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April in Ballina

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 10:28:29 GMT

What is happening in Ballina in April 2026

Fleadh Cheoil Mhaigh Eo Ballina 2026 – Official Launch

You are cordially invited to the Official Launch of the Mayo Fleadh in Ballina on Thursday 2nd of April in the Jackie Clarke Collection at 6:00pm.

Musical performance’s and guest speakers on the evening!

If you’d like to attend this event you must RSVP by 28/03/2026

RSVP to clarkecollection@mayococo.ie or michael_odonnell@fwmetals.com

Easter Family Fun at Gaelscoil Ballina

4th April 2026 10:00 am - 5.00 pm

There will be fun for all the family, games, an Easter egg hunt, photo opportunities and treats.

Easter Weekend family fun day in Ballina, County Mayo. This is a family friendly event being organised at the Gaelscoil in Ballina, County Mayo as a fundraiser for the school. All are very welcome. The first hour and a half on Saturday morning will be autism friendly and nice and quiet. Sorry, but no dogs allowed unless for special needs. The Gaelscoil is opposite Tesco in Ballina.

Easter Treasure Hunt at the Jackie Clarke Collection

Ballina is bursting into spring, and the Easter Bunny is going to be hopping through the streets, leaving clues from the River Moy to the Market Square. Can you follow the trail and uncover the hidden treasures?

Families are invited to join a fun, interactive Easter Treasure Hunt on Saturday 4th April 2026 as part of the Jackie Clarke Collections Easter Eggstravaganza! The hunt will lead you through some of Ballina’s most loved spots. Solve riddles, crack clues, and discover surprises as you explore the town.

Start your adventure at the Jackie Clarke Collection at 11am where you will collect a list of clues that will take you out and about around Ballina searching for answers in unexpected places!

When you solve all the riddles just head back to the Jackie Clarke where at 12.45 we will be calling out all the answers and you can discover just how good your family’s detective skills are!

So come along and join the Hippity Hoppity Easter Treasure Hunt, it’s sure to be cracking fun for everyone!

Easter at North Mayo Heritage Centre

Bring the little ones along for some planting fun on Easter Sunday!

Take a stroll around the beautiful Enniscoe Ornamental Garden to look for signs that spring is in the air. Don’t forget to spot the Easter Bunny hiding somewhere! Then decorate a pot and plant a seed to grow at home.

This activity is free, though donations are always welcome! You do not need to book – just come along between 12pm and 1.30pm.

Why not visit the wonderful Bright Sky Café to round off your visit?

The West Swing Golf Classic 2026

Ballina Golf Club is delighted to announce the launch of The West Swing Golf Classic, a brand-new three-day fundraising golf tournament showcasing some of the finest links courses in the West of Ireland, taking place from Thursday 9th – Saturday 11th April 2026.

This exciting team event gives golfers the rare opportunity to play three championship courses in one unforgettable weekend:

Thursday 9th April: Carne Golf Links

Friday 10th April: Enniscrone Golf Club

Saturday 11th April: Ballina Golf Club

Exceptional Value & Prizes

Priced at just €600 per team of four, the tournament offers outstanding value for three rounds of top-class golf. Players will compete for a €5,000 prize fund, including overall team prizes, daily winners and on-course competitions such as Longest Drive, Nearest the Pin and more.

To book your team, contact Ballina Golf Club:

Call: +353 (0)96 21050

Email: info@ballina-golf.com

Web: www.ballina-golf.com

Connacht Battle of the Paddle 2026

Harbour Sup are delighted to be hosting the 2026 Connacht Battle of the Paddle Distance race on the 18th April (the Quay, Ballina) and a Surf Sup on the 19th April (Enniscrone).

18th April: At the Quay Ballina

Registration from 5-5.30pm. Racing at 6pm.

Race class & crossover men’s /ladies .

19th April: Enniscrone

Surf Sup expression at Enniscrone beach.

8am Registration at the old bath house mixed open format.

Text Mikee on 0860315737 for more information or to register.

Traditional Singing and Poetry Group

The Foxford Traditional Singing & Poetry Group with John Horgan runs the last Thursday of the month – so that is this Thursday, 26th Mar at 8:30pm in Guiry’s Bar – Backroom.

Come along for an enjoyable evening.

Everyone very welcome.

St Patricks Day Events

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 16:14:21 GMT

What events are happening around Ballina for Saint Patricks Day?

Foxford

Parade - 15th March 4.00pm

Ballycastle

Parade - 17th March 12.30pm

Killala

Parade - 17th March 1pm

Lahardane

Parade - 17th March 2pm

Swinford

Parade - 17th March 3pm

Ballina

Legends of League walking tour - 11am League Cemetery

Parade - 3pm

March in Ballina

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:39:12 GMT

What's on in Ballina this March

Killala Bay Folk Club

6th March 7pm - Far Side Café, Johnny Lynn’s Pub in Killala

Formed by locals with a love of fun and folk, Killala Bay Folk Club takes place on the first Friday of every month in the Far Side Café, Johnny Lynn’s Pub in Killala.

