Local Notes: Ballina Credit Union Quiz for primary schools this weekend
Youngsters at Riverside Drive in Ballina enjoying the snow last Thursday. Picture: Hazel Kearney
The annual Schools’ Quiz run by Ballina Credit Union takes place in Ballina Sports Centre on Friday night, January 26th, at 8pm, with doors opening at 7.30pm.
The annual quiz is one of the credit union movement’s most recognised nationwide events and is open to Primary School teams from the North Mayo and West Sligo region, across two age categories.
As in previous years, there are two categories: Under 11 for entrants aged 10 or younger on December 31st, 2023 (Rounds 1 to 10), and Under 13 for entrants aged 12 or younger on December 31st, 2023 (Rounds 1 to 12 - two extra rounds).
The local quiz is the first of three stages in the national contest. Stage 2 is the Chapter (Regional) stage, taking place over the weekend of March 1st and 3rd. The National Final will be held on Sunday, April 7th.
Meantime, young quizzers in Ballina are invited to practise their skills by taking the Monster Credit Union Schools Quiz, an individual online quiz run by the credit union movement which is available at www.creditunion.ie.
The results of the Ballina Bridge Club game played on last Tuesday, January 9th, were as follows: 1st, Mary Mongan and Mary O’Dowd; 2nd, Gerry Scanlon and Francis Walkin; 3rd, Ann and Sean Callaghan; and 4th, Ann Ivers and Mary Gilvarry.
The winning pair on Tuesday, January 16th were Margaret and James Munnelly. Other placings were Ann and Sean Callaghan (2nd) and Bill Thomas and Ger Moran (3rd). Betty Gormley and Rosaleen Keohane, and Gerry Scanlon and Mary Gilvarry finished in joint 4th .
The death has taken place of Michael Honan, ‘Avalon’, Quay Road, Ballina.
Michael was the former managing director of the Asahi factory in Killala and was hugely regarded by former workers who paid warm tributes to him online.
Michael was the much loved father of David (Galway), Louise Lennon (Dublin), Vincent (Ballina), Michael (Ballina) and Alan (Dubai).
He will be sadly missed by his loving family, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, son-in-law Richard, daughters-in-law Gabi, Sheenagh, Jeannie and Marketa, adored grandchildren Laura, Luke, Emma, Rachel, Jessica, Sinead, Ciara, Erin, Kaja and Michael, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. His beloved wife Marie predeceased him.
Michael reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina. Mass of the Resurrection took place in St. Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Monday of last week, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
The Draft Ballina Local Area Plan (LAP) 2024-2030 is available for public inspection until Thursday, February 8th.
It can be viewed at Ballina Civic Offices, Arran Place, Ballina and Ballina Library, Pearse Street, Ballina.
Opening hours in Ballina Civic Offices are Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. Ballina Library opens between Tuesday and Friday from 10am to 5pm and on Saturday from 10am to 4pm.
Written observations or submissions in respect of the Draft LAP for Ballina made to Mayo County Council by February 8th will be taken into consideration before the plan is adopted by the council. Submissions and observations can be made through the Mayo County Council website or by post to Ballina Local Area Plan, Planning Section, Mayo County Council, Aras an Chontae, The Mall, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 WF90.
Moyne College Open Evening will take place on Thursday, February 1. The Ballina Post Primary School’s annual Open Evening had been scheduled for Wednesday of last week but adverse weather conditions forced a postponement.
The Open Evening, running from 6 to 8.30pm, will provide an opportunity to explore the school premises and meet students and teachers from the school.
The Jackie Clarke Collection has congratulated Ballina Tidy Towns committee on its performance in the 2023 Tidy Towns Competition, with recently released detailed results showing an improvement in the score for the town over the 2022 figures.
The report includes a mention for the walled heritage garden of the Jackie Clarke Collection on Pearse Street. The judges were especially impressed with the overall design of the garden, and the standard of cultivation and maintenance of this important attraction.
“It is no wonder that the garden space has been awarded a Green Flag status," said the report’s authors.
The Jackie Clarke Collection acknowledged the great work of Anthony Ruane of R & R Nurseries, Foxford and his talented team of gardeners who look after its renowned public outdoor space, which is free to enter.
Ballina Active Retirement Association has cancelled all meetings and events until February, as a result of the menacing weather forecasts of last week and the group’s concerns over the rise in Covid numbers.
The committee has now set out its new schedule. Regular Thursday meetings will resume on February 1st, with the association’s annual general meeting slated for Thursday, February 8th.
