Progressive Mayo village celebrates European culture in style
The community of Belcarra has staged its European Cultural Celebration – A Festival of Shared Heritage.
The village's Facebook page - Belcara Ireland - explained: "Our celebration was all about community, culture, friendship and the connections we share with people and places across Europe – and it was fantastic to see so many people come together to make the day so special.
"We were honoured to welcome Councillor John Caulfield, cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Minister of State Alan Dillon, Councillor Ger Deere, cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Councillor Cyril Burke, leas-chathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, and Councillor Donna Sheridan.
"Thank you for joining us and supporting our community celebration.
"A heartfelt thank you to Fr. Brendan Kilcoyne and Rev. Andrea Wills, our wonderful Parish Choir, and Liam Dever, who added something very special to the occasion with the sound of the pipes.
"Thank you to our guest speakers Catherine Gagneux, Dr. Michael O’Connor and Jean Marc Neyret, who shared their stories and experiences with us and brought the European theme of the day to life.
"We were also delighted to have fantastic performances from Turley Duggan School of Dance and Kilkenny School of Music, and wonderful involvement from our local Foróige Club and their leaders.
"A special thank you to everyone living across Europe who took the time to send us video messages.
"Hearing from people with connections to Belcarra who have made their homes in different parts of Europe was a lovely reminder of just how far our community reaches.
"Thank you to Carra Catering for the lovely food and to everyone who came along and supported the event.
"And finally, a huge thank you to our volunteers and Belcarra Community Council. To Mary Fitzgerald for leading the event and Tony Cunningham MC.
"Days like today simply don’t happen without people giving their time, energy and enthusiasm behind the scenes. From the planning and preparation to setting up, welcoming visitors and tidying up afterwards – thank you.
"Today was a lovely celebration of Belcarra – our heritage, our community and our connections with Europe."