Local Notes: All the latest news from Charlestown
Attending the recent reunion for former pupils of Lecarrow National School at McLoughlin's Bar, Barrack Street, Charlestown, were, from left: Eamonn Brett, John Drudy and Martin Brett.
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Lotto jackpot of €18,200 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, August 24th, when the numbers drawn were 1, 7, 28 and 34.
The winners of €50 weekly prizes were Mary O'Malley and John Mulligan.
The jackpot stood at €18,300 for the draw on Sunday night, August 31st. Tickets on sale in a number of outlets in the town and are also available online at www.smartlotto.ie.
The club would like to thank all who played and supported the weekly lotto and congratulate all who won the weekly prizes..
A Silent Protest takes place every Friday evening on the N17/N5 overpass from 6 to 7pm in support of the people of Gaza who are now suffering a mad-made famine due to the conflict with Israel.
The numbers are growing week on week as the horrors of what continues to unfold in Gaza impacts on more and more people across the country. Many have been moved to take action via protests of one form or another and the silent protest taking place at the above overpass is another indication of the depth of feeling and anger that's out there as the people of Gaza suffer untold hardship and loss of life which is stirring up lots of emotions and outrage in people across all strands of the community.
Charlestown Sarsfields bowed out of the Connacht Gold Mayo Senior Championship race for 2025 when they were defeated by near neighbours Ballaghderreen in the second round of the group stages played at a resplendent looking Fr O'Hara Park, Charlestown recently.
This was the latest in a long-standing rivalry between the two clubs with Ballaghaderreen emerging victorious on a score line of 3-13 to 2-12 with the visitors claiming the bragging rights as they consigned the Sarsfields to a fight for survival with all on the line in the last group game against Claremorris, which takes on huge importance for both sides.
The Sarsfields suffered a crippling blow before the throw-in with Matt Lenehan unable to take his place at centre-forward due to injury and he was sorely missed. Their injury worries piled up just three minutes in when midfielder Paddy Goldrick had to leave the fray with a hamstring injury and this added another layer of difficulty to an already steep task with Ballagh' fielding an unchanged line-up with David McBrien passing a late fitness test.
The game turned into a shootout between Kuba Callaghan and Paul Towey with both men enhancing their scoring reputations no end as they finished deadlocked on 1-10 apiece with Towey, in particular, carrying all the Sarsfields goal threat as just two other players scored. Callaghan received much greater support from his teammates as their scores were more evenly spread throughout the team as a whole.
The Sarsfields started the brighter with Paul Towey clipping over a routine free in the opening minutes. Things could and should have got a whole lot better for the Sarsfields minutes later when Paddy Lenehan was fouled in the act of shooting with referee Shane Corcoran having no hesitation in pointing to the spot for a penalty for the home side.
Paul Towey stepped up but didn't connect cleanly as Ballagh' keeper Jamie Lunt saved his scuffed shot with his feet only for the rebound to land back in Towey's court and offering him the chance to atone but his attempt went wide of the posts much to the disappointment of the player himself and the home crowd who were hoping for a fast start in the hope of unsettling the visitors who came into the contest as big favourites.
Ballagh' gradually got a foothold in the game and hit 1-2 in matter of minutes with Kuba taking centre stage as he landed two frees from close-in and converted a penalty in expert fashion having been fouled by Sarsfields keeper Kenneth Brennan who was black-carded as a result which left the Sarsfields chasing the game as they struggled to win any kind of clean possession in the middle of the field.
Another point from Kuba was immediately followed by a fine Luke O'Grady effort to extend Ballagh's advantage to six before Paul Towey stemmed the flow with a point for the Sarsfields. Jack Mahon stepped up with a brilliant two-pointed effort from distance to reduce the deficit to three once again as the Sarsfields, despite being reduced to fourteen, scrambled well in defence and forced several turnovers which kept them in the game and competitive for the most part.
They were hit with a sucker blow twenty minutes in, however, when Kuba Callaghan slipped Matthew Connor in with a deft hand pass and he did the rest as he placed his shot low and accurately into the corner of the net to put the visitors back in control once again.
Another point from the impressive Luke O'Grady put Ballagh' in prime position as the clock ticked towards half-time with the Sarsfields in dire need of a response to lift their spirits ahead of the interval.
