Local Notes: Charlestown GAA challenge was a resounding success
The two teams who took part in the annual Michael Byrnes Memorial challenge which took place in Fr O’Hara Park in Charlestown on St Stephen’s Day.
The annual Michael Byrnes Memorial Challenge took place in its usual slot on St Stephen's Day as players, supporters and members flocked to O'Hara Park to watch and support games that always resonate at this time of year..
The whole day is in memory of a great gael who sadly was taken from us almost 29 years ago but who still occupies a special place in the hearts and minds of all who knew and played with him as he was one of the Sarsfields finest players who was front and centre of many of our outstanding triumphs at underage and adult level throughout the the 1980s and 1990s respectively.
It was good to see his father Michael (Senior) in attendance with sister Maureen and other members of the extended family also present with mother Sadie also very tuned in to what was going on which added to the occasion as two games were down for decision. The ladies club got proceedings underway with a challenge involving two mixed teams of all ages and this proved lively and entertaining as the ladies held nothing back with the spoils being shared which upset one or two or the more competitively minded!
The men took centre stage from 12.15pm with the line-ups remaining a closely guarded secret right up to throw-in. The rules were amended slightly to cater for the large numbers so it was more akin to 18-a-side than the normal 15 quota, with both sides happy to facilitate each other in this regard.
The over-30s had their usual sprinkling of stars with the Higgins brothers Aidan and Dermot bringing plenty of pace and athleticism to the paddock, ably supported by the guile of Mark Caffrey and the tenacity of Kevin Deignan, who rolled back the years with a stellar display. Others to make cameo appearances included Ollie Conway, who looked fitter than any any stage in his pomp, with Enda Casey still putting in a shift, albeit his legs don't have the same gas they once had.
Paddy Breheny added plenty of heft and oomph when introduced and hit everything that moved as he took no prisoners in the tackle. Darragh McMeel and Kevin Munnelly shored off all routes to goal with some splendid defending as they rolled back the years with performances that had one checking to make sure their birth certificates weren't doctored!
The likes of Gareth O'Donnell, Paddy Walsh, Joe McBrien, Niall Murphy , Damein Ward et al, provided some silky moments of class for the over-35 brigade with the Shane duo of Moran and Gallagher adding the odd fleeting moment of madness and class in equal measure as the older generation took the game to their younger opposition from the throw-in.
The under-30s were staffed with plenty of legs and energy as they bristled with intent in the warm-up with lots of noise and bravado being called out into the crisp Christmas air. Most of it was of the hot air variety as they trailed for most of the game as Paddy Goldrick, Sean Dunleavy, Jack Corley, Eoin Flannery, Mattie Lenehan, Cian Towey, Niall Drudy, Gavin Honeyman, Conway brothers Ben and James, Tadhg Horkan and Paddy Joe Dunleavy tried to penetrate a well manned over-30s defence, but more often than not they were snuffed out as the older men defended their castle with stubborn defiance.
Mike Doherty minded the net for the older men and did a tidy job to boot as he defused many a scare with his own brand of unique net-minding, which had hearts trembling on and off the field as balls cannoned off the crossbar and bobbled in and around the small square with Mike flailing and doing his best to keep the net intact.
Scores were very much at a premium on both sides as chances came and went but the over-30s were hanging in well as they took the mantra of parking the bus while holding a slender two-point lead.
Referee James Breheny brought his own rule book to bear and this caused tempers to fray on several occasions with his liberal application of the said regulations. He remained unfazed however and blew the whistle when the need was greatest and met all protests with an icy stare and a stern finger.
The game was balanced on a knife-edge as the clock ticked down with the older men clinging on grimly to their narrow lead. Step forward Matt Lenehan for the younger cohort as he received a ball about 30 yards from goal with a full cordon of defenders facing him. He managed to pivot onto his left and in so doing, created a little bit of space for himself to unleash a scud missile that thundered into the top corner of the net past a bewildered Mike Doherty in the over-30s goal as he was totally deceived by the velocity and ferocity of the shot.
