Local Notes: All the news from Claremorris area
At the Taugheen Community Council Family Christmas Event were David, Ailbhe, Emer and Thomas Walsh. Picture: Trish Forde
Santa and his elves launched the Taugheen Community Council Christmas Raffle on his recent visit to Taugheen Hall.
Santa was impressed that the first prize is a trailer of turf (sourced locally in Derryfad Bog). The raffle will take place in Forde’s Country Club on Saturday next, December 14th, at 10pm (local time!). Refreshments, treats, guests, music and lots of festive fun on the night.
On his visit, Santa was full of praise for the wide range of community activities and projects promoted by the council during the year. Despite his busy schedule, Santa still found time to switch on the Christmas Lights, select the fancy dress winners, present free gifts to the children and officiate at the Litter Awareness Art Project. He then mingled merrily with the large Yuletide gathering.
Raffle tickets for the turf prize are available from Taugheen Community Council members, local outlets and online.
Santa was exhausted after all that and bid a Nollaig Shona do gach duine before he headed back to the North Pole for a nap in front of his own turf fire.
Today, Tuesday, December 10th, is the final date that public submissions can be made on proposals to close or alter a number of junctions off the N17 road.
Following the tragic accidents on the N17 in 2024, Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) and Mayo County Council have conducted a full safety review and proposed a number of recommendations that have now gone to public consultation.
Five new right-turning lanes are proposed for the following junctions with the N17: Barnycarroll/Loughaunnaman, Old Knock Road (Ballinphuill/Drumneen South,) Ballinsmaula (towards the Abbey) Golf Course Road and the Petrol Filling Station.
The review also proposes to close off several roads from access to the N17. The proposed closures are at Shanvaghera – second entrance (L29189,) Top of Barnycarroll Hill/Rockfield (L15037), Ballinsmaula Road (Back road – Knock side of Abbey - L55517), Road into Drumneen South (L55517), Eskerlevally Road (L5551), Castlegar Road (L55513), Boherduff Road/also known as Bog Road (L55512), Garryduff junction (Ballindine side of the Golf Course junction - L25116).
The works associated with typical road closures will include removing signage and road markings, fencing off the entrance, grassing-up the junction and creating a turning circle. The existing right turning lane at the Rockfield (L15037) junction will also be removed under the proposals.
It is proposed to move the Golf Club junction closer to Ballindine and create a new right-turning lane to facilitate the large numbers of vehicles entering the Golf Club. A new right-turning lane into the nearby fuel station will be incorporated into the new layout.
In a further move to make the N17 safer, a fixed speed camera is being trialled at Ballinasmalla junction, and concrete fencing on the Ballindine side of the new bridge is to be replaced with timber post and rail fencing.
Public feedback is crucial and will be carefully examined before any decisions are finalised.
Despite not taking a seat, Independent Cllr Patsy O’Brien was the biggest vote-getter in the Claremorris Electoral Area, claiming 30% of all the votes. The area had three local candidates to choose from, and, at around 9pm on Sunday night when all the papers were counted, Áontu’s Paul Lawless, from Knock, claimed his seat in Leinster House.
O’Brien ended up with a better first preference vote (5,229) than Lawless (4,482) Crucially, however, Lawless proved more transfer-friendly than O’Brien, which saw him overtake O’Brien when Gerry Murray’s votes were distributed on the seventh count. Martina Jennings, the other candidate from the area, will be disappointed with her first preference vote of 3,488. She was eventually eliminated at the end of the fourth count.
In the combined boxes of Claremorris town, according to the tally figures, Patsy O’Brien claimed 396 votes, surprisingly ahead of Martina Jennings on 334, while Paul Lawless received 297.
In the combined totals for Ballindine and Irishtown, Patsy had 297, with Martina getting 143 and Paul picking up 98. Patsy had 181 in the combined totals of Mayo Abbey and Facefield, with Martina on 61 and Paul on 33.
Unsurprisingly, Paul swept Barnacarroll with 148 to Martina’s 83 and Patsy’s 69. Patsy took Lissatava, which was a surprise given Martina’s home proximity to it, and Garrymore. Patsy also took Taugheen, Crossboyne, Hollymount and Roundfort. In his home territory of Knock, Paul was the clear favourite, taking 398 votes to Martina’s 82 and Patsy’s 51.
