Local Notes: Ben breaks record at Ballina Golf Course
Ben Doherty set a new course record at Ballina Golf Club recently, with a 67 gross. The club made a presentation to Ben to mark his achievement. Pictured from left are Michael Brady (Club Captain), Ben Doherty, Ann Cawley (Lady Captain) and Charles Doherty (Club President)
Young golfer Ben Doherty broke the course record recently at Ballina Golf Club. Ben shot a 67 gross, playing off a handicap of 1. The previous course record, which was held by Brendan Kilgallon, stood for over 21 years.
The entire club has extended a hearty congratulations to the promising player and made a presentation to Ben to acknowledge his remarkable achievement.
A sum of €2,700 was raised in the Concert for the Children of Gaza held in Ballina on Friday week last. Staged in the Great National Hotel, an appreciative audience heard music from a diverse selection of local musicians and singers during the show, which was organised by Ballina musician and songwriter, Martin O’Donnell.
The MC for the occasion was Debbie McCole, who is chairperson of the Mayo branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and she paid tribute to all of the artists who performed on the night for providing their services free of charge, including Mark O’Donnell, Grace Killeen, Iarla Dunford of the band Alder, Dan and Ciara of Bog Bodies, Padraic Collins, Tommy Cooke, Hannah and Chuck Dunford, Tara Doherty, Martin O’Donnell and Michael O’Rourke.
The proceeds will go to the UNICEF Ireland Gaza Emergency Appeal for Children Fund and to Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders.
A Connect Café event in the Great National Hotel Ballina on Friday will seek to build on the success of the Hello Café in Ballina, and explore how the model can grow across Mayo.
Connecting communities through conversation, coffee and collaboration, the purpose of Connect Cafés is to offer a listening ear and a friendly chat, with the support of Mental Health Ireland, which is the longest established national mental health charity in the country, operating since 1966.
Jaqi Lodge, who set up Hello Café Ballina a few years ago, will share insights on developing the Connect Café model in Ballina, helping to build community wellbeing and emphasising the value of everyday connections.
Sharon Ferguson, founder of the award-winning Wellness Café initiative in Donegal, will join the group to showcase the Donegal model, where 15 wellness cafés have now been established across the county. Sharon will lead a co-production workshop which Teresa Keane, who is the Mental Health Ireland Development Officer for Mayo and Roscommon, will also facilitate.
The event, organised in association with Mental Health Ireland, will be held at the hotel on November 7, from 10am to 1pm. You can book a place through Eventbrite, while further information is also available from the social media pages of the Mayo Public Participation Network (PPN).
Hello Café Ballina meets in Costa Coffee on Pearse Street every Monday morning from 11am to 12 noon, where you can join the group table at the back or even avail of a confidential one-to-one talk with one of the trained volunteers.
As Ballina’s Gráinne Uaíle Sub Aqua Club draws the curtain on a successful dive season this year, the time is ripe once again for the club’s annual Try-A-Dive sessions.
Bookings are now open for two free Ballina sessions, taking place in the fun and familiar environment of Ballina Swimming Pool on November 9 (1pm to 2pm) and November 10 (9pm to 10pm). This will give anyone who is interested an opportunity to experience what it is like to enter the wonderful world of scuba diving.
This active sports diving club has been promoting scuba diving throughout Mayo for over 35 years. Over these years, the club has trained hundreds of people in how to enjoy diving along the Mayo coast in a safe and enjoyable environment.
The club also operates a dedicated volunteer Search and Recovery Unit which performs an important public service, working with Gardaí, the Coast Guard and other agencies, and is on call 24 hours a day, all year round.
To avail of an exploratory Try-A-Dive session you need to be 16 years of age or over and be comfortable in the water. For more information about the sessions, please call Kate on 087-2313091.
Further details on the November Try-A-Dive sessions are available from the Gráinne Uaíle Sub Aqua Club social media pages. Spaces are limited.
A Try-A-Dive session will also be held in Castlebar Swimming Pool on Sunday, November 30 from 12 noon to 2pm.
Chair Yoga returns to the Craoibhín Ballina Centre on Cathedral Road this coming Thursday, November 6. In the company of other like-minded people, you can enjoy the benefits of a session with instructor Alex for an hour starting at 2.30pm. The cost is €5 and all are welcome.
Please call Craoibhín Ballina on 087-2785365 for more information.
Winners of recent prizes in the weekly Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club 50/50 Cash Draw were as follows: Tony Armstrong, Ballina (€300); George Armstrong Jr, Ballina (€320); and Deirdre O'Hora, Ballina and Declan Hennigan, Ballina, each of whom won €300.
