Community Games making a comeback in Ballina/The Quay
Ballina’s U13 basketball team who were unfortunate to lose in the 2018 Connacht Community Games Final.
After several years without local representation in the Community Games, both Ballina and The Quay are preparing for an exciting comeback.
The Quay, who last participated in 2020, and Ballina, who entered teams up to 2022, have obtained a three-year dispensation from Mayo Community Games to allow Ballina and The Quay to amalgamate into a single area, Ballina–The Quay area, in the hopes of competing once again.
This amalgamation would allow the various clubs, organisation and schools in the area to enter teams on behalf of Ballina, an opportunity not possible under the old division of Ballina and the Quay The hope is to give children aged six to 16 the chance to take part in one of Ireland’s most inclusive and development-focused youth competitions, and a committee is hoped to be in place by January 8.
The Community Games have long been a cornerstone of youth development in Ireland. Through a wide range of activities – athletics, team sports, creative arts, cultural competitions, and individual skills events – they offer an accessible pathway for all children, not just the naturally gifted or early developers.
One of the greatest benefits of the Community Games is their mid-year age-grade cut-off. With the Community Games’ mid-year structure, children born later in the year finally get the chance to compete on a more level platform.
In many cases, these children become the leaders of their teams – something that is far less common in standard January-cut-off competitions. The Games give them the opportunity to shine, develop confidence, and experience success that they may otherwise never encounter in mainstream competitive sport.
The 2025 finals across Ireland showed just how vibrant the Community Games still are. In a recent national finals weekend in Kilkenny, over 1,300 children took part in swimming, quiz, gymnastics and chess and draughts finals, while the national finals for track, field and outdoor team sports in 2025 attracted thousands of spectators and participants across age-groups nationwide.
These numbers show that Community Games remains a thriving institution – and that restarting participation in Ballina and The Quay could open doors for many children in the area.
“Many local parents have asked why Ballina children have been unable to enter the Community Games in recent years. The answer is simple: without a functioning committee, Ballina could not register teams or individuals for competition,” said a spokesperson for the Community Games Ballina Restart Initiative.
“As a result, hundreds of local children have missed out on opportunities available to peers in neighbouring areas.
“With the new combined *Ballina–The Quay* area, we want to change that — but we cannot do it without volunteers.”
Any parent or guardian of a child aged six to 16, or simply someone who values youth development in our community, is being asked to consider volunteering a small amount of time to help re-establish Ballina and The Quay’s local Community Games area for 2026. Just one to two hours per week, every other week, for about eight months is enough to ensure that Ballina children finally get the chance to take part again.
“Your involvement could be the difference between a child sitting on the sidelines and a child discovering their sport, building confidence and achieving something meaningful.
“Let’s bring the Community Games back to Ballina and The Quay – and give our children the opportunities they deserve.” If you are interested in getting involved in bringing back Community Games to Ballina and The Quay, contact JP Garvin on 087-9717111 or communitygamesballina@gmail.com.
