Ballina Fleadh bid is 'gathering momentum'

Mayo County Council is planning to send a delegation on a fact-finding mission to Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Wexford in August. The move is part of a potential bid for the 2028 Fleadh to be held in Ballina.

Councillors and the local authority executive recently held a meeting where a presentation took place discussing the financial cost and logistics of running the event as well as the benefits it would bring to Ballina and the entire county.

Eamonn Walsh, a Ballina native who addressed the meeting and who is campaigning to bring the Fleadh to the north Mayo town once more after it hosted the event in 1997 and 1998, told the Western People that he feels the campaign is gathering some momentum now.

“I appealed to the Council to get behind the campaign to bring the biggest cultural festival in the world to Mayo. The Mayo diaspora wants to see the Fleadh back in Mayo, it would be a massive cultural boost to the county,” he said.

The cost of hosting the event is around €1.9 million but Mr Walsh says the event could generate around €60 million for the local economy. 

“Knock Airport would benefit hugely from the thousands of overseas visitors to the Fleadh. The whole of the county, as well as many parts of Sligo, would be used as an accommodation bank and the tourism benefits would be huge,” he said.

Mr Walsh plans to arrange a meeting of key stakeholders in the region in the coming weeks to progress the Fleadh bid. He says a number of grants are available that could help with the running costs.

Mayo County Council cathaoirleach Cllr John O’Hara says the fact-finding mission to Wexford will be important in guiding the council in making a potential bid for the 2028 Fleadh.

“The Council will send a delegation to Wexford and they will see if a similar thing is possible in Ballina,” Cllr O'Hara explained. “It is something that I prioritised during my recent time as Cathaoirleach to get it on the table, it would be big for tourism in the whole west of Ireland and would be huge for Knock Airport.” 

Cllr O’Hara said he had fond memories of the previous Fleadhanna in Ballina.

“They were huge events and created such a great atmosphere, they were so good for the town,” he said.