Local Notes: St Brendan's College, Belmullet qualify for U19s All Ireland Basketball semi-final.
St Brendan’s College U19 boys’ basketball side that recently qualified for the All Ireland semi final after two outstanding victories against Galway CC and Vilnius College Limerick pictured with their coaches.
The development of the Multi Utility Gaming Area in Doohoma is advancing at remarkable pace, and the parents association of SN Dhumha Thuama is truly heartened by the positive momentum achieved to date. They are deeply grateful for the tremendous support shown by the community and the many supporters. Your encouragement strengthens their resolve, and their commitment to delivering this project to the highest possible standard remains steadfast. The MUGA will be an invaluable asset to the area, and eagerly anticipate its continued progress.
SN Dhumha Thuama wishes to express their profound gratitude to all who have generously supported the school. Sincere thanks go to Seán Ruddy and the Erris Exiles London for their enduring dedication to the community and their significant financial contribution. They also greatly appreciative of Seán Carey, Gerry Coyle, and Paul McNamara of Mayo County Council for their financial assistance and consistent encouragement and in addition, they gratefully acknowledge the substantial support received from Oweninny Wind Farm.
The school would also like to recognise John Barrett (London) for his generous donation towards the development, and extend a heartfelt thank-you to Mick Barrett and the London Irish Vintage Club for their invaluable support. They are equally grateful to Vermillion Mayo for their assistance with the project.
To everyone who has helped along the way - whether you purchased lines in the raffle, attended the Sports Day, or contributed in any other manner, please know that your support has not gone unnoticed. The school remain sincerely appreciative of all that has been done.
Well done to the U15 girls’ soccer team who made it two wins from two with a hard fought victory v St Patrick’s College, Lacken, in tough conditions recently. A second half goal from first year student Taylor Clarke was the difference in a 1-0 victory for the girls. The girls book their place in a Connacht quarter final in the coming weeks. Congrats to the U19 boys basketball team on qualifying for the All Ireland semi final after two outstanding victories recently against Galway CC and Vilnius College Limerick.
Mayo Sinn Féin TD, Rose Conway-Walsh, confronted the Taoiseach in the Dáil last week on the crisis facing ambulance services in the West, and in particular in North Mayo. The current situation is dire and unsustainable, and calls for urgent intervention from the Taoiseach and the Minister for Health to lead a coordinated government response and improve the overall provision of ambulance services for Mayo communities. There are not enough staffed ambulance crews covering the region, and the crews that are on the road are under-resourced and arriving at overcrowded Emergency Departments that do not have the staff or capacity to accept new patients.
Tackling the Taoiseach directly, Conway-Walsh said the situation facing patients and frontline emergency staff has reached a critical point.
“I want to commend in the strongest possible terms the dedicated work of the ambulance services and hospital staff in Co. Mayo, and indeed the staff of all emergency services in the West, who have collectively saved the lives of countless loved ones, but they are working under huge stress in a broken system. The lack of ambulance services, particularly in North Mayo, is a dire situation that I have never seen as bad in all my time as a public representative, where people cannot get an ambulance on time.
“Too many people in life-threatening situations are finding themselves in the horrific scenario whereby they cannot be told when an ambulance is going to arrive, with some patients left waiting hours. Others have taken it upon themselves to travel 50 miles on very bad roads to get to the nearest hospital when an ambulance didn’t arrive. For those who have managed to get in an ambulance, they are being brought to overcrowded Emergency Departments that do not have adequate staffing or the bed capacity to accept them. We cannot have a situation whereby ambulances are effectively being taken off the road to be used as overflow capacity for hospitals.
“In addition to more ambulance crews, we need serious investment in step-down beds, homecare packages and community supports, so that patients who are medically fit for discharge can leave hospital safely and quickly. This would immediately free up hospital beds, reduce Emergency Department overcrowding, and allow ambulances to get back on the road.
“This crisis demands coordinated, cross-departmental action from Government before more families are left devastated by the avoidable loss of their loved ones. Lives in the West depend on it.”
The special general meeting to discuss and to take a vote on whether they want the GWS to be taken in charge by Irish Water is scheduled for Friday, January 30, at 7pm. It is essential for as many members to attend as possible to understand and to have their vote on the future of the Ballycroy GWS.
