Ballina Bridge Congress is an event that evolved from an idea our founding fathers had in the 1970s. The town held a Salmon Festival in July each year which attracted many visitors to the town; several of these from Northern Ireland. Aidan Cleary was living locally at the time, and on returning from a Bridge Congress in Kilkenny with a prize of a flitch of bacon, the idea of holding a congress in Ballina with salmon for prizes was born. Salmon were offered as prizes for many years until stocks of wild Moy salmon began to dwindle and the practice has now ceased. The Mixed Pairs competition on the Friday night is dedicated to the memory of a brilliant Ballina Bridge player, Ias Kane, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident in the US in the 70s. Saturday's Congress Pairs is for the John Lowry trophy: John was a staunch member of the Congress Committee and a former treasurer and president, and won many trophies with his favourite partner, Anthony Kilcullen, both now deceased.

Presidents Ballina Bridge Congress   1970 + 1976 and 1977: Aidan Cleary 1978 Betty Gornley 1979 Jackie Carney	1980 + 1980 Peg Glacken 1981 Michael Mullen 1982 Breege Gallagher 1983 Ena McCorkell 1984 Joe Moran 1985 Kay Forde 1986 John Lowry 1987 Valerie McGeogh 1988 Josie Cawley 1989 Anne Freeman	1990 + 1990 Anthony Kilcullen 1991 Frances Walkin 1992 Tim Summerfield 1993 Jacqueline O'Toole 1994 Eithne Daly 1995 Mary Galvin 1996 Betty Gormley 1997 Vincent McMahon 1998 Marie Molloy 1999 Gráinne Bourke	2000 + 2000 John Mulkearns 2001 Marie Fahy/Anne Freeman 2002 Mary Lowry 2003 Marge Lennon 2004 Edna Bourke 2005 Mary Mongan 2006 Christy McLoughlin 2007 Michael Walkin 2008 Mary Gilvarry 2009 Gerard Moran
2010 + 2010 Mary O'Dowd 2011 Helena Moran

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