Local Notes: All the latest news from Charlestown
Charlestown Sarsfields' Paul Towey in action for Mayo against Cork in the GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final in Croke Park earlier this summer. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Lotto jackpot of €22,800 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, July 12th, when the numbers drawn were 1, 26, 27 and 31 The winners of €50 prizes were Fr Tommy Towey (Lucky Dip - Annual Ticket), Louise Horkan (Lucky Dip) and Helena Harrington (online winner).
The latest draw for a jackpot of €22, 900 was held on Sunday night, July 19th.
Tickets on sale at a number of outlets in the community, price €2 or three for €5, and the draw can also be played online via the club's Facebook page. The club would like to thank everybody who supported their weekly draw.
Well done to the Charlestown Sarsfields U14 girls team who defeated Claremorris recently in the Division 2 Championship semi-final in a thriller that went right to the wire with the young Sarsfields girls prevailing on a 6-6 to 5-8 score-line in a game of many twists and turns.
The young Sarsfields starlets had to battle hard to overcome a game and tenacious Claremorris side who gave as good as they got in a game that was dominated by goals and goalmouth action galore. The Sarsfields clung on well at the death as Claremorris pushed hard for an equalising score but the green and white defence held firm and managed to see it out, much to the joy and relief of their management team and supporters.
Bushfield Cemetery Mass takes place on Friday, July 25th, at 7.30pm.
Charlestown Cemetery Mass takes place on Friday, July 31st, 8pm.
Legion of Mary meeting takes place every Wednesday evening at 7pm in St James`Church, Charlestown. All are welcome and for more information contact Phil on 086-3946233.
Charlestown Sarsfields captured another East Mayo title with their U16 development team defeating Swinford in a well contested encounter played at Robert McCallion Park, Swinford recently.
The Sarsfields were pushed all the way by a very game and spirited Swinford outfit as they took the game to the wire with the Sarsfields hanging on for dear life in a tense and dramatic finale with all kinds of pressure being applied by the hosts to take the game to extra-time at the very least.
The Sarsfields clung on, however, with Thomas Horkan pulling off some outstanding saves in goal to preserve their slender lead as Swinford applied all manner of pressure in the closing stages. The game was a good spectacle as two evenly matched teams duked it out from the throw-in.
There was never much between them at any stage in the contest, it must be said, with the Sarsfields always in front with never more than a score separating them at any stage.
The game had plenty of pep in it with the hosts keen to avenge their defeat to the Sarsfields in the East Mayo A Championship just a few short weeks ago, hence there was a real competitive element to the exchanges which continued right throughout the duration of the game.
The Sarsfields had plenty of grit to fall back on to get the job done and they needed every bit of it as their hosts presented a formidable challenge that remained relevant and persistent right to the final whistle.
A Liam Giblin goal in the first half proved pivotal to the final outcome as it negated the one scored by Swinford and allowed the Sarsfields some vital breathing room on the scoreboard as they refused to bend the knee to a sustained Swinford onslaught in the closing segment of the game.
A good victory for the Sarsfields and one which owed much to their spirit, resolve and doggedness as it did to the talents and ability as the titles keep on coming with this being the third in a matter of weeks.
The Sarsfields had many standout players but those that shone brightest of it all were Liam Giblin, Patrick Horkan, who was superb in goals, with Cian Haran, Sean Honan, Finn Drury, and Cillain O`Grady also excellent as the Sarsfields celebrated another success with gusto and enthusiasm.
Bord na nÓg Chairman Stephen Mooney presented the cup to victorious Sarsfields captain Cian Casey to great delight and joy with a large Sarsfields support on hand to cheer the lads off the field.
Well done to the management team of Donal Healy, Neil O'Connor, Mike Doherty, Ryan O'Connor and Ritchie Haran who got a great tune out of the lads and had them in tip-top shape for this difficult assignment. The lads have gotten the best out of talent available to them and this success is the culmination of months of hard work and slog.
All eyes now turn to the Division 3 U16 Championship with Kilmeena first up in the group stages.
Charlestown Sarsfields secured their Mayo Junior 'A' Championship status for 2027 with a very good 2-13 to 1-9 victory over Claremorris in the final round of the group stages played at the Claremorris GAA grounds recently.
The Sarsfields fronted up from the throw-in and took it to their opponents in every line of the field as they brought plenty of intent to the field and played with a conviction that was refreshing to see.
