Launch of Mayo air ambulance base project today

THE Private Billy Kedian air ambulance base project will be launched in Ballyhaunis this afternoon.

A site has been identified for the base, and a full application for planning permission will now follow.

The fundraising launch event gets underway at 2 p.m. today at Gavin's Funeral Home car park, with Minster Dara Calleary arriving by helicopter to launch the campaign.

The Friends of Private Billy Kedian group are behind the life-saving project, which will cover the west of Ireland.

The air ambulance base is being named after Private Billy Kedian Air Ambulance, a 21-year-old soldier from Ballyhaunis who died while saving the lives of numerous colleagues in Lebanon in 1999 while on peace keeping duties.

An online fundraiser has been set up to support the project: https://rb.gy/qnddzp.