Former Head Gardener at Enniscoe House and owner of AM Landscapes, our very own Annette Maughan will deliver an introductory workshop on how to compost at home this Friday as part of Mayo’s Climate Action Gathering.

Annette will simplify the composting process and share samples of what you should be aiming for.  

Full details of the weekend’s programme of events are available at: http://www.maryrobinsoncentre.ie/mayo-climate-action-gathering.html

Ballina 2023 is proud to partner with Mayo County Council. Ballina Green Town, Ballina Chamber and the Mary Robinson Centre on this event.

Event details:

3pm, Friday November 12th, 2021

Venue: Ballina Green Town Hub, Pearse St. (Formerly Leo Doherty’s Menswear)

Admission: Free, no booking is required – just come along on the day!

Meet the Ballina 2023 team on November 12-13^th at Mayo’s Call to Action for Climate – two days of climate action talks, workshops, demonstrations and walks hosted by Ballina – Ireland’s Greenest Town

To mark the end of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 26 in Glasgow, Mayo’s Call to Action on Climate event takes place in Ballina over the weekend of November 12^th -13^th. Activities will feature talks and workshops on a Circular Economy for Ballina, a Call for Climate Action walk, a Decarbonising Communities networking event and over the weekend, there will be information on practical ways everyone can take action for change.

Sustainability underpins the ethos of Ballina 2023, and supporting this initiative, members of the Ballina 2023 team will be joining in the weekend’s events. As part of our Community Engagement programme, there will be a Ballina 2023 Community Desk at The Green Town Hub in Ballina (O’Rahilly St) where members of the public can meet the team and share their ideas on what they would like to see happen during the year-long celebration in 2023, as well as their ambitions for the future development of the town and its people.

Positive action towards meaningful change is at the core of all of the weekend’s events. 

Programme of Events

Everyone is welcome to come along, participate and find out more about how they can be part of Mayo’s action on climate change. For more information and to view the full programme, see www.maryrobinsoncentre.ie/greentown.

The communities of Ballina can also get in touch to collaborate with Ballina 2023 through www.ballina2023.ie, via social media or by emailing info@ballina2023.ie.

‘Mayo’s Call to Action on Climate – Local Action, Global Impact’ is an initiative of Ballina Green Town in partnership with The Mary Robinson Centre, Ballina Chamber, Mayo County Council and the West of Ireland Climate Action Regional Office.

Ballina 2023 is funded by Mayo County Council and supported by Ballina Municipal District Council, Ballina Chamber of Commerce, Mayo North and Moy Valley Resources. 

Ballina’s countdown to a year of celebration in 2023 is now underway, after the launch on Friday, September 17 of this brand new website, a new logo and promotional video, “The Calling”. The launch took place at a reception in the beautiful surrounds of the Jackie Clarke Collection, and was followed by by a free outdoor concert, “Beginnings : Live” in Tom Ruane Park to coincide with Culture Night. As Ballina 2023 went live, the early evening concert featured local music artists Michael Moloney, Billow Wood, David Lynn, Fionnuala Boyle and drag queen Bradley Brock, who performed in idyllic evening sunshine conditions by the River Moy.

This was the first large-scale outdoor music event to happen in the region in quite some time, and it was lovely to see so many people out enjoying themselves to live music again.

Over the coming months, an extensive community engagement process will take place to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in and contribute to the Ballina 2023 programme, but if you’d like to get in touch with an idea or to get involved, just contact us here via email.

Some acknowledgements!

As with any community event, the magic could not happen without the time and commitment of so many. A sincere thank you to everyone who helped in any way both on the day, and in the run-up to the event, especially those listed below.

