The National Hot Air Ballooning Championships kick off in County Galway today.
It's the event 47th year running and will see up to 40 balloons light up the skies around Loughrea.
Contestants from Europe, the US and South America will descend on the county for the competition. The launch is scheduled for 4:30pm today at the Lough Rea Hotel & Spa and will run every day until Friday.
It's the longest running competition of its type in the world and was first held at Newcastle House in Ballymahon, Co. Longford in 1971.
