Ballyhaunis

Xanthe celebrates ordination

The Pratt family in Scrigg, Ballyhaunis, celebrated an historic double recently with Xanthe Pratt ordained a priest for local ministry in the Roscommon Group of the Church of Ireland while her son Luke was appointed curate in Drumcliffe, Co Sligo, on the same day.

A statement from the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Armagh described the ordination as a priest for local ministry of popular retired art teacher Xanthe who along with her husband Chris both taught at Ballyhaunis Community School:

“Reverend Xanthe was born in South-East London – her mother was from Kilkenny and a Catholic and her father was from London and was Church of England. Her father played the organ in the church she attended growing up. Xanthe studied art in Sunderland where she met her husband, Chris (who was also studying Art) and they were married in 1971. They are both retired art teachers.

The couple moved to Ballyhaunis in Co. Mayo in 1973 when Chris became an Art teacher in the Convent and Boys College. They have five sons - Gabriel, Caleb, Adam, Luke and Seth. Their beloved son Adam died tragically at the age of five and Caleb was diagnosed as Autistic at the age of four. They have six grandchildren.” Revd. Xanthe has been a parishioner then Parish Reader, Diocesan Reader and now Deacon in Ballinlough parish church. She has been helping out for a very long time alongside Revd. Cecil Lindsay, Sandra Lindsay, Liz McElhenny and Ed Smyth. Her faith has grown slowly over time after much heartbreak and sadness. It is a belief in the ‘Light of the World’.” Xanthe’s son Luke Pratt has been appointed as curate of the Drumcliffe Group of Parishes (Drumcliffe, Lissadell and Munninane) in Co. Sligo. The church at Drumcliffe is known to many as the location where Nobel laureate WB Yeats is buried.

After growing up in Ballyhaunis and completing his education in Sligo Grammar school in 2001, Luke studied music and film in Belfast before moving to Santiago, Chile, where he completed his studies in 2021 at the local Anglican seminary.

Gardai step up checks

Motorists driving with unaccompanied with provisional licenses as well as un-insured and under-insured drivers have become the focus of increased Garda attention in the Ballyhaunis area in recent weeks. One driver driving to work on a provisional license detailed how he was stopped on the Ballyhaunis-Cloonfad Road and instructed to take his paperwork to Claremorris garda station. Several points were added to my license when they saw I was on a provisional and they told me not to drive again without being accompanied by a fully licensed driver,” said the driver who has a full license from his home country.

Another driver told this column how he was stopped and tested for drug and alcohol contamination on the approach to Ballyhaunis from the Ballinlough side. The Garda press office told this column it “would not comment on operational matters.” Under insurance has become a problem due to high prices for insurance for younger and immigrant drivers without an insurance record, a licensed motor vendor told this column.

Tech Reunion generates €500 for Defibrillator Group

€500 has been donated to the local defibrillator group for much needed defibrillators in the Ballyhaunis area by the organisers of the recently held reunion of Vocational School past students.

Michael Kelly, chairman of the organising committee behind the recent reunion, said the organisers thank everyone who organised and attended what was a very successful event.

“After all bills were paid it was agreed to donate money to the local church to have masses said for deceased teachers and past pupils of the school. The remainder of the money, €500 was donated to the Defibrillator group.” Ballyhaunis Cricket Club wins Connacht cup, seeks home ground.

Ballyhaunis Cricket Club has won the Connacht Senior Cricket Championship Cup, the second big win by the club in the past five years. A member of the winning team has made an appeal for better funding of the cricket club, including help with acquiring a playing ground in Ballyhaunis.

