Hot air ballooning championships attract 10,000 visitors and give region €0.5m boost

Up to 10,000 people visited Lough Key Forest and Activity Park last week to enjoy the Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships, according to the amenity’s general manager.

Dermot Beggan, general manager of Lough Key Forest & Activity Park, estimates that between spend and accommodation, the week long championships could have been worth €0.5m to the local economy.

“We were expecting large crowds but not the numbers that came, it was unprecedented. The whole thing really just gained momentum as the week went on and the crowds got larger and continued to grow throughout the week. Of course, all the social media and media coverage also helped.

“I would put an estimate of about 10,000 people coming here over the week because we were counting cars as well. We had about 2,000 cars for every launch, 1,000 cars in morning, and 2,500 in the evening,” said Mr Beggan.

The aerial spectacle comprising about 20 balloons drew huge crowds to Boyle from across the county and country despite the wind factor forcing the cancellation of several flights, including on Friday, the event’s final day.

Mr Beggan said the event provided a significant commercial boost for the town and surrounding areas.

“We're on our shoulder season. We're off peak and to have something like this was a huge commercial boost for us. Every day was like an August Bank Holiday,” he said.

Six early morning and early evening flights took off in total last week over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The reaction from the balloonists themselves, who travelled from Ireland, the US, England, Scotland and Wales, was very positive.

“Some of these balloonists travel all over the world and one said in in their 20 years of flying that this had to be in their top three flights of all time. The flight alone on Tuesday morning that they did was one of their top flights ever.

“That Tuesday morning flight was spectacular and a pinch me moment. There was a layer of fog on Lough Key about 30 feet higher and in between it was perfectly clear. The balloons rose out of the mist into a clear picture and then into the fog,” Mr Beggan explained.

The general manager paid tribute to his staff who he said worked above and beyond the call of duty. “Pretty much everyone did 13 hour days and essentially without the staff, this event and its success would not have happened,” he said.

Mr Beggan also thanked the people of Boyle. “I want to thank the community for their patience and support. We did not know what to expect but it blew us out of the water. On the whole, it was a hugely positive week. The messages of support and thanks we got were off the charts from everywhere.

“And the key message was that we have made new memories for people and their children and we’ve lived old ones and that's what it's about.” He has great memories from the ballooning championships when they came to Boyle more than 30 ago and, with his wife and children, made new memories this time around.

Mr Beggan said he and his team would sit down and reflect on the championships and would certainly not rule out them coming to Lough Key Forest & Activity Park again in the near future.

Frank Meldon, balloonist and director of the event, pointed out that many of the balloonists that took part said the Monday and Tuesday morning flights were in the “top five they have ever had”.

“The sun coming up, the cloud, the mist, the balloons popping up and down, it was so quiet, it was magical,” said Mr Meldon, who was involved in the last championships when they came to Boyle.

He referred to one particular team of six balloonists from the US who took part. The team, who comprise commercial pilots, were in Ireland for the very first time and were hugely impressed with the event and venue.

The event director acknowledged that the spectators in Lough Key were among the biggest he had seen in the many years of the championships being staged at different venues.

Mr Meldon described the Lough Key venue as “superb” for balloonists.

“One of the great things about it is that all the facilities are here in one spot. We have our gas and plenty of space for secure parking and trailers. We have a field for taking off and then the visitor centre, so it’s the perfect venue really.” He said the only downside was that there was no hotel in the town but did stress “it wouldn’t stop future events from taking place in Boyle”.

Mr Meldon certainly didn’t rule out the championships coming to Lough Key again. “It has gone very well. It’s easier to stay a couple of years somewhere rather than stay somewhere else.” He thanked all the sponsors, including Roscommon County Council.

This 53rd Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships, also known as “The Irish Meet”, are the longest-running and are among the highlights of the council’s ongoing outdoor recreation campaign, “Breathe in Roscommon”.

The campaign is a celebration of the county’s natural beauty, historic landscapes, and endless opportunities for outdoor adventure in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands.

First established in 1971, the Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships have grown from hosting a handful of hot air balloons to more than 40.

The event features pilots from Ireland, the UK, the US, the continent and further afield competing in weeks of challenges to determine the overall winner.