MORE THAN 700 orange helium-filled balloons were hurtling in the skies over Ireland towards Dublin and the east coast last night after being released by hundreds of schoolchildren at the Cliffs of Moher, Co Clare.
In the “Great Cliffs Balloon Race”, the person who finds the balloon that has travelled the farthest will receive a prize.
Yesterday, manager of the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre Katherine Webster speculated that some of the biodegradable balloons may find their way past the east coast and across the Irish sea to Britain.
The event is part of the campaign to have the cliffs selected as one of the “New7Wonders of Nature” after being shortlisted in the final 28 last year.
Each balloon is printed with the “vote for the cliffs” logo and a message to contact the Cliffs of Moher visitor centre.
Speaking after the release, Ms Webster said: “It is anyone’s guess how far they could travel, but they could make it as far as the coast of the UK if the conditions are alright, and they are beautiful this afternoon.”
Other wonders of nature from around the world to make the shortlist are the Amazon Rainforest, Table Mountain, the Black Forest, Mount Vesuvius, Galapagos Islands, the Great Barrier Reef and the Grand Canyon.
More than 100 million votes were cast in a global poll to determine the shortlisted sites.
The cliffs are the only Irish entry still in the contest. Ms Webster said: “the potential benefits for Ireland are enormous, particularly for Irish tourism bringing in thousands of additional visitors to the country each year.”
Local parent Róisín Ní Gháirbhith said yesterday: “This is great. Every child was excited to get a balloon in the first place. It is really important that the local people support this.
“The Cliffs of Moher are not just a wonder of the world, it is an honour to have it as a wonder on our doorstep.”
Votes can be cast at new7wonders.com/n7w
