Record numbers at Salmon Festival’s Heritage Day

Record numbers at Salmon Festival’s Heritage Day


THIS year’s Ballina Salmon Festival Heritage Day which took place on last Wednesday, July 13, broke all previous attendance records with over 60,000 flocking to the town on the banks of the River Moy.
As well as visitors and traders from each of Ireland’s 32 counties, the festival took on an international feel with tourists arriving from the UK, New York and Australia.
Over 250 craft stalls demonstratedeverything from the traditional art of hay twisting, hurley making, cream making, thatching, woodturning, hay thrashing and live forge work and tinsmith demonstrations. 
Chairperson of the festival committee, Benny Walkin said the day was a huge success. 
“It certainly had the wow factor, it was great to see local families getting dressed up in their heritage outfits. Thanks must go to all our volunteers, without them the event could not happen, they were out on the street before dawn and were still working at dusk.”
Local Fianna FΡil Ballina TD, Dara Calleary, who popped along to show his support commented: “It is an amazing week when everybody in Ballina sticks their chest out and shows a great deal of pride in their town.  It just shows what can be done when everybody pulls together. ”
Tony Hennigan from Manchester  who was in attendance promoting the Manchester Irish Festival (www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk), which has created a link up with the Ballina Festival said: “It was a fantastic day, the town was packed out from as soon as it opened until the early hours. I was amazed at the number of visitors from outside of Ireland who came to the event.  I came over to help develop links between Mayo and Manchester, with Knock Airport just being a quick 40 minute plane ride away, it is no wonder the festival seemed to attract everyone I knew from Manchester. It is great to see the town benefiting from such a festival, especially in these hard times that the country is facing.”
The annual ten day festival was launched by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny on Friday, July 8 bofore a very large and enthusiastic gathering.