Letter from President Joe Biden to be auctioned to raise money for Ballina Fleadh bid

A Mayo man campaigning to bring the 2028 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Ballina is hoping to auction a letter of thanks from President Joe Biden to fund the town’s bid for the world-renowned festival.

Ballina native Eamonn Walsh received a letter of thanks from President Biden after he received a bodhrán which doubled as an invitation for the US President to attend last year’s Connacht Fleadh.

President Biden did not attend the event, which was held in Ballina following his official visit to the town. However, the bodhrán made its way to the White House later that summer. Mr Walsh’s gesture was repaid with a ‘thank you’ letter personally signed by President Biden himself.

_{A letter of thanks from President Joe Biden to Mayo musician Eamonn Walsh}

The long-serving politician is due to retire from public office later this year after ending his bid for a second term as President.

Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday), Mr Walsh said he would also consider donating the letter to a museum.

The Mayo News understands that several high-profile businesses and organisations have been asked to pledge sponsorship towards Ballina’s bid to host the All-Ireland Fleadh in 2028.

Hollister, a major employer in the Ballina area, have pledged to sponsor the event.

Staging the event is expected to cost over €2 million but would likely generate multiples of that in revenue for the Mayo economy.

Ballina previously hosted the All-Ireland Fleadh in 1997 and 1998. An estimated 600,000 people attended the event when it was hosted in Wexford town earlier this month.

Mr Walsh said: “It is imperative that Mayo County Council get behind the Fleadh…without their support, the 2028 Ballina bid will fail.”