People's Emergency Briefing - Community Screening, Ballyhaunis

What to Expect

Ballyhaunis Community Council and Climate Cafe Connacht bring the “People’s Emergency Briefing” to Ballyhaunis Community Hall on Friday 18 September 2026, billed as the first screening of the film in the west of Ireland. The film brings together nine scientists and experts to examine how climate and nature impacts touch everyday concerns such as extreme weather, food security, health and the cost of living, and features appearances from Chris Packham and Deborah Meaden. It is based on a National Emergency Briefing originally presented in Westminster, and is only available for in-person viewing rather than online. After the screening there is a short, structured discussion about what the issues raised mean for the Ballyhaunis community and what local, practical steps might follow, making it as much a civic conversation as a film night.

Climate Cafe Connacht is one of a network of informal local groups around Ireland that run screenings, talks and discussion sessions on climate topics outside a campaigning or protest format, aiming instead for open conversation among neighbours. Partnering with Ballyhaunis Community Council for this screening brings that format into a mainstream community venue rather than a specialist setting, and the decision to restrict it to in-person viewing only, with no online option, is in keeping with the format’s original design as a facilitated group discussion rather than a passive broadcast.

Good to Know

• Date and time: Friday 18 September 2026, doors for a 7:15pm start
• Venue: Ballyhaunis Community Hall, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo
• Price: Free, but advance booking is required due to limited seating
• Book seats at tinyurl.com/PEBBallyhaunis
• Format: film screening followed by a short community discussion
• Billed as the first West of Ireland screening of this particular briefing film

Getting There

Ballyhaunis Community Hall is in the centre of the town, within walking distance of the main car parks. Ballyhaunis sits on the N83 between Castlebar and Roscommon and has its own railway station on the Dublin-Westport line.