• To all our performers in Tom Ruane Park; David Lynn & Fionnuala Boyle, with help from Lavinia Gilmartin, Michael Moloney, Bradley Brock and Billow Wood, Brid McGowan and our MC Paul Bourke
• All those who participated in the Beginnings video, Bradley, Daragh, Richard, and Niamh
• Shane Walkin and his crew at Audioworks
• Rob Usher, Andy Smyth and all the crew on site
• All at Moy Valley Resources IRD, particularly Martin and Emma and their CE and CSP teams
• Sean, Sarah and all the team at the Ballina Arts Centre, our partner for the event
• Joe, Sean, Michael, Audrey and Michael from Ballina Garda Station
• Brian and all the team from the Order of Malta
• Sean McNulty and his team from Ballina Municipal District at Mayo County Council 
• Mary and all the team at The Cot and Cobble & John and all the team at Dominos Pizza (Castlebar & Ballina) for helping to keep our crew and volunteers fed and happy
• Edel, Anne Marie and their team at the Jackie Clarke Collection for hosting the morning launch of the logo and video, and for hosting the Midwest Radio broadcast
• To Midwest Radio – Tommy, Brendan and Alan for their live broadcast on the morning of the launch, and the great coverage afterwards on social media
• To all our participants in the broadcast for sharing their perspectives and excitement about Ballina 2023
• To the Western People for their coverage of the launch and helping us spread the word, pre and post event, online and in in print
• Andy and Paula at Anula Productions, and Lorg Media for all the digital and video content they created together in the run-up to the event and on the day
• Marcin, Mateusz and Fiona at Darkblue Design for our website and animated logo
• David and Daragh at Connacht Print
• Ann-Marie McGing and team at Mayo Arts Office
• The many people who kindly helped with the creation of our video pieces “The Calling” and “Beginnings“: Patricia Browne, David McCafferty (Jack Charlton footage), Sean Walsh (Ballina Arts Centre), Anne Marie Forbes (Jackie Clarke Collection), Fred Queenan (Kilmoremoy LGFC), Ger Birrane, (Ballina Town FC), the crew at Ballina Community Clean Up Group, Fr Aidan O’Boyle (St Muredach’s Cathedral), Rev Martin Dean Steel, The Venerable Stephen McWhirter (Archdeacon of Killala), St Michael’s Church of Ireland, Ballina Men’s Shed, Alan Rowe (Ballina Rugby Club), David Hannon, Hollister, Conor & Jimmy Maguire, Kevin Loftus, Ballina – Ireland’s Greenest Town), Sandra McLoughlin, Cllr Mark Duffy, The Western People, Darkblue Design
• Our funders Mayo County Council and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
• And last, but definitely not least, all of our wonderful team of volunteers from all around Ballina who donned the Ballina 2023 blue hi-vis vests and helped out on the day – community at its very finest! Thanks Anne-Marie, Annette, Conall, Declan, Eamon, Ivan, Jarlath, Joe, John, Laura, Mags, Mairéad, Martin, Mary, Matthew D, Matthew G, Niall, Niamh A, Niamh O’N, Noel C, Noel R, Paul B, Philip, Seamie and Zoe!

The line-up for Ballina 2023’s first live event on Friday, September 17 at 6pm in Tom Ruane Park will feature Ballina favourites folk/ trad/ pop group Billow Wood, rising star, Michael Moloney, popular local tenor David Lynn, songstress and budding actress Fionnuala O’Boyle and Ballina’s own Drag Queen extraordinaire Bradley Brock.  

The event, which is part of Culture Night, will also have the first public screening of the new Ballina 2023 promo film, in what promises to be a magical evening on the banks of the river Moy. 

Due to current Government restrictions, to ensure no one is left disappointed, a prerecorded digital event, Ballina 2023 :  Beginnings – Live,  featuring a song from each of the performing artists will also go live on the Ballina 2023 website and social channels from 6pm on Friday September 17^th.  

In addition, to mark National Bike Week, the launch of Ballina 2023 will be a car-free event in collaboration with Ballina’s Green Town initiative.  Those attending are encouraged to park in Ballina’s existing car parks and walk or cycle to Tom Ruane Park.  A ‘Park n Ride’ convoy will also leave Batchelor’s Walk car park at 5:30pm, led by Rachel Nolan of Rachel’s Irish Adventures. The convoy will start with a road safety briefing for cyclists, followed by a short circuit around the bridges by bike and then out along the river to the event. The convoy will return to Batchelor’s Walk after the event concludes. In partnership with the Road Safety Authority, Ballina Green Town will be distributing high vis vests to all participants.

