Local Notes: Nora Ginnelly, Barnatra, celebrates her 100th Birthday.
Congratulations and best wishes to Nora Ginnelly pictured with her sons and daughters on her 100th birthday.
Nora Ginnelly (Gorthmellia, Barnatra) celebrated her 100th birthday recently with a Mass of Thanksgiving and a celebration function in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel surrounded by her 13 children, 25 grandchildren and 39 great grandchildren. Nora would like to extend a very sincere thanks to all who sent her good wishes, cards, Mass cards and gifts. Mass will be offered for your intentions and congratulations also to her son Fr Christy Ginnelly who recently celebrated his 40th anniversary in the priesthood.
Erris Family and Community Support Centre’s Parent Peer Support Group are hosting a free Sound Bath session with Beahtha on Tuesday, August 25, from 7-8.30pm in the IWA Centre, F26VY42. Sound bath is a massage for your mind, body and soul; this is an opportunity to take 90 minutes for you to rest and reset and restore before a busy back to school season. The Parent Peer Support Group is a space for those parenting children/young people who are neurodivergent. You do not need to have attended the group before. To register, WhatsApp Leanne on 0870670989.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club lotto jackpot of €6,000 with the two €50 winners being Owen Walsh, Tullaghan and Grainne Mac, Bangor Erris while Ciaran O’Hara, Doolough and Mary Snee, c/o Nora Monaghan both won €25. The two online winners of €25 were Bernie McGrath, Rossport South €50 and Linda Rowland, Bellacorick.
Bingo will take place in the GAA complex Bangor this Tuesday, August 18, at 8pm. The jackpot will be €500 in 45 calls or less.
The Dún Chaocháin oral history collection was first identified by Mac Conmara Heritage Consulting during the Mayo Audit of Oral Heritage Collections as one of the county's highest-priority collections for preservation. The collection originated through a Euroform project in the early 1990s (undertaken by Donnacha Ó Dúlaing, Bríd Ní Sheighin and the late Bairbre Uí Thaidhg) and captures the voices of Dún Chaocháin natives and preserves a unique record of Irish-language life, folklore, local traditions and community memory. For more than thirty years, these recordings have remained on fragile analogue tapes. Today, through the Recovering Voices digitisation project, delivered by Mac Conmara Heritage Consulting, they are being professionally preserved for future generations.
As part of National Heritage Week, on Friday, August 21, at 11am, Mac Conmara Heritage Consulting will give a presentation in the Seanscoil Community Centre, Ceathrú Thaidhg (F26 Y8P7) on the digitisation of the Dún Chaocháin archive This Heritage Week event offers a behind-the-scenes look at the project, showcasing selected recordings, photographs and archival material while demonstrating how ageing audio tapes are assessed, digitised, catalogued and prepared for long-term preservation. Learn about the professional standards behind the work, the creation of searchable metadata and digital catalogues, and the plans to ensure the collection remains accessible for education, research and the local community for generations to come.
Join them to hear a selection of voices that have not been publicly heard for decades, discover the stories they preserve, and explore how today's digitisation work is safeguarding one of Mayo's most significant oral heritage collections and an irreplaceable part of the county's Irish-language heritage for the future. This event is part of a project supported under the Heritage Council's grants programme in 2026.
A reminder that Tullaghan Bay Rowing Club will host the inaugural Coastal Regatta on Saturday, August 29, and they would be delighted to welcome your club. With junior development and progression at the heart of the club, the regatta is a great opportunity for young rowers to gain valuable race experience ahead of the Junior Championships on September 12. The club is also adding an exciting beach sprint finish to each race, reflecting the growing profile of Beach Sprints as an Olympic discipline.
Please note that the tracker will close on August 22, so make sure to get your entries in before then. The club hope you’ll make the trip and join everyone for a great day of racing and a warm Tullaghan Bay welcome awaits.
Congratulations to the Geesala festivals fittest family, the Barrett’s from Bunnafolly. Brendan Barrett, Minnie, Jessie and Bo Barrett were joined by Lottie Heaney to take the title. The family compete annually finishing second four years in a row despite the odds. Rumours were rife that Brendan’s luck was down to driving past the graveyard Mass sometime in the late 90’s. He is said to have attended yesterday. Just in case but on the day they won.
In second place were ‘The Mount Jubilees’ the Lindsay’s, Shane and Kelly Lindsay were joined by Arlo and Henry Lindsay Lee; in third place came ‘the Doohoma Dancers’ Sophie and Lauren Carty, Majella Walker and Hazel O’Connor and fourth place went to Mount Jubilee also ‘The Better Late than nervures’ Emer Lindsay, John O’Connor, Luke O’Connor (Age 7) and Isla Grace Lee.
The teams completed 5 minutes on each of six stations, Hang Tough, Box Jumps, Ski Erg, Row Erg, Wall Balls and high knee hold.
The committee extend thanks to the judges Siobhan Hennelly Gaughan (and family), Ann Barrett, Helen Reilly and Mary Walker (and family).
Congratulations to Dinny Murphy who is this year’s winner of The Joe Corless Memorial Cup. It is awarded to a youth who stands out at Cruinniú na mBád and Dinny and indeed all of the youths did exactly that. Everyone is so proud of them all, racing, helping out and keeping the energy going. Dinny, Sophie and Christopher were back at it again in Blacksod taking second place in the traditional Currachs and the racers, the future is in safe hands.
The winners of Belmullet Sea Angling Club shore competition held on the mullet peninsula on August 9 were 1st greatest variety Tony Lally, 2nd greatest variety Darren Reynolds, 3rd greatest variety Shane Gilavary, Heaviest fish David Conway. Many thanks to the winners and everyone else that took part on the day and don’t forget the annual 2 day beach competition will be taking place soon with dates and venues to be decided.
Thank you to the incredible businesses, organisations and volunteers who have made the Great Erris Run in memory of Rob Turner possible. Your generosity, support and community spirit have helped bring this event together, and the organisers couldn’t do it without you. Thank you to Broadhaven Bay Hotel, Carne Golf Links, Erris Coast Hotel, Westport Hotel Group, Western Strands Hotel, Shevlin Engineering, MFitness, Ryan Gallagher Photography, Monika Regeciova Photography, Erris Athletic Club, Reilly’s Audio, Cuffe’s Centra Belmullet, Kieran Gallagher (MC), Ballyglass Coast Guard, Erris Youth Disability Network, Belmullet Garda Station and every single race volunteer giving their time on the day.
Whether you were taking on the 10k, 5k, or simply supporting the cause, every step helped raise vital funds for Erris Youth Disability Network, this year’s charity chosen by Rob Turner’s family in his memory.
