Local Notes: 'Our Mayo Walks' in aid of Mayo Roscommon Hospice sells well in Charlestown
Patrick McGinley congratulated Monika Gawalkiewicz and Des O’Donnell (Manager) of Kernan’s SPAR supermarket in Charlestown on their sales of ‘Our Mayo Walks’. Presenting Monika with an elegant house plant Patrick said, “Our Mayo Walks' is on sale in nearly every town and village in Co Mayo. It has proved popular nearly everywhere but Monika immediately loved the book and has successfully championed its sales in north Mayo.” ‘Our Mayo Walks’ by Patrick McGinley, Eddie Joyce and Tim O’Connell describes 14 wonderful Mayo walks and it is sold in support of the Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation.
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA lotto jackpot of €10,200 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, February 11, and the following were the four numbers drawn; 15, 23, 31, and 33. The winners of the 2 x €50 weekly prizes were David Doherty and Kevin Guthrie c/o Goldie. The latest jackpot increased to €10,300 and the draw was held on Sunday night, February 18.
The death took place at the University Hospital, Galway, of Gretta Henry, Sargura, Curry, Co. Sligo. His remains were removed from Howley’s Funeral Home, Curry, to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Curry, and burial took place after solemn requiem Mass to Bunncrannagh Cemetery. She is survived by her husband John, daughters Teresa, Sandra and Marie, son John, sisters Kay, Teresa, Patricia, Sall and Eleanor, brother John, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives and a large circle of friends.
The late Gretta was a lovely kind and gentle lady who was much respected and admired in the communities of Sargura, Curry and beyond. She had an innate sense of decency about her and adored her family with their health and well-being uppermost in her mind at all times. She forged a wonderful bond with her husband John and they were very much immersed in the community and could always be depended upon to lend a hand in times of crisis or need. Gretta was a keen bridge player and was a long standing member of the Charlestown Bridge Club where she had made many friends as she was a lady in the true sense of the word. She brought plenty of energy to each and every day and her loss to the family is incalculable. The large crowds who attended the removal of her remains and subsequent burial is ample proof of the esteem and affection in which she was held.
The community of Sargura has lost a lovely lady and we tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved.
Kilbeagh Community First Responders will be running their Irish Heart Foundation Heart Saver Courses starting in late February in the Town Hall Arts Centre which are free of charge. Most cardiac arrests in Ireland occur either in the home or the local community so learning these life saving skills is hugely beneficial to your family, friends and local community. It is also highly recommended for all coaching staff at all the local sports and social clubs in the area. The course is available to everyone over the age of 16. If you attended this course two years ago, your skills and certificate need renewing which attending this latest course will provide. For more information contact 087 3878408 or check out the Kilbeagh Community First Responders facebook page and click on the link.
HQ Plus (Health Quarter) Charlestown Sports Performance, Fitness and Wellness Centre are hosting Healthy Aging Classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9.30am for people over 60. The emphasis on these classes will be on movement and resistance with a good dollop of fun and enjoyment involved. For more information call 085 8416420.
Charlestown Gaelic for Mothers&Others have resumed training for the new season on Wednesday nights at 8pm in Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown, and all are welcome with new members encouraged to come along and give it a try.
Sympathy is extended to Ann Goldrick, Corthoon, Charlestown, on the death of her brother Charlie Guthrie who died in Boston, U.S.A. recently.
A new five week block of yoga classes will commence at Carracastle Community Centre on Tuesday February 27, at 7.30pm. For more information contact Toni at 089 2389351 and see Facebook age Yoga with Toni.
SJ Fitness classes have commenced in Carracastle Community Centre on Friday evenings from 7.30-8.30pm. Classes are €8 pay as you go or €40 for a block of 6 classes (18+ only). The classes will concentrate on working on cardio, core, fitness, self-confidence, stamina and self-defence.
The annual Achonry Pioneer Dance will be held on Friday, March 8, at 8pm in the Yeats County Inn, Curry, and music will be supplied by The Duets. Tickets cost €35 per person. To book contact Thomas at 087 2344338 or Caroline at 086 1660196.