Ballina 2023 is funded by Mayo County Council and supported by Ballina Municipal District Council, Ballina Chamber of Commerce, Mayo North Tourism, Moy Valley Resources IRD and Ballina Lions Club. 

Event partners include Ballina Arts Centre, Jackie Clarke Collection, Ballina Library, Mayo Volunteer Centre and Ballina’s Green Town Initiative. 

The Local Live Performance Programming Scheme is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and administered by Mayo County Council. 

Event details

Michael Moloney, Billow Wood, David Lynn, Bradley Brock, David lynn and Fionnuala O’Boyle

Location: Tom Ruane Park, Sligo Road, Ballina

Gates Open: 6pm   Start time: 6.30pm

Tickets available from https://ballinaartscentre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873627344 

Event is free but ticketed. Max two tickets per booking.

A Digital Covid Certificate will be required for entrance to the event.  We ask that you kindly wear your mask.

US President, Joe Biden has indicated he wants to make a state visit to Ireland, on a trip that would include tips to both Ballina, Co. Mayo and Carlingford, Co. Louth, to meet with his relatives in both counties. According to the Daily Mirror, discussions have already taken place between officials on either side of the Atlantic, with a view to the President spending three to four days in the country.

The news is of course very welcome as Ballina prepares to celebrate its tercentenary in 2023, when a Presidential visit would represent a very welcome addition to the year-long calendar of events.

President Biden previously visited Ballina in 2016, where he spent time meeting and greeting the people of the town, before dining with his relatives, the Blewitt family, in the Heffernan’s on Market Square. Since then, a firm family friendship has developed between the Blewitts and the Bidens.

In 2020, to coincide with the Presidential election, Ballina Community Cleanup Group created a large-scale mural of Biden, and placed it near his ancestral home on Garden St, from where his great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Blewitt (1795-1872) departed for Scranton, Philadelphia at the height of what is known as the Irish Famine in 1851.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin is hoping to meet President Biden twice in the coming months, firstly in late autumn at a meeting of the UN Security Council of which Ireland is now a member, and again in March at the White House for St Patrick’s Day.

Cannonball RETRO road-trip coming to Ballina, August 13^th and 14^th 2021

Cruising through the countryside in a classic sportscar taking in magnificent mountain views and rugged coastlines, aromas of late summer infusing the crisp air, retro sounds blasting from the stereo and the authentic driving experience of a perfect classic – it’s a bucket list adventure.

RETRO Cannonball starts in Ballina on Friday August 13^th at 10am outside Crockets Quay Bistro, the Quay and is sponsored by BRÚ Brewery, the independent Brewery and Hospitality company providing the best of Irish food, drinks and experiences.  The classic car road trip will make its way up to Donegal and overnight in Letterkenny, then on to Malin Head and through Derry and Antrim taking in The Giant’s Causeway, The Dark Hedges, made famous by Game of Thrones, and finishes in Belfast on Saturday August 14^th at 6pm.

Registered cars for the RETRO road-trip include the rare & iconic Ferrari Dino GTS, a Lamborghini Diablo, a Jaguar E-Type, a gorgeous Ferrari 328 GTS, some beautiful Mercedes-Benz SL classics, a Lancia Beta, a BMW 635CSI, a Porsche 911 Carrera and a Porsche 911 Targa, an MG Midget, a Ford Escort Cosworth, a beautiful Chevrolet Corvette, a classic VW Beetle, a Ford Thunderbird and many more.

The Retro Cannonball road-trip is fully compliant with government COVID-19 guidelines and is an outdoor event.  Any car enthusiasts wishing to come out to see the cars on the route are asked to please adhere to the advice of the Cannonball COVID-19 marshals and maintain social distancing. 