It’s good for the area to have a TD elected. Hopefully, Paul Lawless will open up his constituency office beside the bridge once the scaffolding comes down, and have someone in the office so constituents can call in and lobby to have problems solved. It is important too, that Paul will lobby at national level for the area. Claremorris is the fourth biggest town in the county and should be well represented in the natioanl parliament.
Plans are well underway for the 2025 All-Ireland Confined Drama Festival, which will be held in Claremorris. The finals will be hosted by the Claremorris Drama and Fringe Festival Committee and will run from April 25th to May 3rd in the Town Hall with the Awards Night on May 4th in the McWilliam Park Hotel.
Drama festivals are held across the island of Ireland and each has its own adjudicator. Each competition is divided into two sections within the circuit, ‘Open’ and ‘Confined’. The Open competition is for groups with significant experience while the Confined competition is for newer, perhaps less experienced groups or smaller groups or groups with fewer resources.
The adjudicator awards points for each festival, with the winner in both sections getting twelve points, each runner-up getting five and the third-place group getting two points. A league table is calculated with the top nine groups at the end of the circuit qualifying for the final. The Open Finals are always held in Athlone and the Confined Finals rotate throughout the provinces.
“The preparations are at an advanced stage,” Peter McCallig, the Festival Director, told the . “The festival runs for nine nights and we won’t know which groups or what plays are on until a few weeks beforehand, as they have to qualify through the circuit.
"The All-Ireland is not like an ordinary festival in that regards. Once the qualifying groups are known, a draw for the running order at the Finals will take place in the Town Hall Theatre in Claremorris on April 6th at 2pm. The order will be announced 3pm.”
Peter said that a reception will be held in La Casa Tapas and Wine on Dalton Street, on Friday, April 25th at 4.30pm, for the members of the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland and sponsors.
“This will be followed later that evening at 7pm by a cheese and wine reception in the theatre followed by the official opening of the festival at 8pm. The festival club will be in the Town Hall following the play, with music,” Peter said.
The festival committee has a range of fringe events lined up.
“On Saturday, April 26th, Declan Drohan ADA will give a talk on the poetry of Paul Durcan in the library,” Peter said. “In the afternoon we will have the opening of an Art Exhibition by Geoff O'Keefe in The Gallery.
"During the weekdays there will be events in the Town Hall Studio, one of those will be a talk about preparing to do an oil painting. Another event will be based around preparing for a watercolour painting. And for national school children, we have an introduction to classical music.”
Claremorris Camera Club will hold their annual exhibition in the Town Hall during the festival week.
On Saturday, May 3rd, there will be a Drama Workshop given by Geoff O'Keefe for drama group directors. The final play takes place later that night.
A separate awards night will take place in the McWilliam Park Hotel on May 4th. All the preliminary Drama Festivals will be represented at this event, as well as the groups who competed in the Finals. Awards will be presented following the meal and this event will be livestreamed.
The All-Ireland Finals have been held in Claremorris on four previous occasions, 1981, 1992 and 1997, and the most recent being 2014 when Kilmuckridge Drama Group won with Conor McPherson’s play . The adjudicator for the 2025 finals is Anna Walker.
Claremorris and District Lions Club will hold their annual food appeal on Friday and Saturday, December 13th and 14th, in the lobby of SuperValu.
Please support.
The annual St Stephen's Day match between Ballindine and Irishtown for the Michael Mooney Memorial Cup will be held in Davitt Park with a 1pm throw-in.
This year's game will be contested by two teams, consisting of players over the age of 25, who are currently not members of Davitts senior team panel.
All proceeds from the game will be going to former Davitts footballer, Martin Cosgrove, who is suffering from Primary Lateral Sclerosis, a rare neurological disease and is now confined to a wheelchair.
Martin, from Meelick, was a brilliant underage footballer with Davitts in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He won two Mayo U-21 titles with Davitts in 1984 and 1985, captaining the team in 1984.
Unfortunately, at that time, emigration was rampant, especially in the West of Ireland, and the club lost several promising young players, including Martin, who left for England in 1986. Martin is married to Dundalk native Veronica whom he met in London. The family live in Meigh, Co Armagh, and have three children, Jamie, Niamh and Kierán.
Any donation, big or small, would be greatly appreciated and the match promises to be very sporting and competitive.
Last week’s GAA 50/50 draw was won by Teresa Morley of Bekan. Teresa took home €985 in the draw on a ticket purchased at Hillside Service Station. The club extends thanks to all who support their weekly draw and the sponsors of the hampers.
