.
On Monday morning, all  left the Square and a bus drop them at airport. Jean-Pierre and Christian  said them goodbye at airport.

SAINT-PATRICK'S EVENING

As every year, we had our St Patrick's evening on Sat 19th march.
Around 200 attendance, good musicians coming from North and South, Emett and the gang, named LOUGH'ED as well as dancers of Mary Fraell Caffrey School of ATHY, all enjoyed guests.
Even our region councillor, Alexis Mancel, was attending. On sunday morning, both musicians and dancers did the show for elderlies at our local hospital.
Thnaks to all !

2015 A.G.M

On past 15th Jan., gathering of all members for our A.G.M. Were there all members of the board, Mrs Daniel, vice-mayor and Mrs Fizet Gorin, chairperson of the County Oise Federation of Twinnings.
Everything is going well and lot of projects for 2016 year.  All agreed !
Food on the finger and drinks were served after to finish with fun this 13th A.G.M.

2015 Christmas Market

As each year, with partnership of our friends of Bockenheim twinning committee, the Christmas Market had a big success. During 2 days we had aroun 3.000 visitors, even Santa was with us and kids.
Face painting for kids, cart riding for kids, Europ Direct information point......
Less profit as we had to take somenone for security, the most important is it was a success.
Stallers were happy, visitors were happy.

W.F.S. Sponsorship

Past 9th July, the board of our committee met youngs and their families who travelled to Athy on past may.
This meeting tookplace in G.A.C. Football premises with its managers, chairpersons of Grandvilliers Judo Club and Swinning Club (P.V.G.N.).
In his speech, chairman J.P Vasseur explained what is W.F.S. and what it could do for youngs. For the occasion, it was about "european citizenship".
Chrstian, vice-chairman, gave to each young or parents a cheque of 1/20 of total net amount the W.F.S. gave to La Balad'Irlandaise.

Many thanks to the W.F.S enterprise fund for its help to families !

More info on : http://labaladirlandaise.blog4ever.com

99th year Battle of Somme commemorations

A delegation of 10from Grandvilliers and Athy went to attend these commemorations. We were 8 people of our group with 2 youngs (Sean and James of the Athy Town F.C. At 7.28 sharp we were at Lochnagar Crater in La Boisselle where began the battle. Very moving place !
Then we went to Albert for a short breakfast.where we met David Walsh, Mr Brennan and his son,. At 10.15 we  was in Thiepval where British Legion made things well. Every one could have a seat but due to the heat (around 40°) people were attending under surrounding trees.
The ceremony was,  as usually, very moving, and our youngs (french and irish) laid, on behalf of our two towns, a wreath (coloured as our both flags) at the required place this year, because of refurbishing works for 2016 commemorations. hanks to the British Legion, C.W.G.C, Lancers regimental fanfare.
We took notice at that time we were the lone franc-irish  twinning committee attending and laying a wreath, that since numerous years we attended.
After lunch we visited Albert Museum and trenches located in Auchonvillers.

2015 visit to ATHY

A strong delegation of 47 Grandvilliers's people travelled to Athy from 8th to 11th May. Among them where youngs of G.A.C Football, Grandvilliers Judo Club, Swimming Club and older of our local Photo society (Objectif Photo).
Saturday was mainly for sports (judo and kempo, U.15 football match, meeting at K Leirure swimming pool...
During the saturday evening diner, Christian (vice-chair of our twinning committee) and Joel (chair of Photo society as local councillor), after speeches, gave to Tom Kearney, chairman of the Athy Twinning Group, an old french post office box, specially refurbished. All members of the Athy group received a small present from our committee.
Sunday, they travelled by bus to Wexford, then to New Ross where they visited the Dunbrody Famine Ship. One day is short and they had not enough time to visit the Hook lighthouse.

On Monday morning, all french were going back to Dublin airport to flight back to Paris Charles de Gaulle. They met in Dublin local staff of W.F.S.
See you all next year in Grandvilliers !
All youngs of french clubs thank very much the Fondation d'Entreprise W.F.S for its help !

Grandvilliers, le départ

Football chairmen meeting 

Kempo and Judo meeting

Dancing after diner

Cllr Joel receiving Athy Town present

Tom receiving Grandvilliers twinning committee present

Adults on Dunbrody Famine Ship 

Saying "au revoir" on tha back Square Athy

Youngs with Dublin W.F.S staff

Saint Patrick 2015

On past 21th march, we enjoyed very much, as usually, the evening.
Musicians were "Clonakilty" group from Paris and after the meal, they trained the attendance to irish dances. Adter and till 2pm, D.J was there for youngers.

WE'RE ALL CHARLIE !

After past week disaster, we have to pray for all those who were murdered in Dammartin and Paris. They were anyone as we could be. Just they were at the wrong place at the wrong time, no politic, no religion in that.
Freedom is a gift of life, we have to be carefull to keep it for us and our children as their children... !

Christmas

The board, all members of La Balad'Irlandaise wish to everyone in Athy a merry Christmas ans a very happy and peaceful year 2015 !

Summer University youngs visiting our town, Grandvilliers

On Th. 15th July, all youngs attending the 2014 Summer University visited our town.
Morning : they saw the film "the Paths of Glory" and after the necessary break for the picnic, they've been meeting Mr Flament (historian) at Sarcus cemetary where 2 soldiers were shot at dawn and buried there.
Next day, they'd visited Paris... Saturday evening : the end...unfortunately !
For our 4 youngs (Ciara, Declan, Conor and Sarah), we've been sponsored by Fondation d'entreprise W.F.S and Rotary Club. Thanks to them !

