Redruth to Le Festival Interceltique, Lorient, Brittany
- 44 minutes ago
- 5 min read
August 2026
I don't think that people in Cornwall have any idea of the scale and scope of the Lorient Festival, now in its 55th year, featuring musicians, dancers, artists from across the Celtic nations of Brittany, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, The Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias and Cornwall. I certainly didn't. For the first time there were a million visitors to the Festival in a town of 60,000 inhabitants. This year it was all eyes on Cornwall under the title of 'The heart of the Celtic Sea'. For that reason this was the biggest Cornish delegation ever.
Tony and the City of Lights team of Sam Bradbury, Sue Loydell and Charlotte Williams were invited to create a Cornish character made from their signatory willow, paper and glue to accompany the delegation. They decided to make a figure of a bal maiden. She created such a presence throughout the festival and people took her to their hearts. Although the team settled on the name Maud, which apparently means 'mighty in battle' for her, the crowds referred to her as 'La Dame Blanche'. She performed in the nightly spectacle in the Stadium with dancers Issy, Steph and Lorraine from Kekezza puppeteering. She appeared to shepherd the young dancers and join in their steps. Then on the first Sunday, she led the Cornish delegation in the grand parade where Tony, Sam and me were animating her. All on a scale that we have never been involved in before. We felt immensely proud to be part of it and representing our home.
Departing Cornwall in the van; scenes in the stadium; Bal Maiden with the Kekezza dancers; one happy man after the final performance.
As well as the grand events and the behind the scenes diplomacy (the British Embassy held a reception), Cornwall had its own tent in what was called the Cornwall Garden - by this point there was no grass and certainly no plants other than welcome trees. A whole team of volunteers was there to chat about Cornwall and the language. I was there a couple of afternoons and chattered for hours with people curious about how similar the Cornish language is to Breton; great for my French but made me realise how weak my Kernewek is...
As there were seats in the shade, it became a refuge for many. I met an old man from Lorient who has been coming to the Festival all his life. He loves the innovations and changes and was taking particular delight in that there are so many young people involved.
The Cornish tent became a meeting place as it had seats in the shade. Me interviewing Issy Bloomfield in her bal maiden dance costume; Tony and Sam making fish lanterns.
And then there was music - everywhere and at all hours... Bagipes and drums need a lot of warming up and our school grounds were the perfect place, not to mention the parades, competitions, performances and then informal sessions at the end of the day.
As well as the big spectacles, there are different size stages, bars and street venues all over town. A riot of sounds and sights from lyrical harps, to Celtic heavy metal, choirs, lone fiddlers and pipers to amplified folk rock. From Cornwall we loved the 3 Daft Monkeys, Salt and Sky and Barrett's Privateers, as well as Gareth Churcher's wonderful epic composition around the Mermaid of Zennor with massed brass players, the Celtic Male Ensemble and operatic singers. Was sad to miss Skilliwidden who did the opening concert but were described in the daily festival paper as 'the first find of the festival'. We were doing a 4 hour tech rehearsal in the stadium at the time. Also loved the Acadian Band Moyenne Rig. There was a presence from Acadia and Louisiana as I think there are a lot of Breton links, like our Cousin Jacks. Mainly it was the sheer joy of being there with musical sounds and dancers at every corner.
Getting ready for the parade; Kekezza taking a well earned break; Salt and Sky rehearsing; Barrett's Privateers; Martha Woods singer and musician with Laura Giles from Screen Cornwall; Breton Kenleur dancers; great way to travel with heavy drum in the heat; Asturian and Galician musicians and dancers; Breton folk rock.
The welcome from the Festival was superb. We were all put up in the Lycee Dupuy de Lome close to town, the stadium and the canteen where we were catered for three meals a day plus cider and wine as well as having wrist bands for the festival bars. We became quite institutionalised and accustomed to queuing for meals... It was also a great way for everyone to get to meet other delegations. After the sweltering heat of the parade, I was standing behind an Asturian dancer who showed me the three layers of woolen petticoat she was wearing ... The 1600 benevoles/volunteers were absolutely delightful and relentlessly cheerful. One man told me that he had been volunteering for 12 years and had made so many good friends who continue to meet throughout the year. Many years ago he had bought a t-towel with Cornish pasty recipe which he makes for their gatherings as a fond reminder.
Mustn't forget to mention the Cornish Wrestling delegation and Will Musgrave who won in at least one category. As well there were films. I watched a great Cornish/Breton collaboration called Crush directed by Emmanuel Roy and an Irish Gaelic film called Tarrac directed by Declan Recks. Both really enjoyable. Not forgetting the innovation of Water Jousting in the harbour. Jasper Morrison was asked to represent Cornwall. Without dunking a single opponent, he came third.
We did manage a couple of days out for welcome swims and different air. Namely to Isle de Groix and Port Louis and both by boat.
On the final evening, the organisers requested that the Bal Maiden went on a walkabout to close the Festival. So our call was for midnight. Just a couple of flag bearers, some in traditional dance dress, Salt and Sky musicians and a couple of fish. It was such a moving experience as no-one knew she was coming. Her reception was rapturous, though some people jumped out of their skin (she is over 4 metres tall), small children hid in their mother's skirts, drunk men urged her to go on stage at the Quai de Bretagne, even the police grabbed their phones for photos. That's when we heard so many shouts for 'La Dame Blanche'.
Before we came people said that by the end we would never want to hear another pipe ... I must admit I rather enjoyed the background drone. However, on the ferry home, Tony and I had grabbed a seat on deck and were falling asleep in the sun, when the familiar pipe and drum sound jolted us from our somnolence. It was a Breton baghad on their way somewhere, so why not play? We didn't manage to stay for the whole set ...
What an adventure! A huge thank you to Jenefer Lowe and Lowenna Hosken for inviting us. To Festival organisers and all the Cornish delegation for being so talented and such good company. We only dare to hope that we may be invited back next year for the 'Year of Women'. For now Maud the Bal Maiden can be found at Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum and we hope she will have an outing at the Lowender Perran Festival in Redruth in October.
There is also talk of a documentary and exhibition which I hope might feature some of interviews ... watch this space.
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