Ballybraddan facts for kids

Ballybraddan is a fun Irish animated TV show. It first aired on RTÉ Two in April 2009. This series was made in Ireland by Monster Animation. They worked with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) and the Irish Film Board.

About the Show

The idea for Ballybraddan came from Gerard O'Rourke. Noel McGee and Nora King wrote the show. Jason Tammemagi was the director. There are 20 episodes, each lasting 13 minutes.

The story follows a lively group of kids for nine months. They are all in fifth class at Ballybraddan National School. This school is in a made-up Irish town called Ballybraddan. The show explores the challenges and adventures they face.

A big part of their lives is hurling. Hurling is a fast-paced Irish sport. Their love for hurling brings the friends together. It also helps them deal with life's ups and downs.

Meet the Characters

Main Characters

• Dylan - Voiced by Aileen Mythen. Dylan and Beacon are the unofficial leaders of their group. Dylan spends most of his time practicing hurling. He is the best hurler on the team. Everyone calls him 'The Special One'.

• Beacon - Voiced by Ciaran Fagan. Beacon is very competitive when it comes to hurling. He gets annoyed easily. People call him Beacon because he often blushes. His mom, Mary, owns the local café. He has two sisters, Grainne and Fiona.

• Aisling - Voiced by Doireann Ni Chorragain. Aisling isn't really into hurling. But she is very proud of her team. She always supports them in their matches. She is Sam's best friend. Aisling is known for her great sense of humor. She can also stand up for herself well.

• Sam - Voiced by Lucy O'Byrne. Sam is from Australia. She and her parents recently moved to Ireland. She enjoys hurling and is part of the team.

• Soc - Voiced by Joseph Dillon. His real name is Seamus. He got his nickname from his initials. Soc is Aidan's twin brother. He is the team's goalkeeper.

• Aidan - Voiced by Joseph Dillon. Aidan is Seamus's twin brother. He doesn't want to be a hurler. He prefers to watch and support the team. He feels shy about his fear of water. Aidan often draws in his sketchbook. Some of his friends sometimes criticize his drawings.

• Solo - Voiced by Eoin Kavanagh. Solo is known for being mysterious. He often carries a hurley stick. But he says he is not a hurler. He recently moved to Ballybraddan from Crattan. Solo is very secretive. He doesn't talk much about his old life. The gang doesn't know he was bullied in Crattan. But he was strong and didn't let it bother him.

• Ziggy - Voiced by Cathy Downes. Ziggy moved from Poland with his family. He loved hurling the moment he found out about it. Now, he knows everything about the game. He knows all the facts and famous players. Ziggy isn't the best player. But he practices more than anyone. He just wants to get better.

• Speedy - Voiced by Aaron Gleeson. Speedy is the school bully. He has two quiet friends, Gerry and Seany. Speedy often makes fun of the other kids. But the gang is not afraid of him. He always says he is the best at everything. He often shouts, "I am the 'champeen!'". Secretly, he likes Amber.

• Gerry - Gerry is one of Speedy's friends. He doesn't always agree with Speedy's actions. But he often joins in anyway.

• Seany - Seany is Speedy's other friend. He is very clever. He usually does whatever Speedy tells him to do.

• Snips - Snips is the captain of the Ballybraddan team. He is in charge of keeping the team motivated. He has a secret crush on one of the Ballybraddan girls. He hasn't told anyone.

• The Bantor - Voiced by Paul Tylak. The Bantor is the team coach. He wears a special tracksuit. It has 'Bainisteoir' written on the back. This is the Irish word for "manager." Some letters faded over time. So, he became known as the Bantor. He can be very strict. But he is always fair to his team.

• Amber - Voiced by Amber Flood. Amber is the star player on the team. All the boys like her. But she likes Beacon. She loves playing hurling.

• Ruby Lynch - Ruby is a character from the rival hurling club. She is known for her great humor and quick wit.