Local Notes: Beautiful tribute to the late John Barrett, Belmullet.
CEO Martina Jennings of (Mayo/Roscommon Hospice) with family members of the late John Barrett Seaside and Glencastle and others with a cheque for €16,175.64 proceeds of the recent lawnmower walk in John’s memory.
On June 6, the Barrett family in Belmullet took on a very special Lawnmower Walk in loving memory of their beloved husband and dad, John Barrett - walking 15.7km from his birthplace in Glencastle to his final resting place in Termoncarragh.
Anyone who knew John will remember him out and about with his trusty lawnmower, keeping the local green areas neat and tidy. What a fitting and wonderful way to honour his memory. The family were joined by family, friends and neighbours along the route and rounded off the day with a raffle at Lavelle’s Eagle Bar in Belmullet. Together they raised an incredible €16,175.64 for the Mayo Roscommon Hospice.
It was such a privilege to have the whole Barrett family together to present the cheque recently to the CEO Martina Jennings.
The annual 10km/5km run/walk/ jog from Ballinaboy to the Anglers Rest was held on Sunday, August 2, beginning at 4pm. Entry fee was €10 for adults and children were free with all proceeds going to North West STOP-Suicide Prevention. Refreshments were served afterwards in Healy’s and there was music with John Lee. A lovely day was had by all.
This year marks the10th anniversary of the passing of John F. Doherty. The organisers would love for his family, friends, teammates, and the wider community to come together to honour his memory, celebrate his passion for football, and remember the joy he brought to so many. The event takes place on Friday, August 14, with kick-off at 6.30pm in Ballybeg Park, Bangor (Bangor Hibs). After the match there are refreshments, music, and a raffle in the Lighthouse Tavern, Inver where they will continue to remember John together.
All proceeds from the event will go to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust and North West STOP-Suicide Prevention, two incredible charities that provide vital support to families and individuals when they need it most.
Whether you knew John personally or simply want to support two amazing causes, the organisers would love to see you there.
The Great Erris Run is held in loving memory of Rob Turner, and Rob’s family have chosen Erris Youth Disability Network (EYDN) as this year’s charity partner. It is a fitting tribute to Rob, who dedicated so much of his life to supporting and encouraging young people in the community. If you are taking part on August 9, the organisers would love you to go one step further and set up your own fundraising page. Whether you raise €20 or €200, every donation will help EYDN continue providing vital support to children, young people and families across Erris.
Donate or create your own fundraising page here: https://eventmaster.ie/.../great-erris-run-in-memory-of... Let’s honour Rob’s legacy by making a real difference together.
The Inver Festival will take place on the weekend of the Thursday, August 6 – Sunday, August 9, with four fantastic days of music, family fun and community spirit for all. On Thursday, August 6, the Duck Race is at 5.30pm followed by free kids’ entertainment, and a 25 card drive at 9.30pm. Then on Friday, August 7, you can dance the evening away with Mick Flavin and John Hogan supported by The Duets from 9.30pm. On Saturday, August 8, there is family sports day from 1pm with a bale race and novelty races, face painting, BBQ and boxty. On Saturday night the festival features the Fógues supported by Sean Fahy from 9.30pm. On the last day Sunday, August 9, there is Mass in Inver Graveyard at 11am followed by fundraising cake and coffee morning for Inver NS, Sheep and Dog Show from 1.30pm, show and shine and family fun. That evening there is Effie Neill supported by Michael S and Clodagh Togher from 9.30pm.
Cruinniú na mBád has been more than just a gathering of the boats. It’s a day when families come together, old friends reconnect, children make memories, and the community celebrates everything that’s special about home. But none of it happens on its own.
Every tray of sandwiches, every cake of boxty, every pot of tea, and every helping hand is a quiet act of kindness that keeps this wonderful tradition alive. It’s these small gestures that create the warm welcome that everyone remembers long after the boats have left the water.
If you can spare a few hours in the tent or donate a few treats, you’ll be playing a part in something much bigger than food—you’ll be helping preserve a day that means so much to so many. The event takes place on Saturday, August 8, from 12.30pm If you would like to contribute, contact Emma on 086 313 2082 or speak to any committee member.
