Local Notes: Enhancement works at Men's Shed in Ballyhaunis
Pupils from Knock National School at Mayo Sports Partnership's Splash and Dash Tri Heroes event at Lough Lannagh, Castlebar. Picture: Alison Laredo
Ballyhaunis Men’s Shed Association marked the completion of their enhancement works, carried out at St Mary’s Abbey, also known as the Friary.
Cllr John Cribbin, who is due to retire in June, joined the group recently to perform the official opening and congratulated the group on the improvements to the driveway and path to the Men’s Shed on the Friary grounds. The works involved clearing and resurfacing the entrance path and roadway and putting in a new surface directly outside the shed. Funding for the work came from Mayo County Council, Irish Men’s Shed Association and South West Mayo Development Company.
The new works will enable people to more easily reach the back fields of the Abbey grounds and will provide the Men’s Shed with a proper yard and access, said Stephen Grogan, secretary of the committee that runs the Shed.
Chairperson of the Ballyhaunis Men’s Shed, Jim Goulding, thanked Cllr Cribbin for his ongoing support over the last 11 years since the Men’s Shed started in town. Jim explained that when the group first started, the Fine Gael councillor had contributed €100 to help the Men’s Shed get started, which was invaluable help at the time.
Having started in a rented building off Main Street in 2013, the Men’s Shed transferred to the current building behind the Community Preschool at the Friary carpark in 2015 with the support of the Ballyhaunis Abbey Trust and the Abbey Partnership who agreed to let the Men’s Shed use and develop what were formerly the farm buildings of the Augustinian friars.
Since then, the Men’s Shed has been transformed from an old abandoned farm shed and derelict hayshed into a functional workspace which is also clean, tidy and comfortable, said Grogan.
“Through this work and installing new doors and windows, Ballyhaunis Men’s Shed was revitalised with new men coming on board contributing their time, labour and willingness to work together and in doing so taking positive action to improve health and wellbeing.”
The Men’s Shed is currently open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 12am.
A large, deepening, hole in the carpark of the library and adjacent to the Gem store has been highlighted by local Aontú candidate Paul Lawless.
“Residents, motorists and business owners have raised the subsidence emerging in the car park beside The Gem in Ballyhaunis,” said Lawless. “The depression which emerged recently is getting larger by the day,” he explained, adding that he has met with the engineer for roads in the Claremorris municipal district to highlight the issue.
“This is a major trip hazard for pedestrians and a particular issue for trucks using the car park. I want the public to be aware of the issue, and that I have notified the council. I also met the roads engineer in Ballyhaunis last week to highlight this issue. I am hoping for work to start as soon as possible.”
Increasingly common severe weather conditions due to climate change have become a problem for vegetable growers, according to Larganboy-based market gardener Sebastian Dmilanowski.
“The main concern is strong wind, and with the number of storms increasing, we'll be installing more windbreaks,” explained Dmilanowski, who produces for local customers including SuperValu under the ‘Mannin Lake Farm’ label.
In response to changing weather, Dmilanowski plans to construct a windbreak using fence posts and fine mesh “just in front of the polytunnels where southerly wind hits head on”.
The Manin Lake Farm operation started at the beginning of February seeding tomatoes and peppers.
“Then I've been busy with preparations of raised beds for spring sowings like early carrots, parsnips, cabbages, cauliflowers, lettuce, spring onions, kohl rabi, spinach and radishes. Weather has been challenging, although as we started early, we've managed to use all dry days to work outdoors and wet days preparing polytunnels... We nearly finished building our raised beds for all beds outside. Carrots are just coming through now so missed last frost.”
This year’s Summer Festival, organised by Ballyhaunis Chamber of Commerce, will feature a music festival, children’s day and a Festival’s Fittest Family event on June 1st.
