Local Notes: St Louis volleyball team having a great season

Dr Gerry Solan 1938 – 2023

The death took place suddenly on October 24 at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin of Dr Gerry Solan, Castlebar and late of Aiden St, Kiltimagh, retired Pathologist at Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar. This unexpected news was greeted with a deep sense of loss and sadness in both communities and, indeed, amongst all who had the pleasure of knowing Gerry down through the decades, be it his many friends, or work colleagues with whom he had a great rapport as they had with him.

Gerry was educated at St Mary’s College in Galway after which he entered University College Galway (UCG) as it was known then, to study medicine and where he qualified as a doctor in 1963. But his apprenticeship to his job as pathologist at Mayo General Hospital was long and varied.

Pathology was virtually unknown when Gerry was head-hunted by an American professor who had set up a pathology clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. This was 1963 when Alabama was the centre of enormous tensions as the civil rights storm was brewing and would envelop much of the American South.

Gerry’s contract was 4 years but he was caught up in the draft brought in by the US government, causing him to be conscripted. He served a year in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and a further year with the US Medical Corps in Vietnam. His last years in the US were spent in the world famous Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital in New York.

Ireland at this stage was looking for pathologists and Gerry set up the laboratories in Castlebar, Galway and Donegal and initially he spent one day a week working in Galway or Donegal until their labs were fully functioning. It was now 1974 and Gerry was married with three children who had to adjust to their new life. Being grounded and his family finally settled, pathology became the love of his life, shared only by his love for his family. Altogether, he spent 25 years in Castlebar and a further two years doing locums around the country before finally embracing retirement.

But on returning to Mayo he had the opportunity to savour both the places and people of his young days and he was in his element meandering through Kiltimagh meeting people he once knew and really enjoying the opportunity to recapture aspects of his earlier life. He had a lifelong interest in the GAA and during his younger days was a constant on the Kiltimagh teams as were his late brothers.

Gerry was always a family man, but the scope of that family was constantly being enlarged, particularly after his return to Ireland. Mary and the children were a constant, but they had to welcome not just the intellectual aspect of his work but his love of the staff of the laboratory, and indeed sometimes even their extended families. You could say he lived with death, he knew it intimately. Now it had finally caught up and was claiming him and he was happy to go. The time seemed right.

Predeceased by his parents Dudley and Mary (Carney), Gerry is deeply regretted by his loving wife Mary, sons Patrick and Michael, daughter Anne, sister Betty (Kiltimagh), brother Dudley (Galway), sister-in-law Elizabeth (Killarney) and Louie Solan (Galway), brother-in-law Patrick Callaghan (Offaly), nephews, nieces, god-daughter Margaret, relatives, neighbours, colleagues and many friends.

Gerry’s remains reposed in the Mortuary at Mayo University Hospital on Friday evening, October 27, with removal afterwards to the Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar. It was a lovely tribute to Gerry that so many past and present laboratory staff were there to form a Guard of Honour with other Mayo University staff. His funeral Mass was on Saturday morning and then Gerry was taken on his final journey back to Kiltimagh for burial in Kilkinure Cemetery.

At the graveside a Funeral Honours Ceremony was carried out by members of one of the four American Legion Posts in Ireland. Gerry was a member of the Post for over 20 years and served as Sergeant at Arms and Chaplain. The American Legion is a paternal US Military Veteran organisation which was founded in 1919 just after WW1. As part of the moving ceremony the American Burial Flag was presented to the Solan family. The Honour Guard presented arms as the flag was handed to Michael Solan on behalf of a grateful nation as a token of Major Gerard P. Solan’s honourable and dedicated service to his adopted country. The Bugler then played The Last Call or Taps as is customary at the funeral of a veteran.

It was a fitting end to what had been a long and eventful life for Gerry whose memory will live on long into the future.

May he now rest in peace.

Basilica concert

An Evening of Songs of Faith, Hope and Love in Knock Basilica will be held on Friday, December 1, featuring Margo, Philomena Begley, Donna Taggart, John McNicholl and Marc Roberts, as a fundraiser night for Victim Assistance charity that supports victims of crime and trauma in Ireland. Tickets are available from Mary McNicholas, Victim Assistance Head Office, Aiden St, Kiltimagh. Tel: 094 9000 251 / 086 3938871. Price €30 from the office. Tickets also available from ticketmaster.ie.

AGM

Kiltimagh GAA Club will hold its annual general meeting on Sunday, November 26, at 6.30pm in the Park Hotel. All members take note.

