Ballinasloe Family Fun Day Raises €7000!

A family day held in Ballinasloe on Sunday of last week has raised almost €7,000 for charity!

The family day was held at the Moycarn Marina, Ballinasloe, and the money raised will go to the Children”s Ward in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, and the Share a Dream Foundation.

Four children from across the country also had their dreams realised on the day, thanks to the Share a Dream Foundation and the organising committee of the family fun day. Liam Gannon from Dublin, who suffers from cystic fibrosis, became a soldier for the day and commanded troops from the 6th Infantry Battalion before getting all the info he needed on Armoured Personnel Carriers. Michael O”Connor from Clondalkin, who is almost completely blind, realised his dream by becoming a Garda on the day.

We at UpRiver Kayaktivity did our bit, with raft racing, boat rides and the extremely popular dry-land and water-based Zorbing!

Over 2,500 people arrived to witness the duck race, truck display, dog show, rally cars, the Irish Defence Force Mowags (tanks), bouncing castles, sumo suits and the Cadbury”s Gorilla. But the highlight of the day was the arrival of the Garda Air Support Unit.

The committee members were Leo Kiernan Taughmaconnell, (Roscommon Traffic Unit), Kevin Whyte Garbally Ballinasloe, Joyce O”Grady Ballinasloe (Birr Garda station), Noel Gavin Ballinasloe (Irish Defence Forces), Geoffrey Casey, Ballinasloe (paramedic), Joe and Fiona Melody Ballinasloe. Family day volunteers came from Sligo Garda Station, Ballinasloe Garda Station, Birr Garda Station and Longford Garda Station.