IRELAND'S first-ever buggy parade set the wheels in motion for a hugely successful event held in north county Dublin recently.
The inaugural Our Balbriggan Grasshoppers Festival was a superb celebration aimed at children under six-years-of-age.
The festival celebrated the fact that Balbriggan has the youngest population in Ireland.
An open invitation to hundreds of local people rallied them to decorate their prams or buggies and join the buggy parade from Market Green in the town.
Grasshoppers is the brainchild of Acting Up Arts and was fully supported by Our Balbriggan (balbriggan.ie) and Fingal County Council.
The festival was one of the 20 things to happen in the first 12 months of the Our Balbriggan Plan which will see a €20 million-plus rejuvenation of the town, led by a community vision, over three years.
Emer O’Gorman, Fingal County Council’s Director of Economic, Enterprise and Tourism Development, said: “We have already enjoyed a number of fantastic summer festivals and, as the plan develops, there is more to come which the whole area will enjoy.”
The international celebration of early years communities saw visiting companies from Croatia, Lithuania, Romania and Belgium perform workshops for various age groups and families.
The festival also featured an exhibition of 'Our Community' pre-school artwork in the library, Millfield and along the main street where Balbriggan's youth described their hometown.
The festival’s organiser, Cliodhna Noonan of Acting Up! Arts, said: "We dedicated this project to our youngest citizens, the 0-6-year-olds and their families.
"Over 100 pieces of art work were featured by the children and those depictions of colour, vibrancy and activity clearly shows that they love where they live.
"Pre and national school teachers undertook to help us with this in June, which is the busiest month of the year for them, so we are very grateful.
“Balbriggan has the youngest population in Ireland and this festival aimed to bring the community together while also adding an international flavour with visiting companies who regularly celebrate the youngest people in communities all over mainland Europe. The line-up was fantastic, and aimed to stimulate and encourage development among our young and carers, parents and families in this wonderful community.”
