Next weekend's Fly Mayo Festival in Ballinrobe celebrates an important and historic flight across the Atlantic 75 years ago. The festival has received a major boost with the news that the Government of Lithuania is sending a senior Minister to attend.

The senior Minister, who has yet to be named, will lead a high-powered Lithuanian delegation to Ballinrobe as the town plans a party to remember Felix Waitkus, the Lithuanian who was forced to make an emergency landing just outside Ballinrobe in 1935.

Transatlantic pilot Felix Waitkus talks with locals from the area after his plane Lituanica 11 crash-landed at Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, in 1935.

Mr Waitkus had flown from New York and was hoping to reach his home country, but bad weather caused him to land in a large field at Cloongowla, just outside Ballinrobe. The landing was successful, and his story became international news - he was just the sixth pilot in aviation history to cross the Atlantic, and the only one in 1935.
Over 600 Lithuanian nationals are expected to travel from all over Ireland to take part. The festival will also be attended by the Lithuanian Ambassador to Ireland, Vidmantas Purlys, and Arunas Teiserskis, Director of the Lithuanian Association of Ireland. The Lithuanian delegation will visit a number of local tourist locations, as well as some local industries.

On Saturday morning, September 25th, local primary schools will come together to stage a special pageant recreating the flight as part of the festival.

"The pageant will take place on the streets of Ballinrobe. And, in a novel twist, we will go one step further than Felix Waitkus," explained David Hall of Ballinrobe Tourism Committee, who are the main promoters of the Fly Mayo Festival.

"Felix didn't get to complete his flight to Kaunas in Lithuania, the original goal of his journey. Bad weather forced him to land outside Ballinrobe.

"But the 75th anniversary pageant will rewrite history by having him fly on to Kaunas. There will be three 'stops' in the pageant: the American airfield from where he took off, Ballinrobe where he landed, and Kaunas where he intended to go."

A local father and son are photographed beside Felix Waitkus' plane, Lituanica 11, after it crash-landed at Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, in 1935.

Cllr Michael Burke, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, will officially launch the festival in the special Fly Mayo Festival Marquee on Friday next, September 24th, at 6pm. All are welcome. "We are particularly inviting Ballinrobe and Mayo people to come out and join our Lithuanian friends - Felix Waitkus is a national hero in Lithuania, and Lithuanians here are intensely proud of his connection to Ballinrobe," said David Hall.

A website to mark the relationship between Ballinrobe and Lithuania has been constructed. The site features a question and answer session with Phil Waitkus, son of Felix, and also footage of the pilot before he took off from New York, and after he landed in Ballinrobe.

"This site is fast becoming the definitive site for information of Felix Waitkus' famous flight. In Lithuania, there is quite a deal of interest in the information we are assembling here, and Lithuanians are extremely grateful to Ballinrobe for honouring their famous son," said Patsy Murphy, a member of the organising.

Festival Programme:

Friday, September 24th

• 6pm - Official Welcome in Festival Marquee on Abbey Street, Ballinrobe.
• Official Opening by Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Cllr Michael Burke - who also happens to be our local Councillor, a singular honour for Ballinrobe
• Traditional Music by Gasra, popular band from this region
• Irish Cabaret & Music by Annette Griffin (harpist/vocalist), accompanied by Brendan Byrne (pianist), and dancing by Duggan School of Dancing
• Selection of Queen of the Fly Mayo Festival. Compere Liam Horan. Five girls from the Irish-Lithuanian community will compete. The winner will be automatically entered into the 2011 Queen of the Lakes pageant in Ballinrobe
• Festival Events close at 11pm

• 10am-5pm - Bouncing Castles, Kids Attractions, Abbey St, Ballinrobe
• 11am - 'Recreating the Famous Flight' - Felix Waitkus pageant on the streets of Ballinrobe by local schoolchildren, and children from Ireland's Lithuanian community. Queen of the Lakes 2010 Aisling McGovern and Fly Mayo Festival Queen will both lead this parade
• 12noon - Festival Fair in the Festival Marquee (Lithuanian and Irish goods, crafts, snacks etc)
• 12noon - Concert & Activities in the street
• 3pm - Music Cruise on Corrib Queen
• 6pm - Lithuanian Evening - Song, Dance, and Cultural Events in the Festival Marquee, Abbey Street

• 11.30am - Mass, St Mary's Parish Church, Ballinrobe
• 12.30pm - Procession from St Mary's Church to the site of the Felix Waitkus Memorial, Bridge Street, Ballinrobe. Parade led by Balla Pipe Band. All welcome to take part.
• 12.45pm - During Parade, an aerial fly-over will take place to mark the aviation connection
• 1pm - Documentary on life and achievements of Felix Waitkus, at Ballinrobe Credit Union, where a permanent exhibition is in place. Festival closes with this event

• He was born in America in 1907 to Lithuanian parents, and is considered a Lithuanian national hero
• His parents left Lithuania in 1904
• The Chicago Lithuanian community funded the trip aboard the Lituanica II.
• During his 23-hour flight, he encountered bad weather. His fuel ran low. Plus he got tired. Ergo, he came down in an open field at Cloongowla, Ballinrobe, and the aircraft suffered extensive damage.
• The world's media reported on the story. He spoke many times of the hospitality he was shown by the people of Ballinrobe, where he recuperated for a number of days
• He later served in the US Army and died in Germany 1956
• His son still lives in Wisconsin, and remains in regular contact with Patsy Murphy, a member of Ballinrobe Tourism Committee and tireless promoter of both Felix Waitkus' memory and the strong Ballinrobe-Lithuania link