Local Notes: Claremorris students star at SciFest
Three innovative teenage girls from Mount Saint Michael Secondary School in Claremorris have created an app designed to help parents, teachers, and young children learn Irish Sign Language (ISL). The app created by Alicia Ward, Aoibhinn Jennings and Mary Josephine Ward addresses a critical gap in specialised education settings and training for teaching children who use ISL. The project earned them the prestigious title of runners-up in the Junior Technology category at SciFest@Teen-Turn. The trio, participants in Teen-Turn’s afterschool Project Squad programme in Mount Saint Michael, embarked on this journey under the mentorship of their teacher, Stephanie Hogan. They are pictured with Dr Glenn Curtin, from The Digital Hub.
The fifth class team from Claremorris National School has made it through to the VEX Robotics All-Ireland Final, which will be held in Cork on February 2nd. The class qualified last week from an event held in ATU Galway.
The pupils have been working hard over the last few months, under the supervision of Mrs Prendergast and Mr Mackens, designing, building, coding and driving their robot, in preparation for the competition called ‘Rapid Relay’. The team is made up of drivers Fionn, Nicole and Eimear, coders Evan, Lorenzo and Oskaras, and designers Hannah, Abbie, Megan and Annabelle.
VEX IQ Robotics Competition Rapid Relay is a game played by robots on a flat-playing area. The game involves robots attempting to get a ball, which is 150mm in diameter (six inches), into various targets.
Two robots compete in the Teamwork Challenge in 60-second-long matches, working collaboratively to score points. Teams also compete in the Robot Skills Challenge where one robot takes the field to score as many points as possible. These matches consist of Driving Skills Matches, which are entirely driver-controlled, and Autonomous Coding Skills Matches, which are autonomous with limited human interaction.
A few weeks ago, Maureen Walsh, the managing director of DeCare – one of the biggest employers in the town - told the of the need, in her view, for schools to continually change and update their curriculums. This is a fine example of a school moving with the times and it is hoped that the new amalgamated school will continue to lead in this area.
Former Claremorris AFC player, Danny Broderick has had his coaching contract extended at League of Ireland club, Galway United.
Danny is the strength and conditioning coach with the Airtricity Premier Division club, working closely with manager John Caulfield. This will be Danny’s sixth season coaching at the club.
Galway made a very successful return to the top flight last season, finishing fifth on 52 points from 36 games. The club had missed out on promotion for the previous three seasons and the priority for the club was to consolidate its position in the division, which it did.
Helen McCarthy (née Kellett), of Griffith Avenue, Dublin, who died peacefully on January 16th at St Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown, was the mother of Niall McCarthy of Claremorris.
Helen was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her passing. She was the beloved wife of the late Dermot and loving mother of Orlagh, Dara and Niall. She was sister of Tom, Ailish, Anna, Freddy and the late Moira, Hal, PJ and David.
Helen will be sadly missed and deeply regretted by her loving family, her son-in-law Mark, daughter-in-law Síle, grandchildren Rory and Laura, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Requiem Mass for Helen was held in the Church of Corpus Christi, Drumcondra, with funeral thereafter to Glasnevin Crematorium.
Congratulations to Claremorris AFC player and Mount St Michael student Katie Corcoran, who was named on the Mayo U-17 soccer Team of the Year at the Mayo Women's League Awards ceremony last week.
Noel Fleming was the winner of last week’s Claremorris GAA Club’s 50/50 jackpot. Noel won €960 with a ticket bought in The Western Hotel.
Diane O’Connell won last week’s Claremorris AFC 50/50 draw. Diane bought her winning ticket in Jay’s and collected €423.
On the face of it, the delivery of bins and the collection of cans and empty plastic bottles would hardly be newsworthy in a community, but Taugheen is no ordinary community and the bins aren’t ordinary bins.
Re-turn recycling bins are now in place outside the Community Centre in Taugheen. People are asked to donate their empty bottles and cans to the community council by placing them in the bins. Every bottle or can donated will be recycled and the proceeds will go towards the community centre and future developments.
Claremorris Swimming Club had a great weekend at the Gerry Ryan Memorial in the University of Limerick last week, with more fantastic swims, big personal bests and achieving those sought-after qualifying times and a decent medals haul.
Congratulation Eva who won bronze in 50m Butterfly, to Meadbh who won bronze in 100m Freestyle, and gold in the 200m Backstroke. Congratulations to Naoise who won bronze in the 200m Butterfly and to Tomas who won bronze in the 200m Butterfly.