It welcomes singers, musicians, storytellers, and those who just want to come along and listen and enjoy. A different theme is in place every month, and is announced on the group’s Facebook page well in advance.

The Killala Bay Folk Club is building a strong tradition in delivering great nights out and bringing great acts to the North Mayo village. .

For more information on Killala Bay Folk Club: Message or follow Killala Bay Folk Club on Facebook or Instagram.

Swinford Indoor Country Market

7th March - 10.20pm - 2pm

Swinford Indoor Country Market takes place in the Cultural centre in Swinford on the first Saturday of every month from 10:30am – 2pm unless otherwise advertised. It offers a wide variety of both produce and crafts. Live entertainment and craft workshops add to the atmosphere which you can enjoy while dining at the popular Railway Café. A lovely morning for all the family with something for everyone.

Please see their Facebook page or The Swinford Website for more details.

Declan Nerney in Concert

7th March 8pm - Erris Arts Centre

With guests Mick Flavin and Gavin Gribben.

To buy tickets call reception on (097) 81079.

A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

Join curator Hannah Gallagher this International Women’s Day for a tour through the Folklife collections of the museum of country life.

Find out what we can learn from the resilient women of the past, who clothed themselves and their families in harsh conditions.

Sunday 8th March at 3.30pm. Suitable for adults and children aged 7+.

Admission is free, but booking is required.

Ballina St.Patrick’s Day Parade

Get ready to celebrate!

The 2026 St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place in Ballina on Tuesday, 17th March, starting at 3:00pm.

We’re looking forward to filling the streets of Ballina with vibrant colour, uplifting music, rich tradition and proud local history as we showcase the fantastic community groups, sports clubs, businesses and individuals who make our town so special.

Parade Theme: Pride of Ballina

Assembly Time: From 3:00pm

Meeting Point: Mercy Road, Ballina

Please note: There will be no access to Mercy Road for participant drop-offs.

If your group, organisation or business would like to take part, please register here

Further details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Please note that participation in the Ballina St Patrick’s Day Parade is subject to approval by the organisers. All applicants will be contacted to confirm arrangements.

We can’t wait to celebrate the Pride of Ballina with you!

Shortt Stuff: Patt Shortt and Faye Shortt

Hilarious and Outrageously madcap Father-Daughter Duo Pat and Faye Shortt are Taking Sketch Comedy by Storm.

Bringing belly laughs and brilliantly bonkers characters to stages across Ireland and beyond, The Shortt’s – an irreverent and endearing Irish father-daughter sketch comedy act – are redefining what it means to be a comedic double act.

Pat Shortt , a veteran of the comedy circuit, and his daughter Faye Shortt , a theatre- trained firecracker with a razor-sharp wit. Together this duo has built a cult following with their blend of absurd characters and lightning-quick banter. After a whirlwind tour across Australia/New Zealand that had audiences roaring with laughter from Sydney to Perth and beyond, this beloved Irish comedy duo is embarking on a tour of Ireland with their new show ‘’Shortt Stuff’’ .

The Shortt’s conjure up a madcap world that’s part social commentary, and all heart. Whether skewering small-town politics or turning family feuds into full-blown musical numbers, their shows are as unpredictable as they are unforgettable.

Mayo Duathlon Series 2026

29th March 10am

Hosted by Liquid Motion Triathlon Club, this event will involve a 2km run , a 20km cycle and a 4km run.

Entry fee is €35 per person, or €50 per relay team.

Easter Adventure Camps with Tonnta Adventure

Belleek Woods

We are on the countdown for Easter camps!

WOODLAND WILDLINGS 5+

Week 1: 30th March – 3rd April

Week 2: 7th – 10th April

9:30am to 12:30pm

WILD SKILLS (suitable for older kids-diving deeper into bushcraft and tool use.)

Week 1: 30th March – 3rd April

Week 2: 7th – 10th April

1:30pm to 4:30pm

Our mid term camps were muddy and great fun, looking forward to seeing everyone at the Easter camps!

