Local Notes: 10-Miler course record broken at Ballina event
Female winners of the recent Ballina Athletic Club Wild Atlantic Way 10-Miler Race were, from left: Collette Tuohy, Mayo AC (3rd); Ciara Long, Melbourne University (1st); and Norah Newcombe Pieterse, Mayo AC (2nd). Picture: James Wright Photography
The course record was broken by the first-place male finisher in the 6th annual Wild Atlantic 10-Miler race, which took place in Belleek, Ballina on August 18. Stephen Geraghty of SADRC was first home, setting a time of 55 minutes and 11 seconds.
The winner of the Mary Morrow Memorial Cup for the first local male runner home was Aaron Donnelly.
The female winners on the day were: 1st, Ciara Long, Melbourne University; 2nd, Norah Newcombe Pieterse, Mayo AC; and 3rd, Collette Tuohy, Mayo AC.
The male winners were: 1st, Stephen Geraghty, SADRC; 2nd, Conor Cavanagh, Waterford AC; and 3rd, Isak Augustsson, Sweden.
The Wild Atlantic 10-Miler was hosted by Ballina Athletic Club and took competitors along sections of the Wild Atlantic Way and the Monasteries of the Moy Greenway, with a route through the beautiful forest trails and riverside paths of Belleek Forest alongside the River Moy.
The Board of Management, Parents' Association and staff of Culleens NS are organising a social gathering to mark the retirement of Mrs Clair Cooke. The function will take place in the school on Friday, September 6th, at 7.30pm.
Join them to mark Mrs Cooke’s achievements, contributions and lasting impact on Culleens NS. Mrs Cooke began teaching in Culleens NS in 1978 and became principal in 2007.
Please RSVP through a link on the school's Facebook page or website www.culleensballina.ie, where there is a response form or call the school on 096-22084 during school hours. Over 18s only.
The Pure Ballina Street Art Project and the DiViPassion International Short Film Festival are just two of the exciting events in the programme for the forthcoming Ballina Fringe Festival this autumn.
The annual event was initiated some years ago by Mayo North Tourism and is designed to attract visitors to the region and demonstrate the strong cultural dynamism that exists in Ballina.
The festival will take place from October 4 to 13, with an interesting, fun and thought-provoking selection for everyone.
The DiViPassion International Short Film Festival is based in Athis-Mons, a suburb of Paris, and has welcomed filmmakers from a variety of countries. The event has established links with Athis-Mons’s twin towns, including Ballina, Rothenburg in Germany and Sinaia in Romania.
For 2024, the short film festival will take place in Ballina on Saturday, October 12, during the Ballina Fringe Festival at Ballina Arts Centre.
The festival is open to all non-professional productions and submissions can be made until September 15. Filmmakers can be individuals, legal entities or organisations. In particular, the event endeavours to support youth production, whether as filmmakers or actors.
The full programme for Ballina Fringe Festival will be released shortly. Keep an eye on this newspaper and on the Ballina Fringe Festival social media pages for updates.
In the meantime, a pub quiz in The Cot and Cobble Bar and Restaurant, Ballina will help to raise funds to defray the costs of the entertainment and cultural festival.
The quiz is on Friday, September 13, at 8.30pm. Plenty of prizes will be on offer and Avril Graham will be your host on the night.
Sit-down exercise classes
Sit-down exercise classes for women and men commence at the Newman Institute, Ballina on Monday, September 2, at 7pm. All are welcome to come along and learn about the various exercise techniques which can be performed in a seated position.
The Newman Institute is located in the grounds of St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina.
For further information, please contact Michael on 087-2337255.
Ballina-born Gerry Diamond, who died earlier this month in County Galway, was a well-known musician who is best known for his time with 1980s Ballina band, Mother Hubbard.
During its heyday in the 1980s, at a time when Ballina had a vibrant band scene, Mother Hubbard was a live music force to be reckoned with, garnering a reputation as one of the finest rock groups ever to come out of Mayo.
The rock quartet featured the talented Gerry on bass, his brother Ray (lead guitar), Johnny Joyce (vocals), Dave Silcock (vocals) and Dave Deane (drums). The band gigged extensively across Ireland, as well as in London and Holland.
Gerry was a native of Bridge Street, Ballina, where his parents, Noel and Rosaleen Diamond, ran a well-known and successful fruit and vegetable shop.
Pre-Mother Hubbard, and as young teenagers, the two Diamond brothers played in Static Image, a late 1970s band which also consisted of local musicians Joe Armstrong, Willie Cox, Michael Connor and Philip Cassidy. Gerry went on to become prominent on the Galway music scene, where he lived for many years.
In 2016, Mother Hubbard came together again for the first time in three decades for a reunion show in Brennan’s Lane, Ballina, where a packed house heard the boys belt out rock classics from the 1970s and 1980s and perform some of their own original material.
Gerry is survived by his wife, Anne, and brother, Ray. His mother, Rosaleen, died in March of this year.
