Local Notes: Ballina Chamber shortlisted for six national awards
The winners of first prize at the end-of-season game played by members of Ballina Bridge Club in The Moy Club, Ballina were Sean and Ann Callaghan. They were presented with their prize by Gerry Scanlon (centre).
Ballina Chamber has been shortlisted in six of the eight categories for the annual Chambers Ireland Awards, which take place on Thursday next in the Killashee Hotel, Co Kildare.
Seven of the 44 projects shortlisted nationally were submitted by Ballina Chamber. This reflects the hugely effective work of the local organisation, where a dynamic council, under President Mary Moyles and CEO Mags Downey Martin, has led to the Ballina group becoming one of the most respected and energetic in the region.
The categories in which Ballina Chamber of Commerce has been shortlisted include Community Support Initiatives, Digital Campaigns, Sustainability and Biodiversity, Event of the Year, Local Authority Engagement and Supporting Business.
The projects which qualified in the annual celebration recognise the hard work and dedication of Chambers across the country in representing their members, engaging stakeholders and fostering vibrant and thriving local communities.
Tesco has selected Craoibhín Ballina to be part of its blue token community fund.
Craoibhín Ballina is asking for support from Tesco customers to help its charitable work. Craoibhín Ballina, an organisation which is run under the auspices of Moy Valley Resources IRD, is open to any adult who experiences social isolation, loneliness or who would like to make a friend in the community. It is a community-focused organisation that supports the social needs of all adults across the region from its centre on Cathedral Road, Ballina.
Customers decide how the Tesco Ballina Community Fund is shared by voting for their preferred cause in store through placing the blue token they receive at the checkout in the donation box of the local good cause they would like to support.
Then, at the end of a 12-week period, the number of tokens is counted. Every 12 weeks, Ballina Tesco store donates up to €2,000 between three local good causes in its community, which is distributed proportionally between the three groups. The more tokens a community group or charity gets, the larger the share of the donation they receive.
So make sure to place your token in the Craoibhín Ballina box, as every token counts.
Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club held a bumper 50/50 draw recently to mark the club’s 75th anniversary.
The draw was held in Breathnachs Pub, Abbey Street, Ballina with the prize of €750 going to Colin Syron, Ballina.
Other recent winners in the club’s weekly fundraising activity were Enda Coyne, Ballina, who took away a jackpot of €370 from the draw held in An Sean Sibin, and Niall Clerkin, Cavan who won €400 at the draw held in An Bolg Bui.
Tickets for the draw are available from outlets in Ardnaree or through the Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club app.
Tickets for The Windmill Players’ production of ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ are still available for its performance in Ballina Arts Centre this weekend.
The award-winning 1990 play ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’, from the pen of the late Northern Irish playwright Brian Friel, is set in Donegal in early August 1936 around the Celtic festival of Lughnasa.
The play will be performed in Ballina on Friday and Saturday next, at 8pm each night. Tickets are priced at €15 and can be booked online at www.ballinaartscentre.com. You can also call 096-73593 or email info@ballinaartscentre.com.
A schedule of outdoor Masses in communities across the Ballina area has been outlined by the parish of Kilmoremoy.
Over the coming weeks, the priests of the parish will celebrate Mass on Tuesday evenings at five green spaces throughout the town. These include Blackrock Court /The Moorings on June 11; Childers Heights on June 18; Marian Crescent on June 25; Greenhills Estate on July 2; and the Convent of Mercy cemetery on July 9.
Mass will begin at 7.30pm each evening and everyone is welcome to participate.
Ballina members of Connacht Pioneers are advised that a pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place next month, departing from Ireland West Airport Knock for five nights on July 18.
The cost of the pilgrimage is €859 and full board is included at the Hotel Agena in Lourdes. Please contact Fr. Joe Delaney for further information on 087-6660408.
The death has taken place of Sr Rita Conway, Árd Bhríde, Castlebar, and formerly of the Convent of Mercy, Ballina, 35 Amana Estate, Ballina and Convents of Mercy in Belmullet and Ballycastle. She was a native of Drumslide, Ballycroy.
Rita is deeply regretted by her brothers John and Jim, sisters Catherine and Julia, brothers-in-law Tom Lynch and Jim Hegarty and sisters-in-law Rose and Ann. Also by her nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, relatives and friends, and the Sisters of Mercy of Árd Bhríde and the Western Province.
She was predeceased by her parents Mike and Bridgie and by her sister Bridgie-Mary.
Rita reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Monday of last week, with removal afterwards to St Patrick’s Church, Ballina.
Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, followed by burial in the nearby Convent Cemetery, Ballina.
Ballina Family Resource Centre is providing a counselling service and child therapy service at its premises on Abbey Street, Ardnaree, Ballina.
The child therapy service is for individuals, couples, adolescents and children in the Ballina and surrounding areas. It is run in association with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, which is the dedicated State agency responsible for improving wellbeing and outcomes for children.
There is also a professional and confidential counselling service available at the centre.
For more information, please contact Ballina Family Resource Centre on 096-75573 or 087-0618525, or email admin@bfrc.com.
The death took place in England on May 25 of Barbara Helena O’Boyle (Ní Bhaoill), Brookwood Road, Southampton and formerly of Crossmolina Road, Ballina.
Barbara will be sadly missed by her sister Valerie, brothers Stephen, Ronald, David, Niall and Kenneth, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, uncles, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends in Mayo and in Southampton.
She was predeceased by her father Valentine O’Boyle, her mother Lena O’Boyle and by her brother John O’Boyle, late of Crossmolina Road, Ballina and of Barrack Street, Killala.
At the time of writing, funeral arrangements had yet to be announced.
St Dymphna’s School, Ballina is organising a Leavers and Retirement celebration in The Great National Hotel, Old Foxford Road, Ballina on the afternoon of Friday June 14.
If anyone is interested in coming along then please contact the school on 096-21006. The event will run from 1 to 4pm.
The popularity of the card game 25 has never waned among the many thousands of people who love to play it.
Craoibhín Ballina is starting 25 card game sessions on Monday, June 10, at a cost of €5 per person and everyone is welcome to come along. The card game is played at 11am in the Craoibhín Ballina Centre on Cathedral Road, located just beside St Muredach’s Cathedral.
Wednesday afternoon is bingo time, from 2pm to 4pm, costing €10 per person to play.
Boccia takes place on Thursday mornings from 11am to 1pm, at €5 per person, and art classes take place on Friday mornings from 10am to 12pm, also at a cost of €5 per person.
All activities are in the Craoibhín Ballina centre and for more information you can call the club on 087-2785365.
The death has taken place of James (Jim) Friel, Shanaghy, Ballina and formerly of Rinboy, Fanad, Co. Donegal.
James, a retired Garda Sergeant who served in the Ballina district for many years, and who was Chairman of the Ballina Tidy Towns organisation, was the beloved husband of Anne and dear father to Declan, Eithne, Deirdre, Fergus and Aoife.
He will be sadly missed by his wife, sons, daughters, brother Humphrey, sons-in-law Anthony, Michael and Enda, daughters-in-law Sandra and Aimée, 17 grandchildren, nephews, nieces and the extended Baxter and Friel families.
James reposed at his residence on Saturday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Sunday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
Ballina Order of Malta stalwart, Leonard McDonnell, was honoured last week by The National Ambulance Service for his work with Ballina Community First Responders.
Leonard won the national award in the Best Community First Responder - Coordinator category of the National Ambulance Service’s Community Volunteer Awards 2024.
