One of the biggest weekends in the Ballina 2023 event programme lies ahead, with no fewer than four events taking place in the North Mayo capital as part of the year-long celebration of the town’s 300th anniversary.
Today, Friday, April 28, Inland Fisheries Ireland in partnership with Ballina 2023 will deliver two guided tours of the iconic Salmon Weirs, commencing at Ballina Arts Centre and supported by Mayo North Tourism. The tours, which are already fully booked, will offer an insight into the history of the Moy Fishery and Salmon Weir, and after a health and safety briefing, and a rare opportunity to step out onto the weir itself, where participants will learn about the fish counters and hydraulics.
Saturday, April 29 will welcome Mayo County Council’s flagship Mayo Day event arrive in Ballina for the first time as part of the Ballina 2023 celebrations, with live music, food, crafts, family fun, art, a day-long Irish language programme and lots more, to mark the annual celebration of all that is great about Mayo. Events run from 12pm to 6pm, followed by a free performance by the Ray Leonard Players of ‘The Kings of the Kilburn High Road’ in Ballina Arts Centre at 7pm.
The Mayo.ie Western People Women’s Mini-Marathon will take place on Sunday, April 30, again for the first time to celebrate the town’s birthday. Mayo Sports Partnership are delivering the eventin partnership with Mayo.ie, Ballina 2023, the Western People, Ballina Athletic Club and Moy Valley Athletic Club. The event has attracted a full capacity of 2,023 women who will run, job and walk 10km on a brand new route designed to show Ballina at its best. 1,000 children will also participate in the 2km Mini Mini event, supported by Healthy Mayo.
To close out the weekend’s festivities, an unveiling will take place on Sunday, April 30 at 5pm at the top of Pearse St of a memorial plaque to Arthur Muffeny, by the recently formed Arthur Muffeny Commemoration Committee. Muffeny was one of Ballina’s greatest campaigners, businessmen, philanthropists, industrialists and humanitarians, known as a champion of the poor and destitute. The unveiling at his former residence will coincide with the launch of a book, “Ballina’s Forgotten Hero”, co-written by two of his great grandchildren, Yvonne Ahearn-Kevany and Colum MacDonnell. Refreshments will be served afterwards in Rouse’s Bar.
Traffic restrictions will apply in Ballina over the weekend – please see www.mayo.ie and www.ballina2023.ie for information.
