Local Notes: Double gold for Ballina students
Ballina Autism Friendly Town is partnering with the Mary Robinson Centre Climate and Nature Conference, which takes place in Ballina this week. Pictured at a recent event with the conference organisers are, from left, Annette Kenny (Ballina Autism Friendly Town), John Caulfield (University of Galway and MRC board), Carla, Sinead Donoghue, Laura Dixon (Mayo County Council), Emma Donoghue (MRC), Graghan Orr (IPB Insurance), Edel Hannon (ATU Project Wave), Dara Rowland (MRC), Regina Melvin (MRC board), Elisha Beattie (Ballina Autism Friendly Town) and Jordan Harel (MRC). Picture: Alison Laredo
St Muredach’s College, Ballina has congratulated Adam Kelly and Darragh McHale on winning two gold medals at the recent Connacht Outdoor Under-14 to Under-19 Athletics Championships in ATU Sligo.
Adam took top prize in the Under-19 1500m and 800m races, recording times of 4:26:92 and 2:00.29 respectively. The young athlete, who is the son of Dolores and Gerard Kelly, is a member of Moy Valley Athletic Club, Ballina. The competitions were Adam’s last in the juvenile category, as he enters Leaving Cert year in St Muredach’s College this coming September.
Darragh McHale also had an excellent day at the championships in Sligo, winning first place in the Under-15 1500m and 800m races. Darragh, another Moy Valley Athletic Club member and a student of St Muredach’s College, recorded times of 4:48.63 in the 1500m race and 2:26.67 in the 800m race.
Well done to the new Connacht champions.
Stephan Langan from Ballina emerged as the top prize winner in the quarterly cash draw for members of Ballina Credit Union in June, coming away with a healthy €15,000 from a total prize fund of €42,155.
Other prizewinners were from across the Ballina Credit Union common bond area, including from Sligo, Crossmolina, Bonniconlon, Lacken, Enniscrone, Kilglass and Ballina.
The draw saw Mary Le Roux (Ballina) win €3,000 while Lorraine Rowland (Crossmolina), Angela Kearns (Sligo) and Fiona Kieran (Ballina) were the recipients of the €2,000 prize each.
Other prizewinners included Rione Kilcullen (Ballina), Margaret Gorman (Ballina), Kathleen Gavin (Ballina), Kelly Fairfield (Ballina) and Patricia Deane (Ballina), each of whom won €1,500.
€1,000 went to Blaithin Traynor (Crossmolina), Melaine Ott (Ballina), Nichola Gilmartin (Bonniconlon), Ann Forde (Lacken), Margaret Flatley (Enniscrone), William Cawley (Ballina), Caroline Reilly (Ballina), Nicola and Trevor Anthony Harte (Kilglass), and John Wynne (Ballina).
John McDonnell (Ballina) won €855 and Paula O’Dowd (Ballina) won €800.
Only members of Ballina Credit Union can take part in the Members’ Quarterly Cash Draw. To enter, members must sign up and pay the entrance fee of €8.28 per quarter, which will be deducted in advance from unattached savings. All funds raised are returned to members in the form of cash prizes.
For further information, please contact Ballina Credit Union at 096-71066 or email info@ballinacu.ie. You can also call in to the office at O’Rahilly Street, Ballina.
Mayo Cancer Support has thanked all those who supported its flag day collection in Ballina recently. The organisation extended a special word of gratitude to the volunteer collectors, and also to the businesses that facilitated the collection.
Proceeds raised will go directly to the ongoing provision of emotional support services to local people affected by cancer.
The death has taken place of Gerry Loftus, St Mary’s Villas, Ballina and formerly of Ballinlobaun, Crossmolina.
Gerry was the beloved husband of Louise. He will be sadly missed by his wife, brothers Martin and Tom, brother-in-law Brian, sister-in-law Pamela, nieces, cousins, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.
He was predeceased by his father Jack, mother Madeline, brothers John and Aidan, father-in-law John Flannery and mother-in-law Ann Flannery.
Gerry reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Monday of last week, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
May he rest in peace.
Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club fundraising draw continues each week and among the recent winners were John O’Hora, c/o Hughes Bar, Ballina (€340); John Roddy (€350); Michael Parsons (€300); Ian Ferguson, c/o Hughes Bar, Ballina (€470) and Margaret Geelan (€300).
