Ballinamore to host Africa Day celebration as part of Leitrim Gathering
Free family-friendly event will celebrate African culture, music, food and creativity as part of Leitrim’s community festival
Africa Day 2025 will be marked in Leitrim with a public celebration at The Junction in Ballinamore on Sunday, May 25th, from 11am to 4pm.
The free event, part of this year’s Leitrim Gathering, is being organised by Leitrim County Council in collaboration with Leitrim’s African community, Leitrim Volunteer Centre, and the Leitrim Development Company.
The celebration will include African music, food, drumming, art and craft workshops, hair braiding, face painting, and a variety of family-friendly activities.
The event will be officially opened by Cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy O’Rourke at 1pm, followed by lunch and an afternoon of performances and workshops.
Speaking ahead of the event, Cllr O’Rourke said it was “an opportunity to celebrate African diversity and culture in Leitrim” and noted its value in promoting understanding between communities.
The Junction, the event’s venue, is based at the old Ballinamore railway station and secondary school site. It now houses NCYCS Youth Hub, the Leitrim School of Art, and hot desking and office space for local enterprises. Africa Day activities will take place throughout the facility.
This event is one of a number of community-led activities featured in the Leitrim Gathering, a county-wide programme highlighting local culture, creativity, and diversity.
Africa Day, which falls annually on May 25th, commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963. Celebrated in Ireland since 2006, it is supported by Irish Aid at the Department of Foreign Affairs, with local authorities across the country hosting events that reflect the rich and diverse cultures of African communities living here.
““This day is an opportunity to promote those links and learn more about African cultures. I am delighted that local authorities across Ireland will be taking part in Africa Day 2025 and look forward to vibrant celebrations nationwide,” Said Neale Richmond T.D, Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond T.D.
“There is also a large Irish African community, who are making significant contributions to our society and economy in towns and villages throughout Ireland.”