Local Notes: All the latest news from Ballyhaunis
Some of the members of Ballyhaunis Library's Book Club are pictured at Val's Bistro in Ballyhaunis at a dinner held to mark the retirement of librarian Eleanor Freyne. Picture: Glynn Photography
An online map run by the Commission for Communications Regulation (Comreg) shows that mobile coverage in Ballyhaunis town is 'very good' while coverage in some rural areas is 'fringe'.
ComReg is an independent state body set up under the Communications Regulation Act 2002 to regulate the private telecommunications firms licensed to provide mobile phone services.
Comreg’s frequently updated online national outdoor mobile coverage map (https://coveragemap.comreg.ie) provides information on mobile network operators’ outdoor coverage for 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G mobile networks.
Several readers who spoke to this column said poor mobile coverage is a “fact of life” in the Ballyhaunis area but several noted that the situation has worsened over the past year. Customers of various networks in 'fringe' areas pay the same rates as peers in areas with good coverage.
Potential buyers travelled from America to view a Ballyhaunis pub which is currently on the market, according to estate agent Seamus Carthy who is selling Paddy’s Bar and an adjacent guesthouse.
“We are nearing completion of sale now, there has been a great variety of interest,” said Carthy.
The estate agent says the interest shown in the bar thus far leads him to believe it will remain a going concern, alleviating worries that Ballyhaunis could lose one of its hostelries after the closure of several other pubs in recent years.
The “cosy atmosphere” of the Paddy’s Bar, which for many years was known as Gill’s, “increased its saleability”, said Carthy who has been offered €275,000 for the property, just short of the €300,000 listed price.
There was a large attendance of family and friends at the funeral mass for Frank Mulligan at St Patrick’s Parish Church recently.
Originally from Devlis, Frank passed away on his mother, Kathleen's birthday last year in Tampa, Florida, explained his friend Pat Higgins.
“His brother Pat and sister-in-law Norma accompanied Frank on his final journey home, fulfilling his request that his cremated remains be interred with his mother in the local cemetery.
“Frank was born in New York in 1945. His father, Patrick passed away during routine surgery when Frank was two and a half years old. With three children under the age of seven and no immediate family support in New York, Kathleen, a Cork native, returned to Ireland to live near her Ballinlough resident sister, Mrs Gormley.
“While born in the US and during their life journeys across the world, the Mulligan brothers never lost their grá for their spiritual home in Ballyhaunis. Through mutual visits across the Atlantic childhood friendship grew from strength to strength. Brother Jim returned from Canada to Ballyhaunis to be with his mother in her later years. Pat and Frank in between frequent visits regularly joined the local community for mass on the Parish Webcam and for their favourite Midwest Radio programmes. Rest in Peace Frank.”
Former MEP, Senator and TD Jim Higgins takes a dim view of the American government’s deal with Iran which has brought about a shaky cessation to hostilities. Higgins, who has been a vocal supporter of the Iranian opposition movement, particularly during his time as an MEP, believes “the Americans have set the clock back” while strengthening the position of the clerical regime running the country.
“Their intervention not alone won't achieve a single one of their aims - regime change, nuclear enrichment, human rights - they've consolidated the regime. The US notwithstanding its bravado are now the supplicants. It's a total disaster. The world is in a terrible place right now.”
Executions of political prisoners continues apace in Iran, notes Higgins.
"The IRGC [International Revolutionary Guards Corps, which guards the regime leaders] are in total control and running the show.”
The rise in Ballyhaunis rents is making it increasingly difficult for recipients of housing assistant payments (HAP) to cover their monthly expenditure, according to several Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) recipients in the town.
One householder explained to this column how he’s now forced to find €600 a month on top of the HAP payment in order to rent a house in Ballyhaunis.
“Mayo is a Band 3 local authority meaning a couple with three kids can get €520 for a month but then there’s a 35% discretionary boost from the Council so you could be getting €700 a month. Still, if you get a place for €1,200 or €1,400 that’s a fair bit to make up. The HAP needs to be increased because with today’s rents you’re paying as much with the HAP as you were without the HAP ten years ago.”
But local estate agent Kevin Kirrane thinks government increasing HAP rates would only drive rents higher. Increasing HAP payments “will only fuel the existing fire pushing up rents even more".
