Local Notes: National award for Erris woman
Members of Cill Chomáin GAA Club with Máire Cait Ó Mhurchú, who was presented with the ‘An Lóchrann’ Award, sponsored by Údarás na Gaeltachta, at the recent Comórtas Peile na Gaeltacht in Ráth Chairn. This award is presented to people who give their work and enthusiasm to football and Irish language matters in their club and county.
Congratulations Máire Cháit Ó Mhurchú from Cill Chomáin who was awarded special recognition at the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta 2025 in Ráth Chairn recently.
Máire was awarded 'An Lóchrann', the Gaeltacht football competition's national recognition award, which is awarded to people who make a special effort in matters of football and Irish in their clubs and county.
The Glór na nGael team knows Máire Cháit well, as CLG Cill Chomáin has been registered with the Sheosaimh Mhic Donncha Foundation since day one. They have been awarded a silver medal and are doing great work to ensure the status of the Irish language in the club. Heartfelt congratulations to you Máire Cháit, you well deserve this recognition!
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary has confirmed that €600,000 has been secured from the Department of Education for St Brendan’s College under the Emergency Funding Grant Scheme.
“I have been working with Principal Michael Walshe, Deputy Principal Howard Treacy and the management of St Brendan’s College for a number of months," he said. "I am delighted to confirm that the application has been successful and funding totalling €600,000 has been secured from the Department for the essential repair to the roof of the PE Hall and Practical Rooms following damage caused in recent storms.
"I am pleased that my representations to the current and previous Minister have been heard and that the Department has moved to process the application. The school can now move forward to have the necessary repair works completed after the state examinations,” he said.
Massive thanks to JP Murphy and his crew and the tractor drivers for the recent tractor run in aid of Erris Family and Community Support Centre. To the volunteers, businesses and sponsors who donated prizes, and bought raffle tickets, go raibh míle maith agat.
A total of €1,334 was raised in one day. That is huge, but what's more important is the awareness it has created that Erris has its own Family and Community Support Centre. It has got people talking about this important facility and asking questions.
Any family, no matter the situation, can now get support in Erris as the centre has its own family support worker.
The centre has also supported North West STOP-Suicide Prevention, and there are play therapists for children, so no more travelling to Ballina/Castlebar. There is a whole range of supports now in Erris. Its acting coordinator Catherine Meenaghan just submitted an application to Tusla (only opens every five years) for inclusion into the National Family Resource Centre Programme.
It was an enormous piece of work and the centre has cross-party support for its application so fingers crossed. And it's the community of Erris that has got the project this far.
The annual general meeting of the centre is on June 11th at 5pm at the IWA Resource Centre. Anyone is welcome to come along and find out more about the range of services and programmes - just RSVP to Catherine at coordinator@errisfcsc.ie.
So thank you again to JP Murphy for choosing to honour his brother Tommy in this way, bringing people together, and bringing awareness to the Erris Family and Community Support Centre.
Come along on Saturday, June 14th, to Geraghty's Garage in Belmullet where the Ballyglass RNLI will be in attendance to wash your car or van.
Treat the Dads out there to a super clean car at Geraghty's, washed by volunteers from Ballyglass RNLI. Come along and join the fun, you are sure to have an enjoyable time and it promises to be a great event.
Congratulations to RNLI volunteers Pat Coyne and Seán Reilly on successfully completing their ILB Tier 2 pass-outs with assessor trainer Seán Ginnelly.
Pat and Seán are now fully passed out inshore lifeboat crew and can now progress on their plans as navigators and ultimately helms.
Sean Ginnelly was very impressed with their theory and practical knowledge and congratulated them saying their preparation and hard work has paid off.
Gaeilge Iorrais would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to each of the 21 students from 4th, 5th and 6th class in Scoil Bhreandáin, Eachléim, who took part in the collaborative storytelling initiative trí mheán na Gaeilge entitled '1, 2, Spraoi!'
'1, 2, Spraoi!' is a joint project between Fighting Words, the Department of Mathematics in the Institute of Education, Dublin City University, an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), with support from the Teaching Council, the Department of the Gaeltacht and Gaeilge Iorrais. This innovative creative writing project combines mathematics education with storytelling in Irish for primary school children. The students create a scéal from scratch, drawing on their maths knowledge.
Students from Scoil Bhreandáin, Eachléim created eight short stories in total, working in small groups under the guidance of facilitators from Fighting Words and COGG. All of their stories are based on mathematical concepts.
These talented young writers from Eachléim have written stories full of imagination, maths and adventure. The results of their work are now in print since the '1,2 Spraoi' (2025) book was officially launched by Minister for the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary at the DCU Institute of Education recently. The creativity, talent and vivacity of all the students were celebrated at this special event.