The annual summer fundraising drive is now underway. Ballycroy Community Centre is at the heart of the parish, and your help keeps it operating and continuously improving. The centre is home to the community gym/ newly formed Sports Hub, Tidy Towns, and Social Services including Meals on Wheels. Lots of improvement projects have been carried out in the past couple of years and with your help, there's more to come.
All donations made in July and August will be automatically entered into the summer raffle, with some excellent prizes on offer. The registered Charity Number is 20072292.
We're excited to announce that it’s hoping to bring Little Kickers to Ballycroy in the coming months. Little Kickers is a fun, age-appropriate football programme for children aged 18 months to 8 years designed to build confidence, coordination, teamwork, and a love of being active through imaginative games and play. Sessions follow the "Play not Push" philosophy, creating a fun, supportive environment where every child can learn and develop at their pace.
If you would like your child to take part, register your interest below. If they have enough numbers, Little Kickers would be delighted to launch sessions in Ballycroy.
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSeNizrQ0eZ.../viewform... For more information about the programme, visit the Little Kickers Ireland website https://www.littlekickers.ie/en-ie/.
The numbers drawn in the Kilcommon Community lotto which was held last week were; 03, 23, 25, and 27 with no winner. The house prize winner was The O’Malley’s, Garter Hill and the 2 x 30 offline winners were Mary McDonnell Muingnabo and Marie Murphy, Galway. The 2x€30 online winners were Catherine Maloney, Gorthbrack and Michael King, Aughoose. The next jackpot is €10,600 with the draw in Connolly’s pub.
The science of Hogwarts is coming to Oweninny Wind Farm Visitor Centre. On Thursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7, they will be offering little witches, wizards and Muggles aged 4+ the chance to take part in a free, interactive live science show inspired by those magical classrooms of Hogwarts.
Hosted by Scientific Sue, the event will be packed with spectacular demonstrations, audience participation, laughter, and surprising experiments, this unforgettable experience reveals that science is the greatest magic of all.
There will be 3 different sessions taking place each day, beginning at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm respectively. Please note a parent or guardian must remain on site for the duration of the show.
The National Museum of Ireland is delighted to present this exhibition that is suitable for visitors of all ages this summer who are sure to enjoy the Soap Box car from the 1950s which has just gone on public display for the first time on Level B of the exhibition galleries. The Soap Box car was built by Joseph Moran from Westport and raced at a national derby in 1956. Learn more about this fascinating chapter of social and sporting history in 1950s Ireland at the display Ready, Steady, Go! Soap Box Dreams in 1950s Ireland.
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Huge congratulations to the Mayo team, Manager Andy Moran, Colm Boyle, Keith Higgins and all the backroom team .....All Ireland Champions 2026. Maigheo Abù!!
Sympathy is extended to the family, relatives and friends of Paddy Donoghue, Moneen, Kincon who died recently. He was brother of Mary McNamee, Carrowcubic, Veronica Gaughan, Rathoonagh and Madeline McGuire, Ballyknock. May he rest in peace.
Congratulations to Peter McNulty, last week's winner of €270 in the GAA 50/50 draw.
Get some help to research your family tree with the Mayo Genealogy Group. Find out how to get started, or get some tips and advice on taking the next steps with an existing project. Join the friendly members of the Mayo Genealogy Group at their next meeting, from 11.30am to 1pm, on Saturday, August 8, at the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, in Turlough. This is a voluntary group brought together by a keen interest in genealogy. The members enjoy sharing their successes and pitfalls, collective experience and detective work to give other researchers a guiding hand. New researchers are welcome. No booking required.
A photographic exhibition ‘Róidin’, exploring rural Ireland from a skateboard is currently on display at the Courtyard Gallery in Turlough Park. It explores aspects of the lived, social and economic history of rural Ireland through a series of spaces, reflecting on a range of themes from loss and dereliction to endurance, resilience, and renewal. The images and stories were compiled for a special issue of the Irish skateboarding publication, Goblin Magazine. Free admission.