Well done to all the club members who took part in the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships at the University of Limerick recently. Congratulations to all the club winners; Liam Quinn, Tadhg Hefferon, Shay Sweeney Healy and Padraic Gallagher are All Ireland medal holders winning gold in MTY1 2k relay; Harry Cronin on his first indoor competition wins silver in 1k; Jonathon Deane took home bronze in 1k and silver in 2k; Emma Gaughan won silver in the light-weight women’s 2k; Tony Reilly won gold in the Masters 1k and silver in 500m. There were second place positions for Sofia Gaughan, Lauren Cuffe, Caoimhe Walshe and Caoimhe O’Donnell in the relay; Paige Reilly, Emily Ruane, Mia Carey and Alex Coyle gave brilliant performances in relay and individually; first timer Martina Cronin joined Kathleen Doocey, Emma and Erica Morrow from Loughros Point for a second place finish in the women’s open relay; Junior mixed teams of Bridget O’Sullivan, Katelyn Mangan, Paraic Gallagher and Tadhg Hefferon and youngest competitors Patrick Doocey, Denny Murphy, Sean Murphy and Warren Talbot joined Paige Gaughan and Sophie Carty for third place finishes following their individual races; the senior men’s team of Hugh Egan, Martin Gaughan, Jonathon Deane and Harry Cronin and the senior mixed team of Lorraine Keane, Karina Diamond, Tony Reilly and Donal Murphy featured in the top ranks of very strong groups; finally the young men Matthew Keegan, Sean Gallagher, Tiernan Gaughan and Julias Borkmann left nothing undone and gave brilliant performances in relay and individually.
Thirty nine athletes from the club aged from 11-71 took part in 66 races competing with 93 other rowing clubs, colleges and schools from all over Ireland and some international with some competing for the first time and some chasing personal bests and some chasing medals and glory.
Recently Ronan Murray announced his official retirement from professional football. From Carne Nash to Wembley, Milebush to Portman Round to Stamford bridge. Ronan has met, played with, been managed by some incredible people on his journey and who continue to inspire him to this day. Ronan has come out the other end with trophies, medals, memories and friends for life. He’s been blessed to experience things he dreamt of growing up kicking a ball in the garden in Glencastle and he now feels it the right moment to call time and is privileged to stay within the game as strength and conditioning coach at Dundalk Football Club.
Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Philip Garvin, Portacloy, Carratigue; Pat Staunton, Carrowmore, Barnatra; Catherine (Kathleen) Caffrey (née Monaghan), Sea Side, Belmullet and formerly of Stonefield and England; Seamus Cosgrove, 32 Springfield, Bangor Erris and formally Shranakilly, Bellacorick; Patrick (Paddy) Carey, Harold's Cross, Dublin and late of Bangor-Erris; Maura Calpin (née Gaughan), Tallaghan Bawn, Geesala; Tina Ginty, late of No. 2 Lime Walk, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo, and formerly of Roy, Doohoma; William Carey (better known as Lily), Bangor Erris; Aidan Carey, 12 Seaside, Belmullet and formerly of Bridge Road, Belmullet; Renate Beumer, Derrynameel, Barnatra; Lynn Hefferon (née Pettinger), Muing, Carne Fowler, Belmullet and formerly of Worksop, Nottinghamshire; Andy McNulty, Carne, Belmullet and formerly of Killyygordon, Co. Donegal. May they all rest in peace.
Many thanks to Vermilion Exploration and Production Ireland Limited who have been a partner in the Corrib project since 2009 came to the school recently to have a workshop with students. The students got a good insight into the different types of careers available, for example: Quantity Surveying / Contracts and Procurement (Brendan Lynch), Engineering / Construction Management (Jason Gray), Information Management (Karen Timlin), Health, Safety and the Environment (Gráinne Kilker). In addition, the “A Day in the Life of a Worker” talks given by each speaker were very useful and interesting. Gaelcholaiste Chomain thank the speakers for visiting them and for encouraging and inspiring the students about the careers that could lie ahead of them in the future.
The Golden Gloves were in action recently at the Ardagh-Crossmolina Boxing Club tournament. First up was Patrick McNamara in an exhibition in which he displayed lovely boxing skills and ring movement. Next up was Casey Coyle. Casey put on a dominant performance to secure the win. Last but not least we had Girts. Girts entered the ring for his very first time and came away with a unanimous win against a tough opponent. He took instruction blissfully and showed great character and heart. Thanks to Ardagh/Crossmolina for putting on a great show. Patrick Coyle was boxing at the Claremorris Boxing Club tournament. Patrick boxed a lad from Ballyhaunis Boxing Club in a tough match and came away unanimous winner.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club lotto jackpot of €6,700 with the two €50 winners being Joe Fitzgerald, Doohoma and Paul Gallagher, Bangor, while Sean McKenzie, Attawalla and George Sweeney, Shragraddy both won €25. The two online winners were Jessica Munnelly, Geesala €50 and Fionn McDonagh, Geesala €25.
Bingo will take place in the GAA complex Bangor this Tuesday, January 27, at 8pm.
