Local Notes: Parade reflected Kiltimagh's community spirit
Pictured at the St Patrick's Day Parade in Kiltimagh were, back row, from left: Catriona Smyth, Saoirse Brennan and Rachel Harte. Front row: Coman, Rowan, Holly, Davin and Ben. Picture: John Corless
Tom Jordan left Kiltimagh in 1981 and was back in town for the St Patrick’s Day Parade where he was one of the judges.
The Jordan family had a business on James’s Street (or to give it it’s official title, George’s Street) and when the caught up with Tom after the parade he outlined plans to add to the cultural and historical capital of the town with a permanent exhibition.
“I have kept an awful lot of the memorabilia from when we had the business,” the former Mayo Person of the Year (1978) said. “I have the day books, the credit books, photos of those times. It’s all been kept safely.
“When my father passed in 1998, I arranged for a photographer to come in and take photographs of the local characters. A lot of local characters used to come into the shop. So all that has been recorded and will be put in an exhibition at some stage.
"There’s a huge collection of material. I have the books going back to the nineteenth century. We have the labour book with the lists of the people who worked on the school many years ago.
"So it’s about finding a home for the exhibition now. People have been talking about a new community centre so that could be one area that might also be able to keep material like this - to keep all this important social history. With archival material like that, you have to have secure facilities with the right temperatures and all that.”
Tom said that while much of Kiltimagh has changed since his time there, some things hadn’t changed at all.
“The town has two fine hotels now, and of course CMS, the big employer on the Bohola Road. There are jobs in the area. It’s great not to see people walking with a suitcase in their hand, heading for the train station and emigration. And there’s a great community spirit in the town. In that way, it hasn’t changed. There’s a great welcome you get when you come back. People recognise you and they talk fondly of your parents and memories of the shop.”
Tom described the Kiltimagh parade as “outstanding".
“It took an hour and half to get through the town and back, and huge number of people came to town for the parade, including a lot of tourists. You could see that from the reviewing stand. The quality this year, and last year, was really of a high standard, particularly from the young people. It’s great to see young people getting involved in community activities like this.”
The winners of the award for best float this year was St Louis Community School.
“The community school had over one hundred people on its float with wonderful teachers,” Tom said. “They were all smiling and that’s a wonderful thing to see in the parade. The second-placed team, Kiltimagh Foróige, came very close in our decision. They had an excellent float too.”
Tom commented on the Samba band that had travelled from Sligo.
“It’s great to see outside floats coming to the parade too,” he said. “And it was great to see organisations like Victim Assistance, which is based in the town and helps people all over Ireland. And the Boyne Rescue team too. These are two organisations based in Kiltimagh, who have reached out and helped people all over the country.”
Tom said the parade was a great advertisement for the parish and the town.
“It’s great to see the young people around and in the parade,” he added. “It’s all about community.”
Kiltimagh Writers Revival will take place tomorrow night, Wednesday, April 2nd, at 7pm in the Parish Centre.
New members with a broad smile and twinkle are welcome. No experience is necessary. Write your story, poem or play. If it’s not right, write it.
Liam Moran and Tom Flatley claimed first place in last week’s 25 card game held in the parish centre. Four pairs shared second place - Seamus Larkin and Martin Regan, Tom Walsh and Hugh Forde, Aidan Lydon and Alo Langan and Ciaran McDonnell and Danny Doherty.
The Last 10 was shared amongst Pius Forde and John Clancy, Chris Flatley and Denis Regan, Michael Carney and Michael Costello and Tom Conroy and Joe Boyle. The spot prize went to Mary and Jimmy Doyle.
Jimmy Doyle, Alo Langan, James Walsh and Colette Lavelle were the raffle winners.
Conor Hession, from Balla, won last week’s Kiltimagh Knock United 50/50 jackpot. Conor picked up €250 in the draw.
Kiltimagh Knock United is recruiting for help across all its underage teams so the club can continue to field teams at all ages, boys and girls. From coaching to supervision at training and games, support is needed this season.
Anyone interested is asked to get in touch with the club secretary at 087-2124130 or send a PM to the club's Facebook page. Existing members are asked to talk to their child's coach at training about how you can help out.
The next meeting of the Women’s Group will take place in the Parish Centre on Monday, April 7th, at 7pm. The speaker on the night will be John Brennan, who will talk about gardening matters such as planting and assembling window boxes.
All ladies are welcome.
Kiltimagh GAA will host a Multi-Activity Easter Camp from April 14th to 16th from 10am to 1pm at Gilmartin Park. The camp is for boys and girls aged five to 13. It will be fully supervised by volunteer coaches and will be ran as a fundraiser for the Kiltimagh GAA Bord na nÓg.
Activities will include football, rounders, soccer, hurling, team building and plenty of fun games. The cost is €35 for one child or €70 for two or more children.
Fees will be collected on the Monday morning of the camp from 9.30am. An application form must be completed by Friday, April 11th. Forms are available on the club’s Facebook page and can be submitted digitally via WhatsApp message or in hardcopy. Completed forms will also be collected from the local national schools on Wednesday, April 9th. Children attending are advised to bring a snack for break time and appropriate gear for all weather.
Round 8 of the Spring Poker League in Teach O’Hora on Wednesday night last saw the largest pot of this league to-date with €750 in the prize pool for the 23 strong field.
Enda Ruane took the honours beating Martin Maughan heads up with Isaac Boyle third and Tom Maughan fourth. The other finalists were: 5th, Douglas Kennedy; 6th, Michael Higgins; 7th, Paul Walsh; 8th, Gerry Groarke; 9th, Kieran McGee.