There will also be a Ballyhaunis Bingo on Wednesday, May 29th, and an Inter-pub Quiz on Thursday, May 30th, as well as a sports seminar on May 31st. The music festival and children’s day will both take place on Sunday on Knox Street, which will, like last year, be closed for the day. Ballyhaunis Festival Fun Run/walk takes place on Monday, June 3rd, through the town.
Fine Gael’s local election candidate Alma Gallagher submitted a motion at her party's recent Ard Fheis in Galway, calling for support for the country’s airports.
Local auctioneer and Fine Gael activist Gerry Coffey also submitted a motion calling for a more relaxed permit system to build one-off rural housing. Coffey said he wants to see a standarised approach and shorter decision times across all local authorities.
“This would allow a standarised procedure across all county councils and a decision within eight weeks on planning applications or appeals.”
Former Fine Gael minister Phil Hogan reformed planning in the wake of the financial and property crash of the last decade to reduce instances of poor planning and regulation blamed for a surge in building of substandard housing during the Celtic Tiger years.
Locals were invited to join the Eid ul Fitr feast to mark the end of Ramadan.
Member of the local Muslim community Muhammad Usman Sarwar described the feast as “one of the biggest events for the Ballyhaunis Muslim community, where all of us from different nationalities get together and thank Allah for giving strength for fasting the whole month of Ramadan”. He explained that Eid ul Fitr is centred around celebrating the end of a month of Ramadan and spending time with family, friends and people within the community.
“Giving thanks to Allah is core, which is why on the morning of Eid ul Fitr, Muslims offer a special congregational Eid prayer.
"After the Eid prayers, the Ballyhaunis Mosque Committee organises food for the whole community and local people. The preparation for the food for Eid starts a day before where young lads, elders and all get together and prepare food which is a bonding time for everybody especially in this fast-paced day and age where everybody is busy and won't get time to meet everybody.
"Now the Muslim community is trying to invite other communities of Ballyhaunis to get involve in the Eid celebrations as well which we think will be a good way for the local communities to meet each other and to create a sense of harmony, respect and collectiveness.”
A Spring Composting Workshop is being held at the Community Garden on April 20th starting at 11am.
Hosted by the committee that runs the garden, the workshop will be delivered by Sharon Cameron, Environmental Awareness Officer at Mayo County Council. The event is free but if interested in attending please message Ballyhaunis Community Garden Facebook page or contact 0873953449.
“We will be running more workshops over the coming months and from May a weekly open day to showcase our beautiful, shared space,” explained Mo Dalton, one of the committee members. The garden is located on the grounds of the Friary.
Ballyhaunis Community Council is offering two courses on upcycling using textiles.
Course one focuses on turning old clothing or treasured clothes into memory quilts, memory cushions or keepsakes. Course two focuses on breathing new life into furniture using textiles. Both courses run for six weeks at the Ballyhaunis Community Hall. Course one starts on Monday, April 22, 11-1pm. Course two starts on Tuesday, Apr 23, 11-1pm. Courses are limited to eight people so booking is essential.
Funded by Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB, the courses are part of Community Council’s ongoing initiative of repairing or upcycling items to reduce what goes in the landfill.
Email ballyhauniscommunitycouncil@gmail.com to reserve your space.
The Ballyhaunis Community Council invites all to attend the grand opening of the Community Hall on Saturday, May 4th, at 12pm. A programme of performances to mark Mayo Day will take place on the day with the formal ribbon cutting to be done by Michael Ring TD.
This marks the completion of a €500,000 renovation, having commenced in 2019 with grant funding from LEADER programme and having installed a community cinema under the Community Centres Investment Fund.
“This is an occasion to thank our Community Council volunteers, our donors, helpers and supporters everywhere who made this project possible,” said the Community Council.
Also known as the parochial hall, the building was handed over to Ballyhaunis Community Council by the Archdiocese of Tuam on a long-term lease for the benefit of the community. The project was completed with local and international donations, LEADER funds and €150,000 in borrowings.
