Derry Journal Editorial: Teams bringing summer festivals to life worth their weight in gold

The latter is a tradition that has survived and thrived across many areas in the north west and that is down to the incredible community spirit and hard work of community, youth workers, coaches and volunteers who day and daily go the extra mile to provide inclusive events and celebrations for all ages. They are worth their weight in gold, often spinning magic out of what are limited budgets and hard-won funding.

Across the north west, community and festival organisers who put on events here and elsewhere deserve great praise for what they do. This week I visited the first ever Galliagh Féile and saw firsthand the incredible coming together of the community in the area where I grew up. it brought to mind the days when we would have summer parades with themed floats and street parties. And it was great to see people of all generations gathering together once more.

Everywhere from the estates served by the Derry Féile to the Foyle Cup, from Creggan to Clonmany, Carndonagh to Caw & Nelson Drive, Strabane to Strathfoyle, Ballymagroarty to Buncrana, Gobnascale and Lettershandoney to the Glen and Limavady, there are so many people pulling together to create programmes and festivals for children and adults across their region, bringing people together, creating a sense of belonging and a new bank of happy memories in the process. And that is priceless. Very well done to everyone involved.