The Sarsfields hit the front early doors and were never headed thereafter, thus putting Claremorris on the back foot as they struggled to cope with the aggression and passion the green and white brought to the contest.
The Sarsfields went into the interval with a lead that was fully deserved and it could and should have been more if they were more accurate in front of the sticks as chances came and went in alarming fashion.
The Sarsfields continued the second half in much the same vein as the first as they hoovered up possession and kept the play moving towards the Claremorris goal.
That said, their lead remained a slender one with the hosts still very much in the game as they trailed by just three points as the game headed down the home stretch.
That Claremorris remained in touch was due in no small part to the Sarsfields' squandermania as chances came and went which made the game far closer than it needed to be from a green and white perspective.
The Sarsfields finally found their straps in the closing stages with goals from Patrick Walsh and Paddy Joe Dunleavy sealing the home side's fate thus providing the Sarsfields with the breathing room on the scoreboard to make the final few minutes comfortable as they managed the game well to the final whistle.
A thoroughly deserved win for Kevin Deignan and his Sarsfields charges with the likes of Eoin Flannery, Paddy Joe Dunleavy, Paddy Walsh, Ben Crean, Niall Towey and Tadhg Horkan very much to the fore in all of the Sarsfields best passages of play.
The Charlestown Sarsfields Minor ladies bid to win the Division 1 Minor Shield final hit the rocks as MacHale Rovers proved too strong in the final played at the Centre of Excellence, Bekan recently.
MacHale Rovers emerged victorious on a score-line of 4-7 to 1-10 with their ability to score goals being crucial to the game's outcome.
Charlestown battled courageously and never dropped their heads but the North Mayo side had some quality players in the key areas of the pitch, all of whom turned up to play and their quality was evident when it came to the art of finishing as their goals came at key moments in each half.
The Sarsfields can be proud of their display however as it is, in essence, a very young team with many of the same players eligible for the same grade next year. They got a glimpse of what it takes to compete at this level and this will serve them well in their endeavours to get back to this standard of competition next year.
Well done to the coaches and management team on a job well done and chins up, there are many more good days ahead with this group.
Sympathy is extended to Sadie Reilly, Lurga, Charlestown on the death of her sister Margaret Roche (nee Carey), which occurred in Cardiff, Wales recently.
The Diocesan Pilgrimage of Achonry and Elphin takes place on Sunday, August 16th. Ceremonies begin at 2.30pm with the anointing of the sick and concelebrated Mass at 3pm.
There is a full list of activities for the coming week(s) that are taking place in the Charlestown Swimming Pool.
With the weather continuing to play ball and the sun high in the sky, the timetable of events in relation to lessons, lane swimming, open swims, etc are all available for viewing on the Pool's Facebook page which gives up to the minute details on all that's happening at the splendid facility.
Best wishes to John Mulligan Cashel, Charlestown who has taken over the running of Walsh's Public House, Main Street, Charlestown.
John, who hails from Cashel, is a well known face in the bar and hospitality trade having worked in the industry for a number of years. He is a popular presence in and around the town and spent the last number of years running the bar in the upstairs lounge of Ireland West Airport, Knock.
John brings plenty of hands-on experience to the role and has already drawn large crowds to the splendidly appointed venue as he looks to build on the pub's well known reputation which stretches far and wide into all areas of the community and beyond.
The pub is synonymous with GAA and darts and has built its reputation on both and John will be keen to keep those traditions alive as he looks to provide the customer with the best possible drinking experience in warm, comfortable surroundings with the pub forging its reputation on a good drinking experience in warm, cosy surroundings.
We wish John and his staff every success in this new venture and many good and happy hours trading in an industry where the trends have shifted so much in the last decade.
Well done to the residents of Kilgarriff who have restored the village's old ball alley and brought it back into use for its residents and the general public at large to use.
This took a lot of hard work and graft on behalf of a very dedicated and core group of people and the fruits of their labour have paid off handsomely as the facility looks splendid and has been a virtual hive and hub of activity since its restoration.
There was always a great tradition of handball in Charlestown and the surrounding villages and it's great to see many of the old alleys and courts brought back into use as the game continues to enjoy a renaissance among the younger and not so younger generations.
The people of Kilgarriff can be proud of their work and more power to them as they have revived a resource that has a rich history and I'm sure it will create and provide many more memories and happy times for all who'll use and access it in the months and years ahead. Take a bow all who were involved in this terrific project, it's a credit to your vision and ambition.
