Marking Bastille Day in Dublin: A Celebration of Franco-Irish Friendship

On Monday evening (July 14th), I had the pleasure of attending the French Embassy’s Bastille Day celebration at the Residence of Ambassador Céline Place. The event brought together members of the diplomatic corps, government ministers — including Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill — and civic and cultural representatives from across the city.

Bastille Day is France’s national holiday, but its themes of liberty, equality, and fraternity resonate far beyond French borders. For Dublin, a city shaped by its own republican tradition and strong European ties, the occasion offered a meaningful opportunity to reflect on our shared values and growing partnership with France.

Today, Dublin is home to a thriving French community. From the Alliance Française on Kildare Street to the French Tech start-ups based in the Docklands, the relationship between our two countries is not just diplomatic — it’s lived, daily, in the life of our city. French culture, business, and creativity are part of what makes Dublin such a vibrant and international capital.

As Lord Mayor, I’ve committed to celebrating Dublin in all its diversity — and that includes recognising the contribution of our international communities. The French presence here strengthens our city in countless ways, and events like Bastille Day offer a welcome chance to acknowledge that.

I also want to commend Ambassador Place for her deep engagement across Dublin’s civic and cultural spheres. Her work has helped to deepen Franco-Irish ties at a local level, and her presence is widely appreciated across the city.

There’s also much Dublin can learn from Paris and other European capitals as we look ahead to the future. From transport innovation to the transformation of public space, cities across Europe are rethinking how they serve their people. Through our Dublin 2050 initiative, we’re doing the same — and international dialogue will be a key part of that process.

Bastille Day reminded us not only of our historical connections, but also of the opportunities we share — as cities, as nations, and as European partners.

Vive la coopération. Vive Dublin. Vive notre amitié avec la France.