Mayor of Ards and North Down Council, Councillor Jennifer Gilmore, welcomed a group of Italians who were visiting Bangor to attend the Columbanus Community Folk Festival. Included in the group was Mayor Chiara Barbieri from Briga Novarese, a small town near Milan; Manuela Bertoncini, a regular visitor to Bangor who has organised many cultural, musical, sport and educational exchanges between Bangor and Italy; and harpist Gianna Williams who was taking part in the Festival.

Mayor Gilmore said, ” It was a pleasure to welcome Mayor Chiara Barbieri and her companions to the Borough of Ards and North Down. Mayor Barbieri is keen to forge links between young musicians in the Borough and Italy.”

During their visit, the Italians visited the Walled Garden, went on the Columbanus Boat Tour to Smelt Mill Bay to see where Columbanus and his 12 disciples sailed for Europe, and attended the Columbanus Community Folk Festival Concert in St Comgall’s.