Tickets for the club’s fundraising draw can be purchased in participating shops in the area or through the Ardnaree Sarsfields GAA Club app.
The death has taken place of Paddy Crean, Newtown, Cloghans, Ballina.
Paddy was the beloved husband of Mary and loving father to Padraic (Ballina), Ciaran (Dublin), Michael (Dublin), Aiden (Knockmore), Edel Egan (Ballina) and Shane (Ballina).
He will be sadly missed by his loving wife, sons, daughter, brother Donal (Dublin), daughters-in-law Marieta, Aoife, Fiona, Deirdre and Ewa, son-in-law P. Egan, grandchildren Cian, Katie, Senan, Diarmuid, Alice, Fionn, Enda, Ruairí, Adam, Emily, Calvin, Erin and Roisín, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents John and Mary Joe, infant son Michael, brother Michael, sister Evelyn, and sisters-in-law Bernie and Nora.
Paddy reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Teresa’s Church, Rathduff, Ballina followed by burial in Cloghans Cemetery, Knockmore.
May he rest in peace.
The choir of St Mary’s Secondary School, Ballina was placed in the top three in the Post Primary Schools Section of the recent City of Derry International Choir Festival, held in the Millennium Forum, Derry on the last weekend of October.
Under their conductor Regina Deacy, the girls performed two songs in the 3-Part/4-Part Voice category - ‘There is Faint Music’ and ‘Cantate Domino’. Their marks took them to within 0.5% of first place, leading to the choir taking a gold award for the performance.
The choir’s accompanist was final-year student Aoife Sherry.
The death has taken place of Michael Hennigan, Breaffy, Ballina. Michael was the beloved father of John, Patrick and Avril. He will be sadly missed by his loving sons, daughter, brother Sean (Ballina), sister Threasa McDonnell (Kilfian), daughter-in-law Michelle Feeney, son-in-law Niall Durcan, grandchildren Liam, Chloe, HaMi, Isla and Sean, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his wife Bridie, parents John and Mary Kate, and brother Patrick.
Michael reposed at the residence of his son Patrick on Monday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Tuesday, followed by burial in Bonnifinglass Cemetery, Attymass.
May he rest in peace.
Toys, clothes, books and plants will be accepted as swapping items at this weekend’s November Swap Shop in Ballina.
The monthly Swap Shop in the Mary Robinson Centre Climate Hub will take place on Saturday, November 8 between 2pm and 4pm.
Swappers are welcome to bring along up to five clean items in good condition, and then browse around to pick up items to swap.
Once you arrive, you will receive tokens for each item that you have brought along with you, and you can then use these tokens to choose other items available from the selection on show.
The organisers point out that toys which are electrical in nature or with a cord over 30cm cannot be accepted. Baby formula, car seats, baby slings and other safety equipment are also ineligible.
Entry to the Mary Robinson Centre Climate Hub on Emmet Street, Ballina (across the river from St Muredach’s Cathedral) is via the Moy Lane entrance.
Further details are available by contacting info@maryrobinsoncentre.ie or by visiting the centre’s Facebook page.
St Joseph’s District Hospital, Ballina enjoys the benefit of a small library from which residents can select their own books. Now the hospital’s mini library is seeking volunteers who like to read and discuss books to help organise and refresh the book collection, and to chat with the hospital residents about their favourite stories.
No experience is needed, just a kind heart, a friendly smile and a love of stories. Volunteering hours are flexible.
More information about this opportunity to bring comfort, joy and companionship through reading to the hospital’s residents is available from Mayo Volunteer Centre, Ballina on 096-71444 or by email at edel@volunteermayo.ie.
Ballina Stephenites GAA Club will hold its annual general meeting on Friday, December 5, in the clubhouse. The AGM will be preceded by Mass for deceased members at 7.30pm. All are welcome to attend.
The club has congratulated its senior team that won the Mayo county title recently for the third year in a row.
The Ballina Let There Be Light committee is looking for talented local musicians and singers to bring the festive spirit to life during the big switch-on of the town’s Christmas lights later this month.
The Let There Be Light committee is a vibrant new voluntary group established in 2025 with the aim of creating an offbeat and inviting look for Ballina this Christmas, appealing to both visitors and locals alike.
The hard-working group has designed a spectacular visual feast for this year’s Christmas lights, and Santa Claus will switch on the illuminations on Sunday, November 23. A full day of festive fun in conjunction with the Jackie Clarke Collection will bring music, entertainment and celebrations for all the family.
So, whether you’re a solo performer, band or choir, Ballina Let There Be Light would love you to contribute to the atmosphere of this special day.
To get involved, or for more details, you can email ballinalights@gmail.com or DM the Let There Be Light social media pages.