The whole county holds its collective breath as it gears up for another titanic clash with Kerry, the county who provide the barometer and set the standards when it comes to winning and GAA excellence.
Mayo's qualification for the 2026 All-Ireland Final has taken everybody by surprise considering our mauling by Roscommon in the Connacht Championship semi-final only 86 short days ago. Anyone who trailed out of MacHale Park on that glum Sunday would have laughed hard and loud in the face of anybody who suggested Mayo would be one of two teams still standing on the last Sunday in July, such was the dark mood that prevailed over the rank and file Mayo GAA supporters.
Here we are, however, back in the showpiece occasion having navigated our way past Monaghan, Meath, Cork and Louth with a narrow defeat to Tyrone thrown for good measure and in that journey we have re-floated our ambitions and re-connected with the Mayo support base which had become somewhat disillusioned with our form and prospects in the last five years since our last appearance against Tyrone in the 2021 final.
That defeat had a profound impact on many people as it severed the connection with the green and red as numbers dwindled through the turnstiles and crowds fell notwithstanding the fact that we still remain one of the most fanatical and best supported counties in the country.
The narrow victory and defeat against Monaghan and Tyrone respectively showcased our flaws to the watching nation as we prepared to face Meath in a winner take all encounter with our fate on the line so to speak and manager Andy Moran and the team's reputation very much up for public scrutiny.
We got to half-time in that encounter barely standing as Meath carved us open and could and should have been ten to fifteen points clear such was the ease at which they opened us up at the back.
Everything was on the line in the second half for Andy and his team and boy did they respond as they hauled themselves off the floor and tore into Meath like caged tigers as the Mayo support found their true voices. That was the turning point for this team as MacHale Park rocked of old on a beautiful June summer evening as the team re-discovered their mojo and played with a passion and brimstone not seen since the victory over Dublin in the semi-final of 2021.
The scenes when the hooter went were magical and it lit the touch paper for what happened since as we filleted Cork and Louth respectively in the quarters and semis to set up another crack at the aristocrats of GAA in the Kingdom.
The Mayo support has been bolstered in huge numbers once again with the demolition over Louth, a seminal moment perhaps in this team's reconnection with Mayo folk across the county and the globe.
The clamour for tickets has cranked up with every village, town and townland getting up for the match so to speak as we once again journey to Croke Park in the vague hope we might end 75 years of crushing pain and misery.
Andy's optimism is infectious and his ability to see blue skies overhead has liberated the team and provided them with a platform to display the full gamut of their talents with Croke Park looking tailor-made for the extraordinary talents of Kobe McDonald, Ryan O'Donoghue, Darragh Beirme et al.
That trio along with the rest of the cast have put a smile on Mayo GAA folk once again and allowed people to dare to dream as we get ready to descend on Dublin in our thousands and bring our red and green passion to the great amphitheatre that is Croke Park.
There is no place like headquarters on All-Ireland Final day. It evokes emotions in us like no other and it is the biggest sporting occasion bar none in the Irish sporting calendar as supporters from two counties stand as one to display their colours and empty their hearts and minds in support of their chosen one.
Mayo stand on the cusp once again but in the other corner lies a county that has put us through the wringer on so many occasions and left us distraught and our hearts ransacked with the defeats of 1997, 2004 and 2006 still very vivid in our muscle memory.
They remain the county with the pedigree and tradition and once again lie ready to torpedo our dreams as they revel in the role of party poopers with the added incentive of adding a fortieth All-Ireland title to their already decorated and storied history.
We are an optimistic race by nature in Mayo as we prepare to scale Everest which is akin to the challenge facing Andy and his young tyros.
Right smack bang the middle of all this is our own Paul Towey, a man we have nurtured, coached and trained since he was a pup and here he stands ready to compete on the greatest stage of the lot and boy are we proud here in Charlestown to have a player good enough to join the illustrious company of Thomas Parsons, John Casey, Aidan Higgins, and Dennis Kearney (sub on the 1989 team defeated by Cork) to have played in the biggest game of the lot as he looks to secure that coveted Celtic Cross which will make him a legend forever. He's ready to step up and embrace the challenge as we all are in the town and surrounding areas as we hoist our flags and signs on every entry and exit point of the town and press the jerseys and polo tops to display our Mayoness and prepare to dream that Sam will cross the Shannon, which we have all dreamed of in one form or another since 1989.
