TikTok Star Garron Noone to switch on Christmas lights in North Mayo Town

Thousands are expected to flock to Ballina’s Market Square this Sunday for the official switching on of the Christmas lights. 

Fantastic local solo acts along with a variety group acts such as Danceworld, Centre Stage Vocal Academy, Lynn Academy of Music, Moyne College Choir and Band and the Moy Singers will perform at the event. 

It will be kicking off from 2pm and local rumours are swirling around that Santa is expected to make an entrance at around 5pm. 

Garron Noone will be performing and officially switching on the town lights.

At the monthly Ballina Municipal District meeting, the work of the Ballina Lights, Let There Be Light Committee was commended. 

There was great excitement that Ballina’s Garron Noone would be performing and Declan Turnbull, Head of Ballina Municipal District quipped that “traditionally the Cathaoirleach of MD would turn the lights on.”

Cllr Annie May Reape joked that Ballina Cathaoirleach Cllr Jarlath Munnelly “can be the Santa Clause” instead. 

Paul Bourke, Chairman of Ballina Lights, Let There Be Light Committee tells The Mayo News that “if the weather sticks, we would be expecting to get between three and four thousand people.”

The Christmas Lights in Ballina town centre this year are the result of a tremendous fundraising effort by the The Ballina Lights Committee. 

In particular, the success of the pumpkin patch fundraiser and a €25,000 grant from Mayo County Council has meant that “we haven't had to ask one local business for a penny this year”, Mr Bourke explains. 

“We bought all new lighting, everything that's up in Ballina now this year is brand new. There’s fifty thousand worth of lights gone up.”

The role of the volunteers is also highlighted by the Chairman of The Ballina Lights, Let There Be Light Committee, as well as a number of local electricians who gave a hand. 

Last year, there were lights on the river in the town but not in the town centre of Ballina. 

The lack of lights last year was the impetus for setting up the committee with others and as a proud Ballina man, Bourke notes that “if you let things die, it’s awful hard to resurrect them. So we grabbed it before it died too far.”

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme