FROM an attempt to spread a little ‘positivity and kindness’ during the pandemic lockdowns, to becoming a global sensation bringing the Fermanagh diaspora together, the Enniskillen Banter page just keeps growing.
Set up in 2019 by local couple Benny and Charlotte Cassidy, the Enniskillen Banter group has hit new heights, with over 37,000 members.
Speaking to the ‘Herald this week, popular Enniskillen man Benny recalled a journey of craic and community.
Recognised widely for his comical nature, Benny formed ‘Enniskillen Banter and Craic’ in 2015, with 8,000 people from the town and county enjoying reminiscing and talking through the Facebook page.
But in 2019, just before the Covid-19 pandemic, the popular group was hacked.
Benny wasn’t perturbed though and he formed a new group, ‘Enniskillen Banter’, which has exceeded his expectations.
“Things were just starting to escalate. I thought I would have to do something about the positivity part of it and it would focus mainly on groups,” Benny told the ‘Herald.
“I contacted people who were cooks, people who were into fishing and people who did different crafts, asking them to share their stuff online in a teaching mode to help people find new skills and occupy them.
“We had Margaret O’Hara who demonstrated her baking skills and recipes in a simple and very easy to understand way The group developed into kindness from member to member,” Benny recalled.
When lockdown struck in mid-March 2019, the Enniskillen Banter group on Facebook boomed, with over 900 people joining up in one week, from as far away as Africa and South America.
Benny recognised that during that time, especially ex-pats from the town, found themselves reminiscing about home, as well as keen for some light-hearted humour and craic.
“Under the title of the page, I wrote that the focus would be around positivity and humour.
“I think it was the bit about positivity that caught people,” explained Benny.
“People were scared and anxious and I wasn’t taking advantage of that, but trying to facilitate something that would create interests and other hobbies.”
While the initial focus was on sharing jokes and memes, the content of the group quickly developed.
The group developed into kindness from member to member,” Benny recalled.
“If people write how they would solve something or if they had any ideas, people are very understanding and they take time with them. It is a platform for a lot of the charities to post if they’re having an event.”
Comedy king
Benny, who still works some ‘bank shifts’ as a porter at the South West Acute Hospital following his retirement, said he’s had a passion and interest in humour since his childhood.
His many interactions with different patients at the hospital over the past few decades also helped him develop some unique content which he regularly shares on the Facebook group.
“I always loved humour, even when I was a child.
“I was always quite quick with a response, in a funny way, and I think that’s what has helped me through life generally,” Benny said.
“When I retired first, I said I’d never be back.
“The reason I went back was in September and I was missing the people and the humour.
“A lot of my material has came from real happenings, whether it’s something I’ve saw or it’s a quip that I’ve heard, and I’d take that one.
“The older patients recognise me and they love to tell me their joke.”
With over 37,000 members, the Enniskillen Banter Facebook group is like a home from home for many people. Benny hopes the group will continue to grow and develop.
“Most of the people who join the page now are by invite from others. I have over 3000 friends on Facebook and out of that, 2800 are members. They are very loyal people,” said the Enniskillen man.
“I’ve friends from across the world that I’ve never met. People will pass it on and once they join, I approve and they can have access then.
“There’s nothing I love more than a group of members talking about the one post.
“The amount of people that come up to us when we’re shopping and say to us, ‘are you the man from the page’.
“That’s right across the board, from younger people to older people who all love the page.
“We just want to thank all of their members for their continued support, with special mention to Liam McCaffrey, Patricia Scullion and Bridget Cox for always adding funnies daily.”
Benny’s Banter
Readers of the ‘Herald can look forward to hearing more from Benny in the months ahead, with the popular Enniskillen man set to share his online antics on a monthly basis.
“I’m hoping in some way I can transform some of the material from the group and my sense of humour to others,” Benny added.
“I would like to spread what I’m doing even further.
“Newspapers, because of the way they have to report things, there is always going to be bad news but when they come to this page, people will know there’s going to be no downside.
“A wee bit of humour doesn’t go a miss in any context.”
