Community: All the latest news from Ballina
Pupils from Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maol in Ballina with a promotional poster for Rince leis na Réaltaí, which will be taking place in the Great National Hotel, Ballina on Sunday, March 16, commencing at 8pm. The event is modelled on the popular television show, 'Dancing With The Stars', and promises to be a fun-filled evening in aid of the Gaelscoil.
Ireland’s autism charity AsIAm will be hosting a public introduction to its One Stop Shop on Friday, March 14, in Ballina.
This meeting is in advance of the launch of the organisation’s One Stop Shop and is open to the autistic community of County Mayo.
It is vital that the voice of the autistic community is heard so AslAm is inviting anyone that is part of this community, such as a parent or an autistic person, to attend the One Stop Shop introduction and have their voice feed into the services it offers.
The introduction will offer attendees the opportunity to propose and discuss suggestions as to what the One Stop Shop can do to support the autistic community.
The vision of AsIAm is to see every autistic person in Ireland accepted as they are - equal, valued and respected. More details are available about the charity from www.asiam.ie.
It is important to register in advance for the event in the Great National Hotel Ballina this coming Friday, as spaces are limited. The meeting will take place from 11am to 12 noon.
Local organisation Ballina Autism Friendly Town, which won the New Community Recognition Award and Sensory Acceptability Award at the AsIAm Autism Friendly Town Awards in the Mansion House, Dublin last month, is carrying further details about this important public introduction on its social media pages, including a link on how to register.
Dates have been confirmed for the next Ballina Feis, which is due to take place on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30.
The venue will be the Great National Hotel Ballina, with grades and senior competitions for ages 15-16 and upwards scheduled to take place on Saturday and all other championships to take place on Sunday. The syllabus is now available, and entries can be made online.
Judges this year will be Bernadette Fegan, Linda Ball-Hoban and Melissa Keane, while Paul O’Donnell will be the accompanying musician.
Enquiries can be directed to Cheryl Scariff on 086-8420829 or Des Bailey on 087-1464489.
The death has taken place of Una McGinty, Tyrawley Terrace, Ballina.
Una was the beloved daughter of Sylvia and dear mother to Padraig, Bernard, Lisa and Trisha.
She will be sadly missed by her mother, sons, daughters, grandchildren Jack and Jamie, daughter-in-law Leona, brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
She was predeceased by her father Vin, her brother Patrick and Patsy Egan.
Una reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Patrick’s Church, Ballina, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
Ballina Toastmasters holds its next meeting this coming Thursday night, March 13. The club’s regular meetings are held in the Great National Hotel, Old Foxford Road, Ballina. The meeting starts at 7.45pm and newcomers are always welcome to come along.
The death has taken place of Margaret (Peggy) Wall (née Fleming), Ard Na Greine Nursing Home, Enniscrone and formerly of Pinner, Middlesex, England and Ardnaree, Ballina.
Peggy is lovingly remembered by her son Steven (Ballina) and daughter Lorraine (UK).
She will be sadly missed by her loving son, daughter, brothers PJ (UK), David (Ardnaree), Joseph (Castlebar) and Noel (Ballina), sister Carmel McManamon (Castlebar), son-in-law Dave, granddaughters Darcey, Phoebe and Amelie (Buckinghamshire, England), brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was predeceased by her parents Martin and Alice Fleming, Ardnaree, Ballina and siblings Pauline (Timlin), Peter and Helen.
Peggy reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Monday of last week, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
The results of the game played by members of Ballina Bridge Club on Tuesday, February 25 were as follows: 1st, J. and M. Munnelly; 2nd, S. and A. Callaghan; 3rd, T. Slowey and M. Lowry; 4th, H. Moran and M. Gilvarry; and 5th, A. Ivers and B. Mulligan.
The results of the game played on Tuesday, March 4 were as follows: 1st, B. Thomas and G. Moran; 2nd, M. Mongan and M. O’Dowd; 3rd, E. Walker and A. Maguire; 4th, M. Corcoran and B. Mulkearns; 5th, G. Scanlon and F. Walkin; and 6th, T. Slowey and M. Lowry.
