Ballina 2023 belongs to the people

It was Cllr Jarlath Munnelly who first mooted the idea over a coffee way back in 2018. 

“Ballina will be 300 years old in 2023," he remarked, "and I think we should do something to mark it.” 

It’s safe to say that neither he nor anyone else could quite have anticipated the scale or breadth of the celebrations that would take place in the town throughout 2023. Nor the small matter of a global pandemic that would throw planning into disarray for nearly two years.

And yet, incredibly, Ballina 2023 has somehow come and gone. The ‘Upcoming Events’ calendar on the website is now empty. Underneath, a record remains of the almost 80 events that made up the programme since September 2021, when the concept was launched on Culture Night with a concert in Tom Ruane Park.

Of course, everyone knows that Ballina is far, far older than 300 years. The proof surrounds us: the Augustinian Abbey alongside the River Moy dates from the 14th century; there is evidence of an early settlement in Ardnaree, and the Dolmen of the Four Maols – actually a kist – overlooking the town Primrose Hill dates from circa 2000BC. 

Ballina folk have been around for a long time. But, rightly or wrongly – and debate persists! – the tercentenary celebrations were based on the supposition that the town was formally founded as a commercial entity by Lord Tyrawley in 1723. And this milestone was an opportunity for the town that needed to be grasped.

Planning a year of celebration is a big undertaking. It requires personnel, expertise, imagination, and a willingness to commit and contribute... and it requires significant funding. A steering group was formed, consisting of representatives from various stakeholders: Mayo County Council, who would prove to be the backbone of the project, community development company Moy Valley Resources, Mayo North Tourism, Ballina Lions Club (representing the voluntary effort within the town) and Ballina Chamber of Commerce. 

A marketing expert with strong Ballina connections, Philip Patterson – now Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer with Connacht Rugby – had recently relocated to the town and offered his services voluntarily. The councillors of the Ballina Municipal District provided the ‘seed funding’ for the project, which facilitated the hiring of Lisa Hallinan, a highly experienced cultural project manager who would steer the ship magnificently. In time, Mayo County Council would allocate significant financial and human resources to Ballina 2023.

Considerable effort was devoted to designing a distinctive and vibrant visual and brand identity for the project to symbolise its confident ambitions. The iconic five-part speech bubble logo, with its unabashedly vivid colours and components representing aspects of Ballina like the woods, river, angling, the sporting community and the town’s green ambitions, as well as the vernacular (‘the ‘Na’) set it apart from anything that had gone before. 

A community consultation yielded many common threads, but among the desire for large flamboyant events emerged a heartfelt desire for unity and collaboration within the town, underpinned by a longing for connection; somewhat unsurprising after a series of brutal, isolating lockdowns. Thus the tagline was coined: ‘A year of celebration, a lifelong connection’. Marketing spend was deliberately kept local with nearby agency Sell on Social, the Western People and Midwest Radio – and out of the hands of the tech giants - a decision that enabled the platforming of many eclectic voices.

While perhaps originally conceived as a tourism initiative, Ballina 2023 quickly evolved to become a community development project, based on the community development principles of sustainable development, empowerment, inclusivity, social justice, human rights, participative democracy, and equality. These were echoed in the Ballina 2023 brand values and underpinned programming throughout the year. The desire for legacy was strong; could Ballina in 2024 and beyond become a better place as a result of the programme? Could we change the narrative surrounding the town - both within and without? Could we encourage civic pride and engagement, particularly among young people, and empower communities in the town to deliver events and create change? A celebration for celebration’s sake would be a waste. Instead, Ballina 2023 was designed with an eye towards the future.

Readers of the Western People will be well aware of the rich variety of events that took place at a head-spinning pace throughout the year. Beginning with the visit of the French Ambassador to Ireland, Vincent Guérand, to launch the International Year of the French celebrations between Ireland and France, the programme included highlights including the Connacht Fleadh, the Macnas Community Parade, Tom Meskell’s Dream Garden, Handel’s ‘Messiah’, a ground-breaking visiting exhibition by the Royal Hibernian Academy, and Culture Night Late. Highly significant was the decision to relocate both Mayo Day and the Western People Mayo.ie Women’s Mini-Marathon to Ballina; both were a roaring success. 

It was, however, the visit of US President Joe Biden in April, at the invitation of the Ballina 2023 committee, that placed Ballina in the global spotlight and prompted a glow-up of the town, the likes of which before had never been seen. The White House staff were astounded at the level of voluntary support for the visit. Ballina, proudly, and confidently, became The Little Town That Could.

Equally significant, however, were the year’s smaller events. Ballina Carers’ Support Group held a community open day, notable for the power of connections made. The volunteers of the Karen Community Garden hosted an open day. The Traveller community, so frequently and actively excluded, hosted a community open day in Mercy Park, proudly sharing their stories, traditions and heritage. OutWest hosted two events. The Jackie Clarke Collection facilitated many others. Seventeen community organisations received funding under the Ballina 2023 Community Fund to deliver their own events.

Under the stewardship and guidance of Sheila Garvin, supported with recruitment by Mayo Volunteer Centre, over 300 volunteers participated and supported events throughout the year, receiving specialist training from Stuart Garland of Volunteer Ireland (another recent arrival to the town). As well as establishing a template for best-practice volunteer management, the volunteer programme generated countless new relationships and friendships, and at least one new community group – the Ballina Dragon Boat Club. Ballina 2023 hats and hi-vis became a common sight on the streets. Barriers were lifted, buns were baked and solid friendships were formed.

There is much, much more that could be said about Ballina 2023, but the project firmly belongs to the community, and members of the public are now invited to share their thoughts on the year’s events via a feedback survey now available on www.ballina2023.ie, and on the programme’s social media pages.

Next week, we’ll look at the potential legacy of the project, lessons learned and where Ballina might go from here.

All that remains is to take a moment to celebrate the incredible, collaborative and community effort that contributed to an unforgettable year in Ballina. And of course, to rest!

Anne-Marie Flynn was the marketing manager for Ballina 2023