Home Instead are holding a hiring week from Monday, February 19, and it will continue until Friday, February 23. To find out more about the role, call into one of the information sessions which will take place around the locality : Ballyhaunis Tuesday, February 20, (today) in the Community Meeting Room from 12 noon-3pm, or Swinford (The Gateway Hotel ) on Wednesday, February 21, from 12 noon-3pm.
Senior Strength and Conditioning classes are held at Carrcastle Community Centre every Wednesday morning at 11am, involving chair-based exercises and using light weights. For more information and to book your place, contact Sarah at 086 3879635.
Carracastle/Kilmovee Drama Group are staging their three-act play ‘The Year of the Hiker’ at Carracastle Community Centre on Friday, February 23 and Sunday, February 25. Doors open at 7.30pm and the play begins at 8pm. Proceeds on the nights will go towards the community centre and Scoil Iosa National School.
Well done to the U14 girls team who had a convincing win over Ballinrobe Lakers in the shield final played in Castlebar recently. The girls played some terrific stuff as they played the Lakers off the court with some thrilling play. The girls have grown immeasurably throughout the season and were desperately unlucky to lose in the cup final proper but they kept their focus and achieved ample consolation with this wonderful victory. There were great scenes when the final hooter went with all associated with the Charlestown squad euphoric as they celebrated in unison with great relish and joy. A marvellous day for all associated with the Cubs Club as they continue to punch above their weight and serve it up to teams with much bigger numbers and playing base. To cap a great day for the team Andrea Corcoran was presented with the Most Valuable Player Award on the back of a tremendous display as she drove her team onto victory.
A workshop for parish choirs conducted by Una Nolan, Director of Music, Knock Shrine, will take place on Wednesday, February 21, at 8pm in Tubbercurry Parish Church. Those who attended the recent choir workshop in Swinford are welcome to attend.
Charlestown and Districts Men’s Shed are holding a darts and cards night every Wednesday night at 7pm in the Men’s Shed at the rear entrance of the CBD Sport and Recreational Centre, Lowpark, Charlestown. The gathering is open to members and non-members and finger food and refreshments will be served. Game starts at 8pm.
The weekly bridge game scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown, was cancelled as a mark of respect in memory of the late Gretta Henry who passed away recently. Gretta was a very prominent and much respected member of the club for many years and forged quite the formidable partnership with her husband John as they made for a good team. She was kind and good lady in the true sense of the word and built up many firm friendships with all the players over the course of her long service and association with the club. She will be greatly missed as she was a quiet spoken, gentle lady who was very supportive of all the club did and seldom if ever missed a game as she loved the camaraderie and thrill of the competition. All within the club offer their deepest sympathies to John and the family as she left an indelible impression on all who knew and admired her. May she rest in peace.
The weekly game resumes on Wednesday (tomorrow), February 21, in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown..
There was a good turnout at the weekly 25 Card Drive held in the Yeats County Inn, Curry, on Tuesday, February 13, and the following were the prize winners; 1st Colm Gallagher and Mary O’Hara, 2nd Darby Leonard and Breege Leonard. The game takes place every Tuesday night at 8.30pm in the Yeats County Inn, Curry.
Birthday greetings are extended to Ryan O’Connor, Lavey Manor, Charlestown, who celebrates his 50th birthday today. I’m not sure if I’m a day early or a day late or bang on the money but Ryan is a very well known and prominent member of the community and a stalwart with the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club where he is heavily involved in any number or roles. Ryan is one of the club’s chief groundsmen where he shares the pitch maintenance duties with Ciaran McBrien and together they dovetail nicely and ensure the surface and facilities are always in tip top shape for the many games Fr O’Hara Park plays host to on a weekly basis.
