Welsh and Breton links strengthened with long term collaboration
Students in Aberystwyth have been learning about the language and culture of Brittany with a visit from academics from the Breton city of Rennes.
Continuing a long-term collaboration between the two institutions, a group of academics from Université Rennes 2 (Skol-veur Roazhon 2) travelled to Aberystwyth University to offer a week-long educational programme.
Students from the Departments of Welsh & Celtic Studies, Modern Languages and International Politics were offered the opportunity to learn about the Breton language and culture; along with members of Cymdeithas Cymru Llydaw (Wales Brittany Association).
Visiting academics from the Breton and Celtic Department at Université Rennes 2 offered Breton lessons for beginners and for those who already have some familiarity with the language. They will also delivered lessons on the culture and history of Brittany.
Breton through the medium of Welsh
Cédric Choplin delivered a session on the history of Brittany; Dr Tristan Loarer taught about the development of the language, from Brythonic to modern Breton; Riwanon Callac delivered a lecture in Welsh on the history of Breton literature; and Myriam Guillevic gave a talk on women in popular Breton songs.
Dr Rhianedd Jewell, Head of the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies at Aberystwyth University said: “We are delighted to welcome colleagues from the Department of Breton and Celtic Studies at Université Rennes 2 to Aberystwyth. We at the Department of Welsh and Celtic Studies are very proud of our connections with other Celtic nations, and this visit will certainly strengthen this further.
“Aberystwyth University is the only place in the world where you can study the Breton language through the medium of Welsh. The course offered by colleagues from Rennes 2 will enable these students to deepen their understanding of the language and culture of Brittany, as well as offering a wider opportunity for other students and those in the community of Aberystwyth who are completely new to the subject.”
Lecturer, Gwenole Cornec, teaches Breton through medium of Welsh at Aberystwyth University. He said: “There is a long history of exchanges between Aberystwyth and Rennes 2 Universities, and their continuation despite the difficulties posed by COVID and Brexit demonstrates their strength.
“I can personally testify to the great richness provided by this type of collaboration, having had the chance to discover Aberystwyth and learn Welsh as a student as part of an international exchange between our two universities.
“The connection between our Breton and Welsh languages is well and truly alive, and what’s happening in Aberystwyth is a good example of that.”
Welsh and Breton share linguistic roots dating back to the fall of the Roman Empire, when people from Brythonic-speaking southwest Britain, settled in the northwest of modern-day France, later named Brittany.
Festival Interceltique
Continuing the Celtic connections, the 2025 Festival Interceltique de Lorient has been confirmed for August 2025, with the theme of ‘Les Cousins Amerique’ – our American cousins from the Celtic diaspora.
The 2024 festival in Lorient was a difficult year for organisers due to the interference of the Olympic Games but next year, the festival’s 54th, the plan is for a return to its natural course both in terms of calendar and format.
The festival promises a deep dive into the unique cultural exchanges between Brittany and its “cousins” across the Atlantic.
Focusing on the people of Celtic origin from the American continent (especially Scotland, Brittany, France and Ireland) that migrated across the Atlantic, maintaining their roots and their references, the festival is set to celebrate everything from the language, customs and culture to the gastronomy and of course the music.
From vibrant Acadian rhythms to soulful Louisiana melodies, the event will aims to create bridges between our two continents through music, dance, and shared heritage.
Some of the communities under the spotlight will be the peoples of Acadia, Louisiana, Quebec, New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Boston and New York.
Ocean to ocean
The ‘Celtic cousins’ in focus hail from the east coast of America, the ancestors of immigrants who became pioneers in new lands.
For many years now, Lorient has welcomed diasporas – the last being the year dedicated to Acadia, back in 2012 and Australia in 2015.
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The Lorient Interceltique Festival is the world’s largest gathering of Celts, and is also one of the largest events in Brittany, France and Europe, attracting more than 950,000 visitors and spectators each year.
Every year in Lorient at the beginning of August, the event brings together many Celtic nations for festivities throughout the city.
The Festival involves 10 days and 10 nights of concerts, shows, activities and many others every year at the beginning of August.
In attendance are more than 5,000 musicians, singers, dancers, visual artists, academics, filmmakers, from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias, Brittany, as well as well as the Celtic diaspora throughout the world (USA, Acadia, Australia, New Zealand etc.)
The highlight is the Grande Parade des Nations Celtes which attracts more than 90,000 spectators to the streets of Lorient on the first Sunday.
Confirmed artists
Among the first confirmed artists is the legendary Alan Stivell, who will grace the stage on Sunday, August 3, with his “Liberté Tour” at the Espace Jean-Pierre Pichard.
Known for his groundbreaking contributions to Celtic music, Stivell promises an unforgettable evening blending his iconic classics with orchestral elements.
Another highlight is Solas, the renowned Irish-American band that recently returned to the stage after an eight-year hiatus. They will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a special performance on Tuesday, August 5.
The Canadian group Le Vent du Nord will perform with the Orchestre National de Bretagne in an exclusive collaboration. This symphonic celebration will take place on Wednesday, August 6 and promises to be a mesmerizing blend of Québécois folk and orchestral grandeur.
The festival has officially opened its online ticketing platform.
Visit the Festival Interceltique de Lorient’s website for more information.
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A coalition of Celts. We are one and the same people separated by an ocean of time, but the ripples of familiarity still lap upon our respective shores. Breton is the daughter of Cymraeg, a language known by many names , Brythoneg, Cymraeg, Welsh and later Breton, a language taken by the Cymry to the Gaulish kingdom of Armonica, modern day North West France, by those seeking sanctuary after Saxon incursions of Southern Britain to found Brittany aka little Britain. Today we still face the very same issues of prejudice and bigotry towards our respective languages. We should celebrate not… Read more »
France still does its best to obstruct the teaching of French, unlike the opportunities given to Welsh.