The Big Hello! community weekend was certainly a success in Laois.
The weekend of the May Bank Holiday was one of fun, food, colour, sports, chats and lots of tea and cakes.
It was a weekend for neighbours and committees to come together to build relationships, and reflect on the tremendous work of our voluntary community.
The imagination of various community groups throughout the County was funded by Department of Rural Community Development and supplemented by Laois County Council to ensure the maximum amount of community events could benefit from The Big Hello!
The success of this initiative was a result of local communities coming together to plan events that work best for their community.
The Big Hello speaks to everyone in an inclusive and open way.
Photographer Denis Byrne travelled all around the county on the May Bank Holiday weekend.
He captured over 40 brilliant pictures from Stradbally, Abbeyleix, Camross, Mountrath, Timahoe, The Swan, Portlaoise, Durrow and Ballyroan which you can check out below:
Pictured are Dave Monaghan, Pat Dooley, Chair and Gerry Daly, Sec of the Droimnin Retirement Residents Association Stradbally Photo Denis ByrneGreen fingers at The Big Hello in Droimnin Retirement Village as Residents Nuala Monaghan, Jo Robbins and Freda Parker plant shrubs for The Big Hello Photo Denis ByrneEnjoying the sunshine at The Big Hello were Droimnin Village Residents Association members Pat Dooley, Chair with Derek Collins and Frank Parker Photo Denis ByrnePictured are the Droimnin Retirement Residents Association Stradbally Pat Dooley, Derek Collins, Gerry Daly, Dave Monaghan, Veronica Dooley, Freda Parker, Frank Fleet, Jo Robbins, Frank Parker, Colette Meleady, Nicolas Keary and Nuala Monaghan Photo Denis ByrnePizza time at Corran Na Noir Abbeyleix Photo Denis ByrnePictured are the Corran Na Noir Residents Committee Catherine and Darren Kearney, Ashling Rothwell and Steven Houlihan Photo Denis ByrneA happy tiger at The Big Hello Kayden Flaherty in Corran Na Noir Abbeyleix Photo Denis ByrneJames O’Keefe setting out at the Big Hello in Camross on Saturday Photo Denis ByrneAva Griffin, Katelyn, Lizzie Abby Ryan enjoying The Big Hello at Camross on Saturday Photo Denis ByrneAt The Big Hellon in Camross were Bryan, Fionn and Lyndsey McNamara with Margurite Walsh and Josie Delaney Photo Denis ByrnePictured at The Big Hello in Camross were Phill Duggan, Mattie Collier and Pat Lalor, Chair Camross Vintage Club Photo Denis ByrneA thumbs up for The Big Hello at Camross from bikers Hugo O’Neill, Lukas Dowling, Aaron Bredin and Ciaran Palmer O’Keefe Photo Denis ByrnePictured at the Poets Cottage for The Big Hello were Camross Parish Development Association Left to Right: Aidan Hynes, Chair Johanna McDonald, Packie Cuddy, Michael and Sheila Lalor with Kevin Conroy Photo Denis ByrneLooking very colourful for The Big Hello were sisters Anna and Ewa Nowosiak Photo Denis ByrnePictured are Mountrath Community Forum Committee: Andrea Deering, Geraldine Moore, Gina Reidy, Martin Meade, Andrea Delaney, Lucy Conroy and Edwina Cuddy Photo Denis ByrneElisha Delaney about to have her water melon pop at Mountrath on Sunday Photo Denis ByrneSarah Tynan with Edwina, Maura and Mia CuddySport for all at the Big Hello in Bill Delaney Park Stradbally on Sunday Photo Denis ByrneAlice Laffan performing at The Big Hello in Stradbally Photo Denis ByrnePictured enjoying the sunshine for the Big Hello were Jamie, Carol, Kate, Ben and Gary Kavanagh Photo Denis ByrneJohn, Sarah, Joe and Rosalyn LarkinSport for all at the Big Hello in Bill Delaney Park Stradbally on Sunday Photo Denis ByrneCiara Woulf, Faith Carroll and Emer RamsbottomPictured are Donal O’Shea, Stradbally Development Association, Cllr. Tom Mulhall and Brenda Corbet, Laois County Council at the Big Hello in Stradbally on Sunday Photo Denis ByrneThe Walsh familyTaking aim at Timahoe for The Big Hello was Eabha Daly Photo Denis ByrnePhoto Denis ByrneReady to roll at Timahoe were Cormac and David Kelly and Thomas Ramsbottom Photo Denis ByrneSunny smiles at Timahoe for The Big Hello from Niamh Dundon, Karen Doyle and Ava Kelly Photo Denis ByrneEnjoying the sunshine at Timahoe for The Big Hello Photo Denis ByrneAt the Swan on Sunday for The Big Hello were Joe Brennan, Pat Kelly, Tommy Kelly, Margaret Cahill, Joe, Ryan and Anne Brennan Photo Denis ByrneEnjoying aAt the Swan on Sunday for The Big Hello were Jake Gohery, Bobby Rowan, Harry Gorman and Charlie Crehan Photo Denis ByrneFace painting at Hawthorne Drive Portlaoise for The Big Hello Photo Denis ByrnePictured are Sean Murphy, Rosaleen Redmond, Dom Dunne, Gerry FLanagan, Pauline Madigan, Vanessa Keane and Ray Malone, Chair Hawnthorne Residents Committee at their Big Hello event on the bank holiday monday Photo Denis ByrnePictured palnting a cherry tree at Hawnthorn drive were the Flaherty Family Photo Denis ByrnePictured are Sean Fleming, Brendan Phelan, James Kelly, Brian Oglivie, Finbar O’Donovan, John King, Charles Flanagan, Liam O’Neill and Ollie ClooneyAbout to cut the ribbon to officially open Laois Kayak and Canoe Club at Durrow was Paul Donnelly, President Canoeing Ireland, Brian Oglivie P.R.O and Finbar O’Donovan, Chair of Laois Kayak and Canoe Club Durrow Photo: Denis ByrneZane Polaskova and Matt McGrathHaving fun at The Big Hello in Ballyroan Abbey G.A.A on Monday were Lesley Knowles, Rosie O’Donnell, Frances Quinn, Jules and Ruby Ellen Fitzpatrick Photo Denis ByrneAbout to chow down were Lily, Sonia and Lorraine Gleeson Photo Denis ByrneRuairi Dunne and Mark McDonaldTrevor Phelan, Barry Walsh, Noel Delaney, Jim Gee, Simon, Tara and Doireann DelaneyA Big Hello from Marie Davis on keyboards at Emo Community Hall Photo Denis ByrnePictured are Back: Paddy Booth, V.C Julia Booth Assitant Sec, Tom Scully, Chair, Maureen Byrne, Sec and Martha Morrin Treas. Photo Denis ByrneTom Scully about to start proceeddings at Emo Community Hall Photo Denis Byrne