It duly arrived in the form of a well-crafted team goal with Paddy Lenehan and Paul Towey instrumental in setting up an on-rushing Ben Crean who finished adroitly to the net to provide a life-line for the home side. Towey finished the half on a high, kicking two good points one from play and one from the hand to leave the game beautifully poised with Ballagh' leading 2-5 to 1-6 with the Sarsfields ebullient to be just two points in arrears having struggled for large parts of the half, truth be told.
The second half followed much the same script as the first albeit the game was littered with frees, many of which were of the questionable variety as referee Shane Corcoran was over-fussy in his application of the rules.
Ballagh' put on a real surge in the opening 15 minutes as they raced into a nine-point lead and looked home and hosed to all intents and purposes.
They hit 1-4 in that opening salvo with Matthew Connor bagging his second goal of the game as he fastened onto a clever David Drake offload before rounding the Sarsfields' keeper Kenny Brennan to walk the ball into the net and put the All-Whites firmly in control of the ball game.
Further points from Kuba Callaghan (with three) and Ryan Lynch from play added to the Sarsfields' woes. Towey stopped the rot with two frees before the Sarsfields once again got a life-line as an innocuous-looking high ball deep into the Ballagh' square resulted in some hesitancy in their defence as the ball broke loose with Paul Towey taking full advantage as he pivoted onto his left and dispatched his shot low and hard to the net to inject new life into their ailing challenge.
The gap was back down to four with this 1-2 blast from the ever-willing Towey who remained the only real attacking threat for the Sarsfields despite the attentions of Shairoze Akram who did a decent job overall in policing the prolific ace Sarsfields attacker.
Ballagh' responded with a two-pointed free from Kuba Callaghan but Towey again hit back with two of his own and one from play to reduce the gap to three with the visitors looking decidedly twitchy as they lost their way and took their foot off the gas somewhat worryingly having looked all over the winners just ten minutes previously.
Towey and Callaghan swapped further points before the latter made the game safe for the visitors as he rounded off the scoring with a tap-over free deep into injury time with the Sarsfields unable to fashion or create a goal from their last attack with the referee sounding the final whistle as the Sarsfields final attack of the day floundered with the ball being cleared to safety by the Ballagh' defence.
The Sarsfields defence played well in the main with Tadhg Horkan, Niall Drudy and Ben Conway all defending intelligently and clearing the lines with authority and vigilance. Jack Corley handled Ballagh' danger man Kuba Callaghan well in the main and went toe to toe with him for every ball and limited his contribution from play and did his best in trying circumstances.
Ruairi Cullen was a willing and game runner and was a big outlet of possession for the Sarsfields and ran hard and posed a big threat to the Ballagh defence while Sean Dunleavy on the other flank was equally as brave and committed and never took a backward step at any time.
The Sarsfields struggled in the middle third with Thomas Holton and Paddy Joe Lenehan up against some big units on the Ballaghdereen side. Gareth O'Donnell joined them to help out and made a difference with his guile and ability to win possession coming to the fore on numerous occasions but Ballagh' always looked threatening when running from deep as they had a definite edge in mobility and pace.
In attack, the Sarsfields were again very reliant on Paul Towey to come up with the goods. He remains a top-class marksman and scored points from all kinds of angles with his goal a wonderfully taken, typically opportunist effort. He will be disappointed to have left a few behind him, most notably the penalty, but died on his shield and kept the Sarsfields in the game with his scoring prowess.
Ben Crean scored a fine goal and was lively and energetic in possession as was Jack Mahon who probed and ran hard and looked dangerous on occasions in possession while Paddy Joe Lenehan and Niall Fleming had some good moments but found the going tough overall against a strong and sturdy visitors defence.
Eoghan Flannery played well on his introduction early into the first half and was neat and tidy in all he did while Niall Murphy looked a threat when introduced and provided some flashes of inspiration with Ciaran Honeyman also making his presence felt when brought on while keeper Kenny Brennan couldn't be faulted between the posts and made a crucial save towards the end of the game to keep the Sarsfields in it.
It all boils down to the last game in the group with Claremorris with both teams keenly aware of what's at stake. Victory and your senior status is secured for 2026 while defeat sends the loser into a relegation play-off which brings another layer of pressure altogether.
The Sarsfields have a great record against the South Mayo men in the championship and will be hoping to preserve their proud record as both teams gear up for a game with a lot riding on it.
The death took place recently at St Attracta's Residence, Hagfield, Charlestown of Gertie Phillips, Botuney, Charlestown.
