03/05/19 42 events in Donegal for the Big Hello May Bank Holiday weekend

It’s the Big Hello weekend where communities all over Ireland including Donegal are celebrating their sense of community spirit in their own town or village.

There is a busy bank holiday weekend ahead for Donegal as 42 events are taking place across the county ranging from the May the 4th festival celebrations in Inishowen to the Butt Drama Circle’s appreciation event tonight (3rd May) in Stranorlar to Streetfests in Dungloe and Gaoth Dobhair to family fun days all over the county.

The Big Hello National Community Weekend scheme is an initiative of the Department of Rural and Community Development administered through the Donegal LCDC which is supported by Donegal County Council.  This is the first year of the initiative and €10,000 has been allocated to 42 events which will take place over this May Bank Holiday weekend.

There will be stories and memories shared at the County Donegal Railway Heritage Centre in Donegal Town on Saturday while the Laghey Blast Festival will take place on Sunday. 

Cosite Forbartha na Carraige will passing on the traditional skills of knitting, weaving and spinning at their Hands on Heritage family event over the weekend while the annual Street Fest will take place in Dungloe on Sunday. 

The Lennon View residents association in Letterkenny is hosting a ‘Get to know your Neighbour’ day on Bank Holiday Monday while Coiste Culturtha Loch an Iúir are organising a nature walk & traditional music session this evening Friday 3rd May.  And for anyone taking part in this weekend’s community clean up with Lough Eske Community Development Group there is a treat in store with a community BBQ as a reward for all their hard work.

For pizza lovers a visit to Artlink at Fort Dunree in Inishowen will be a must on Sunday 5th May  as they host an outdoor Pizza Party and keeping with the Star Wars theme there will be a ‘Jedi Academy’ for all budding Jedi in Playdays Community Childcare at Malin Head Community Centre on Saturday 4th May as well as a Star Wars Family Fun day in Malin Head, Clonmany and Greencastle including a documentary screening on the local fishing industry in Inishowen Maritime Museum. 

Other events in Inishowen include a tour of Rock Art of the Isle of Doagh, community coffee morning in Carrowmenagh, cookery demonstration in Culdaff, an open community intercultural meal hosted by Failte Inishowen and an intergenerational tea dance in Moville. 

Forbairt Fhanada CTR will be bringing old skills back to life at their community day.  The Mad Hatters Lennon Tea Party will be hosted by the Lennon Festival while the Letterkenny CDP will be hosting an intercultural family fun day and an evening of music, dance, song and stories celebrating Comhaltas Letterkenny will also be taking place over the weekend. 

The people of Fintown are in for a treat this evening (Friday) with as Forbairt Eachla CTR are organising bingo and a quiz followed by a meal of ‘fish and chips’.  Lifford Celtic Youth Members are invited to come along to a Fun Day on Saturday.  The Gateway writers are hosting an open evening today Friday at 3pm in the Old Courhouse Lifford while Meenreagh Social Club will be busy planning for their community tea party on Saturday. 

St. Johnston Cricket Club are holding a mouth watering multi-cultural cuisine day while the Red Hughes GFC will be hosting a Wellbeing Day, exhibition and underage tournament.  Other events include a family fun day and car boot sale in Mhin na Leice, a school of music for young people as part of the Cup of Tae festival in Ardara and StreetFest in Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair as well as a weekend of mountain walks and talks with Cumman Staire and Seanchais Chloich Cheann Fhaola.  The Ballyshannon Regeneration Group are hosting a family fun day in Allingham Park while Coiste Halla Naomh Bride will be enjoying an evening of music, ceol and craic.

Anyone interested in further information on venues, times and dates of the events mentioned should contact the event organisers locally. 

There is no excuse to be bored this weekend!