Tickets for the weekly 50/50 cash draw can be bought in shops locally, or through the Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club app.
The death has taken place of Bernadette (Bernie) Doherty (née McLoughlin), 58 Healy Terrace, Ardnaree, Ballina.
Bernie, who was from a well-known Ballina family, was the beloved mother of Mary, Patrick, John, Pauline, Charles, Bernadette and Richard.
She will be sadly missed by her sons, daughters, brothers Kevin, Nicky and Phonsie, nephew Gerry O’Mahoney, adored 21 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, daughters-in-law Marie, Mary and Assumpta, sons-in-law Bernie, Martin and PJ, sisters-in-law Bernie, Ann, Marie, Teenie, Liz, Mary, Jenny, Rosaleen and Helen, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends, She was predeceased by her husband John, parents Mai and Cecily, brothers Sean, Mickie, Paddy, Seamus and Noelie, and sisters Kathleen, Bridie, Daisy, Nan and baby Philomena.
Bernie reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Tuesday of last week, with her funeral arriving for Requiem Mass in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Wednesday morning. Burial took place in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
May she rest in peace.
Local residents and anyone interested in the future of Attymass Community Centre are being invited to a meeting this coming Thursday, July 9.
The meeting, which will take place in the local centre, will discuss what lays ahead for this important community resource. It starts at 8.30pm.
The death has taken place of Paddy Maloney, Ellaghmore, Bonniconlon, Ballina.
Paddy is deeply mourned by his loving brothers Jimmy, Willy and Michael, sisters Mary, Teresa and Bridie, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends.
He was predeceased by his parents William and Anne.
Paddy reposed at Gallagher's Funeral Home, Bonniconlon last Saturday, with removal afterwards to the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Bonniconlon. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Sunday, followed by burial in Bonniconlon Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Festival Car Treasure Hunt next Monday, July 13, will be fun and entertaining - and it will surely test your brain power.
Registration at The Cot and Cobble on Sligo Road is from 6pm to 7pm, after which you will set off to uncover intriguing clues around the roads of Ballina.
The annual event is suitable for all the family, including children, parents and grandparents, and the organisers say that no previous experience is required. It costs €20 for a team, but don’t forget to bring a pen.
Contact Elaine on 087-7597716 for further information.
Ballina Salmon Festival will run from Sunday, July 12 to Sunday, July 19.
Last month’s National Sunflower Days collection in Ballina raised €10,307 for Mayo Roscommon Hospice.
Gratitude has been expressed to the members of Ballina Hospice Support group and other volunteers who helped with the fundraising, and to everyone who contributed so generously. Thanks also goes to the local stores for their co-operation in facilitating the volunteers on both days of the collection on June 12 and 13.
All of the proceeds go towards supporting local hospice services in the community and in the hospices based in Castlebar and Roscommon.
Among those baptised in the Parish of Kilmoremoy (Ballina) in recent months were Theo James Smyth, Quignalecka, Ballina; John Joseph Kelly, Rathmines, Dublin; Crea Horkan, Farrangarode, Ballina; Molly Maureen Queenan, Friars Court, Ballina; and Cara Ann Noone, Church Road, Ballina.
Ballina Library is welcoming children to take part in Summer Stars, its free, summer reading programme.
In addition, the local public library is running a Summer Stars Book Review Competition, also taking place across other Mayo libraries from July 14 to August 14.
Summer Stars is all about enjoying reading across the summer holidays. Children can explore new stories, revisit favourite books, and make reading a fun, regular part of summer life.
Young people of all ages are encouraged to keep coming back to the library on Pearse Street to discover books, eâbooks, comics and more, reading at their own pace and in their own way.
This year there is also the chance to win some superb prizes in the Summer Stars Book Review Competition, including family breaks to hotels in Sligo, Ballina, Westport, Claremorris and Castlebar, as well as a variety of dining and other vouchers.
More details about the competition are available from Ballina Library at 094-9064454, or by email at bvarley@mayococo.ie.
It is also worth noting that Ballina Library is hosting a weekly Story Time session every Thursday at 4pm.