February in Ballina

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:43:31 GMT

What is on in Ballina in February 2026

HeritACT Guided Walking Tour

8th February 2026 12:30 pm

Following a celebration of one of Mayo’s most notable historical figures Kathleen Lynn, the architectural social enterprise ACT (Accelerating Change Together) is inviting the public to join a free guided walking tour on Sunday 8th February, to explore innovative HeritACT installations across the town of Ballina. HeritACT is a European funded project bringing new life to underused spaces through creativity, heritage, nature based solutions and digital storytelling

Los Hostes: Jodl Funk Folk Fusion

11th February 2026 8:00 pm

Ballina Arts Center

Jodlfunk, Irish jigs, Balkan ornaments, ragas turned to reels and alpine harmonies: In intimate comradery with a taste for theatrics and improvisation, Claudia, Aleš and Matija move between soft, lyrical songs to heart-lifting dance tunes. A rollercoaster of inter-cultural, genre-hopping folk and original music takes the listener on a journey from the west coast of Ireland, across the high open Alps to the rugged Balkan peninsula. Past performances have included appearances at Nekropolis Festival (CZ), Floating Castle Festival (SLO), Kultursommer Wien (AT), Aeson Festival (IT), Vienna International Accordion Festival (AT) and Kultur-Bahnhof Leisnig (DE).

DHAF Night!

12th February 2026 7:30 pm

Mary Robinson Centre Ballina

Mary Robinson Centre Ballina are holding a DHAF Night, which stands for Dinner Humanitarian Awareness Fundraising, and it’s all in support of people living through the crisis in Sudan.

The idea is simple but mighty: we gather, we share a meal buffet-style, and we raise vital funds and awareness together. It’s about friendship, flavour, and solidarity.

So if you’re free from 7.30pm, please come along! Bring a dish to share, Sudanese or your own speciality, and let’s enjoy a great community evening.

All funds raised will go directly to Concern Worldwide for their life saving work in Sudan.

Let the Mary Robinson Centre team know you are coming, just drop an email to events@maryrobinsoncentre.ie.

If you can’t be there in person but would still like to support. Your donation would be gratefully received.

Lend Me A Tenor

12th February 2026 8:00 pm

13th February 2026 8:00 pm

14th February 2026 8:00 pm

Ballina Arts Centre

Come along to Ballina Arts Centre for a night of chaos, charm & unstoppable laughter as Riverside Theatre group bring this fast-paced farce to life. When a world-famous tenor fails to appear on opening night, panic spirals into a whirlwind of mistaken identities, slamming doors and hilariously disastrous plans.

Featuring plenty of familiar faces, this stylish, high energy crowd pleaser is for anyone who loves sharp wit & big characters!

Valentine’s Table Quiz

13th February 2026 8:00 pm

The Cot and Cobble, Ballina

A table quiz will be held on Friday 13th February at 8pm in The Cot and Cobble, Ballina.

Proceeds will go towards the Sunflower Children’s Hospice.

Tables of 4 are €40.

There will be a live draw on the night for big raffle prizes, sponsored by Telus. Draw closes 13th February at 12pm.

Mike Denver & Friends – Live in Concert

14th February 2026 7:00 pm

Diamond Coast Hotel

Saturday 14th February with special guests Ray Lynam & Sandy Kelly at the Diamond Coast Hotel, Enniscrone.

Tickets €35 | Book online or at reception

Don’t miss a great night of music!

Valentine’s Fundraiser Quiz

14th February 2026 9:00 pm

Maughans Bar, Church Street, Crossmolina F26 WK33

On SATURDAY, 14th of February 2026, the ‘Abbeytown/Abbeyview Resident’s Association’, based in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo are hosting a ‘Valentine’s Themed Fundraiser Table Quiz’, to help raise necessary funds to be in a position to run its ‘Annual Family Fun Day’ this year.

Event will be take place in Maughans Bar, Church Street, Crossmolina F26 WK33 starting at 9:00pm. Lots of fun and prizes guaranteed on the night.

Your support at this fundraising Table Quiz will be greatly appreciated.

George Murphy in concert

20th February 2026 8:00 pm

Erris Arts Centre

Join George Murphy for a great night of music in Erris Arts Centre on Friday 20th February at 8pm.

George is an Irish singer songwriter who hails from the Dublin suburb of Beaumont.

He exploded onto the Irish music scene after his memorable appearances on the RTE Television show “You’re a Star”.

We Only Want The Earth: The Life and Ideas of James Connolly

26th February 2026 8:00 pm

Ballina Arts Center

A powerfully engaging feature documentary, based primarily on the writings of James Connolly, the film was created to inspire and enlighten a contemporary audience about James Connolly, his life and his ideas.

An iconic presence on the landscape of Irish socialism and republicanism, the name of James Connolly looms large in the trade union movement and wherever radical left-wing politics are espoused.

The film tries to place Connolly’s radical ideas and many political achievements against the landscape of the contemporary world as well as documenting his more prominent role in the 1916 Easter Rising.

As well as many distinguished commentators, union activists and historians, the film also features many songs and poems – spoken and sung by contemporary artists such as Christy Moore, Stephen Rea, piper David Power, singers Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Esosa Ighodaro as well as Connolly’s great great grand-daughter Tamsin Iona Connolly Heron.