This Thursday is Club Night at Ballina Tennis Club, where new members, including beginners, are welcome to attend. The busy club is located beside Ballina Community Sports Centre, just off Cathedral Road. You will find more information on the club’s Facebook Page.
Members of Ballina Order of Malta will take part in the annual Order of Malta pilgrimage to Knock Shrine, which will take place over three days from Friday, August 23 to Sunday, August 25.
Anyone who wishes to participate in the three days of the pilgrimage, or only on the Sunday, should contact Rosann on 087-6856509.
Fourteen years since he first fronted his own band, and six albums later, Gerry Guthrie is about to embark on his debut concert tour of Ireland.
The Ballina singer and musician has become a household name in country music circles, attracting attention not just for his superb live shows in leading venues and at festivals around Ireland, but also for his numerous radio hits that have been played across dozens of Irish stations.
Gerry has received many top country music awards, including Vocal Performance of The Year, Musician of the Year and Album of The Year.
Joining Gerry on his concert tour will be special guests Kathy Durkin, Matt Leavy, Carmel McLoughlin and Mick Mulhern, each bringing their own unique stamp to the stage.
During his forthcoming concert tour, which starts in Westport Town Hall Theatre on Thursday, September 12, you can hear Gerry perform some of his best-loved songs, such as ‘New Moon Over My Shoulder’, ‘The Boxer’, ‘The Lucky Horseshoe’ and ‘Did She Mention My Name’.
The Mary Robinson Centre, in association with TikTok, is organising the 1.5 Degrees Festival at the IQ Plaza in Ballina town centre on Saturday, September 28.
This festival is all about youth, fun, integration and awareness, with the main focus being on sustainability, climate change and nature. It is an important free showcase for local sustainable businesses.
If you are interested, please email 1.5degreesfestival@gmail.com. You can also direct message on the social media platforms of The Mary Robinson Centre.
The event runs from 10am to 4pm.
As Ballina shapes up for Culture Night 2024 on Friday, September 24, Mayo Arts Office is inviting people to join its Mayo Cultural Companions Network.
Cultural Companions is an Age and Opportunity arts initiative, comprising a network of older people interested in arts and culture who can attend events together as a group.
The aim of Mayo Cultural Companions is to provide increased opportunities for older people to engage with Ballina and Mayo’s vibrant arts and cultural scene.
If you would like to sign up to Cultural Companions, or learn more about the network, please contact mayoartsservice@mayococo.ie. You can also ring 094-9064086.
The death has taken place of Nell (Ellen) Devaney, Leeds, England and formerly of Glenree, Bonniconlon, Ballina.
Nell was the dearly loved wife of Martin and cherished mother to Catherine, Martin, Michael and Geraldine. She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.
Requiem Mass for Nell will take place in Leeds on Thursday, followed by burial at Upper and Lower Wortley Cemetery, Leeds.
The Garda Tony Golden Memorial Cycle 2024, a marathon journey from Blackrock, Co Louth to Ballina, will help raise funds for Breast Cancer Ireland next month.
Tony Golden was a Ballina native who, aged 36, was shot dead while on duty in Co Louth in October 2015.
The 250-kilometre cycle will take place across two days, on September 17 and 18. The supported cycling event is designed for cyclists of all abilities and includes two stopovers, with an overnight in Longford.
The vision of Breast Cancer Ireland is to transform breast cancer from sometimes being a fatal disease into a treatable illness for all.
The cost to register for the charity cycle event is €225, which includes two overnight stays with evening meal and all fees, plus transfers for cyclists and their bikes back to Louth where required.
You can register at www.lh286cycle.com.
Donations to the charity cycle can now be made through Eventbrite.
The 21-string kora, an instrument with harp and guitar-like qualities, has its origins in West Africa, from where Seckou Keita comes.
The UK-based musician and singer has been called the ‘Hendrix of the kora’, and will bring his mesmerising mix of captivating melodies, joyous rhythms, uplifting vocals and contemplative instrumentals to Ballina Arts Centre on Wednesday, September 25.
The kora virtuoso, who stands as a luminary amongst African traditional musicians, is a native of Southern Senegal, and his journey from a gifted child to a globally recognised musician has been nothing short of remarkable.
With a discography boasting 14 critically acclaimed albums, Seckou has garnered over 25 million streams on Spotify alone, in addition to winning a collection of prestigious awards, including multiple BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.
Tickets for his forthcoming Ballina show are priced at €20 and can be purchased online at www.ballinaartscentre.com or by email at info@ballinaartscentre.com. You can also call 096-73593.
The Yeast Meets West Craft Brew Festival takes place in Ballina at the weekend.
This year’s venue is the Cot and Cobble Bar and Restaurant, Sligo Road where, on Saturday, August 31 and Sunday, September 1, a range of craft beers will be available.
The weekend will also feature live music and dancing, with the fun starting in the early afternoon and running until late.
Ballina social enterprise organisation Moy Innovations CLG is delighted with the success of its Primrose Café project.
