A fortnight on from US president Joe Biden’s visit to Ballina and on the eve of Mayo Day 2023, it’s worth acknowledging the voluntary effort that makes such events possible.

It certainly impressed The White House which was taken aback by the “calibre and number” of volunteers who stepped forward to welcome home Ballina’s famous son.

“They couldn’t understand how we could mobilise over 200 people within a couple of days,” said Sheila Garvin, volunteer co-ordinator for Ballina 2023.

– Ballina locals worked with Secret Service agents to welcome US President

 

– This weekend Ballina hosts Mayo Day 2023 and Women’s Mini Marathon

Sheila’s volunteers worked alongside the US Secret Service during the visit, as did their counterparts in County Louth’s Cooley Peninsula which was also under the global spotlight when US president Joe Biden made his historic visit to the lands of his ancestors.

As the self-styled ‘Mayo Joe, son of Ballina’ concluded his tour of Ireland with a rousing address on the banks of the River Moy, most people watching would have been unaware of the role played by a small army of local volunteers.

The 260-strong team included both locals and blow-ins from various parts of the world. Working in the background alongside White House staff, they even earned the praise of the U.S. Secret Service for their efforts, Sheila told Changing Ireland.

The timing of the visit helped. Ballina 2023 had been established as a group to organise events for the year-long celebration of the formal establishment of the town.

“Ballina 2023 is a whole community effort”, said Sheila, adding that locals were busy making preparations for the past couple of years. The timing of President Biden’s visit “worked out really well”, she agreed.

• Some of the 260 volunteers on the day of Biden’s visit to Ballina – Image Credit – Arlene Molloy.

260 VOLUNTEERS IN TWO DAYS

In April, once the exact date of the presidential visit was confirmed, a call for more volunteers went out and, within days, Sheila had a list of 260 people offering to help.

“We have our core team of about 20 people that are constantly involved in Ballina 2023. The majority of them are volunteers. We worked with Mayo Volunteer Centre as well. 260 people offered to volunteer for the day. There was huge interest in it, I suppose because it’s a momentous occasion,” she added.

ON THE DAY

The team carried out a range of tasks in preparation for President Biden’s arrival. These included admin tasks such as creating rosters and a volunteer database, and purchasing vests and hats.

“On the day then we had check-in admin, we had people at the security entrances and everyone had to be scanned. We had volunteers informing people in the queue that they couldn’t have any large bags or drinks and things like that. And we had counters at entrances clocking numbers, because they (the Secret Service) wanted to find out how many were in attendance.

There was also a need for general stewarding and ensuring crowd safety.

“And we had guides and assistants for anyone who needed any special assistance,” continued Sheila.

• Musicians playing on the streets of Ballina – photo courtesy of Ballina2023.

WHITE HOUSE “IMPRESSED”

In addition to the general sense of fulfilment that comes with volunteering, those who assisted with the president’s visit had an unique experience.

Sheila said, “What I really feel the volunteers were left with is the experience they had dealing with the White House and the Secret Service. For most events, say run by a town, you would have your committee who would run it and do all the organising. We kind of didn’t (do that). We were following the lead of what the White House and the Secret Service wanted. All of these things were set out by the Secret Service and we were the assistants for them.

“The feedback we got from the White House is that they were so impressed with the calibre and number of volunteers. They couldn’t understand how we could mobilise over 200 people within a couple of days. They were so impressed with that. It was a huge, huge effort.

“I keep thinking of some of the young adults who can put that on their CV going forward. To say that you were working closely with the White House and the Secret Service and to see the dynamic of that first-hand, it’s a good experience.”

• Sheila Garvin – Volunteer Coordinator with Ballina2023.

The volunteers did not get to personally meet President Biden, said Sheila.

“We would all love to meet him. But to me, it wasn’t a huge part of the day. It was only dignitaries and VIPs who actually got to meet him. The feeling overall for everybody, whether they were volunteers or in the crowd, is that we were just there.”

FURTHER REPORTING BY ALLEN MEAGHER

UP AT COCKCROW

Volunteers were not the only people up at cockcrow on the day of Biden’s visit. Local and central government staff were busy behind the scenes to ensure proceedings went as planned. One told us of how she was on duty from 5am to look after the media who were escorted to the various locations Biden visited.

“There were others up earlier than that, particularly if they had to travel,” she said, adding that many government department personnel played a role.

Members of local community and business groups were also to the fore including Ballina Chamber of Commerce and Ballina Community Clean Up.

The intermittent lashing rain aside, it was a most memorable day.

• Kerry-born CNN journalist Donie O’Sullivan in Ballina. Photo courtesy of Margaret Loftus for Ballina2023.

PALESTINE

Meanwhile, in terms of activism, pro-Palestinian local residents hung a large banner from their home in support of the beleaguered country. As the campaigners said, “It’s a rare occasion when one of the few men in the world that can end Israeli apartheid comes to your own home town.”

Biden has previously compared the plight of Palestinians under Israel to that of Irish Catholics under Britain.

MAYO DAY 2023

This year’s Mayo Day is centred on Ballina rather than the county town of Castlebar, because the Moy River town is celebrating its 300th anniversary. And the streets have never looked so well, surprise-surprise!

On the following day, Sunday April 30th, the town hosts a mini-marathon which will take 2,023 runners around the town.

If you haven’t yet been to Ballina, or indeed to North Mayo, now is the time to go! Bring your runners!