Jigsaw was best bit of Estonia event

Galway: Jugglers, drummers, stilt-walkers and a possibly sacrilegious maypole marked Galway's EU day of welcomes for Estonia at the weekend.

Those who feared an invasion of pagan hordes from the east might have had their prejudices realised when they spotted the maypole behind the city's market - within holy grounds. Rev Patrick Towers, Church of Ireland rector, had once again thrown open the doors of St Nicholas's Collegiate Church to accommodate the festivities for the Baltic state of Estonia.

As both parents and children tugged at ribbons and tried to weave the Estonian national colours around the maypole, toddlers around the back of the church were engaged at times in a mini-European conflict. Was Hungary about to hit neighbouring Slovakia? Had Latvia taken a swipe at Lithuania? No, this was just a bit of friendly banter as a large jigsaw of Europe was pieced together - and then broken up.

The puzzle was the creation of Macnas, the street theatre group. Its director, Mr John Ashton, confirmed that it was probably one of the most successful elements of the programme which had had begun on Friday night with Estonian philharmonic musicians in St Nicholas's church and an exhibition of artwork by Estonian schoolchildren. The pupils of St Nicholas's school returned the compliment, with a "tree of welcomes" comprising delicately painted pottery leaves which will be sent to the Baltic state.

An official "fáilte" was delivered at noon on Saturday by the Mayor of Galway, Cllr Terry O'Flaherty, when she opened a European fair in the church grounds. While the Estonian representation distributed tourist literature about its capital, Tallinn, the Estonian poet Andres Ehin gave a lunchtime reading in the city library, accompanied by translator Patrick Cotter.

Galway city and county librarian, Pat McMahon, launched an anthology of Estonian poetry, and the library had put together a bulletin on nine Estonian writers.

The eagerly-awaited grand finale - the parade - took place at Spanish Arch, and was attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern.

However, the Estonian president was late, and Mr Ahern had to content himself with some multi-cultural distractions as Macnas's large lumbering giraffe gazed on in wonder.

Celebrations for the new EU countries also took place in Bray (Cyprus), Kilkenny (Lithuania), Sligo (Hungary), Waterford (Malta), Drogheda (Latvia), Killarney (Czech Republic) and Letterkenny (Poland).