Local Notes: All the latest news from Kiltimagh
Anthony, Anne and Ann Crowe at the official opening of the new wellness garden at Youthreach Kiltimagh. Picture: Alison Laredo
The official launch of the Coillte Come Home Festival 2025 will take place on Friday night, May 2nd, at 9pm in Teach O’Hora. The organisers are inviting everyone to come along for what promises to be an enjoyable evening of traditional music, community spirit and celebration.
Timed to coincide with Mayo Day, guests at the launch will be treated to an evening of traditional music, storytelling, community spirit and plenty of craic. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to wear their Mayo colours and join in the celebrations, which will link with Mayo people and their descendants celebrating across the globe.
A major highlight of the night will be the exclusive premiere of the Coillte Come Home Festival 2025 promotional video, capturing the essence, heart, and joy of what’s to come this summer.
Making it all the more special, the launch will be officially opened by the beloved King of the Coilltes himself – Padraic 'Tulip' Walsh – who will share a few words and help kick off the festivities in true Coillte style.
The event is free and open to the public, promising a warm welcome to locals, visitors, and anyone with a grá for music, fun, and Mayo magic.
The event is supported by Mayo.ie, Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Kiltimagh and Genfitt.
The Coillte Come Home Festival will run later in the summer, from Wednesday to Monday, July 9th to 14th. Though some acts are still to be confirmed, the committee has already outlined a varied and lively programme. Events are set to begin on Wednesday night, July 9th, with a planned comedy performance in the Cill Aodain Hotel, followed by a fireworks display to mark the official opening of the festival.
On Thursday evening, music will spill into the streets as local performers take part in a busking session from 7.30 to 9.00. That will be followed by an inter-pub quiz, bringing a competitive and social buzz to the town. The music continues on Friday night with a performance by the High Stool Prophets, and on Saturday, Ruaile Buaile will take to the stage. Support acts for both nights are expected to be confirmed shortly.
Sunday has been designated as Family Day, with a full schedule of family-friendly activities being planned. The festival will wrap up on Monday, rounding off what is expected to be another memorable week for the community and for those returning home to celebrate.
The festival committee continues to work behind the scenes to finalise the line-up and ensure a warm welcome for all. The launch night on May 2nd marks the beginning of the countdown to what is always a highlight of the local calendar.
Clann Machua Drama Group will stage ‘The Snapper’ by Roddy Doyle in the All-Ireland Drama Confined fFnal in Claremorris tomorrow night, Wednesday, April 30th.
The festival opened on Friday night last, with playwright John McDwyer performing the opening.
Sabina Higgins had been named as the special guest to open the festival, but she was unavailable as she was in Rome with her husband for the funeral of Pope Francis.
The festival has attracted record crowds and will conclude on Saturday night. Adjudicator Anna Walker will announce the results at a gala dinner in the McWilliam Park Hotel on Sunday night.
Kiltimagh will once again host the popular Race2Glory on Saturday, July 12th. Participants can choose between a 20km sprint course or the more demanding 40km full course, both featuring scenic trails, hills, river crossings, and a mix of running and cycling stages.
There are prizes across multiple categories, and the event promises fun for all ages, with food stalls, an epic BBQ, ice cream, coffee, and face painting at the finish line. Athletes will be well looked after too, with ice baths and physio support available.
Whether you're racing or cheering from the sidelines, it's set to be a great day out. To register log on to www.race2glory.com.
Kiltimagh GAA Club has extended heartfelt thanks to all the families who took part in this year’s Easter Camp, which brought three days of activity, fun and a touch of sunshine to Gilmartin Park.
The camp continues to go from strength to strength each year, and this Easter was no exception. A total of 125 children took part, representing six different nationalities - a wonderful reflection of the growing diversity within the local community.
The club also paid special tribute to the team of volunteers who gave up their own holiday time to help make the camp possible. Their time, energy and commitment were warmly acknowledged, with organisers noting that events like this simply would not happen without their generous support.
It was another memorable few days in Gilmartin Park, and the club looks forward to welcoming even more families to future camps.
The weekly 25 Drive card game last week saw first prize going to Denis Regan and Aidan McDonagh. In second place were Mary and Liam Moran, while third prize was claimed by Alo Langan and Aidan Lydon.
The Last 10 prize was awarded to Seamus Larkin and Tom Begley. Jack Ryan and Ciaran McDonnell picked up spot prizes.