'1,2 Spraoi!' (2025) is a collection of maths stories written by students not only from Scoil Bhreandáin, Eachléim but also from Gaelscoil Bharra (Cabra, Dublin) and Scoil na Maighdine Muire Gan Smál, Camus (Connemara, Co Galway), as part of a series of workshops run by Fighting Words under the guidance of the DCU Institute of Education and COGG.
Ferdia Ó Mongáin, Principal, Scoil Bhreandáin, Eachléim: "We are delighted to have had the opportunity to be part of this wonderful project. The students from our school really enjoyed the workshops, creating new stories together and the opportunity to go to DCU for the book launch.
"This project gave them the opportunity to think about mathematics in a different way. The project helped the students to connect maths with their own interests and passions and to further understand the central role that maths plays in their daily lives."
Laoise Ní Dhúda, Gaeilge Iorrais, remarked: "This is the second time that students from Scoil Bhreandáin, Eachléim have participated in a project with Fighting Words. Nach iontach iad! They also wrote a story as part of the 'Scaip an Scéal' (2024) project in collaboration with other Gaeltacht Iorrais primary schools last year.
"We hope that both young and old will enjoy reading these newly created stories and that this positive experience will encourage the students to continue with storytelling, composition, reading, and collaboration together through the medium of Irish. Comhghairdeas ó chroí libh arís."
Gaeilge Iorrais would like to extend a special thank you to Bríd-Treasa Wyndham (Fighting Words Irish Language Programme Coordinator) and Tríona Nic Fhinn (COGG) for their support with this project and for facilitating wonderful workshops among the students; school staff members Ferdia Ó Mongáin, Bríd Nic Thomáis and Erica Nic Suibhne; and Dr Laoise Ní Dhúda and Éimear Ní Ghallachóir (Gaeilge Iorrais) for proofreading and editing the stories.
An electronic version of '1, 2, Spraoi!' (2025) can be viewed at www.fightingwords.ie.
It was a special day for the parish of Kiltane recently as the community games returned to the parish. It's been over 15 years since the last games were held in the parish.
A massive thank you to everyone involved in the Kiltane Community Games for making it a fabulous fun day for all the kids, and everyone in the community. It was a really fun day for all families and roll on next year.
Well done and thanks again for a great day.
There was another milestone for Bangor Hibs recently when the club entered the U10 boys’ team in a tournament in Milebush in Castlebar.
Words couldn't express enough of how fantastic these young lads were. Togged out in their new Bangor Hibs jerseys - and even with heavy showers of rain - all these boys wanted to do was play football. The lads battled well throughout only to be undone in the quarter-finals of the shield.
The future of the club is extremely bright. Well done to all the boys that played for Bangor Hibs in the recent shield event. You did the club proud.
Belmullet native Owen Lynam has retired as a Detective with the North Myrtle Beach South Carolina Police Force. He has served with them for 27 years and had served with the Fire Service before that.
Owen grew up on Carter Square in Belmullet, the son of the late Gerry and Nora (nee Davitt), who owned Lynam's Furniture Shop on Main Street. He is wished a long and happy retirement from all in Belmullet.
On his final day on the force, his colleagues honoured his legacy of exemplary service and commitment to the community. Over the past three decades, he’s been the corner of the investigation unit with loyalty, professionalism, integrity and respect - a true legend.
Owen is wished good health in his retirement.
Belmullet has officially launched its journey as an Autism Friendly Town. On May 30th, the community came together at Áras Inis Gluaire for a warm and heartfelt event, marking a major step towards inclusion and accessibility in the Erris region. Autistic individuals, families, local leaders, and supporters shared powerful stories, including moving words from parent Fionnuala Meenaghan.
“Today, Belmullet is saying something so powerful: We see you, we support you, you belong.”
This initiative, supported by national autism charity AsIAm and local organisations, aims to create safe, supportive spaces for autistic people and their families — not just through awareness, but through real, practical change.
The Belmullet Autism Friendly Town committee is excited to work with local businesses, employers, and the whole community to make this vision a reality.
Want to get involved or learn more? Email belmulletautismfriendlytown@gmail.com or call Eva on 087-3404196.
The numbers drawn in the Kilcommon Lotto were 11, 34, 33 and 35 and there was no winner of the jackpot.
The house prize winners were Michael and Jarlath McAndrew, Goola while the online winners were Gareth Carey, Carnfowler and Rosanne Gallagher, Glenamoy. The offline winners were Peggy Garvin, Carratigue and Ellie Moody, Belderrig.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club weekly lotto jackpot of €6,200. The two €50 winners were Alannah Cosgrove, Doohoma and PJ Moran, Shragraddy while Nellie Coyle, Tallaghaun and Tommy Fitzmaurice, Geesala, both won €25. The two online winners were Gerard Jones, London (€50) and Deirdre Ginty, Harrow (€25).
Bingo will take place in the GAA Complex in Bangor this evening (Tuesday) at 8pm. The jackpot will be €550 in 46 calls or less.
Congratulations to Geesala National School on their outstanding success in winning the Mayo Cumann na mBunscol Final.
