Some 600 white balloons, bearing attached messages of advice, some pious, some rib-ticking funny, from 600 schoolchildren in the Belleek Ballyshannon border area were ceremoniously released into the afternoon sky recently to launch of Belleek Erne Partnership's 'Europe Starts Here' celebrations.

One balloon carried the simple yet powerful petition, 'that people would stop fighting', but there were many others with a heavy sentiment. Another read, 'for more rain in Africa and more sunshine in Ireland'. Others wanted Ireland to win the World Cup and another, 'that all Governments would come together to help people and to eat less eggs'.

"We had a fascinating array of messages from the children, giving a real insight into their hopes for the future and their concerns", said event organisers, Isobel Cleary and Leza Monaghan.

One enterprising child wondered if their balloon would travel the furtherest and, over the next few weeks, they will be waiting to see where these messages return from.

The Cultural Fair took the form of an exhibition of crafts in all of the countries of the European Union, complied by 12 schools in the Belleek, Ballyshannon and Garrison areas.

They ranged from basket making to origami, from bee-keeping to Polish bread and foods, story-telling, and drumming workshops.