Ballina Dragons event will be the first of its kind in the town

Dragons from all over Ireland will be flying into north Mayo this weekend as the Ballina Dragons host their inaugural National Regetta this Saturday, August 16, at the Quay in Ballina.

The first race kicks off at 9.30am with the finals taking place at 3pm, and it promises to be an exciting and entertaining day of boat racing action on the pristine waters of the river Moy, the jewel in the crown of Ballina and north Mayo.

Entry is free for the event, which begins with a 200 metre sprint from the ice house to the slipway on the Quay. There will be food and refreshments available, and local businesses have come on board, operating stalls around the Kennedy Glasgow House. 

A designated autism-friendly quiet space is also available for all those who may require it.

Clubs from around the country, from Belfast, Dublin, Cork, Carlow, Kilkenny, Carrick on Suir, Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim will be competing, truly bringing together the best of the best of Dragons for this unique event – the first of its kind in Ballina.

“We decided to host a Regatta to say thank you to Ballina and North Mayo for trusting us with this idea,” said club founder and chairperson Denise Swanick.

“We wanted to host this event and put a call out to other clubs around Ireland and in a couple of weeks we had 12 teams lined up and ready to compete.

“We invite the public to a fantastic day of racing. It will be great to watch these races on the beautiful river Moy and for everyone to come down and see what we do and how we do it.” 

The Ballina Dragons will soon mark their second anniversary, having launched in September 2023, and the club has had a number of incredible achievements and hit astonishing milestones in their short existence.

Launched by chairperson Denise Swanick, the Dragons’ humble beginnings came paddling in the waters of Ballina Swimming Pool but from acorns, mighty oaks grow, and the Ballina Dragons has grown very mighty indeed.

They are now equipped with three full-size dragon boats, a safety boat and are a fully equipped club with over 120 members. The club raised over €10,000 with their 2025 calendar launch with 50% of proceedings going towards Breast Cancer Ireland. In collaboration with Molloy’s Pharmacy, they crafted 50 gift bags for the benefit of Mayo Oncology Service users.

Ballina Dragons have also caught the eye at local level for their creativity, taking home the Best Float award at this year’s St Patrick’s Day parade.

In addition, they have been named among the final five in the National Lottery Good Causes awards in the Sport category, taking place on October 18 next.

Ballina Dragons are becoming a shining example, not just at home in their local community, but on a national level too; notably, Sport Ireland included a Ballina Dragons case study in their National Outdoor Recreation Plan.

The Ballina Dragons are now a fully certified charity; a huge accomplishment and a testament to the efforts of all involved, from the executive to club members and volunteers. Ballina Dragons Meitheal Abhainn is a volunteer-led group providing a unique holistic and ecological approach to healing all levels of our well-being with a specific focus on those affected by cancer treatments, life-limiting conditions and supporters, through the sport of Dragon Boating.

It is about so much more than dragon boating, however. Ballina Dragons, at their core, are about inclusion, openness and creating accessibility for people of all ages and experiences from every walk of life to be part of something special. For example, 40% of the Ballina membership are cancer survivors or have life-limiting conditions, while the remainder are supporters.

“People come to us for all sorts of reasons,” explains Denise. “Some people are cancer survivors living with other life-limiting conditions or surviving life.” “Dragons ensure a safe space for all. Age is not a barrier; members can be over 18 or over 80,” she said.

Ballina Dragons are in full flight over the Moy waters, but also over the land. They will soon move into a new base at the site of the former St Mary’s Secondary School. The new premises, married to Charity status, will allow them to expand these offerings to the community. The Dragons plan to expand current activities away from the water over the autumn-winter months. Current offerings are Pilates, Yoga, walking group, Sound Therapy, Head massage, meditation, Digital Story Telling, Art Sessions, Dragons Chorus Choir and Book Club.

Specialist programmes in the planning are Can-React - an exercise-based rehabilitation and wellness programme and the Cancer Thriving and Surviving self-management programme for cancer survivors. These programmes will be open to the public free of charge.

The Choir is active and preparing for their end of year fundraiser event; a performance of Handel’s Messiah at St Michael’s Church directed by the renowned Kathy Fahey including support from the Mayo Concert Orchestra and Vocalessence and solo performances by Anna Louise Costello and David Lynn. This will take place on 14th December 2025 and ticket will be on sale at our regatta.

There is always a seat on the boat for anyone, male or female, who wishes to become a Dragon. Full membership for the year is €125 and is recommended for those who want to take part in the dragon boating activities. This annual cost covers training and use of equipment. However, there is an Associate membership of €50 for those who want to be involved in the club but who may not want to be on the boats. Both memberships include access to the clubs ancillary activities.

A registration session will take place on August 23 from 9am to 12pm at the Quay where the Ballina Dragons will have their gazebo up, signing up new members. The club encourages anyone who wants to get involved but feels as though finance could be a barrier to get in contact.

“Money should not be an obstacle to becoming a Dragon. Please call us and we will manage that with discretion and kindness,” said Denise.

‘I believe that everyone has something to offer throughout life’s journey. Life can throw challenges at us that might shake our confidence. It’s at these times we need our family, friends and community. In the words of President Mary Robinson:

Somebody who seems strong is not always strong. There are moments when one can be weak and need the friendship of friends and their support.

This concept was the foundations for our values & ethos in Ballina Dragons Meitheal Abhainn’.