Hello dear world,

Ballyhaunis Arts, Crafts & Heritage. Hello dear world, we haven't been seeing a lot of one another lately, they say it's for the best, I hope they're right. I'm Ruairí Ó Broin Chairperson of the Ballyhaunis Arts and Crafts Cooperative, a group that got together as a result of  endeavours to promote Arts and Crafts in our area. We originally met up when went out to see if we could do anything in the town to celebrate Culture Night some years ago. So we thought it appropriate that as we can't meet up to repeat the joyful experiences of the last two years that we should create a website to showcase the work of the wonderful multicultural town that is Ballyhaunis. I don’t exaggerate when I say that. We have the distinction of being the most multicultural town in Ireland and most likely much further afield and I'm proud to say that in the last couple of Culture Nights this was reflected in the wonderful presentations of Music Song Dance Poetry Painting , a host of Crafts and Photography. The website as it stands is a taster we want to turn into a platform to display the fruits of our endeavours and encourage more to take up and participate, it is a foundation on which we will build a forum to share with the world. At every hands turn we were pushing open doors when it came to getting premises and exhibition areas and I would particularly like to take the opportunity to thank The Town Council, the Chamber of Commerce and the Trustees  and Partnership of the Friary, their help was invaluable and still is. The Arts and Music Departments in our local School played blinders likewise and the contributions from their charges did themselves their parents and the area proud .The community itself were and are amazing and their support was heartfelt, our friends and neighbours of all the nations living in our town have been tremendous. Every Artist Photographer Craftsperson, Singer Musician, Dancer and helper I thank you all. This website will be augmented and rejigged as needs dictate but it will remain a presence to serve our community and our friends wherever they find themselves. I would like to take the time also to thank my colleagues in the Cooperative for their unstinting support in particularly trying times and finish with a quotation/question from Ewan MacColl, Did the place where you were living enrich your life and then. Did you reach some understanding of all your fellow men?and I'm delighted to report that it did.