Ryan is also very much involved in the workings of Bord na nÓg and is a dab hand at the coaching as he has been involved in the training and preparation of several underage teams over the years. He has also served as chairman of the underage wing of the club and brought great organisation and structure to the role and wrought some significant and positive changes which the club have reaped the benefits from. The club takes up a fair bit of Ryan’s time and he has a passion for it that has to be admired with O’Hara Park undoubtedly being his second home with the club extremely lucky to have such a volunteer in their ranks.
He has eased to fifty quite seamlessly it would seem with plenty of coverage on the scalp albeit the odd tinge of grey is becoming ever more evident with each passing week. The waistline is none too shabby either it must be said with the odd kilo having crept on but he still remains a formidable specimen who could still hold his own on the edge of the square if the ball was pitched in on top of him. His graduation to the half century club has come hot on the heels of his good wife Susan so I’m not sure if there was a cake unveiled to mark the event as the oven had hardly cooled on the cake for his missus hence I’m led to believe the cake was shared between the two which makes perfect sense as no point running up a big electric bill when one would do the two. Susan was shrewd enough not to throw away the candles as she knew Ryan would be needing them hence the flame had barely been quenched when Ryan had to re-light all fifty and he no difficulty at all in putting them out as the lungs are stock piled with bags of oxygen which indicates a man in good stead and ready to embrace all that life will throw at him at fifty.
All within the club and community wish him continued good health and happiness in the future and many more years of involvement with the Sarsfields as the 2024 season gets ready to explode into life in the coming weeks. I’m not sure if I qualify for a slice of his fifty cake on the back of this mention as there’s sure to be a long queue much higher up the food chain than moi but I’ll keep a daily watch all the same.
Sympathy is extended to Joe Collins, Palmfield, Carracastle, on the death of his brother Tony, The Demesne, Frenchpark, Co Roscommon, which occurred recently.
It’s that time of year again when the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club are asking their many faithful and dedicated members to renew their annual lotto tickets for the 2024 season. The annual lotto has been an outstanding success since its launch in 2001 and has provided the club with a steady and valuable source of income which has financed many a project and football team in the years that followed. The ticket remains a steal at €70 which covers all 52 weekly draws which represents great value hence why its proved so popular to many purchasers and subscribers over its life time. The 2023 ticket is due to expire shortly with many enjoying plenty of success in the weekly draws and in some cases netting a tidy profit on their investment. The format remains the same where you select four numbers from a pot of 36 and these become your numbers for each and every weekly draw. In the event of the jackpot not being one there is a draw for 2 x €50 prizes which more often than not throw up one annual lotto ticket holder each week. The club also offers an incentive to all annual lotto ticket subscribers by way of entering them into a draw with three cash prizes up for grabs and this too has encouraged and cajoled many to sign up and take the plunge so to speak. The club have details of how to sign up on their excellent Facebook page which contains all you need to know by clicking on the relevant link.
Clann Machua will present their new play ‘Stolen Child’ in the Town Hall Theatre, Kiltimagh, on this Thursday, Friday and Saturday February 22, 23 and 24, respectively with the curtain raised nightly at 8pm. Directed by Seamus Corry, ‘Stolen Child’ is a humorous and moving two act play which centres around one woman’s search for her birth mother that will make you laugh and cry and linger long in your memory after you leave the theatre.The play will also be performed in the Town Hall Theatre, Westport, on Wednesday, February 28, before hitting the road to take part in the All-Ireland Drama Festival circuit. Admission on the night is €15.
Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club are staging their annual dinner dance on Saturday, March 9, in the Yeats County Inn, Curry, Co. Sligo. Tickets cost €35 and are available from any member of the executive. There will be a number of presentations made on the night such as Club Person of the Year, Senior, Junior and Young Player of the Year Awards with the ladies club also having a number of their own presentations to make in what promises to be a great night of fun and entertainment. There will also be a number of medal presentations to be made and there will be a monster raffle with spot prizes galore. Note the date and join the club in a night of celebration as they look back and reflect on a good year overall in both genders with the men and women coming together to celebrate as one.
St Joseph’s Community College, Charlestown, host St Cuan’s, Castleblakeney, in Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown, in the Juvenile D Championship in Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown, on Thursday, February 23, with the throw-in scheduled for 12.30pm.