Bring it on, I say, as Mayo descends on Dublin with our spirits high and our emotional banks stocked up for what should be another thundering occasion.
Charlestown Sarsfields lost out to St Jarlath's in the final of the East Mayo Minor 'A' Championship played at the Centre of Excellence, Bekan recently.
The Ballyhaunis/Eastern Gaels combination emerged victorious on a score-line of 1-14 to 1-9 in a hard-fought encounter played in picture perfect conditions with hardly a puff of wind in play.
The first half was very tight and tense throughout with scores very much at a premium as the two sides battled hard for some modicum of control.
The Sarsfields got a terrific start with a Michael McCarthy point followed by a wonderfully taken Shea Haran goal as he stormed up the left flank and cracked a great shot low and hard to the net to provide the Sarsfields with a real fillip.
A good point from Cian Towey extended the Sarsfields lead to three points as St Jarlath's huffed and puffed but could make little inroads against a well organised Sarsfields defence.
The game took a turn 20 minutes in when pressure from St Jarlath's was rewarded with a goal which the Sarsfields defence will be disappointed with as they didn't deal with a high ball that landed deep in their square with the ball falling into the hands of a grateful St Jarlath's corner forward who dispatched it to the net to bring the game to the boil nicely.
A couple of quick points from Jarlath's edged them two in front but a splendid point from Sarsfields midfielder Dean McDonagh hauled the teams level once again to leave the scores tied at 1-4 apiece with much to play for in the second half.
The second half saw more of the same as both sides traded blows in a bid to land the knockout punch.
Jarlath's looked to be the more threatening side but the Sarsfields hung in well and forced a number of turnovers which breathed confidence into their challenge and fuelled their optimism as their defence kept them in it with some tough and disciplined tackling.
That said they found scores hard to come by with Cian Towey their main scoring outlet as he kicked a couple of excellent two pointers to keep the Sarsfields challenge viable.
The rest of the attack however hit a brick wall as shots were miscued or blocked which undermined some good approach play.
Despite all their shortcomings in front of goal, the Sarsfields trailed by just two points with less than ten minutes remaining as Jarlath's struggled to convert their pressure into points.
The Sarsfields were manful in the way they pressed and harried their opposition as balls were ripped from them in the tackle but they managed only one solitary point from a free which Sean Breheny converted with ease with Jarlath's midfielder Adam Kelly showing his class as he landed two magnificent two-point frees in the final few minutes to take the game away from a gallant Sarsfields side who went out on their shields as they fought tooth and nail to death.
The final score-line reflects a little harshly on their overall contribution to a good and compelling game that was always interesting and enthralling. Referee Ronan Guerin handled it well and kept the play flowing where possible at all times.
The Sarsfields had fine performances from the Breheny twins Sean and Danny with Cian Towey, Shea Haran, Mikey Giblin, Rhys O'Connor, Matthew Murphy, Michael McCarthy, Dean McDonagh and Mason McCudden.
All eyes now switch to the Division 3 Minor Championship where the Sarsfields will be hoping to advance from the group stages and at least make a play-off place.
There was no winner of the Curry GAA Lotto jackpot of €4,600 in the weekly draw held on Monday night, July 13th, when the numbers drawn were 2, 12, 25 and 27.
The winners of the three €20 prizes were Colm Connolly, Caoimhe Gallagher and Colm Doohan.
The latest jackpot was €4,700 when the draw was held on Monday night, July 20th.
The next community coffee morning will be held in the Arts Centre, Barrack Street on Friday, August 7th, from 11am to 1pm. Lift access available and all are welcome to come along for a cuppa and a chat.
There was a good turnout at the weekly 25 card game held in The Yeats County Inn, Curry on Tuesday evening, July 14th, and the following were the prize winners: 1st, Miko Sheridan; 2nd, Mary O'Hara and James Cafferty.
The raffle winners were James Cafferty, Mary O'Hara and Breege Leonard.
The game takes place every Tuesday evening at 9pm and all are welcome.
There was a good turnout at the weekly darts competition held in Walsh's Bar, Main Street, Charlestown on Sunday night, July 12th, as Podsie and the Egg squared off in another tasty instalment of the weekly classic.
Governor Gus had little difficulty keeping law and order as both men behaved impeccably.