“HAP has to be capped,” he said, “or government is accused of creating new higher rent payments by fuelling the fire.”
The government “just can’t win on this one,” noted Kirrane.
“If the government gives too much help there is no incentive to work or try to better yourself.”
To qualify for HAP in Mayo, an applicant must be on the social housing waiting list, have a household net income not higher than €30,000 per year and have a long-term right to remain in Ireland.
Each HAP case is dealt with on its own merits, explained Kirrane.
“Most people on HAP now are working or at least one person in the house is working so they get a top-up based on current income, number of dependents and so on. If someone is already on welfare payments like disability [payments] they get less HAP… it’s complicated.”
Government policy to control rents hasn’t worked, said Kirrane, but rather forced many landlords to quit the market.
“People don’t like landlords but without them they will have nowhere to live. It’s a bit of a mess until large numbers of apartments and houses are built or renovated to cut back on demand and therefore make rents come down.”
A young generation of employees are keen to get the opportunity to help out in the community, according to the founder of a new advisory firm located in Ballyhaunis that aims to connect small and medium-sized businesses with their communities and create volunteering opportunities for their staff.
Founder of the new firm, People and Purpose, Catherine Costello said her work focuses on “community engagement and employee engagement”.
Originally from Bohogue, Catherine spent two decades in corporate roles in Dublin before moving to Racecourse Lawn on the Knock Road.
Gen Z workers [referring to the demographic born between 1997 and 2012] “want employers who care, who contribute, who offer opportunities to volunteer, and who create a sense of belonging,” said Catherine. She cites Central Statistics Office (CSO) data showing the West (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon) has the highest volunteering rate in Ireland with 19.4% of respondents saying they give of their spare time for community or non-profit initiatives.
Catherine promises the consultancy will listen to the story of the business and understand the community around it - “the charities, clubs, causes, and needs” – and then create volunteering and engagement programmes “that feel natural, not forced".
The establishment of Catherine’s consultancy will be good news for various community groups in Ballyhaunis who have struggled to find volunteers in recent years.
“I know myself it can be challenging to get volunteers but companies do need to build in community activity as part of recruitment and retention strategies,” said Catherine.
“The West of Ireland has a spirit you don’t find anywhere else. People look out for each other. Businesses are part of the community, not separate from it. I wanted to help SMEs tap into that strength.”
During her time in Dublin, Catherine was involved in organising voluntary work at the Shanganagh Allotment Project. It was a brilliant example of handsâon, placeâbased community support. She also organised fundraising for the Peter McVerry Trust and computer literacy support with Age Action.
Some Ballyhaunis residents have been getting up during the night recently to cheer for their home countries in the World Cup. Among them, Damian Cardone from Argentina who has been farm labouring in the Ballyhaunis area but keenly following the progress of his national side.
“I would not say that we are going to win the cup but for sure we'll get far in the tournament… I stayed awake till 2am to see the first match.”
Mohammed Abdouni from Algeria, a care worker living in Ballyhaunis, said his country played a “tough” first game against Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions.
“We lost 3-0, I feel disappointed but I am confident we will do better the next two games against Austria and Jordan.
“We have a good team with talented players. Maybe we need more confidence to show what we can do in this World Cup.”
Colombian native Henry Montoya got up extra early to watch his team beat Uzbekistan 3-1 on June 18th.
“The game was on at 3am, I followed it on my phone before heading to work,” said Henry who starts work at Western Brand on the Knock Road at 4.30am.
Construction worker Tarik Yassin meanwhile has been very pleased with the progress of his native Morocco, which held Brazil to a one-all draw before beating Scotland by a goal to nil.
“Yes, the Moroccan national team reached the semi-finals in 2022 in Qatar. Everyone said it was a fluke but their performance against Brazil proved it wasn't a fluke and they will be the dark horse of the World Cup. They have young players who play in major leagues. Most of them are competing for top positions with their teams.”
Members of Ballyhaunis’ large Brazilian community are low key about their team’s chances. Pastor Alexandro Carvalho, overseeing the Agape Church meeting at the Community Hall on Thursday last, shook his head when asked if Brazil will win the World Cup.
“I don’t think so, we’ll see," he said.
Several of his congregation nodded their assent, with one of them, Paulo saying that he expects the team to get no further than the quarter-finals.