Usman Sarwar, a fast bowler playing at number eight and nine said the club triumphed in a ‘tough tournament,’ requiring much travel without a home ground. ‘We have to travel to Galway, Athlone, Ballahadreen and other places to play even our home games as our club don’t have any facility in Ballyhaunis to play cricket.’ ‘…We have nets in the Maples [housing estate] we can practice batting and bowling there but we don’t’ have a ground for the fielding drills we don’t have any ground. Now that our club is under Cricket Ireland so we are trying to get the cricket ground of our own so we can develop interest in the young generation especially different communities which are not familiar with cricket.’ The secret of the Ballyhaunis club’s success is down to team building, said Sarwar. “Our team leadership is very supportive especially the captain and vice captain and the club board members. We have the support of our families as well as they have to sacrifice their weekends so that we can play for Ballyhaunis in summer times. It is the bonding of the team which is the secret of our success.” Now Sarwar is hoping to find a sponsor willing to back the team to further success. ‘We have no funding of any sorts. Our club has to collect funds from the player themselves to take part in the tournament. This was a 50 overs matches. There’s travelling costs and then the umpires fees and if it is the home game then we have to pay for the ground as well. The club carpools to get to games and pays €50 umpire fee per game’, said Sarwar.

Planning appeal for forestry road on N83

An investment company is appealing a recent planning decision that prevents it from building an access road onto the main Ballyhaunis-Cloonfad road for extraction of timber. The planning request relates to a ten-hectare forestry in the townland of Corranun (near Gurraune) owned by the SLM Silva Fund which describes itself as a sustainable Irish forestry fund that harvests timber over a lengthy period rather than clear-felling, the model more common in the industry.

SLM, which was established in 2018 with backing from the European Investment Bank and other European investors outsources management to Irish forestry company, Purser Tarleton Russell Limited (PTR), who are responsible for managing the forests.

Irish classes return

A popular weekly Irish class for beginners will return on September 12 to the Community Hall. Organised by Ballyhaunis Language Café, the class is a friendly and interactive weekly gathering commencing at 7pm at a cost of €5 per person.

Cloonfad distiller launches poitín

A poitín brand is one of several new offerings from fast-growing distillery company owned by the McCann family from Cloonfad.

Keem Bay Gin is another new launch at the Achill Island Distillery which last year launched a single malt ‘Achill Island’ whiskey. ‘Poitín is illegal only if you don’t have a license; we are a licensed distillery,’ explained Sean McKay from Lavallyroe near Cloonfad who runs the distillery alongside his brother Michael. The two have invested significantly in new equipment for gin and vodka production.

The two brothers established the distillery with their father John in 2018, having launched the ‘Irish American’ whiskey label in 2015. ‘We had to buy a whole new distillery for the new production. But the process of distilling gin and vodka is not as long as that for whiskey which requires a three year process,’ McKay explained.

The distillery has foraged local fuschias and other plants in Achill for the botanical ingredients that lend spirits like gin their distinctive tastes.

The popular film ‘Banshees of Inisheerin’ has been useful in educating the wider American audience on the geography of Achill Island. The film’s success has also lengthened the tourist season on the island, McCann believes, with tourists arriving in April and May this year.

Improved name recognition for Achill means McCann, who has looked to the large American market, is now content to bring all new launches under the Achill Distillery brand. The distillery’s products, which also sell in local SuperValu outlets, sell in several liquor chain stores in the US.

GAA draw

Congratulations to Amy, Mark, Conor and Jack Clancy of Cloonbook who were winners of €560 in the September 3, Ballyhaunis GAA 50 /50 draw on an envelope sold in Supervalu. The next draw in The Clock.

Annagh Magazine 2023

Annagh Magazine is now accepting articles, club reports and photographs for its 2023 edition. These may be emailed to info@annaghmag.ie or submitted to any committee member: Seamus Mulrennan (086 8535661), Edward Mulhern, Nell Rochford, Tommy Caulfield, Noreen Ruane Dalton, Paul Waldron, Mike Griffin, Gabriel Smith, John Kilduff. The deadline for submitting material is Friday, October 13.

Ballyhaunis seek Scouts leaders

The Ballyhaunis Scout Group is seeking adults interested in becoming Scout Leaders as part of an effort to re start the Ballyhaunis Scouts to attend a meeting on the re-establishment of Ballyhaunis Scouts on Tuesday, September 19, at 8pm in the Friary House. The organisers note ‘…the current group of adult leaders came together almost 10 years ago to re start the group… Over these last 10 years the Ballyhaunis group were also able to obtain grants, raise money and purchase a range of camping and other equipment which is available to use, if we can get enough adults to train up as Leaders and bring this opportunity for our children back to the community.’