Ballygar Carnival have released their new documentary Ballygar Carnival: No Effort Spared on YouTube. The feature-length documentary was produced to mark 80 years of the Ballygar Carnival, which began in 1945. The Ballygar Carnival committee wanted to capture the spirit of the Carnival – the people who built it, the characters who brought it to life, and the future that lies ahead for it. The video features first-hand accounts from the people of Ballygar telling their own personal stories that made the carnival special to them. A fantastic archive of old photographs, advertisements and footage were sourced by the production team and are included to compliment the stories.
The documentary was produced by Keith Gordon. We caught up with Keith, who is also vice-chairperson of the Ballygar Carnival Committee, to hear his thoughts on the production process and what he learned about the carnival that Ballygar people are so proud of:
“I was delighted to have the opportunity to make this documentary and to give something back to the rich carnival archive. When we first sat down almost two years ago to discuss it, I don’t think I fully realised just how much work would go into it—but the finished documentary makes every bit of effort worthwhile.
First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who sat down to be interviewed. Your stories are the heart of this documentary, and without them, it simply wouldn’t be what it is.
In terms of production, I’m especially grateful to Conor Moran, Tomás Kenny, and Emer O’Keeffe—my right-hand team from start to finish. My thanks also go to Paul Connolly and Matt Nolan, our chief historical advisors and the very first people we contacted about this project nearly two years ago. And a special mention to Sean Kilgarriff, who generously shared an absolute goldmine of historical footage. I doubt he realised, all those years ago while filming the carnivals, just how valuable that footage would become. It’s no exaggeration to say his work truly makes the documentary.
Growing up, the Ballygar Carnival was always the highlight of my school holidays. But when you’re young, you don’t stop to think about everything that goes into making it happen. Working on this documentary changed that for me. It opened my eyes to the planning, the traditions, and the incredible dedication of the people who give their time, year after year, to keep it alive.
It’s given me a whole new appreciation for what the carnival means—not just to the people of Ballygar, but to the entire surrounding area. I feel very lucky to have been able to help tell that story, and I hope you enjoy watching this documentary as much as I enjoyed making it.”
An early screening was held for the grand carnival opening on Thursday 31st July 2025 in the courthouse in Ballygar to a packed crowd. Dr. Martin Daly TD was invited to give the keynote address, in which he spoke passionately about the importance of the Ballygar Carnival to the local community.
The title of the documentary, No Effort Spared was inspired by some of the earliest advertisements for the carnival which informed that the organisers of that very first festival would be sparing no effort to ensure a successful event. That statement has held true over the many generations of Carnival committees, each of whom spared no effort to deliver an outstanding festival for the community.
The documentary has already been viewed over 2000 times and has received an extraordinary amount of positive feedback.