Local Notes: All-Ireland champion set dancers recreate photo from 1988
THEN... The Aghamore set dancers are pictured in February 1988 after winning the All-Ireland Réadóirí Final. This photograph was taken by Jimmy Leonard during the visit to Aghamore of the Archbishop of Tuam Dr Joseph Cassidy who is pictured in the back row with parish priest Fr Joseph Moran. Standing, from left: Deborah Lane, Imelda Hession, Georgina Cribben, Breege Hunt, Michael Duffy, Cathal Duffy, Adrian Murphy and Patsy Duffy with Paddy Joe Tighe seated.
Local photographer Adam Kaczmarek took a special photo in Aghamore recently as part of a project he’s embarked on to bring old photographs back to life.
Having seen a 1988 photograph of local musician Paddy Joe Tighe during a Heritage Week event at Ballyhaunis Community Hall, he organised a re-take of the photo, which featured Paddy Joe and a champion troupe of dancers from Aghamore.
Paddy Joe explains: “In 1988, I had the pleasure of being the resident player for the Aghamore set dancing group who won the Réadóirí Pioneer Total Abstinence Association All-Ireland Final set dancing competition in Shinrone, County Offaly, on February 27th of that year. The group had also qualified to represent Connacht in the All-Ireland Scor na nÓg finals, but sadly we were unable to attend, because both competitions were held on the same date.
"The group were also winners of the All-Ireland Ceol an Gheimhridh (CCE) competition held in Thurles on March 20th that year. The group came first at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Kilkenny City that August. In fact, the group went on to win eight more All-Ireland finals after that.”
The late Seamus Duffy, who was the principal of Aghamore National School, facilitated the group by allowing them to use the school for practicing.
“Gráinne Kelly-Freyne from Knock was the group's teacher," explained Paddy Joe. "She dedicated a great deal of time and effort to the dancers, making numerous journeys to practice with them. Her eldest son, Davóg Freyne, is a very good accordion player and a music and dancing teacher.
"The Piper's Cross Céilí Band was formed by Davóg in 2019... they were crowned the All-Ireland Senior Céilí Band Fleadh Cheoil Champions for 2023 in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar. This was a historical achievement, as they were the first Mayo band to claim the senior title since the inaugural All-Ireland Fleadh in 1951. Gráinne Kelly-Freyne's other sons, Sean and James, are champion Sean-nós and set-dancers, and Sean teaches at Knock Primary School.”
Builders are back on site at the primary healthcare centre on the Knock Road after a two-month break.
The Health Service Executive (HSE), which expects the clinic to open in the first quarter of 2026, explained to this column: “The site closed for an extended period in July and August including the traditional two-week builders’ holidays. This closure allowed the developer to finalise the necessary financing to complete the project.
"This has now been completed and the site has reopened following the summer break. The programme has been revised to reflect this and construction completion is scheduled for Q4 2025. Handover to the HSE and phased occupancy are planned for late 2025 into early 2026. The centre is expected to open Q1 2026."
Ballyhaunis wastewater treatment plant is not compliant with discharge limits for phosphate as set out in its operating license. That’s according to an annual report published by Uisce Éireann on the operation of the treatment plant, located in Abbeyquarter, Ballyhaunis.
The plant’s discharge “was not compliant with the ELVs [Emission Limit Value, which refers to the maximum amount of pollutants that can be released into the environment by a particular source] set in the wastewater discharge licence for ortho-Phosphate,” according to the Uisce Éireann report, which is available on the Uisce Éireann/Irish Water website. Phosphates are a byproduct of animal and human waste as well as fertilisers and cause eutrophication in water bodies, leading to fish kills.
Last year’s report found the plant was emitting excessive amounts of ammonia, a compound made up of nitrogen and hydrogen which at high levels is toxic to aquatic life in waterways.
The Uisce Éireann findings are based on regular monitoring at an upstream and downstream point of the Dalgan River (into which the plant discharges the treated water).
“The ambient monitoring results do not meet the required Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) at the upstream and the downstream monitoring locations,” notes the report.
The EQS relates to the oxygenation and nutrient conditions set out in Ireland’s Surface Water Regulations 2009.
A deterioration in water quality has been identified in the river, notes the report, “however it is not known if it or is not caused by the wastewater treatment plant".
“Other causes of deterioration in water quality in the area are unknown,” the report adds.
Worryingly, the report states that the sampling results make the river water unfit for bathing or drinking and describes the Water Framework Directive Ecological Status as “poor”.
However, the report concludes that the discharge from the wastewater treatment plant does not have an observable negative impact on the Water Framework Directive status, suggesting high levels of pollution from other sources entering the river.
The Dalgan and its tributaries have been designated as a priority area for attention by the Local Area Water Programme (LAWPRO), a state-funded agency attached to the local authorities. The agency has been testing water quality in the river in collaboration with a Citizen Science team at Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns.
Preparations are underway to mark the 40th anniversary of the twinning of Ballyhaunis with the French town of Guilers on the last weekend in September.
“A group of people are hoping to travel to Ballyhaunis from Guilers for the celebration which will take place in the Community Hall in Ballyhaunis on Sunday, September, 28th” explained Rena Burke, chairperson of the Town Twinning committee.
“This commemoration celebrates the signing of the twinning charter between Guilers in Brittany and Ballyhaunis in 1985. In advance of the anniversary celebration it is hoped to clean the monument, restore the writings, plant flowers, etc, on Park Guilers in the carpark at the swimming pool.
"The principles of town twinning are solidarity and cooperation through socio-cultural and economic exchanges and those principles are based on equality, inclusion and social justice. Participation in the twinning programme proved to be a rewarding and enriching experience for all involved and the friendships formed and links created have endured to this day.
“In a time of increasing division and conflict, we think it is timely to celebrate the friendship which exists with our European neighbours and we would appreciate all support for us in this endeavour. It is an opportunity for us to celebrate our Gaelic culture and promote cultural diversity and inclusion.
"The signs marking the twinning of the two towns also need repainting and we would like to be in a position to do that too. We believe that these initiatives will improve the town and make it even more aesthetically pleasing for everyone. New members will be most welcome on our committee.”
Other members on the Town Twinning committee are Mary Finan, secretary; Kevin Hora, treasurer and Martina Kelly, public relations officer.
A proposal to compel private landlords to set minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) standards for rental properties could have positive and negative outcomes for tenants, according to Ballyhaunis estate agent Kevin Kirrane.
A proposal introduced by Friends of the Earth aims to reduce spending on fuel by lower-income tenants to heat cold houses – 55% of Ireland’s rental properties have a BER of D or worse, according to research published earlier this year by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
“Forcing landlords to upgrade older rental units may just drive them out of the rental market. This is not good for the tenant. The costs incurred by the landlord [in improving the BER] will be passed onto the tenant, leading to more expensive rent,” said Mr Kirrane.
“A big retrofit of a property could give the landlord a reason to get the property vacant and evict the tenant for three to six months.”
However, Mr Kirrane suggests a number of measures that landlords could easily take to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of a property.
"External insulation, upgrading boilers and insulation of thermostats on individual radiators and room thermostats, new seals and hinges on windows and doors… All these can be done without too much inconvenience and are a good idea.”
The Building Energy Rating (BER) Standards for Private Rented Accommodation Bill 2025 was introduced to the Oireachtas earlier this year by Paul Murphy TD.