This socially inclusive café supports people experiencing challenges by creating equal ability employment.
The café and takeaway is located in Primrose Hill, Ballina, close to the Road Safety Authority’s National Headquarters in Moy Valley Business Park.
Each customer of the Primrose Café helps support a local charity, whose mission is to provide the best service, price and quality standards. It opens from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and can be contacted by calling 096-75942.
Moy Innovations was set up in 2003 to create employment and work experience opportunities for the most disadvantaged people in society. Its activities also include the provision of light assembly and packaging services to customers across Ireland.
Ballina Golf Club’s junior golfers team won the North West Golf Sixes League final played in Rosses Point, Co Sligo recently.
Team members were Cara Treacy (Captain), Erin McLoughlin, Daniel Kavanagh, Riain McLoughlin, Adam McAndrew, Dara Gaughan, Ella McLoughlin, Conor McLoughlin, Sean Murphy, Eoin Touhy, Ella Doherty, Ryan Desmond, Connor Brennan and Sam Doherty.
Meanwhile, Elaine O’Hora won the 2024 Lady Captain’s Prize at Ballina Golf Club last week. She was presented with her prize by the current Lady Captain, Kathy Foley.
Craoibhín Ballina continues to provide a bus service to bring people shopping in Ballina, operating throughout Ballina town and surrounding areas from 9.30am on Friday mornings every week. For more information about this very helpful support for those without their own transport, please call the Craoibhín Ballina centre on Cathedral Road on 087-2785365.
Regular activities in the centre include knitting and crochet on Tuesday mornings from 10.30am to 12.30pm and seated exercises on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11am.
There are classes in conversing in Spanish on Wednesday mornings from 11am to 12pm and a bingo session on Wednesday afternoons from 2pm to 4pm.
Boccia takes place on Thursday mornings from 11am to 1pm, with art classes each Friday morning from 10am to 12pm.
Tonight, Tuesday, August 27, is registration night for Ballina Dragons Meitheal Abhainn.
Ballina Dragons Meitheal Abhainn is open to all adults in the community who want to experience the joy of dragon boating and the camaraderie of the organisation’s meitheal abhainn, including those with life-limiting conditions.
Dragon boat paddling is excellent exercise for breast cancer survivors as it provides strenuous upper body activity in a socially supportive environment. Club members describe it as a unique combination of a team sport and an individual non-pressurised effort which aids their mental health.
In addition to weekly activities around dragon boat paddling, Ballina Dragons offers Pilates for paddlers, a connect café, social outings and health promotion events. It has a number of other projects in the pipeline too, including a new choir, and is also working towards becoming an autism-friendly club in support of Ballina Autism Friendly Town.
The community registration meeting is from 6pm to 8pm in the Craoibhín Ballina Centre, Cathedral Road (next door to St Muredach’s Cathedral).
People are invited to come along to the registration event and learn what this volunteer-led club is all about.
Earlier in the summer, the Ballina club launched its website at www.ballinadragons.com, where you will find more information about this dynamic group. You can also WhatsApp 086-2385542.
Ballina Badminton Club’s juvenile activities will resume on Saturday, September 7. The sessions will be at 10am for primary school pupils and at 11.30am for secondary school students.
Membership is open to boys and girls from seven years of age and upwards.
The club operates out of Ballina Community Sports Centre, off Cathedral Road. Further information is available by email at ballinab@gmail.com.
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Ardagh
With primary and secondary schools scheduled to re-open this week, one cannot but feel the onset of autumn is upon us.
Local schools reopening this week are Knockanillo NS tomorrow, Wednesday, August 28 and Ardagh NS on Thursday morning. Doors open for both schools at 9.20am.
We wish all the pupils, teachers, parents and boards of management every success and blessings for the coming academic year.
Just a reminder that the deadline for Ardagh GAA club's GAA Fantasy League fundraising event for 2024/25 season is fast approaching. Prizes for the top three and an additional cup winner prize.
Pay €10 entry fee via www.klubfunder.com (search for Ardagh GAA). Once payment is complete, you are included and will receive a code via email/text within 24 hours.
Congratulations to Ardagh players Tony Carey, Luke Langan and Adam Naughton who were part of the Mayo U-16 team who defeated Armagh on a scoreline of 0-11 to 0-10 in the final of the Buncrana Cup last weekend. A major victory and one which all the team and management can be justifiably proud of.
Meanwhile, congratulations also to Adam Sweeney who represented North Mayo in an U-14 blitz in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence last week.
Sit-down exercise classes for ladies and gentlemen will resume next Monday night, September 2, in the Newman Institute, Ballina, commencing at 7pm. Further details from Michael at 087-2337255 and all are welcome.
Ardagh GAA Club's monthly lotto draw takes place this Sunday, September 1. The jackpot currently stands at €4,300.
Tickets from usual outlets or online at www.ardaghclub.com where you can access the direct lotto link. Support appreciated.
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