EUROPEAN YOUTH SUMMER UNIVERSITY 2014

Four youngs of Athy and Grandvilliers started on Monday the 2 weeks stay at Pierrfonds. They are a part of a group (german, englaish, franch, italian and irish) of 29.
They'll visit Grandvilliers on next 15th where they'll meet our sponsors and have picnic.
Morning : shot at dawn film, afternoon : history about same subject.
Welcome to them !

IT'S OUR HISTORY

As said in our last post, the lecture of 29th June welcomed near 70 persons including one class of Mrs Riche (Grandvilliers primary school). Thanks to Clement ROCHE (military historian) of ATHY, Gerard MONCEAU (retired history teacher), Michel KEHREN (Grandvilliers Historical Society), Marie-Hélène CHAUCHAT and Miss Ciara O'FLAHERTY who translated.
On 1st July, left Grandvilliers at 5.50 straight to La Boisselle and Lochangar Crater for the impressive ceremony of remembrance.  Breakfast at Albert then go to Thiepval where, just after officials, our youngs laid the wrath at the top of the Memorial. Afternoon at Peronne Historial.

Video : ww1Photo @

NEW PARTNERSHIP

Each two years, F.C..J.O organize the European Youth Summer University. It's a friendly meeting of youngs coming from many countries of Europe. This year, Germany, U.K, Italy, Ireland and France. This meeting is from 7th July to 20th July and will take place in Pierrefonds, very near Compiegne. 

The theme is : "1914-2014, One century of Europe !".

We'll have youngs from Athy and Grandvilliers, the twinnezd towns.

We've been mainly sponsored by W.F.S Enterprise Fundation.

 and for another part by Rotary Club.

Thanks to them for their help !

2014 VISIT

As we have both agreed during our past january meeting in Athy, a strong delegation of our twin town came to visit us during Easter week-end.

Mainly youngs involved in sports and also adults...
Saturday morning : signing charter with presentation of Athy Town present, saturday afternoon : kempo, judo and soccer. Then official diner with presentation of Grandvilliers present to Athy...and disco for all.
Sunday : visit of Paris.
All of us enjoyed this very good week-end !

GREETINGS.....

Nollaig Shóna & Áth Bhlian faoi mhaise dhaoibh !

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

ATHY AND IRELAND PROMOTION

As we've been asked to participate free to Aumale "World Mart", it was impossible to say no.
It is why we've promoted Ireland, Kildare county and more specially ATHY during 2 days. Around 100 people asked questions about the country, the county and our twin town.
2 winners of our quizz got 2 free tickets for Amiens feb.2014 "CELTIC IRSH" on tour, value each 50€.
With the help of our board members, many thanks to them !

2013 BBQ

Sunday 22d September 2013

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As every year, members are attending our BBQ.  This year, they were 56 for this special day. It is our biggest gathering except our AGM.. Good food, good wines, wonderful meteo, great craic...).

Waiting next year one, slainte, folks !

BATTLE OF SOMME 2013 COMMEMORATIONS

On 1st July, two lads of Aontas Ogra, a strong youth association in Athy, were attending to Battle of Somme 2013 commemorations. At 7.28 am, throwing poppys in Lochnagar Crater and later laying a wrath, on behalf of the towns of Athy and Grandvilliers, on the Thepval Memorial.

A REFLECTION ON THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME COMMEMORATION 2013 BY AN IRISH YOUTH:

Really, I find trying to condense my experience – or my thoughts about my experience – of the trip to Grandvilliers for the Battle of the Somme commemoration into a few lines to be somewhat of an injustice, but I shall try my best.

Arriving from my flight with Michael (though he is known to friends in Athy and beyond simply as ‘Kearney’) I truly did not know what to expect. I was both nervous and excited about the coming events, and also somewhat apprehensive about staying with my host family. (Such worries were soon wiped away, however, as my hostess and her son proved wonderful company and truly kind and pleasant people – even if they were apprehensive about their ability to speak English; I assured them it was nothing compared to my reservations about attempting to speak French – something I had never quite mastered.)

As for the official events, the ceremonies, I cannot possibly put into words how emotionally moved I was by them – and how horrified I was by the sheer number of casualties and fatalities of the Somme; something that I read into upon my return home. Truthfully, I think that this trip is extremely worthwhile for young people – and not just the young people of Athy; a town with whom, of course, Grandvilliers has a special relationship. In school, you see, Irish youth are not really exposed as much to the first world war as they are to the second; indeed the first remains as a mysterious prologue to its more (dare I say) “popular” sequel. They hear nothing of the losses of the some, or the countless brave young boys (on all sides) whose lives were quenched like candles in the wind on the first day alone. The trip, therefore, is important – if not for the educational purposes, then certainly for the fact that such a horrible conflict should never be allowed happen again; and it is only the young that can prevent such an atrocity being repeated in the future.

Thank you all for this matchless opportunity. I will remember it forever.

(Joseph O’ Hara)

JUNE 2013 VISIT

From 14th to 17th past June , 25 visitors from Grandvilliers went to Athy. Among them, Mayor Jacques Larcher, chairpersons of sportsand culture clubs.
They all had a wonderful week-end in Grandvilliers twin town.
Saturday morning conference, Saturday evening diner, Sunday afternoon at the County Show....everything was well done.
Thanks to our Athy's hosts.
Many common projects will be set up for next year visit.