Claremorris AFC has appointed Simon Collins to a new role as Director of Football.
Simon is a UEFA Certified Coach who has a wealth of experience. He has coached numerous underage teams such as the Mayo Under-14 League of Ireland team, Kennedy Cup team and Under-18 interleague teams. He has also most recently been involved with the Claremorris Men’s Junior Super League and U21 teams whom he managed in 2024.
Simon has developed exciting plans along with the club’s coaching committee to help support, educate and set standards for players and coaches. This appointment is part of the club’s firm commitment to provide players across the club with the opportunity to reach their potential.
Simon begins his role immediately and we wish him all the best for the year ahead.
Santa will visit Ballindine Community Centre on Sunday, December 15th, between 3pm and 5.30pm. He will be available for photographs on the day.
There will be music by the incredible DJ PJ, and refreshments too. And each child, naughty or nice, will receive a gift. There’s a small charge of €5 per child, which we are informed will go towards the rising cost of reindeer food.
The 14th edition of Roundfort, Robeen and Carras Parish Magazine is on sale now. The magazine is only €10, which is great value and a lovely gift for Christmas.
The magazine has 256 pages of stories, history, poetry and photography from the past, different clubs and schools, local stories. It remembers people of have passed and people from the parish living away. The magazine costs €10 and is on sale in local shops, including Hollymount Stores.
An open evening will be held for interested parents/guardians of future school-going children in Taugheen National School and Taugheen Playschool (Eircode: F12 H2V5) this evening, Tuesday, December 10th, from 5.30pm until 7.30pm. A facilitator for Breakfast Club and afterschool services will be available on the evening.
Refreshments will be provided and all are welcome. For enquiries, contact Taugheen National School on 094-9362420.
The death has occurred of David Burke, The Heath, Scardaune, suddenly in Perth, Australia.
David is deeply regretted by his heartbroken parents Martin and Carmel, fiancé Sorcha, sisters Michelle and Susan, brothers-in-law David and Alan, nieces Hannah, Caragh, Fiadh and Aoife, nephew Conor, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends.
His remains reposed in Carey's Funeral Home in Ballindine on Thursday evening last with Funeral Mass the next day at St Joseph's Church in Ballindine followed by private cremation in Shannon Crematorium.
The death has occurred of Bert Reaney of Meelickbeg, Claremorris.
Bert passed peacefully at the Mayo Hospice, Castlebar. He will be sadly missed by his loving family, sister May, Bridie, Nora (Farragher), brother-in-law Pat, nephew John and his wife Sue and their children, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Bert’s Funeral Mass took place at St Colman’s Church, Claremorris on Wednesday last with burial afterwards in St Colman’s Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
An Appreciation Mass and farewell ceremony for the retiring Fr James Quinn will be held in Taugheen Church tomorrow, Wednesday, December 11th, at 10am followed by an Appreciation Award, Book of Appreciation and tree-planting ceremony.
Mass will be celebrated by Fr Sean Flynn and clerical colleagues. Refreshments afterwards in Taugheen Hall. All are invited.
The community wishes to thank Fr James for his kindness and spiritual leadership over the last 26 years. Fr Quinn arrived in 1998 and was involved in joyful and sad occasions for practically every family in the parish.
The death has occurred of Martin Kearney of Salthill and Mór Oil Ltd, Galway who was formerly of Ballindine.
Martin passed on Thursday, November 28th, peacefully in the care of the staff of Galway University Hospital and with his dearly loved family by his side.
Martin was the beloved husband of Norrie and much-loved father of Alan, Sharon, Sinead, and Derek. He will be sadly missed by his devoted wife, daughters, and sons, as well as sons-in-law Carl and Matthew, daughter-in-law Fiona, and eight grandchildren.
Martin is also survived by his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, and a large circle of cherished friends.
Requiem Mass was celebrated for Martin at the Church of Christ the King, Salthill and he was laid to rest in Rahoon Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Garrymore GAA Club is holding its third annual Kids Christmas Tractor Run on Sunday, December 15th, at 6pm around the walkway at Garrymore Pitch.
Anything on wheels goes, including tractors, go-carts, prams, scooters etc. Just light them up and drive them around. All are welcome to attend. To register, please text your name and number of vehicles to 087-6763242.
The annual general meeting of St Colman’s Credit Union will be held on Thursday, December 19th, at 7:30pm in the McWilliam Park Hotel.