There will be whist sessions in Ballina Pastoral Centre on Wednesdays, February 7th, 14th and 28th at 2pm. The next quiz will be held on Wednesday, February 21st, at 1pm, also in the Pastoral Centre.
Ballina Active Retirement Association was founded in 2002 by the late Paddy Flynn and his wife Ann, from Marian Crescent, Ballina.
Its first official meeting took place in the Pastoral Centre, in the grounds of St Muredach’s Cathedral, on Thursday morning, November 30th, 2002, and meetings are still held in the same location today.
New members are always welcome, and should come along to any of the regular Thursday morning meetings, which take place at 10.30am.
A meeting of Mayo COPD Support Group has been announced for this coming Thursday, January 25th. The meeting will be held in the Castlebar Lawn Tennis Club, Lannagh Road, Castlebar at 2.30pm.
The guest speaker will be respiratory nurse, Deirdre Garvin.
Mayo Community Futures is inviting applications for Community Support Volunteers to assist communities with the preparation and development of a five-year action plan.
Mayo Community Futures is a bottom-up, community-led process that helps communities to put together a plan for their locality. It gives everyone a chance to feed into an action plan and to put forward their concerns and ideas for the development of their community.
The Support Volunteer works closely with the Community Futures Co-Ordinator and the Community Steering Group.
The suitable volunteer should have an interest in community development and some previous experience in working within the community or voluntary organisation sector. The volunteer will need their own transport and full driving licence. Training will be given to suitable volunteers.
For more information, contact Mayo Volunteer Centre, Cathedral Road, Ballina on 096-71444 or 087-7555899. You can also email vincent@volunteermayo.ie.
Mayo Cancer Support provides free support services to those affected by cancer every Tuesday at its outreach centre in Ballina. The organisation’s services include complementary therapies like massage, reiki and reflexology.
The organisation also runs a service at Rock Rose House, Castlebar, by appointment only.
Telephone 094-9038407 or 087-2804164 for full details and to book an appointment.
The death has taken place of William (Willie) Harrison, Crofton Park, Ballina.
Willie was the beloved husband and soulmate of Marian and dear father to William and Elaine. He will be sadly missed by his wife, son and daughter, grandchildren Sarah and Amelia, daughter-in-law Paula, brothers Tom and John, sister Maureen, in-laws, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Anthony and Winifred, and by his brothers Michael and Eamon.
Willie reposed at his residence on Friday last. Committal Service took place on Saturday in Shannon Crematorium.
The newly-launched Lend a Hand programme from Craoibhín Ballina has seen the organisation carry out minor household repairs and do odd jobs in the homes of people who need extra support in the immediate Ballina area.
A suitable job for Craoibhín Ballina to perform is one that might be expected to take up to one hour. For example, changing light bulbs, checking smoke alarms, installing locks, door chains and bolts, installing curtain rails and setting heating timers. There is a small fee.
For more information about the Lend a Hand programme, please call the Craoibhín Ballina Centre on 087-2785365.
Craoibhín Ballina, an organisation which is run under the auspices of Moy Valley Resources, is open to any adult who experiences social isolation, loneliness or who would like to make a friend in the community. The centre is located on Cathedral Road, Ballina.
The death has taken place of Irene Basquill (neé Anderson), 10 Castle Road, Ballina.
Irene was the beloved wife of Raymond and loving mother to Ronnie (Waterford), Sandra Burke (Dublin) and Derek (Castleconnor, Co Sligo).
She will be sadly missed by her loving husband, sons, daughter, son-in-law Paul, daughter-in-law Leona, grandchildren Tara, Rachel, Jennifer, Jason and Sean, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.
She was predeceased by her parents Genevieve and Bertie Anderson, Ardnaree, Ballina.
Irene reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Thursday last. Mass of the Resurrection was held in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Friday, followed by cremation at Shannon Crematorium.
The 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place in Ballina at 4.30pm on Sunday, March 17. Plans are underway to continue the high standards which have made the Ballina parade one of the most popular in Connacht.
The organisers aim to bring the streets of Ballina alive with music, colour, tradition and history. This year’s theme is 'Community'.
If you are involved with a club, local organisation or any kind of community group, or if you work in or own a business locally, then you are invited to participate in the parade. Primary and secondary school groups are welcome to take part and the organisers are also seeking marching bands and musical groups.
Details on how to book a place in the parade are available through the St Patrick’s Day Ballina Facebook page.
