Birr's hospitality is a big attraction for ballooning event

The 48th Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships will take to the skies over Birr in September.

The championships will get underway at Birr Castle Gardens and Science Centre, the main launch location, and the public are actively encouraged to come out and see the balloons as they launch and to bring a camera.
This is the sixth time the championships have been hosted in the town, and chairperson of the Irish Ballooning Association, Carol Davis says Birr is the perfect location for five-day competition to take place.
"We love going back there because of the fantastic hospitality, the grounds of the castle are beautiful, and it's just a stunning area to fly from," says the Cavan-based ballooning enthusiast.
"The whole area is surrounded by bogs, so it makes it amenable for low flying, there are no animals, and no big cities so we're not restricted in any way, you can fly in any direction. The proximity of the Shannon makes it great for our 'splash and dash' competition," Carol continues.
The Irish Ballooning Association say that while it is not possible to provide flights to the public during the week, it will still however be a fun social event for everyone’s enjoyment. 
A number of light-hearted competitions will take place to challenge the skill of the participating pilots, including Hare and Hounds, which involves a single balloon flying away first, the 'hare', and the remaining balloons follow the hare balloon, who will be doing their best to find winds to make the task more difficult for the chasing pack.
The winner will be the balloon that either lands nearest or drops their 'marker' nearest the landed hare balloon. There's also a Fly-in task and a Long Distance Competition where a prize is awarded to the balloon team that manages to fly the furthest throughout the week's event. Carol says the championships will attract 25 balloonists, most of whom have been to Birr before, and loved it.
"We will have around three teams coming from the United States, most of them will come from the UK and Northern Ireland, and there's a few hardy souls from Ireland taking part.
"We will be holding our morning and evening briefings in the County Arms, which are not open to the public of course, but they are more than welcome to come and see us taking off. However, flying is weather dependent, so I don't wish for people to be disappointed. We can only fly when it's calm and dry, and morning and evening offers the best opportunity for this," Ms Davis adds.
The championships are expected to attract 100 participants to Birr, with more coming to see the spectacle of balloons across the horizon.
"It does bring an economic boost to the community, and they will have the opportunity to see all the sites around Birr. Some will visit Kinnity and Leap Castle also, it's just a great week for all involved."
The 48th Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships get underway from September 23 to the 28, it promises to be a beautiful sight, as weather permitting, of dozens of hot air balloons will grace the Offaly skies.