Winners in the raffle were Paddy Carney, Liam Moran, Chris Flatley and Martin Regan.
The Student Council at St Louis Secondary School is gearing up to host a fun-filled fundraising Table Quiz on Thursday, May 1st.
The event will take place at 7pm in the Bautain Room at the school and promises to be a lively evening of friendly competition and community spirit.
Teams will consist of four people, and all are welcome to take part. Entry costs €10 per adult and €5 per student, with proceeds supporting Student Council initiatives and school activities.
The quiz will feature a variety of questions to suit all ages and interests, and while the exact nature of the grand prize is still under wraps, organisers are promising that it will be worth the effort.
This event is a great opportunity for parents, students, teachers and members of the wider community to come together for an evening of entertainment in support of a good cause. The Student Council looks forward to welcoming a big crowd on the night.
The next meeting of the Kiltimagh Women’s Group will take place in the Library on Tuesday, May 6th, at 7pm. The group will have a guest speaker on the night, who will give a talk entitled ‘Tips for the older driver’. All ladies are very welcome.
Congrats to Fiona Campbell from Kiltimagh who won the Kiltimagh Knock United jackpot of €512 last week.
Tickets for the draw are available online at www.lottoraiser.ie or at local retailers and pubs or from the club’s sellers on Sunday nights.
Twenty-four players competed for a prize pool of €800 in Round 12 of the Spring Poker League in Teach O’Hora on Wednesday night last.
Michael Sheridan came first with Keith Lydon second. Mary McGlynn took third place, while Michael Higgins finished in fourth. The other finalists included Derry O’Sullivan (5th), Kieran McGee (6th), Isaac Boyle (7th), Alan Sheridan (8th), AN Other rounded out the final table in ninth.
The previous week’s game, Round 11, saw Enda Ruane emerge victorious, followed by Thomas MacDonagh in second, Paul Walsh in third, and Dylan Coleman in fourth.
In the overall standings, Isaac Boyle continues to lead the way with 207 points, keeping a steady grip at the top of the league table. He is followed closely by Martin Regan (183 points) and Enda Ruane (180 points). The rest of the top 12 are as follows: Michael Higgins (175), Michael Sheridan (172), Derry O’Sullivan (160), Keith Lydon (157), Nicky Cunnane (154), one unnamed player (148), Paul Walsh (143), Pat Boyle (139), and Gerry Groarke (122).
Meanwhile, in the Sunday €20 rebuy tournament, there was a three-way split for the main prizes between Declan Kilkenny, Thomas MacDonagh, and Julian Keane, with Pat Boyle finishing in fourth place.
The Spring Poker League runs over 15 weeks, with tournaments taking place every Wednesday night at 8pm in Teach O’Hora. Entry is €20, with one rebuy or add-on permitted. A portion of each entry fee is allocated to the final league prize pool, which is expected to exceed €2,000. At the end of the league, the top 12 players will qualify for the Grand Final, along with two additional players who will earn their place through a last-chance playoff.
With just a few weeks remaining, the race for final table positions is heating up.
There was a great atmosphere at Kiltimagh Bridge Club recently for the annual President’s Prize competition, with players turning out in good numbers to compete for one of the most sought-after titles on the club calendar.
Tony King and Eileen Mulderrig emerged as the overall winners on the night, seeing off strong opposition to take first-place honours. In second were the experienced pair of Helen Tarpey and Nancy Shannon, while Ray Nally and Mary Colahan finished a close third. Fourth place went to Michael Gallagher and Leona Connery, and rounding out the top five were Noreen Reddington and Chris Jordan.
There were also prizes for session winners, with Maeve Duffy and Maureen Carney taking the honours in the first session, while Brenda McNicholas and Bernie Byrne claimed the top spot in the second.
Well done to all participants and organisers on another enjoyable and competitive evening of Bridge at Kiltimagh.
Bridge is held in the Park Hotel every Tuesday at 7.30pm. The club is open to new members joining at any time. Casual pairs are also welcome. Bridge classes are available for beginners and anybody interested can contact John McCrohan on 087-2422945.
Róisín Conlon was the winner of the Kiltimagh GAA Club 50/50 last week. Róisín won €653 in the draw which was held in Ryan’s. Tickets for the draw are available online online at www.lottoraiser.ie.