Isaac Boyle remains well clear on top of the league table with 157 points, followed by Michael Higgins on 122 and Nicky Cunnane on 114. The rest of the top twelve is: Enda Ruane 106, Martin Regan 98, AN Other 90, Derry O’Sullivan 89, Keith Lydon 89, Gerry Groarke 84, Pat Boyle 83, Douglas Wicks 74, Michael Sheridan 74.
The league runs for 15 weeks with tournaments every Wednesday night at 8pm. Entry is €20 with one rebuy or add on allowed, also €20. €5 from each entry and rebuy goes towards the league final prize pool with the rest paid out on the night.
At the end of the league, the top 12 players qualify for the grand final and they will be joined by two others from a last chance play-off to play for an estimated prize pool of €2,000.
Caoimhe Hession won the Kiltimagh GAA Senior Ladies Player of the Year Award at the club’s recent awards presentation. Caoimhe was presented with the Mags Regan Perpetual Trophy by Tony Langan.
Donovan Cosgrove won the Senior Men’s Player of the Year. Adrian Carroll presented the Aidan Carroll Perpetual Trophy to Seán Cosgrove, who received it on Donovan’s behalf. The JJ McHugh Perpetual Trophy was presented by Jarlath McHugh to Jonathan McHugh, the Junior Player of the Year.
Jack Niland won the Under-21 Player of the Year award which was presented to him by Liam Murtagh. Mick Higgins presented the Hall of Fame award to Paul Walsh.
Brendan Mooney was the winner of the Club Person of the Year Award. He was presented with the Jimmy Byrne Perpetual Trophy by Martin Byrne.
Congratulations to all of the very worthy winners.
The death has occurred of Brendan Reilly of Church Park, Kiltimagh. Brendan died peacefully at Mayo University Hospital surrounded by his loving family on March 22nd.
He was predeceased by his parents James and Sarah and his siblings, Tom, Mick, Jim, Sr Mary Patrick (Maggie), Sr Corona (Annie), Alice, John, Sadie, Bill, Joe and Eddie.
Brendan will be sadly missed by his beloved wife Bernie, many nephews and nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces, relatives, friends and neighbours.
Brendan’s remains reposed at O’Hora’s Funeral Home, on Tuesday, March 25th, from 6pm with removal afterwards to the Church of the Holy Family, Kiltimagh. Funeral Mass took place on Wednesday at 12 noon, with burial afterwards in Kilkinure Cemetery.
May he rest in peace.
Cill Aodáin Choral Society presents Spring into Song at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar, on Thursday, April 24th, at 8pm.
The society had two sold-out nights at the venue last year and is hoping for a full house for this event. This year the society is privileged to have the very talented Alannah Thornburgh - an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer with a focus on traditional Irish harp join the society on stage.
Alannah's music explores her family's musical heritage, reimagining ancient airs and tunes from the Irish harping and American folk and jazz traditions. The musical director is Finola Higgins.
Tickets for the concert cost €20 and are available online at Linenhall Arts Centre or by phone on 094 902 3733.
Kiltimagh Knock United Masters had a 6-5 win over Ballyglass in the first round of the Masters’ Cup last Wednesday. Goals form Gavin Groarke, Ronan Malee (three - including one penalty,) Niall Walshe (the goalkeeper - direct from a kick-out!) and Conor Heneghan was enough to dispose of a resilient Ballyglass side which included a hat-trick scoring Colm Boyle, the former Mayo GAA star.
KKU now face Conn Rangers in the quarter-final to be played tomorrow night, April 2nd.
Conor Hession from Balla was the winner of last week’s Kiltimagh Knock United 50/50 jackpot draw. Conor won €250.
Jack Niland won the Kiltimagh GAA 50/50 draw last week. Jack’s prize was €552.
Kiltimagh Pickleball Club is looking for new members and people to try the game. They play in St Louis Community School on Mondays from 7.00 to 8pm and in Aughamore Community Centre on Saturday mornings from 10.30 to 11.30am.
Playing pickleball can improve cardiovascular fitness, hand-eye coordination, and social interaction, making it a fun way to stay active. If you’d like to give pickleball a go, you can contact Teresa on 089-4841267.
Brenda McNicholas and Bernie Byrne were the winners of the weekly bridge drive in the Park Hotel.
Maureen Carney and Maeve Duffy finished second with third place going to Cora Waldron and Michael Cunningham.
Bridge is held in the hotel every Tuesday at 7.30pm. The club is open to new members joining at any time. Casual pairs are also welcome.
Bridge classes are available for beginners and anybody interested can contact John McCrohan on 087-2422945.
Pauline Waldron, of Lisduff, Ballyhaunis, died peacefully at Ballinamore Nursing Home, Kiltimagh, surrounded by her family.
Pauline was pre-deceased by her parents John and Mary. Her passing is deeply regretted by her siblings Margaret (and Sheamus Tarmey, Ballymoe), Johnny (Ballyhaunis), Milo (United Kingdom), Martin (Ballyhaunis), Eileen (Ballinamore House), Imelda (and Eamon Caulfield, Williamstown), her loving nieces and nephews Tara, Declan, Laura, Emma, Melissa, Mark and Michelle, grandnieces and grandnephews.
Pauline’s remains reposed at Donnellan’s Funeral Home, Ballyhaunis on Wednesday evening with Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11.30am in Logboy Church and burial afterwards in Ballyhaunis Cemetery.
May she rest in peace.
