Meath Heritage Hot Air Balloon

2004      First launched at Bristol in August fiesta 2004, the Bristol fiesta attracts a crowd of over half a million people over the week end and 120,000 people for the "night glow" on sat night, the night glow is done with only 24 of the 150 balloons at the event and clips of the event were showed on Sky News UK.

2006

One man meet at Lough Allen Drumshambo, Co Leitrim
Week-end festival at Kilkenny Castle flying from in front of the castle with large crowds for all the evening launches all flights entailed us flying over the city at slow speed

Summer Fest Killarney flying was from the race course between the town and the lakes Killarney on summer week-ends is always packed with people but this week-end Kerry were playing cork in the Munster Final in Killarney

 August in Bristol for the fiesta this year we done 2 night glows on the Thursday and Saturday nights on the Thursday glow the Meath balloon featured on the ITV news program which was broadcast right across the UK

We also attended the Wisbrough Green charity event once more with lots of flight from the village green to large cheering crowds

The Irish balloon championships were held in Athlone, a lovely location with great flying and very friendly people. The Meath Balloon featured on the front of 2 local papers and inside another one.

2007

The Meath Balloon fly’s at the Chateau D’Oex International Balloon Festival. The flying was stunning and the Meath balloon scored another first when it appeared in a large picture on the front page of the Irish Times. This is the first time a ballooning picture has appeared on the front page of an Irish National Newspaper.

2008

The Meath hotair balloon piloted by Joe Leahy and George Fordyce rising beside Le Temple De Chateau d'Oex, in the Chateau d'Oex valley in the Swiss Alps, during the 30th International Festival of Ballooning

The Meath hot Air balloon piloted Joe Leahy flying over paddy fields in Tissamaharama Hambantota 238km south of Colombo.  Hot Air Balloons during a night glow at Deberawewa School Hambantota Sri lanka during the festival of ballooning watched by over 100000 local people.

Photograph : Brenda Fitzsimons