Roscommon County Council in association with Lough Key Forest & Activity Park and the Irish Ballooning Association are delighted to announce the return of the Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships to Lough Key, Boyle.
Details of this exciting collaboration were announced on Thursday, October 31st at a special reception in Lough Key Forest Park and Leisure Centre, Boyle. The venue served as the official launch site for the 53rd Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships, taking place from the 20th to 26th September 2025.
The spectacular event features up to 30 Hot Air balloons and their crews, typically from USA, Germany, France, Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. The event will aim to fly twice daily, morning and evening, creating an amazing and colourful spectacle for all to see as the balloons inflate and fly overhead.
Next year’s Championships make a welcome return to Boyle after a near 30-year break since the championships were last held in the county.
The championships were an integral part of the cultural and social life of the North Roscommon area. The event attracted many visitors to the county to marvel at the spectacular event, which could be viewed for miles outside the immediate Boyle area.
Dermot Beggan, General Manager of Lough Key Forest and Activity Park expressed his delight at the return of the championships to Lough Key. “I am thrilled to have played a part in the return of The Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships to Lough Key Forest and Activity Park and the Boyle area. It is a joy to bring this nostalgic and awe-inspiring spectacle back to our beautiful region”.
Tourism Officer with Roscommon County Council Lisa Joy said the local authority were delighted to support the Irish Hot Air Ballooning Championships and secure Lough Key Forest and Activity Park as the launch site for the 2025 event. The news, she said, was a major vote of confidence not only for Boyle but also for the county’s tourism sector.
Details of next year’s event can also be viewed by visiting the Irish Ballooning Association website.
