It’s another big weekend of celebrations in Ballina from tomorrow, as the town celebrating it’s 300th anniversary, welcomes “The Year of the French Celebrations”, honouring the contribution of French General Humbert when in 1798 he landed in Kilcummin, Killala, with his troops to assist in Ireland’s struggle for freedom.
Ballina 2023 together with the French Embassy and Ballina Municipal District will welcome French visitors to the town, including the Mayor of the French city of La Rochelle.
Battle enactments will be taking place throughout the weekend and the Irish premiere of a specially commissioned edit of the TV series “The Year of the French” will be shown in Ballina Arts Centre on Saturday evening. The Year of the French was a television serial, directed by Michael Garvey and based on the novel by Thomas Flanagan, which was first broadcast in 1982 and was extensively shot in north Mayo.
The Cathaoirleach of Ballina Municipal District Seamus Weir told Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley that from tomorrow “The Year of The French celebrations” will get underway.