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<h4>Keeping Irish Culture Alive in Basel</h4>
Galway’s Marion Bächlin-Cunningham is a vibrant force in the Irish community in Switzerland. Hailing from Fr. Burke Road, the 71-year-old is Vice President of the Basel Irish Club and founder of the Ciorcal Comhrá Irish language group in the city.
As Ireland Week Switzerland is underway in cities such as Zurich and Basel, it is an opportunity to celebrate the people who keep Irish traditions alive abroad. Marion is one such person, fostering connections between the countries through language, dance, literature, and community.
She is passionate about Irish dancing, attending classes in Basel and is an active runner, hiker and continues to enjoy travel.

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Marion pictured at the Irish Embassy in Berne, Switzerland with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy on St Patrick's Day, 2025. 
<h4>A Galway Girl with a Global Story</h4>
Born and raised in Galway, Marion attended Claddagh Primary School and the Mercy Secondary School, both Irish-speaking. She went on to study English, French, and Mathematics at University of Galway, before undertaking her teaching qualification.
The desire to teach and explore took her far beyond the familiar shores of home. In the early 1980s, as a young mother, she took a leap of faith and moved to Algeria to teach. It was a challenging time, adjusting to life in a new country with a small child.
Despite these challenges, she adapted, and it was to become formative for her future self. It was in Algeria that she met her now husband, Michael, a Swiss national working as a project leader.
"He had spotted me before we officially met and was really curious as to who I was," she recalls with a laugh.
"We started going on little outings into the desert, and before we knew it, that was that."
Her international journey continued, taking her from Algeria to Greifensee, Zurich, then Indonesia, and eventually back to Switzerland, where she settled in Basel. She and Michael built a life together across continents, raising their three children: Saoirse, Aonghus, and Órla.
Along the way, the couple faced unimaginable tragedy in Indonesia—losing Aonghus to viral pneumonia. It was a devastating loss, but the support of friends and the expat community helped them to navigate their grief.
“There was always somebody there during the night,” she explains, “if I couldn't sleep, there was always somebody sitting there waiting for me, someone to talk to me every night.
“I was in a cloud for about two years after he died. I lost so much weight I became skeletal. But the support from our expat friends was incredible—people would take me out just to help me get through the days."
Upon their return to Switzerland, Marion would go on to teach English at FMS Basel for over two decades.

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Marion and her husband Michael pictured outside their lakeside home near Moycullen, Co Galway. 
<h4>Keeping Irish Culture Alive in Basel</h4>
In her role with the Basel Irish Club, Marion helps to organise literature readings, dance performances, concerts, and major celebrations like St. Patrick’s Day. One of her most personal contributions has been the Ciorcal Comhrá, as she hosts the fortnightly informal Irish conversation group.
The group provides a space for Irish speakers—whether fluent or just starting out—to gather and use their ‘cúpla focal’. While attendance varies, the group has grown to 43 members on WhatsApp, with people joining from all over Switzerland.
“The interest in the Irish language is there,” Marion says.
“I set up the circle about three and a half years ago. I had asked a few Irish people if they would like to meet regularly to speak Irish, and there was a great interest there, so I started it off. We meet every two weeks.
“Not everyone can make it in person every time, but people want to stay connected.”
<h4>Ireland Week Switzerland: A Celebration of Irish Heritage</h4>
As Ireland Week Switzerland 2025 unfolds, Marion is at the heart of the festivities in Basel.
The Basel Irish Club schedule includes:
<ul>
<li>- St. Patrick’s Day Lunch at Radisson Blu, featuring live music and a fundraiser for LauraLynn Children’s Hospice.</li>
<li>- Ciorcal Comhrá Irish Language Meet-Up (March 18) at The Bibliothek Bar.</li>
<li>- Finnegans Wake Reading Group (March 19) at Basel University, led by renowned scholars.</li>
</ul>
Beyond these events, Irish culture is thriving across Switzerland, with strong GAA clubs in both Zurich and Basel and an increasing number of Irish professionals working in industries like pharmaceuticals and finance.
Marion notes that while not all Irish people in Basel are formal members of the Irish Club, many turn up for big events like St. Patrick’s Day, drawn to the warmth of Irish gatherings.

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Marion and Michael pictured at the Irish Embassy in Berne on St Patrick's Day 2025
<h4>Connecting Ireland and Switzerland</h4>
Reflecting on her life, Marion sees a clear thread of connection—whether through teaching, language, or community-building, she has always sought to bring people together. She continues to do so at her beautiful lakeside home in Moycullen, where the couple spend some of their time during the year.
For the Irish in Switzerland, she is a key figure in keeping their heritage alive, ensuring that Irish culture is celebrated.

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Galway's Marion Bächlin-Cunningham Champions Irish Culture in Basel

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