This year Cannonball Ireland and RETRO Cannonball will raise funds for The HOPE Foundation, an Irish Charity doing incredible work with the street children of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in India . HOPE funds and operates over 60 projects including 11 child protection homes, a hospital, an ambulance, counselling, food and nutrition, education, healthcare and the restoration of childhoods to children. 

“We are welcoming cars from the golden era of the 60’s,70’s, 80’s and early 90’s to take in stunning drives and many famous Irish landmarks.” said Cannonball founder Alan Bannon “Classic cars not only appeal to car lovers, but also to lovers of engineering, design, art and history.  They retain an incurable romance and that is the reason why people do, and always will, love classic cars.”

“BRÚ Brewery is delighted to be sponsoring the third RETRO Cannonball raising funds for The Hope Foundation, supporting children in Kolkata.  BRÚ is a wholly owned Irish brewery with a large range of IPAs and speciality Beers including Ireland’s only gluten free lager available countrywide,” said Ed Dunne, BRÚ Brewery proprietor.

Registration is also now open for Cannonball Ireland, the supercar event, taking place on September 17^th-19^th this year and a firm favourite with both drivers and spectators.  Cannonball has already raised €1,125,000 for charities and has been rolling since 2008.  RETRO Cannonball is an altogether more laid-back experience and drivers still enjoy one of the most unique motoring fraternities in the world with breath-taking driving routes, luxurious hospitality and that rare ‘camaraderie’ that makes Cannonball a truly unforgettable experience.

See www.cannonball.ie for details.

2023 may feel like a lifetime away, especially from lockdown, but already, plans are motion in Ballina to celebrate the 300^th anniversary of the formal establishment of the town in 1723. Ballina will celebrate this milestone through an ambitious and exciting year-long programme of collaborative events and activities in 2023 that will aim to foster civic pride, promote community engagement, honour the past and celebrate the present. The people of Ballina to are invited to log onto www.ballina2023.ie and submit their own ideas for events and celebrations throughout the year.  

The initiative is being launched today with a video on social media featuring some well-known Ballina faces. To get the ball rolling on planning, an initial steering group has been established with representatives from Mayo County Council, Moy Valley Resources IRD, Ballina Chamber of Commerce, Mayo North Tourism and Ballina Lions Club, with the aim of facilitating and empowering citizens of the town to get involved, and take an active role in putting together the year’s programme of events. 

Chair of the steering group, Cllr Jarlath Munnelly said: “This is a unique and exciting opportunity for Ballina to plan an unforgettable year of celebration and fun, with openness, equality, inclusivity and diversity at the core.  It offers everyone in the town an opportunity to contribute and participate to enjoy a major milestone in the town’s history, and all input is very welcome.” 

Ballina 2023 also offers an opportunity to develop a clear vision for Ballina, with public consultation and input, and a bringing together of all existing plans, research and studies related to the town – economic, social, and cultural – to create a single, cohesive plan. This will chart a future for the town that everyone can contribute to, benefit from, and unite behind, leaving the legacy of a platform for further growth.  

Organisers of existing events are urged to participate and add their events to the Ballina 2023 calendar, and all groups are invited to consider staging an event of their own that can be included in the programme of events. The Ballina 2023 celebrations could also coincide with the proposed return of The Gathering tourism initiative, ten years after the national diaspora-focused year of celebrations kicked off an unprecedented expansion of the tourism sector. 

Anyone who is interested in getting involved and helping out in the areas of event planning, community engagement, marketing and PR, fundraising, governance and the creation of a town vision is invited to register their interest by emailing ballina2023@gmail.com. 

How you can get involved 

• Log onto www.Ballina2023.ie and join the mailing list to receive updates 
• Complete the short survey about what you would like to see happening in Ballina in 2023 
• Follow Ballina 2023 on social media – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram 
• Register to volunteer with Ballina 2023 by emailing ballina2023@gmail.com.