Ballina Bridge Club meets every Tuesday evening in the Moy Club, Dillon Terrace, Ballina and newcomers are always welcome.
A volunteering opportunity has arisen at Ballina District Hospital for one hour weekly. Garda vetting will be required and it will be arranged through the Director of Nursing.
The death has taken place of Seamie Kenny, Tom Clarke Place, Ballina and formerly of Circular Road, Ballina.
Seamie is survived by his sons, daughters, brothers, in-laws, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Paddy and Veronica, and by his sister Carmel.
Seamie reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Wednesday of last week, with removal afterwards to St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated on Thursday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
The death has taken place of Paddy O’Hora, 33 St Muredach’s Terrace, Ballina.
Paddy, who played football with Ballina Stephenites across all grades, was the dear father of Peter, Declan and Niall. He will be sadly missed by his sons, daughter-in-law Michelle, sisters Maureen Gallagher (Crossmolina), Pauline McCabe (Monaghan) and Bernie Healy (Ballycastle), sister-in-law, brothers-in-law, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife Phyllis, his brother Pete and his sister Rita.
Paddy reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Thursday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Friday morning, with the funeral proceeding afterwards to Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
Students of Moyne College, Ballina recently attended a 'Try A Trade' workshop hosted by Irish Rail in its expansive campus at Inchicore Works, Dublin.
They explored a range of apprenticeship opportunities. got to meet apprentices and experienced what it might be like to work as a heavy vehicle mechanic, electrician, fitter or engineering technician for Irish Rail.
Irish Rail has now opened applications for its 2025 Apprenticeship Programme, which offers a QQI Advanced Level 6 Trade Certificate. Applications must be received before March 20 and apprenticeships start in September.
Ballina Dragons Meitheal Abhainn is fundraising to buy a new safety boat for its crew and has opened a GoFundMe online page to accept donations.
The group is currently kindly supported by John Loftus and Leo Troy with their boats and has set a target of raising €10k in the hope of securing its own boat.
Members of the Ballina boat club, which is based at The Quay, Ballina, will be walking, jogging and running to raise funds at the forthcoming Mayo.ie Western People West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon.
An Irish-themed table quiz in Ballina Golf Club this week will help raise funds for development work at the Mossgrove course.
The St Patrick’s Table Quiz is on Friday night, March 14 at 8.30pm, with a team of four costing €40 to enter. Everyone is welcome to come along.
GOAL will be delivering a series of sustainability workshops aimed at companies that are committed to building a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive world.
These free workshops are on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly around issues of climate change, sustainability and reducing inequality. The workshops typically take around three hours and use a variety of interactive and participatory methods to engage people. There are a maximum of 30 people in a group.
The workshops will be held in the Mary Robinson Centre, Ballina. Please email dcuss@goal.ie for more information.
The annual general meeting of Ballina Family Resource Centre CLG will take place on Monday, March 24. The AGM for the 2024 year will commence in its centre on Abbey Street, Ardnaree at 7pm.
Ballina Family Resource Centre is part of the National Family Resource Centre Programme. Among its objectives is to provide information, advice and support to target groups and families in the area, and provide advice on accessing rights and entitlements locally.
Ballina Family Resource Centre can be contacted at 096-75573 or by email at admin@ballinafrc.com.
MyMind provides professional, affordable, and accessible therapy without waiting lists or need for referral. The organisation’s new Ballina location in the Mayo North East Office, Kevin Barry Street is now open for face-to-face appointments.
MyMind is the first and largest blended model of mental health care in Ireland and is putting Ireland at the forefront of mental health innovation. MyMind has created a unique movement for community-based mental health services that work towards giving every person in Ireland equal access to mental health support early, affordably, directly, without stigma and without delay.