Podsie was in ominous form from the off and surged into a two sets lead thanks to some superb throwing and stellar finishing. The Egg hardly got a look at the double such was the vintage form being exhibited by his opponent.
Set three followed the pattern of the first two as Podsie continued to it pile on with the big scores with the Egg powerless to prevent the whitewash. The number one seed completed his routine victory with a neat 138 finish with his final dart landing plum in the middle of the double eighteen bed.
A champagne performance from the number one seed as he clinched his twelfth title of the season with the Egg left to ponder on another final defeat as he just couldn't get to the pitch of it all evening. Podsie celebrated in typically modest and graceful fashion with the two men sharing a few quiet beers as the conversation went on long into the night.
Well done to Vinny Doc who scooped the top prize of €500 in the latest draw held in Johnny's Bar, Main Street, Charlestown.
A nice little boost for Vinny and let's hope he spends it wisely!
Charlestown Sarsfields Minor team make the long trek to Louisburgh to take on the locals in round one of Division 3 of the Mayo Minor Championship on Tuesday (this evening), July 21st, with the throw-in scheduled for 7pm.
Charlestown Sarsfields host Eastern Gaels in Fr O'Hara Park in the U12 Summer League on Wednesday, July 22nd, with the throw-in confirmed for 7pm.
************************
Kilmovee
Preparations are underway for the 20th edition of the Kilkelly Kilmovee Parish Magazine.
The committee invites parishioners at home and abroad to submit articles, photographs, memories, or local news for this special anniversary edition. The deadline is August 31st next.
Submissions can be emailed to kilkellykilmoveemagazine@gmail.com or given to any member of the magazine committee. Thank you for your continued support.
The annual Urlaur Pattern will be held on Tuesday, August 4.
The popular event will begin with Mass being celebrated in the ruins of the Abbey on the shores of Urlaur Lake at 1pm followed by traditional music beside the lake. There will also be free activities for children, as well as various competitions, including the Dominick Henry Memorial Cup in soccer and the Michael McDermott Cup for solo and group musicians and singers.
Among the many activities will be face-painting, fancy dress, fast food, ice cream and Urlaur Tea Shop, while Haulie Grady will be there with his new book, 'I Wonder If I Had Turned Right'.
The Community First Responders will also be present while the day will finish with a social in Urlaur Community Centre at 10pm with music by Mary Kathleen Henry.
The Cemetery Committees hope to have the annual masses in the local cemeteries as follows, weather permitting: Saturday August 1, at 6.30pm in St Brigid’s Cemetery; Sunday, August 2, at 10am in Naomh Mobhi Cemetery; Sunday, August 2, at 11.30am in Culmore Cemetery; Tuesday, August 4, at 1pm in Urlaur Abbey and Wednesday, August 5, at 7.30pm in St Patrick's Old Cemetery in Rusheens Kilmovee.
Bingo is held in Kilmovee Community Centre on Sunday evenings at 8.30pm. The jackpot is now at €800 on 47 calls and the house lotto is €920 on four correct numbers and also a 50/50 draw with a guaranteed winner every week.
The Active Age Group meets every Thursday in Kilmovee Community Centre from 11am to 2.30pm. Come along from 11am for tea/coffee and a chat.
There are exercises around midday, lunch at 1pm with Bingo afterwards.
It is a lovely way to spend a few hours in good company, get some exercise and a good lunch.
The team at the community centre look forward to welcoming you. The cost is €10 a week plus annual membership.
The Achonry and Elphin Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place from August 28 to September 2, and will be led by Bishop Kevin Doran.
For bookings, please contact JWT at 01-6852244 or email info@joewalshtours.ie.
For assisted pilgrims who will stay in the Accueil, please contact Fr Ray Milton on 090-6661115 before June 11th.
If you would like to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, please contact Fr Joseph Gavigan before or after Mass in the Church Sacristy.
The pool is now open for the season, daily from 3 to 8pm. Please see its Facebook page for more details.
Please help support the Pool by donating your return drink containers to the Orange Re-turn bin outside the pool.
The phone numbers for the local SVP Conferences are:
Glann: 085-2108472; Kilkelly: 086-889907; Urlaur: 086-9227552; Kilmovee: 086-8892098.
The lotto numbers drawn on Saturday July 4, in the Kilmovee Shamrocks Lotto were 17, 18, 38, 42. There was no winner of the jackpot.
Thanks for your ongoing support for the lotto, which is an important fundraiser for the club.
