The beauty and strength of Mayo parish life

Think what larger communities and nations could do if they did the same

by Barbara Daly

AS you might remember I wrote recently how I was involved in organising a major fundraiser for our local community childcare service in Louisburgh.

I wrote that two other community groups had freely offered their help and how delighted we were.

For those that might not know, the event was a Halloween Community Festival, starting with a children’s fancy dress disco, then a barbecue on the Square with live music and entertainment and the grand finale - a Ball Run.

The ball run involved tipping over a thousand numbered plastic coloured balls from the bucket of a tractor and racing them down the street.

The first 20 balls through the carefully constructed course would receive a prize. The balls were pre-sold for €10 each. This was the main source of fundraising.

I didn’t intend writing anything more about it but the event took place on Saturday last of the October bank holiday weekend and it was such a resounding success that I felt I had to.

I always try to write about something that affected me in the preceding week and this was it.

There were so many heart-warming moments from the day, all based around a small community working together to make their community work better.

There were the members of the Louisburgh Area Men’s Shed who all sat to have their faces painted to get into the spirit of the event, and who worked tirelessly from 6.30 a.m. to help set up.

There were the four teenage boys from Louisburgh Foroige who set up a production line at the barbecue. It worked so efficiently there was never a queue for food. They were good-humoured and mannerly throughout.

There were so many snapshots of people giving of their time selflessly and cheerfully to help make the event a success. We had hoped that apart from raising funds this event would get the whole community out together to meet and celebrate. And it did.

The local pharmacist emerged from his shop to help set up canopies; he provided and set up strings of lights, gave chairs and tables and even a box of Celebrations for the volunteers!

Meanwhile the ball-selling stand was doing a roaring trade, staffed by two mothers for the entire day, one of whom was seven months pregnant. She was as cheerful and energised at the end of her long day as she was at the beginning.

There were local musicians, both children and adults, and the local Irish dancing school, with many of the children plucked from the Halloween party, all providing entertainment for free.

The crowds gathered and everyone was chatting and smiling and enjoying the occasion. That was the best part for me. We had achieved what we had hoped for. The weather remained fine and the atmosphere was fantastic.

Then came the final event. There was huge excitement as Foroige, the Men’s Shed, the local garda and an assortment of other people began to line the course for the ball run to make sure the balls did not escape.

The bucket of the tractor was raised and the balls tipped onto the street. Everyone shouted and cheered as the balls flowed to the finish line. As I recorded the winning numbers I could hardly believe the size of the excited crowd that now filled the street.

We raised over €20,000 from the event; we had aimed for €15,000. When I heard the final total I felt humbled and even tearful. It is amazing what small communities can achieve when they come together.

Think what larger communities and nations could do if they did the same.