Her remains were removed from Horkan's Funeral Home, Lowpark, Charlestown to St Jame' Church, Carracastle for Requiem Mass and burial took place in Carracastle Cemetery.
The late Gertie, who was pre-deceased by her husband James, was a much loved and respected member of the communities of Botuney, Charlestown and beyond. She was a lady in the true sense of the word who formed some great friendships and bonds in the communities she socialised and mingled in.
Gertie lived a full an active life and was in her 98th year at the time of her death. She had a great work ethic and knew the value of a hard day's work and this stood her in good stead as she navigated her way through life and faced down the many challenges that were thrown at her as went about the daily grind with steadfast determination. She loved life and relished each and every day with zest and enthusiasm.
Gertie was devoted to her family and, together with her late husband James, ensured their needs were met and provided for at all times. She never lost the grá for life and got the maximum out of each and every day.
Her death leaves a void in the community but she leaves an outstanding treasure trove of memories which her family will cling dear to and cherish in the deep dark hours days and weeks that lie ahead.
Gertie is survived by her daughters Shirley, Caroline, Stella and Lilly; sons Simon, Paul and Peter; sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchild, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
We tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved.
A Coffee Connect morning to welcome the public to Mayo Hospice in Castlebar will be held on September 8th between 10am and 12 noon in the restaurant area.
Attendees will get an opportunity to meet the team and learn about the different roles and work they do at the Mayo Hospice, over tea or coffee.
Charlestown Sarsfields U-17 team travel to Cong to take on The Neale on this evening, Tuesday, September 2nd, with the throw-in timed for 7pm.
The Sarsfields travel to Ballyhaunis to take on the St Jarlath's amalgamation in round one of Division 3 of the Mayo U-15 Grading League on Wednesday, September 3rd, with the throw-in timed for 7pm.
Members of the Mayo Genealogy Group and friends recently visited Kilmainham Jail in Dublin.
The group of 15 travelled by Iarnród Eireann to the city where they availed of the Luas train within the city limits.
The guided tour of Kilmainham was enjoyable and interesting and brought to life our schooldays learning all about Irish history. To see where the men of 1916 were interred and shot was extremely moving and poignant.
The group also visited Goldenbridge Cemetery, which was founded by Daniel O'Connell in 1828 as the first non-denominational cemetery in Ireland. It is the final resting place of two former Taoisigh, people who had been involved in the 1798 rebellion as well as individuals who were involved in the 1916 Rising. The cemetery is still a working cemetery today.
On the way back to the train, the group walked through the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, which includes the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
It was a very successful outing. Many thanks to the organisers and to all the great people the group met along the way.
The next meeting of the Mayo Genealogy Group will be Saturday, September 13th, at 11am in the Museum of Country Life, Turlough, Castlebar.
The Sarsfields go head to head with Claremorris in the final round of group games in the Connacht Gold Mayo Senior Football Championship on Saturday, September 6th, with the Aghamore GAA grounds providing the venue. The throw-in is timed for 5.30pm.
Both sides are acutely aware of the consequences of defeat and victory with the winners holding on to their senior status for 2026 while the losers go into the relegation play-offs which brings another layer of pressure to the table.
The sides have plenty of history in the championship with all the metrics favouring the Sarsfields as they have a great head-to-head record against the South Mayo men and will be looking to keep that sequence intact in a game that has some fascinating sub-plots attached to it.
I'm not sure who will go into the game in the better frame of mind as the two teams are coming in on the back of two losses each, albeit the Sarsfields have one of the form attackers in the championship in their ranks with Paul Towey continuing to rack up big totals as he spearheads a Green and White attack that will need to provide more support if victory is to be achieved.
This is a game with lots on the line and the Sarsfields will be anxious to get the job done as they look to end their season on a high and ensure they don't get dragged into a relegation dogfight while Claremorris are very much of the same frame of mind as they look to salvage something from what's been a disappointing season as they have underperformed somewhat in their group games to date.
All roads lead to Aghamore for what promises to be an almighty tussle as the Sarsfields look to secure senior championship football for 2026.
The Charlestown Organic Community Garden remains open to the general public on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and is well worth checking out as it has a splendid array of flowers and vegetables on display with the place looking serene.
The volunteers have done a terrific job all summer and deserve all the support they can get with the new raised beds a huge addition to the place.