MyMind offers free appointments for residents affected by Defective Concrete Blocks and €30 appointments for full-time third-level students, the unemployed, retirees and anyone earning under €25,000 per year.
Register and book at www.mymind.org or call 0818 500 800.
Entries opened last week for the annual River Moy Swim, one of Ireland’s oldest river swims.
The Moy Swim is run in conjunction with Ballina Salmon Festival and Mayo Sports Partnership. Many other local organisations and businesses in Ballina also support the open water swimming event, which will take place this year on Saturday, July 19.
The swim is run under the auspices of Swim Ireland and will cater for all levels of swimmers. There will be a category for both wetsuit and skin swimmers, with 2.5k and 600m competitive swims and a participative swim.
Everyone taking part must be able to swim the distance of the event for which they have registered. The Moy Swim is confined to those aged 16 or over.
Timing chips and hats will be available at the Kennedy Glasgow Centre, The Quay, Ballina from 8am to 11am on the morning of July 19.
Registration is via Eventmaster while further information is available from the social media pages of the River Moy Swim.
Ballina Salmon Festival takes place this year from July 13 to July 19.
****************
Bonniconlon
The numbers drawn in the Bonniconlon GAA Lotto held on March 1 were 12, 18, 24 and 29. There was no winner of the €5,600 jackpot.
The €40 winners were Eilish and John Durcan; Sarah Padden, Carrareagh; Muredach Munnelly; Rebecca Rolsten, Enniscrone; and Caoimhe Conlon, Bonniconlon.
The jackpot in the draw which was held on March 8 was €5,750. The cut-off sale time is 6pm on the day of the draw.
Mayo Cancer Support at Rock Rose House in Castlebar thank all those who supported and facilitated its recent church gate collection in Bonniconlon on the weekend of March 1 and 2 last. A total of €467.55 was raised. These funds will support the ongoing provision of emotional support to local people affected by cancer.
A steering group has been formed for Bonniconlon Community Futures 2025. Over the coming months, they will be consulting with all the members of the community to develop a five-year plan to enhance our village.
Craoibhin Ballina is having a St Patrick’s celebration in the centre on Thursday, March 13, from 11am to 1pm. Refreshments, raffle and music on the day. The cost is €5 per person and all are welcome.
A pair of dark-rimmed glasses was found on the church grounds. Contact the parish office at 096-45835.
**********************
Ardagh
Annual membership for Ardagh GAA is now open to all club followers. Supporters can now purchase their membership online at www.foireann.ie.
Club officials urge supporters to subscribe if at all possible as it is a continuous financial streamline in assisting with costs incurred in running the club and its many underage and senior teams.
Funds raised from club membership and the annual lotto draw will also help with future development plans that are currently in the pipeline. They include the construction of a new gym which will commence very shortly; lighting of the new walkway around the pitches and the provision of a much-needed spectators' shelter.
Work carried out over the past year includes the provision of new dugouts on the new pitch, enhanced car parking facilities and the repositioning of the goalposts to improve spectators viewing. It is also intended to professionally carry out sanding and spiking of the new pitch which will enhance the playing surface in addition to installing a new digital scoreboard.
These are all projects which are aimed primarily at modernising and supplementing the magnificent development work already carried out over the past few years by the hardworking and focused club members.
Ardagh Community Players are to be commended on their magnificent production of 'Home is the Hero' by Walter Macken, which was staged in Ardagh Community Centre last weekend. The powerful drama was completely sold out for its two-night run.
The thought-provoking and gripping drama was superbly executed by all cast members and the audiences on both nights were treated to excellent stage performances throughout.
Amateur drama is a much-needed lifeline in the times we live and all involved with this production can justifiably feel proud of their collective efforts both on stage and backstage. Take a well-deserved bow!
Lenten Trocaire boxes are available at the back of the church throughout Lent. Families are encouraged to take one and help support the magnificent global work of Trocaire.
Ardagh Social Services' annual day trip to Knock is proposed for Monday, May 12. More details later.