The club thanks its team managers, Carmel and Cathy, and coach, Maureen who looked after the team at the event and also thanks the officials, the UL staff and Limerick Swimming Club for the well-run event.
Upstage Players from Claremorris will be taking part in the 2025 All-Ireland Drama Circuit with the ambition of qualifying for the finals, which will be held in Claremorris in April.
The group is presenting , a popular play on the circuit, written by Conor McPherson. The group will perform at festivals in Armagh, Leitrim, Laois, Tyrone, Donegal and Galway.
The death has occurred of Angela Warde (née Meagher) of Mount Street and Barriel, Claremorris, and Templemore, Co Tipperary.
Angela passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 16th, at the Sacred Heart Nursing Home, Crosspatrick, Co Kilkenny, and was predeceased by her husband Hugh, her parents Thomas F and Johanna, brothers Paddy, Ned, Tom, Ray and Aidan, sisters Kathleen (Hennessy) and Maura (Smith).
Angela’s passing is deeply regretted by her brother Fr Brendan Meagher, CSSR(Brazil) and sister Annette (South Africa), sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.
Angela was laid to rest in Mayo Abbey Cemetery after Funeral Mass at the Church of the Sacred Heart, Templemore.
May she rest in peace.
Mayo Gaels GAA club is 50 years old this year. One of the many celebratory events that the club is hosting in this milestone year is a Movie Awards Night, which will be held in the McWilliam Park Hotel on March 15th.
Six films are in production throughout Mayo Abbey, Facefield and Ballyglass and the cast and crew of each will be presented at the gala 'Oscars' black-tie event on March 15th. Funds from the event will go towards the development of an all-weather pitch, in conjunction with Mayo Abbey National School, on the grounds of the national school.
The films being made for the fundraiser are local versions of , and , as well as Irish favourites, , and .
The local production of the 1976 cult film features Ronan Commons in the title role as Rocky Balboa. Padraig Jennings Snr plays Mickey Goldmill, with Lauren McGurrin as Adrian Pennino, Sylvester Ruane as Miles Jergens, David Quinn as Apollo Creed, and Aiden Jennings as Paulie Pennino. Myles Durkan and Luke Gallagher make cameo appearances while the Mayo Gaels senior team will be on hand to assist Rocky in his preparation for the big showdown.
During the weekend of filming of and , many people stepped up to offer support.
Mayo Gaels GAA would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the following for their use of their homes and premises for filming: Bonar Family, Currykirwan; McGrath Family and Tuffy's Pub, Donamoona; Joe in The Drum Inn, Clogher; Claremorris Boxing Club; McGurrin Clan, Mayo Abbey; Mayo Abbey Community Centre and Fr Fergus in the Mayo Abbey Church. Without your support, filming would not be possible.
Over the next weeks, each of the movie groups are staging mini fundraisers to support the main cause of the all-weather pitch.
The group are hosting a Race Night on January 31st in Malachy Byrne’s, Mayo Abbey. There are scrap metal collections, car wash and bucket collections in February. The group have an online raffle for tickets to the Six Nations game between Ireland and France. The group have an online raffle for an Aberdeen Angus calf.
Full details will be on the Mayo Gaels social media pages.
Garrymore GAA club extends best wishes and a safe journey to their senior player, Blaine O’Toole, as he begins his placement in Reading, England.
The Women’s Collective’s first coffee morning for 2025 will take place on Thursday, February 6th, at 10.30am in Cúram, Claremorris. All women are invited to attend for a cuppa and a chat, providing an opportunity to meet new people and have fun.
There will be a guest speaker also on the morning. The cost is €3.
The next social gathering for women will be held on Thursday, February 20th, at 7.30pm in Cúram, Claremorris.
This is a social event for women and is open to all in our community and will facilitate a chat and an opportunity to meet new people and have fun.
The Parent and Toddler Club takes place every Friday morning in Cúram Claremorris from 10.30am to 12 noon.
The death has occurred of Michael Maloney of Upper Main Street, Ballyhaunis and formerly of Bekan.
Michael died peacefully at Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, and was predeceased by his parents Patrick and Sarah, his brothers Fr Patrick and Bernard, sisters Margaret and Helen, sister-in-law Mary and brothers-in-law Dominick and John.
Michael is deeply regretted by his brothers Martin, Peter (Bekan) and John (London), his sister Della (Duignan, Garrafrauns), nieces, nephews, brother-in-law Joe, sister-in-law Marian, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends.
Michael was laid to rest in Bekan Cemetery after Funeral Mass in the local church.
May he rest in peace.