The Cloonacool GAA 5km run/walk/jog takes place on Sunday, February 25, at 12 noon. Runners, joggers and walkers are all welcome. Registration from 10.15am -11.45am at Cloonacool Community Park. Entry fee is €10 for adults, €5 for children and €25 for a family. Changing and shower facilities are available and refreshments will be served afterwards.
Charlestown, Bellaghy and Districts Development Association next Community Coffee Morning takes place on Friday, March 1, in the Town Hall Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Charlestown, from 11am-1pm. Lift access available.
Congratulations and well done to Curry native Dermot Fleming who was recently honoured by the Sligo GAA Club in New York for his dedicated and steadfast service to the club stretching back the best part of twenty five years and more. Dermot has been one of the mainstays of the Sligo GAA Club in New York and has served the club in many guises both as a player and administrator. Dermot won a number of titles with the club most notably a senior B championship in 2006 when he captained the team to victory. Dermot, who hails from Moylough, is a regular visitor home and his many friends in the communities of Moylough, Curry and indeed Charlestown congratulate him on this well deserved honour as he is the epitome of dedication and commitment who has given so much to the Sligo club in New York and continues to remain involved and very much at the coalface of a club has enjoyed some stellar successes in recent seasons the highlight of which was a New York Senior A Championship in 2022. Dermot’s many friends this side of the pond send their heartiest congratulations to a true gael who has invested so much time and commitment in a club that has been a huge part of his life since his move to New York. Well done Dermot and here’s wishing you many more years of good health in the future and many more successes with the black and white in the years ahead.
Congratulations are extended to John Drudy, son of John and Norrie Drudy, Glann, Charlestown, who graduated from NUIG (National University of Ireland Galway) with a Bachelor’s Degree of Global Commerce. John is currently working with Grant Thornton in Galway and is wished all the very best in his new employment.
The AGM of the Charlestown Drama Group will take place on Thursday, February 22, in the Town Hall Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Charlestown, at 8.15pm.
There was a good turnout at the weekly darts competition held in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown, on Sunday night, February 11, as The Magician and Boom Boom locked horns in another interesting instalment of the weekly classic. Governor Gus was imperious as always in his role as referee and maintained law and order impeccably. The Magician bounced out of the blocks in good style and wrapped up the first set in a matter of minutes with a treble 10, double 16 blast in the third leg completing a three nil whitewash in the opening set. The Magician was in a rich vein of form and carried this into set two as he blew the magician away with some sizzling arrows. He hit trebles eighteen, double sixteen in the fourth leg to race two sets clear with Boom Boom in something of a quandary ahead of the start of the third as he needed to find his form and fast or else the game would be over in three. He did manage to halt the momentum of the Magician at the start of set three as he took the first leg with a morale boosting double top finish getting him on the board and interrupting the momentum of his opponent if only briefly. The Magician regained his poise in the next leg however and took it convincingly as Boom Boom’s level dropped off alarmingly.
The third leg saw Boom Boom stage something of a revival as he took it against the darts top leave him one away from winning the third set as the Magician spurned a great chance to go 2-1 clear having missed several darts at double 16. He made no mistake in the fourth leg however with three ton pluses putting him in total control as Boom Boom toiled away in the high 300s with the Magician taking out double eight with two darts top spare to level the set at two legs apiece with everything on the line in the deciding leg. The fifth leg was the most closely contested of the match as both men found their best form simultaneously. It was the Magician who prevailed however with a maximum midway through the leg proving the pivotal score as he left double sixteen on his side of the ledger with Boom Boom left with a much trickier 136 to navigate. He looked on course to nail it when he hit two treble twenties with his first two darts but his third and final dart grazed the wire of double eight which led to an audible gasp from his large support base as they knew his chance had gone of extending the match to a fourth set. The Magician strode to the ochie with three darts to aim at double eight. He needed only one as his first plunged right into the middle of the double to round off a terrific performance from the number four seed as he hoisted his hands high into the air and collected his first title of 2024.
