Local Notes: Accolade for St Muredach’s Iarla Dunford
Iarla Dunford, who completed his Leaving Cert in St Muredach’s College, Ballina last year, was recently presented with the UCD Entrance Scholar Award. He is pictured here with Wayne Walsh, the principal of St Muredach’s College (left) and Alan Conmy (right), who was Iarla’s history teacher.
Ballina student Iarla Dunford has been recognised at a national level with the prestigious University College Dublin Entrance Scholar Award.
This annual award is presented to first-year students who achieved the highest Leaving Certificate points from schools in the Republic of Ireland, provided their score is at least 500 points, and highlights the excellence of high-achieving students entering this top Dublin university.
Wayne Walsh, the Principal of St Muredach’s College, Ballina, where Iarla sat his Leaving Certificate in 2025, congratulated the former student on his success, earned in recognition of his exceptional exam performance. Iarla achieved 100% in his Higher Level History exam, and has gone on to study English and History at UCD.
The son of Chuck and Mairead Dunford, Ballina, Iarla is a highly talented traditional and folk musician, playing bodhran, whistle and guitar. As well as serving as an active member of Bofield Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, he makes up one third of the Ballina band Alder, established last summer and already making a big impact on the folk and trad circuit in Ireland.
Former St Mary’s Secondary School student Michaela Mullaney also received the UCD Entrance Scholar Award and is currently studying Radiography at the university. Michaela was presented with her award at ceremonies that took place across three days in UCD’s O’Reilly Hall.
Parents, guardians and caregivers of autistic children are invited for coffee and a chat in Ballina at an event run in association with Ballina Autism Friendly Town.
The free get-together in a non-judgemental and safe space will enable people to share their experiences and support each other.
The meet-up will take place in the Mayo North East office at Kevin Barry Street, Ballina on Tuesday, March 3 at 8pm.
The death has taken place of Francis Rutledge, Newtown, Cloghans, Ballina.
Francis will be sadly missed by his cousins, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife Claire, parents John and Elizabeth, brother Fr Robert, and sister Violet.
Francis reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Monday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Teresa’s Church, Rathduff, Ballina on Tuesday, followed by burial in Cloghans Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
The death has taken place of Ann Lawrence, 18, Penshaw Close, Liverpool, England and formerly of 35 St Patrick’s Estate, Ballina.
Ann will be dearly missed by her sons Michael, Patrick, Joseph, Charles, Martin, John Paul, Brian and their wives, daughters Mary, Nancy, Ellen, Winnie, Rosaleen, Bridget, Caroline, Geraldine, sons-in-law, grandchildren and extended family.
She was predeceased by her husband Michael, daughter Margaret and baby Patrick.
Requiem Mass for Ann was celebrated in St Patrick’s Church, Ballina on Wednesday of last week, followed by burial in Lisheen Cemetery.
May she rest in peace.
St Michael’s National School, Church Road, Ballina will host a coffee morning for mothers, fathers, caregivers and their toddlers on Friday next, March 6.
It is planned that the toddler group coffee mornings will take place in the school on the first Friday of every month, from 10am to 12pm. Everyone is welcome to come in, say hello and have a cup of coffee.
Mayo College of Further Education will hold an Open Day this afternoon (Tuesday, March 3). The Open Day will allow potential learners to meet teachers and tour the campus location in Ballina.
The College will have over 60 FET/PLC Levels 4 and 5, and Level 6 QQI, ITEC, CIDESCO and BTEC courses on offer for the 2026 academic year, as well as exciting new apprenticeship opportunities.
Please visit www.mayocollege.ie for more information and to make a free online application for September.
The Open Day in Ballina runs from 12 noon to 6pm today.
The death has taken place of Agnes Frattaroli (née Kelly), 17 Bunree Road, Ballina.
Agnes was the beloved mother of Diana, Doris and Luisa. She will be sadly missed by her daughters, grandchildren Danielle, Diane, Mandy, Alanna, Dillon, Racheal, Vicky, Katelyn and Ross, great grandchildren Jade, Ryan, Sophia, Mia, Emily, Hailey, Jordan, Aoibhe and Mylah, sister Lena, sons-in-law Ollie Gilligan, Patrick Munnelly and John Devers, nephew Michael Kelly, relatives, neighbours and friends.
She was predeceased by her husband Alfonso, sisters Lily and Annie Mary, brothers Tommy and Charlie, and parents Thomas and Barbara.
Agnes reposed at her residence. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Monday of last week, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
May she rest in peace.
An Irish language play group for infants and toddlers up to five years of age takes place in Ballina Library every Saturday morning.
The free-to-attend group is all about surrounding little children with songs and books in the Irish language, and playing games as Gaeilge. It will also provide parents and guardians raising young families with the tools and knowledge to foster a love of our native language in their children.
The organisers are hopeful that opportunities will arise for other activities in the group too, such as art workshops, puppet shows or nature walks , and have been working with Glór na nGael and Teanga Tí.