The film aims to reclaim Connolly’s story as well as invoking his important social vision – with a clear eye on how it resonates in our contemporary time – an era when even democracy itself appears under threat.

John Colleary: Wildlife

28th February 2026 8:00 pm

Erris Arts Centre

John Colleary will perform live in Áras Inis Gluaire (Erris Arts Centre) on Friday 28th February at 8pm.

Apart from being one of the most in-demand comics in the land, John Colleary has also co-written and starred in IFTA nominated shows, The Savage Eye (RTÉ2) and Irish Pictorial Weekly (RTÉ One). Other TV credits include appearances on Hardy Bucks and Bridget & Eamon (RTÉ2). A talented actor and mimic, John featured as one third of The Gusset Brothers on The Tommy Tiernan Show (RTÉ One).

He has also scooped an PPI Award for his topical sketch writing and performance on Today FM’s drivetime flagship, The Last Word ; and is a favourite at Ireland’s top comedy clubs and festivals.

Adrian Crowley

28th February 2026 8:00 pm

The NCF, Pearse street Ballina

Adrian Crowley is one of Ireland’s most revered songwriters and a former Choice Prize winner. He released his tenth album Measure of Joy in February 2025 on the Paris based label Valley of Eyes . The album, including the first single Tangled, was produced by long-time friend John Parish (PJ Harvey, This Is The Kit).

It’s an album full of delicate and beautiful nocturnal songs, and features backing vocals from Nadine Khouri. Receiving high praise from Cerys Mathews (BBC 6 music) and NPR, the album also features John Parrish, Jim Barr (Portishead) and Cora Venus Lunny.

The second single from the album Brother Was A Runaway was recently featured on House of Guinness (Netflix).

The singer, known for a uniquely dark poetic sensibility and an arrestingly resonant voice, completed an extensive European tour in 2025 including dates in Amsterdam, Bruges, Vienna, Paris, Bristol, Brighton and London.

In 2025, he also featured in ‘Glasshouse perform Scott Walker’ at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Other recent releases include Pomes Penyeach (Claddagh Records) featuring the words of James Joyce and collaborators including Lisa Hannigan.

Directed by Niall McGann, he was previously the subject of a documentary The Science of Ghosts featuring Radie Peat, Brigid Mae Power and Kevin Barry.

Valentine's Day in Ballina

Sun, 09 Feb 2025 12:31:15 GMT

Valentine's Weekend Guide

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you’re celebrating with a special someone, a group of friends, or enjoying a solo adventure, Ballina is bursting with romantic and fun-filled events. From paint & prosecco to lively music nights, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. If you’re staying at Heyday Hostel, you’re in the perfect spot to explore it all! Here’s a roundup of the best events happening this Valentine’s weekend to make your stay extra special.

Saturday 14th:

Swap Shop

2pm

The Mary Robinson Centre Swap Shop returns in their climate hub on the second Saturday of every month. Swap your preloved good condition items for something new to you!! Saturday 13th September 2-4pm. Only a 2 minute walk from the Hostel!

Live music in Bar Square, Paddy Macs and An Sean Sibín pubs

Kick off your Valentine’s weekend with live music with a drink!

Saturday nights in Ballina are all about great tunes, a lively atmosphere, and top-notch pints. With a rotating line-up of talented artists each week, you’re guaranteed a fantastic night out—perfect for setting the mood for the weekend ahead!

Valentine's Day Quiz

Maughan's Pub, Crossmolina

On S ATURDAY, 14th of February 2026, the ‘Abbeytown/Abbeyview Resident’s Association’, based in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo are hosting a ‘Valentine’s Themed Fundraiser Table Quiz’, to help raise necessary funds to be in a position to run its ‘Annual Family Fun Day’ this year.

Event will be take place in Maughans Bar, Church Street, Crossmolina F26 WK33 starting at 9:00pm. Lots of fun and prizes guaranteed on the night

New Paragraph

Mike Denver & Friends – Live in Concert

Saturday 14th February with special guests Ray Lynam & Sandy Kelly at the Diamond Coast Hotel, Enniscrone.

Tickets €35 | Book online or at reception

Don’t miss a great night of music!

Weekly trad night in Rouse's Bar

10pm

Celebrate Valentine’s with the charm of Trad Night at Rouse’s Bar in Ballina. From 10pm, enjoy live traditional music in one of Ballina’s oldest pubs. A local favourite since 1947, Rouse’s Bar has been serving pints and good times since 1865—making it the perfect spot for a relaxed and memorable night out.

With so many great events happening around Ballina this Valentine’s weekend, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate. Whether you’re enjoying live music, a scenic walk, or a delicious meal, the town has plenty to offer for a memorable getaway. After a day of exploring, Heyday Hostel is the perfect place to relax and recharge. However you choose to spend the weekend, Ballina’s vibrant atmosphere and warm hospitality will make it one to remember!