Henry to be remembered at this year's Ballina Salmon Festival 

Few people did more to spread the word about Ballina Salmon Festival in the early 1990s than Western People photographer Henry Wills, who was a member of the original organising committee and was involved in developing the festival's national profile through his many media contacts.

Henry and his trusty camera were a fixture on the streets of Ballina during Festival Week and he produced countless memorable, award-winning images that captured the excitement and magic of the many great events that are associated with the festival. Indeed, some of those brilliant photographs were published in his wonderful book, In All Kinds of Weather, which was launched last November, just weeks before he passed away in early January after a short illness.

Henry is still deeply missed by his many friends in Ballina and further afield, including his colleagues in the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI), of which he was a former president. For many years, Henry was instrumental in bringing the PPAI's annual exhibition to Ballina and it always attracted a lot of interest from members of the public who were thrilled to be able to catch a glimpse of the stunning images taken by Ireland's best photographers.

The PPAI is delighted to bring its exhibition back to Ballina this year in memory of Henry. The exhibition will be launched in Ballina Library on Monday next, July 8th, at 6pm by Iar-Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and everyone is invited to attend. 

It promises to be an emotional evening as family, friends and former colleagues of Henry's gather to celebrate the work of Ireland's finest photographers, as well as remembering a true legend of the profession who has left a rich legacy that will be enjoyed by generations to come. 

The PPAI exhibition will continue to be displayed at Ballina Library throughout Festival Week, so make sure to call in and check it out.