Community Wetlands Forum

The Community Wetlands Forum is having a workshop on community-led wetland restoration in conjunction with Kiltimagh Amenity Park on November 18 at 11am, at Kiltimagh Museum. It will showcase community led wetland restoration projects across Mayo and further afield. Everyone is welcome to come and hear how communities are taking action to restore wetlands and create amenities such as walkways and educational spaces that connect communities with nature.

Refreshments will be provided on the day. Please wear suitable clothing for a walk of the wetland. There will be an optional visit to a local peatland restoration site afterwards.

Boys Volleyball

The St Louis Community School senior boys volleyball team welcomed teams from Colaiste an Eachreidh (Athenry) and Elphin Community College last Tuesday. St Louis kicked off the first of three games, taking on the Athenry team. The boys had a relatively easy time and took the game after two sets. Their next match proved more of a challenge with both teams being very evenly matched.

St Louis won the first set but just missed out on the second. With both teams neck and neck, the winner of the third and final set would evidently go home winners. After a great battle the St Louis boys missed out by just two points.

Congratulations to all the boys on a great season so far and best of luck to those playing in the U16 match this week. Thank you to Mr Costello for his continued work with the team and to referees and scorekeepers Isla Murray, Amy Breslin, Abdaalh Al Swidani, Caoimhe Hughes, Aoibhinn McDonagh and Clara Brennan.

Poker

Another big field of twenty seven players competed in Round 8 of the Autumn Poker League in Teach O’Hora on Wednesday night last, Thomas MacDonagh took the honours beating Paul Walsh heads up, with Michael Sheridan third. Pat Boyle in fourth and Enda Ruane in fifth were the other prize winners. The other finalists were, 6 Dylan Coleman, 7 John Borza, 8 John Reynolds, 9 Daniel Kennedy.

Michael Sheridan now has a big lead at the top of the league table with 172 points followed by Paul Walsh on 140 and Thomas MacDonagh 140.

The rest of the top twelve is, Michael Higgins 135, Gerry Groarke 131, Nicky Cunnane 130, Enda Ruane 111, Pat Boyle 108, Julian Keane 107, Mary McGlynn 107, John Reynolds 104, and in joint twelfth, AN Other and Daniel Kennedy. The league runs for fifteen weeks with a tournament in Teach O’Hora every Wednesday night at 8pm. Entry is €20 with one optional rebuy and late reg until 9.30pm. €5 from each entry and rebuy goes towards the league final prize pool and the rest is paid out each night. The top twelve in the league table automatically qualify for the final along with two other qualifiers from a play off for those outside the top twelve. The final is on course to have a prizepool of approx €3,000.

GAA winner

Congratulations to Jarlath Conway, Kiltimagh, who was the winner of the GAA club’s 50/50 jackpot of €524 at the draw on Saturday night, October 28.

KK legends past and future

Zoe Kane and Rachel Leonard from the Kiltimagh Knock United U12 squad met a sporting legend and former KK player at their recent U12 Shield final. Cora Staunton was a member of the Kiltimagh Knock United women’s team that won the national WFAI Intermediate title back in 2007. And she continues to inspire young sportspeople in all codes today.

50/50 draw

Last week’s Kiltimagh Knock United 50/50 jackpot was €310 and the winner was Breege Folliard from Aghamore. The previous week’s winner was Brendan Mooney, who picked up a prize of €419.

Breathwork

A breathwork class is held at Louisville Physiotherapy Centre, Kiltimagh, every Tuesday from 9.30 to 10.30am and Tuesday evenings from 8 to 9pm. Breathwork is beneficial for relaxation, stress reduction, sleep, focus, athletic performance and much more. You may being your own yoga mat, cushion or blanket. Further details from 087 697 2726 or email carmel@sagewellbeing.ie.

Bridge

The results of the Bridge game held in the Park Hotel last Tuesday night were 1st Michael Gallagher and Pat Keary, 2nd Jimmy Morley and Sheila McNicholas, 3rd John and Hilary McCrohan, 4th Robert and Frances Healy, 5th Bernie Byrne and Brenda McNicholas, 6th Maeve Duffy and Mary Kenny, joint 7th Ray Nally and Mary Colohan, Thomas McNicholas and Cait McTigue.

Baptism

Congratulations to the parents and family of Noah Scott Creighton, Carrowdangan, Balla Rd, Kiltimagh, who was baptised recently in the Church of the Holy Family.