Portarlington has a long-standing "French connection"; beginning with a number of French Huguenot refugee families having been settled there near the end of the 17th century, and having long preserved their French identity: traces of same remaining, today. In recognition of this, the town has held "since way back", a "French Festival" weekend every July -- with French-oriented "live music, dance, sport, history, food, and a parade". (Heartening, in view of most of Ireland's being strongly Catholic; and the Protestant Huguenots having had to come to Britain owing to Catholic oppression back home -- "nothing personal", it would seem.) Something of a parallel with the London Borough of Lambeth, with its considerable Portuguese community, having traditionally held Portugal-related celebrations on Portugal's National Day. June 10th.