It was a goal to grace any stage and one that was enough for the under-30s to snatch the victory with James Breheny sounding the final whistle immediately after to bring to a conclusion a game that was rich in perspiration if lacking in inspiration, save for the winning score which was right out of the very top drawer.
Club chairman Ryan O'Connor presented the Michael Byrnes Memorial Cup to victorious under-30s skipper Matt Lenehan who thanked both teams for their participation and was at pains to point out his blockbuster goal had come straight off the Shammer training field.
Chairman Ryan thanked all who turned out in such big numbers for one of the highlights in the club calendar and paid special tribute to the Byrnes family who remain an integral part of the club and have been great supporters of the Sarsfields for so many years.
All players and supporters adjourned to the dressing rooms for some refreshments with a fine array of sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee being very well received by the large crowds who mingled and chatted for long after the final whistle.
The game had a charitable undertone with the best part of €1,500 being raised for the Charlestown branch of St Vincent de Paul, which put the seal on a lovely day of fun and entertainment.
The under-30s victory broke their long losing streak but the over-30s are already plotting their revenge with all kinds of plans being laid for the 2026 renewal.
Well done to the organisers and sincere thanks to all who supplied the refreshments as the club once again showed its best side and underlined the strong bond that exists between the club and the community.
Congratulations are extended to Sean Kilroy, son of James and Eileen Kilroy, Sarsfields Manor, Charlestown who celebrated his 21st birthday recently.
The death took place in Roundwood, Co Wicklow recently of Kathleen (Kitty) McKenna (nee McGowan), formerly of Lowpark, Charlestown.
Deepest condolences are tendered to the bereaved.
The death took place recently of Winnie Harrison (nee Lundy), Bushfield, Charlestown.
Her remains were removed from Horkan's Funeral Home, Lowpark, Charlestown to St Patrick's Church, Bushfield for Requiem Mass and burial took place in Bushfield Cemetery.
Winnie is survived by her daughters Ena, Mary, Kate and Imelda, sons Pat and Val, brother Frank, sister Marie, sons-in-law, daughters-in law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.
The late Winnie, who was predeceased by her husband Dominick, was a lovely lady who was much admired and respected in the community of Bushfield and beyond. She was a lady in the true sense of the word who did her best by her family at all times. She was a lady of deep faith who lived a good and full life and had reached the advanced age of 92 at the time of her death.
The large crowds who attended the removal of her remains and subsequent burial was ample proof of the esteem and affection in which she was held and she leaves many outstanding memories which her family will cherish and cling dear to in the deep, dark days and weeks that lie ahead.
We tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved.
Would you be willing to provide companionship to an older person locally? ALONE is seeking volunteers in the Charlestown area. Full training and support provided.
If interested, please apply via the ALONE website at www.alone.ie or for further information please contact volunteers@alone.ie or call 0818 222 024.
Charlestown Community Coffee Morning are seeking volunteers to assist with their monthly coffee morning. The time commitment would be three hours on a Friday morning about three times a year. You would be working with another volunteer setting up tables and providing light refreshments.
They can guarantee a truly enjoyable and valued volunteer experience. Please contact 086-8514682 if you have any questions or would like to volunteer.
Sympathy is extended to Noirin Murphy, Lavey, Charlestown on the death of her father Martin Murphy Stonepark, Aclare, Co Sligo, which occurred recently.
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Lotto jackpot of €20,000 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, December 28th, when the numbers drawn were 5, 6, 7 and 10.
The winners of the two €50 prizes were Rian Hohn and Nadia Quinn.
The jackpot stood at €20,100 for the draw last Sunday, January 4th. Tickets on sale at a number of outlets in the town and are also available online through club's Facebook page. The club would like to thank all who supported their weekly draw and wish all their players and members a very happy and peaceful 2026.
The death took place at Brookvale Nursing Home, Ballyhaunis, of Maura O’Grady, Barrie, Carracastle, Charlestown.
Maura's remains were removed from Horkan’s Funeral Home, Lowpark, Charlestown to St James’ Church, Carracastle for Requiem Mass and burial took place afterwards in Carracastle Cemetery.