The death took place in Dublin recently of Bernadette Pyne (nee Collins), formerly of Carrowwilkin, Curry.
Deepest sympathies are tendered to the bereaved.
There was a good turnout at the summer bridge game held in Walsh's, Charlestown on Wednesday, August 27th, when the prize-winners were:
1st, Mary O'Connell and Carmel Moffitt; 2nd, Maria and Robert Wallace; 3rd, Mae and Charles Quinn; 4th, Patricia and Paddy Colleran.
The game takes place every on Wednesday nights at 8pm with guest members from other clubs more than welcome..
The following were the winners of the 25 Card Drive held in the Yeats County Inn, Curry on Tuesday night, August 26th: 1st, Miko Sheridan and Vera Scally; 2nd, Mary O'Hara and Kevin Maloney.
The raffle winners were Mary O'Hara, Mary Costello and Breege Leonard.
The game takes place every Tuesday night at 9pm and all are welcome.
Activator Pole and Chair Exercise Class takes place in the Charlestown Arts Centre from 12 noon to 1pm on Friday September 5th. Lift access available. All welcome. The fee is just €2.
A Community Coffee Morning takes place in the Arts Centre on Friday, September 5th, from 11am to 1pm. Lift access available. All welcome for a cuppa and a chat.
Never underestimate the power of a cuppa and a chat, please come and join us!
Culture Night will be celebrated again this year in Carracastle Community Centre on Friday, September 19th, from 8pm, with music from the pupils of Scoil Iosa National School, Carracastle and their music teacher Theresa O'Grady, as well as music and chat with the current Mayo Rose of Tralee Clara Gardiner.
Free entry and all welcome to call in on the night.
The annual Ireland West Airport Run, in partnership with Portwest, takes place on Saturday, September 13th.
This is a 5km charity event which represents a unique opportunity to run or walk on the on the runway at Ireland West Airport. Proceeds from the event will go to the charity partners for 2025 - Connacht Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SPHI), Dillion Quirke Foundation, Mayo Roscommon Hospice, Order of Malta (Knock branch), National Breast Cancer Research Institute and Western Alzheimers.
All participants will receive a free commemorative runway run t-shirt.
The run starts at 6pm and for more information on entry and other details log on to the Ireland West Airport Facebook page and follow the link.
The annual Croí Night Run, sponsored by Benecol, is coming to Charlestown on Friday, October 17th.
Register at croinightrun.ie and complete your 5km your way –walk, jog or run – with all funds going towards Croí's fight against heart disease and stroke. Fill in your details on the site and select 'Join a Run', then select (East Mayo AC Track) from the drop-down menu and complete the form.
Let's light up the country together with the electric energy of the Croi Night Run.
There was no winner of the Curry GAA lotto jackpot of €3,600 in the weekly draw held on Monday night, August 25th, when the numbers drawn were 3, 7, 13 and 19.
The winners of €20 weekly prizes were Elaine Cunney, Malachy Maher and Michael Kilcoyne.
The jackpot was at €3,700 for last night's draw.
Tickets can be bought in a number of local outlets or by logging onto the club's Facebook and Twitter pages respectively.
Charlestown Boxing Club is back and at it for the new 2025/2026 season with training resuming on Tuesday nights in Cloonfane at 7pm.
Registration is is closed with the full house signs up for the new season as Darren Fahy and his team of coaches get ready to welcome a new generation of boxers to the club, which continues to punch well above its weight in terms of success and glory.
There was a good turnout at the weekly darts competition held in Walsh's Bar on Main Street, Charlestown, on Sunday night, August 24th, as Podsie and Boom Boom locked horns once again in another interesting instalment of the weekly classic.
Governor Gus was imperious as ever in his role as match referee and kept both men in check impeccably.
Boom Boom was quick out of the blocks and raced into a one-set lead with some tremendous darts. Podsie, stung by this first set reverse, hit back as only he can, putting back-to-back sets on the board to edge into the lead with some vintage doubles.
Boom Boom tried to respond and looked on course to level the match when he galloped into a two-leg lead in set four but Podsie was having none of it as he roared back in sensational fashion, stringing three legs together to seal victory and leave Boom Boom stunned in the process as he could only look on and admire a master craftsman at work.
Boom Boom was most gracious in defeat as he shook Podsie's hand warmly with the number one seed once again sending out a reminder of his undoubted class and pedigree as he remains the man to beat when he's in peak form.