Call into Ballina Library any time between 10.30am and 11.30am this Saturday, March 7, and on any Saturday apart from over a public holiday weekend.
The death has taken place at the age of 84 of Michael Melody, Manchester, England and late of Carrick, Attymass, Ballina.
Michael was the beloved husband to Mary, loving dad to Fiona, Anthony, Stephanie and James, and devoted grandfather to Amy, Mikey, Paddy, Oliver and Harry. He was cherished brother of Martin, Jimmy and Breege, dear father-in-law to Michael and Vicky, and a much-loved brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend to many. Michael will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered always.
He was predeceased by his parents James and Anne.
Burial took place last week in Hollinwood Cemetery, Manchester.
May he rest in peace.
Seachtain na Gaeilge is taking place from March 1 to 17 this year, with a large number of events scheduled across the country and abroad to promote the Irish language and culture.
Next week in Ballina, a Seachtain na Gaeilge bilingual quiz will be held in The Merry Monk, Killala Road on Thursday, March 12.
Everybody is welcome to come along to this annual event, and anyone without a team will be fixed up with a team on the night.
The quiz will start at 8.30pm.
A World Day of Prayer Service will be held in St Muredach's Cathedral, Ballina on Friday, March 6 at 7.30pm. Everybody is very welcome and tea will be served afterwards in the Pastoral Centre, which is located in the grounds of the Cathedral.
Recently baptised in the Parish of Kilmoremoy (Ballina) were: Patrick Michael Conroy, St Patrick’s Estate, Ballina; Matthew Thomas Beattie, Rathroeen, Ballina; Éala Jayne Cox, The Olde Mill Stone, Killala Road, Ballina; Kenzio Pio Ward, Cluain na Ri, Ballina; Szymon Jerzy Potempski, Convent Hill Crescent, Ballina; Clodagh Rose Collier and Cillian Luke Patrick Collier, Greenhills, Ballina; and Maisie Grace Devers, Millview Crescent, Ballina.
Friday’s county final of the All-Ireland Credit Union Schools Quiz will be the first occasion in which Ballina Credit Union has hosted this stage of the national event.
Teams representing St Colman’s Credit Union, First Choice Credit Union, Westport Credit Union and Erris Credit Union will join with their counterparts from Ballina Credit Union to compete for places in the All-Ireland final.
The teams who were placed in the top two of both age categories at the first stage of the quiz last month will now represent Ballina Credit Union in this second stage. These are Knockanillo National School (Ballina), High Park National School (Skreen/Dromard, Co Sligo) and The Quay/Quignamanger National School (Ballina), which has teams in both age categories.
At the first stage of the quiz last month, Dáire Walsh, Daniel McAndrew, Rose Dunleavy and Muireann Gill, representing Knockanillo National School, came first in the Under-11 category, while second-placed The Quay National School was represented by Oisín Murphy, Joe Tighe, Ysanne Harrison and Oisín Martin.
In the Under-13 category, members of the winning Quay National School team were Cian Gillespie, Donnacha Gavin, Aoibhe Ryan and Grace Tighe, with Tomás Kenny, Katie Woods, Toby Thornton and Iarlaith McManus taking second place for High Park National School.
Quizmaster for this county/chapter stage of the quiz will be Ballina’s John Joe Kirrane and the event will be staged in Ballina Community Sports Centre.
The Credit Union Quiz is a nationwide competition for primary schools which attracts more than 25,000 participating students each year. It is run over three stages between the months of January to April, culminating in a national final in the RDS Dublin on Sunday, April 19.
Local actors are among the familiar faces in ‘Cairn’, a short feature film which will air in Ballina Arts Centre on Friday evening next, March 6, at 8pm.
According to IMDb, the cast includes Kieran Coen, Eamon Walkin, Shane Loftus, Sharon Molloy, Paul Brennan and Keelan Wong, among others.
‘Cairn’ is the story of a ritualistic murder which occurs in a rural part of the west of Ireland, and was partly filmed in Ballina. Two detectives are sent to investigate - Lou Dean (Pat Egan), a grizzled and world-weary detective, and troubled young mother Maria de la Cruz (Aline Almedia).
The film runs for fourteen minutes, to be screened twice, and will be preceded by a brief introduction, followed by a Q&A. A reception will take place upstairs in Ballina Arts Centre at 7pm, with the film screening starting at 8pm.
Tickets are priced at just €5, plus booking fee. Bookings can be made online at www.ballinaartscentre.com. You can also call 096-73593 or email info@ballinaartscentre.com to book.
A country music weekend in The Great National Hotel Ballina next month will feature live performances from Trudi Lalor, Shawn Cuddy, Chloe Winters, Carmel McLoughlin and Kevin Logue, who will be joining the star of the show, celebrated country music singer Mick Flavin.
The shows will run across three nights, on the weekend of April 17, 18 and 19.
Tickets cost €15, and further information is available from hotel reception at 096-23600.
