By Catriona Lowther, Secretary, Ballina Carers’ Support Group

Ballina Carers Support Group were both proud and privileged to work alongside the Ballina 2023 committee to host an Open Information and Family Fun Fay in the Jackie Clarke Collection on Saturday, September 30th.

Although the weather wasn’t kind to us, we had a fantastic turn out of various support services, groups and therapies. Several of the different organisations in attendance weren’t aware of each other, so along with we carers and the general public, the professionals themselves gained a lot of new information and contacts.

The sharing of information was the main objective of the event, and we are delighted to say that we achieved this.

The team at the Jackie Clarke Collection were amazing in everything they did for us, from allowing us to use their beautiful grounds to keeping everyone topped up with teas, coffees and various refreshments. Also, thanks to Tommy and Alfie who kept us entertained through music and song, and also DJ Chris Lawlor who so generously gave us his time. We are also very grateful to Ballina Costume Company who ran arts and crafts for our younger guests.

A huge thank you to each and everyone who gave of their time to share their information. That is what made the day. Also to our amazing group members who volunteered their time to talk to attendees and the various group and spread the message about what we do as a group, and helped out with our younger guests.

We were particularly delighted with the attendance of our local representatives. Cllrs Mark Duffy and Annie May Reape have been great supporters of our group. It was also great to meet our local TDs, Deputy Dara Calleary and Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh. The four of them spent a lot of time chatting to our members, the people who had come with information and with other attendees, which also included our community guard Michael Kelly.

Finally, a massive thank you to Ballina 2023. Without your funding and support, particularly with publicising our event, we would never have been able to do this.

Finally, a massive thank you to Ballina 2023. Without your funding and support, particularly with publicising our event, we would never have been able to do this.

Sunday last saw the second event of a bumper sporting weekend for the Ballina Salmon Festival and as part of the ongoing year of Ballina 2023 celebrations and Ballina Salmon Festival.

 Just a day after the River Moy Swim, 186 competitors took to the Moy again to compete in the Telus International Salmon Run Sprint Triathlon, consisting of a 750 meter swim from the Ridge Pool to the end of Bachelors Walk, a 20km cycle to Killala and back, and a 5km run to the Quay and back.

The event, hosted by the local triathlon club, Liquid Motion, was back with a bang for the second year after the Covid hiatus.

Representation came from all over the country with particularly strong representation from local clubs, Liquid Motion, Castlebar and Sligo Tri Clubs. It was especially good to see the crowds supporting along the banks of the Moy, on the bridges, in transition and on the run route.

What a race it was with all podium places being exchanged in the final stages of the run. New man Colm Tobin, after a strong swim and bike, was overhauled by a charging Trevor Cawley for third place with 1km to go. Up front, Liquid Motion’s Shane Dunne, who took first place on the podium in the River Moy Swim the previous day, went out on the run in first place with two minutes to spare. Shane put in the fastest swim and bike section of the race. Hot on his heels was last years winner, local man and clubmate Stephen Donnelly. Stephen put in a blistering 5km of 17:49 to catch and overtake Shane on the way back from the Quay to finish with a time of 1:01:05 and retain his crown.

Special mention to young Enniscrone man Kenneth Mulrooney, relatively new to triathlon, who finished in 7^th place overall (and age group winner) with the second fastest run of the day.

By Mairéad Melody-Carr, Attymass NS Parents’ Association

“Reduce, Reuse, Reinvent” was the overall theme of a recent climate-focused family fun day held in Attymass on Friday 16th June.

The community of Attymass enjoyed an inclusive and interactive show entitled ‘Juanita’s Big Problem’, developed by the esteemed Circus250. Circus250 is dedicated to bringing circus to new audiences in unusual places, and believes that circus is the most accessible of art forms, for everyone.

Juanita the clown had a big problem with all the plastic waste she had! The community, together with the pupils and teachers from Attymass NS helped Juanita to organise items made from plastic on a timeline of how long it takes each item to break down.

The audience learned so much, including that it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down! They sorted some plastic into 3 categories ‘Reduce, Reuse or Reinvent’. This was a wonderful, fun and educational event for all and will help communities in their effort to create change.

Following this, everyone happily participated in a community litter pick around Attymass village. The children earned some well deserved treats provided by the Attymass NS Parents Association.