The parade will take its traditional route, starting from Mercy Road.
The death has taken place in England of Pat (Patrick) Clarke, Greenhills Estate, Ballina and formerly of Corrimbla, Ballina and London.
Pat was the beloved husband of Anna and loving father to Sharon, Sarah, Samantha, Raymond, Mary, Shelley and John.
He will be sadly missed by his wife, daughters, sons, grandchildren Sorcha, Bryony, Sam, Grace, Joshua, Charles and Ella, brother Gerry, sisters Josie, Agnes and Ann, sons-in-law Vince, Chris, Denis and Phil, grandson-in-law Neal, in-laws, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents James and Mary Agnes Clarke (Corrimbla, Ballina), brothers and sisters Johnny, Maureen, Seamus and Bernie, and grandsons Conor and Michael.
Funeral arrangements had not been announced at the time of writing.
Ballina Dragons Boat Club has taken to the pool at Great National Hotel Ballina for its latest Pool Paddle sessions. New members are always welcome to join in and you can book a place by contacting Denise on 086-2385542.
Local artist and community activist Emma Donoghue is running an Art Appreciation and Painting course in Ballina Arts Centre.
Emma was PRO for Ballina Salmon Festival in 2023 and was, until recently, Manager of Craoibhín Ballina.
The course will cover a little about the history of art, prominent artists and art movements. Participants will be taught how to develop bespoke paintings from scratch and learn drawing and painting techniques.
Attendees are asked to bring with them whatever materials they have at home.
The sessions take place on Tuesdays from 11am to 1pm over five weeks, at a total cost of €100. Booking is required and you can reserve a place through the Ballina Arts Centre website at www.ballinartscentre.ie.
You can also telephone 096-73593 or email info@ballinaartscentre.com for further information.
Balladeer Johnny McEvoy comes to The Great National Hotel Ballina on Saturday, February 3rd.
The 78-year old singer and guitar player has released 17 albums and dozens of singles in a career that began in the 1960s. Before turning solo in the mid-1960s, and as a member of the duo The Rambling Two, a young Johnny McEvoy supported The Rolling Stones when they played a show in Ireland in 1965.
His latest nationwide tour is called ‘Song and Story’, and will include many of those singles, some of which became No. 1 chart-selling songs. ‘Mursheen Durkan’, ‘The Boston Burglar’, ‘Those Brown Eyes’, ‘Nora’ and ‘Long, Long Before Your Time’ are among Johnny McEvoy’s best-loved tracks.
His concert performances are second to none, with his songs beautifully delivered in truly artistic fashion and storytelling of the finest order. This is a full evening with Johnny McEvoy, with no support act on the programme.
Tickets for his Ballina concert cost €32.50 (booking fees may apply). You can book online through the Great National Hotel Ballina website. You can also contact the hotel directly on 096-23600 or email info@hotelballina.ie.
The death of the founding father of Irish republicanism, Theobald Wolfe Tone, gets the forensic treatment from historic entertainer Paddy Cullivan in his production ‘The Murder of Wolfe Tone’, coming to Ballina next month.
During an audio-visual spectacular featuring hundreds of images, shocking new research and incredible songs, Paddy dares to unravel the secrets and lies around Wolfe Tone’s death. Wolfe Tone died in the Provost’s Prison in what is now Collins Barracks, Dublin in November 1798.
Was Wolfe Tone’s real father the Chief Justice of Ireland – the man who tried to save him twice? Was his trial illegal, and had he a real chance of reprieve? If he lived for eight days after his ‘suicide’ attempt, why was no one allowed to visit him? Were his last letters and statements forgeries and lies? Did his surgeon later admit it was murder? And where is the infamous ‘razor’? Why is there such reticence from certain quarters – to this day – to find out the truth?
Paddy Cullivan has performed his sold-out historical entertainments all over Ireland and beyond. Storyboarded documentaries in waiting, he presents political and aesthetic narratives from past and present in a new and exciting way, incorporating songs, imagery and a unique, passionate insight. Other figures of Irish history that he has explored include Michael Collins.
‘The Murder of Wolfe Tone’ is a fascinating rollercoaster ride that will change your perceptions of Irish history forever.
Paddy Cullivan’s production is in Ballina Arts Centre on Friday, February 9th, at 8pm. Tickets are priced at €18 (€16 concession), and can be booked through the Ballina Arts Centre website at www.ballinartscentre.ie. You can also book by calling 096-73593 or emailing info@ballinaartscentre.com.
