Local Notes: Eileen visits Ballyhaunis in search of long-lost relatives
Members of Cloonfad Foróige Club are pictured at the Mayo Foróige 3rd Years Prom Ball, held recently at the Great National Hotel, Ballina. Picture: Trish Forde
Eileen Erbeck and her husband are hoping to find long lost relatives in Ballyhaunis when they arrive later this month. The couple are visiting Ireland for the first time later this month, flying to Shannon from their New Jersey home.
“My grandmother, Maria Sweeney was baptised in Ballyhaunis April 11,1886 and came to the US in 1912," she explained. "I have her baptismal certificate from St Patrick's Church and see her listed in the 1901 Census as age 15 - housekeeper - as well as her father, John Sweeney, age 61 -widower."
In the census, their address is listed as ‘61 South Side Main Street Ballyhaunis’.
“Since she left 112 years ago - actually, I believe she left in 1909 to go to Wales where my uncle was born in Carnarvon - it's probably doubtful that there would be any relatives left there. I believe that at least three sisters came to the US but I think there was a brother, Thomas, born 1871, Patrick (born 1878) and John (born 1876) who might have gone to Canada. I have no idea if Thomas or Patrick survived or left Ireland.”
Eileen is hoping to find local documentary sources and registers where she might see the signatures or listing of her grandmother and her father. Anyone who’d like to contact her can write to this page at the email address above.
Are you recovering from a cardiac event?
Join the Croí Heart and Stroke Charity, Mayo Cardiac Peer Support Group, for heart recovery and support on Wednesday, June 17th, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at the Ellison Hotel, Castlebar when a dietician from the Health Service Executive (HSE) will deliver a presentation on heart-healthy diet. The meeting is open to all and is a collaboration between Croí and the HSE in Mayo.
Technicians from mobile operator Vodafone are visiting areas near Ballyhaunis this week to investigate incidents of poor mobile coverage. Several phone users in townlands south of Ballyhaunis, including Logboy, told the they were experiencing poor signal and call quality as well as a patchy mobile internet service.
In response to a query from this column, the company stated: “Vodafone Ireland has carried out checks on the network in the local area and has not identified any faults. Vodafone engineers will continue to closely monitor the situation, and should any customers experience issues we encourage them to contact customer care on 1907 so we can investigate directly.”
Ballyhaunis native Una Butler appeared recently before the Dáil Public Accounts Committee in her role as a member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the state’s consumer watchdog.
Una, who spent a number of years as legal counsel to the organisation, spoke alongside the CCPC chairperson Brian McHugh and fellow commission member Geoffrey Gray to discuss the CCPC’s 2024 financial statements and the organisation’s recent case load. The CCPC investigates allegations of unfair competition and has investigated price gouging, mis-advertising and unfair practices by various retailers and service providers.
“Over the past decade, the CCPC has grown significantly, both in scale and scope, and continues to evolve at pace,” said Una. “Our appearance before the PAC was an opportunity to highlight the impact of our work and the value it delivers.
"From tackling cartel activity and ensuring unsafe products are kept off the market to taking enforcement action against major retailers for misleading sales pricing, the CCPC is committed to delivering tangible outcomes for consumers and businesses.
“Looking ahead, we welcome the proposed Consumer Protection, Competition and Enforcement Bill 2026, which will strengthen our ability to detect bid-rigging in public procurement and introduce more effective sanctions for breaches of consumer law.
"It's a privilege to work with such a dedicated team at the CCPC, whose expertise and commitment continues to drive the important work that we do.”
Mayo Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is seeing a sharp rise in animals being surrendered due to evictions and the “severe shortage of petâfriendly accommodation across the West of Ireland".
“Many of these pets belonged to longâterm, responsible tenants who were forced to move and simply could not secure a rental that allowed animals," said a spokesperson for the charity. "These are heartbreaking, forced separations - not choices… These stories are becoming more common as housing pressures intensify.”
The charity is also dealing with increasing cases where elderly or infirm owners enter hospital or residential care and have no family or support network able to take in their pets.
“These situations highlight the importance of planning ahead and asking, ‘If something happens to me, what will happen to my pet?’
“The impact on the animals is immediate. Many arrive frightened, confused, and grieving - unsure why their familiar world has disappeared,” explained the Mayo SPCA spokesperson, adding the team provides “warm shelter, veterinary care, gentle reassurance, and, where possible, foster homes to help them settle and recover".
Recent arrivals at the shelter include Zena, a one year old German Shepard cross surrendered after her owners couldn't find pet friendly housing. Another resident is Jack, a three-legged spaniel whose owner had to surrender him before going into a long-term healthcare facility.
“Families can play a vital role by gently discussing future pet plans with elderly relatives - identifying who could step in temporarily, writing down routines and vet details, and keeping the plan updated. These simple conversations can prevent lastâminute surrenders.”
As the number of animals in its care rises, Mayo SPCA urgently needs community support.
“People can help by donating, fostering, adopting, volunteering, or simply sharing the message,” explained the organisation’s spokesperson.
In preparation for the visit of the Tidy Towns adjudicators this month or early July, Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns committee has been busy decorating the town with floral hanging baskets and planters, tidying up and planting flower beds on the approach roads, and cleaning the wildlife signage around the Friary walk.
“The committee is very grateful to John Collins of Dawn Meats for supporting the endeavours of Tidy Towns, and to the members of Dawn Meats staff and all the volunteers and the RRS team - Tom Carney, John Joe Lyons and John Biesty - who helped out with planting the flowers and hanging the baskets.”
Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns is encouraging residents and business owners to “present the best possible image of their premises and where possible to make sure that the area around and in front of their property is kept clean and free of litter". The organisation also “appeals to the general public to bin the litter, clean up after your dog, keep the recycling banks tidy, volunteer to help out with flower planting, weeding, etc, and help to keep Ballyhaunis clean and tidy for ourselves and the adjudicators.”
With the perennial summer weed killer browning of grass verges near some local homes, a gardening for nature workshop organised as part of the recent Ballyhaunis Summer Festival heard a plea for less use of herbicides and more room for wildlife in local gardens.
Encouraging locals to stop obsessing over green lawns with little of value to local wildlife, Hannah Mole from Earthcare Permaculture suggested a more natural or “untidy approach” that ditches harmful pesticides would encourage wildlife into local gardens, for the enjoyment of all.
Funded by the Community Foundation Ireland as part of the Ballyhaunis Biodiversity Action Plan, the workshop was held in the Community Garden in the Friary grounds.
Hannah explained that native species hedges such as whitethorns are best for local birdlife but shouldn’t be cut every year but can be trimmed in a three-year rotation by doing the two sides and top on alternate years.
“The other way is to look at laying the hedge which will make it grow into itself and not need cutting,” said Hannah, a reference to the practice of laying or bending hedges over horizontally during the winter period so they thicken rather than grow upwards.
Attendees at the interactive workshop also learned how to create a wildflower meadow and discussed different options for meadows depending on the site. Hannah explained that wildflowers do best in nutrient-lacking soil.
“That means if you cut every year, remove grass trimmings to remove nutrients going into the soil,” explained Hannah. “If you have a grass patch and want to turn it into wildflower you can cut it low, rake it where lots of soil is showing and put in yellow rattle seed.”
Hannah pleaded with gardeners to reduce the use of herbicides and pesticides which, she said, “are harmful to everything bugs, birds, plants, soils".