The Attymass N.S Parents Association were delighted to secure the funding for this important event from the Ballina 2023 Community Events Fund. The community event also tied in really well with some recent projects that are ongoing within Attymass NS. and we are very thankful to Ballina 2023 for awarding us with this funding.

All of this helps us to educate and create awareness of climate related issues surrounding us, particularly for our young people. It shows how we can all help to create change!

I am Ainhoa ​​González Amorós, an audiovisual student from Valencia, Spain.

For the last few weeks I have been doing my work experience in Ballina, Ireland, with the Erasmus+ program that my school offered me. I work with Ballina Chamber of Commerce, helping out on social media and I support the Ballina 2023 team too.

Being only two weeks in Ireland I was told that on April 14, 2023 I was going to take photos of US President Joe Biden during his visit to Ballina as part of the Ballina 2023 celebrations! My Spanish family and friends couldn’t believe it and I much less.

In the days before the event, I was taking photos on the streets of Ballina for social media, as they were all adorned with the American and Irish flags to welcome the President of the United States of America.

When the day of the event arrived, I went to get my volunteer card to be able to enter the event with my volunteer partner Christine. I was very lucky with the area I was volunteering in, as it was where all the Irish dignitaries were seated.

I helped put out Irish and American flags on the chairs  and also recorded some videos for social media.

It was a very crazy day in general, it rained, the sun came out, the rainbow, it was cold…. But it was worth it, because this opportunity doesn’t come twice in a lifetime!

It was a long event, since it started at five or six o’clock in the afternoon and Joe Biden arrived at 10pm. He started giving his speech, talking about Ballina’s St Muredach’s Cathedral and his relatives who lived in Ballina like his great-great-great grandfather, among many other things while I was taking photos and videos of him.

This experience was incredible and exciting for me, I am very aware of the great opportunity I have experienced and how much it can benefit my career path. I never imagined that one of my first events would be taking pictures of the President of the United States of America. I felt a lot of pressure when they first told me, but I think I was able to handle it quite well and it was very exciting to experience it.

I can only thank NBTI who are the ones who organized everything about Erasmus+, my school (Sagrada Familia PJO) and Ballina Chamber for trusting me and offering me this incredible opportunity. Thank you very much, I will always be very grateful!

From all of us here at Ballina 2023, thank you Ainhoa for all your hard work and very best wishes with the rest of your studies! 

“When I started volunteering with the Ballina 2023 team back in April 2022 as Volunteer Coordinator little did I know the extraordinary year that lay ahead….and it’s not over yet!

During that time, I have seen and participated in some behind the scenes planning for events large and small, connected with some amazing people, and shared in some unforgettable experiences. I am really looking forward to seeing what the rest of the year of celebration has in store.

As Volunteer Coordinator I have the privilege of engaging with various groups and individuals in our community, who show up and make all these events successful. So many people have responded to our messages for involvement and have come out in their hundreds over the course of the year so far, dedicating their time to support small-scale local events and large-scale events of global significance, such as the recent visit to Ballina by US President Joe Biden.

What I have noticed is that volunteering has really been a lifeline for so many after a hard couple years of isolation. It has brought new residents of Ballina into the heart of the community where previously connections may have been hard to establish. People who are just starting to call Ballina ‘home’ are making friendships and exploring what they can offer the town.

And of course, we have found assistance and leadership from groups who have been volunteering for decades in Ballina and know the town, inside out. Their experience has been absolutely invaluable to the planning and development of Ballina 2023 projects, and we are so grateful for the contribution they make to our town.

Volunteering is especially rewarding when you are doing something you enjoy, meeting new people and adding value to a project. Contributing even one hour a week can make a huge difference to a group or organisation who rely on the generosity of people. Your time is the most valuable thing you can give, and gaining experience, interacting with a diverse group, and exploring different opportunities are only some of the benefits of volunteering in return.

At Ballina 2023 we are here to celebrate the anniversary of the formal establishment of the town and we seek to involve everyone in those celebrations. We look to celebrate the people at the heart of all our activities and I would highly recommend getting involved. 

If you would like to talk about how you could volunteer as part of Ballina 2023, please do feel free to get in touch. We have lots of opportunities!