Maura is survived by her brother Tommy, sister Helena, brother-in-law Noel and sister-in-law Mai, relatives, nieces, nephews, neighbours and a wide circle of friends.
The late Maura was a kind and gentle lady who was much loved and respected in the communities of Barrie, Carracastle and Charlestown.
She had a great zest for life and always bore a smile and had a happy and vivacious demeanour which endeared her to many.
She lived a full and active life and her passing has robbed the community of Barrie of one of its nicest citizens.
We tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved
There was no winner of the Curry GAA Lotto jackpot of €5,300 in the weekly draw held on Monday night, December 22nd.
The four numbers drawn were 1,12, 16 and 25, and the winners of the €20 consolation prizes were Stephen Maye, Steven Durcan, Eddie Colleran, Bernadette Gallagher and Kathleen Feeley.
Tickets on sale in a number of outlets and the lotto can also be played online via club's Facebook page.
Charlestown Sarsfields wish to remind their many and dedicated members that membership for the 2026 season has increased from €50 to €70 and can be paid to any member of the executive on or before the deadline of March 31st. Your continued support is very much appreciated.
The first Bridge Club game of the new 2026 season will take place on Wednesday January 7th, at 8pm in Walsh's Public House, Main Street, Charlestown.
New members are most welcome.
The following were the winners of the 25 drive game held in the Yeats County Inn, Curry on Tuesday, December 23rd: 1st, Darby and Breege Leonard; 2nd, Miko Sheridan and Vera Scally.
The raffle winners were Mary O'Hara, Breege Leonard and Miko Sheridan.
The first game of the new year takes place on Tuesday (this evening), January 6th, at 9pm.
The first Community Coffee Morning of 2026 will take place on Friday, January 9th, in the Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Charlestown from 11am to 1pm. Lift access available. All welcome to come along for a cuppa and a chat.
There was a smashing turnout for the weekly darts contest held in Walsh's Public House, Main Street, Charlestown on Sunday, December 28th, as Podsie and the Magician locked horns in another gripping instalment of the weekly classic.
Governor Gus did a super job in his role as match referee and ensured the Christmas spirit prevailed throughout.
Podsie raced out of the blocks and barged his way to the first set with some thrilling finishing. The Magician, not to be outdone, weaved his own brand of magic and put the number one seed on the backfoot by taking the next two to sow some seeds of doubt in the mind of the number one seed. Those seeds didn't last long, however, as Podsie roared back into contention by taking the fourth set with some ease, thus setting up a decider as the crowd became ever more emotionally involved.
The Magician has been on this well-worn path many times before as he has always found it hard to outgun the top seed when the pressure has been at its greatest. He did nothing wrong this time either but the sign of a true champion is one who can raise their level when the need is greatest and Podsie duly stepped up to deliver a fifth set masterclass. He reeled off three straight legs to take the game away from the Magician who just couldn't match the numbers posted by the top seed as Podsie finished each leg with terrific conviction and ruthlessness.
The final dagger for the Magician came in the form of a treble twenty, double eighteen blast in the third leg as his final dart plunged into the heart of the bed to clinch another title for the number one seed, his fourteenth of a year to savour.
Podsie duly celebrated in typically understated fashion as he and McGowan shared a warm embrace to bring the curtain down on another epic year at darts centre with 2026 promising much more in the way of thrills and spills.
Death The death took place at his residence Kilgarriff, Charlestown of Michael Jordan. His remains were removed from Horkan`s Funeral Home, Lowpark, Charlestown to St James`Church, Charlestown and burial took place after solemn requiem mass to Tample Cemetery. He is survived by his loving family Gillian, Bobby, Susan , Stephen, Karolyne and Emily, sister Bridget, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, re;latives, neighbours and a large circle of friends. Michael or Stitch as he was affectionately known was a character in the true sense of the word who enjoyed life and got the maximum out of each and every day. He was renowned for his wit and sense of humour and forged many strong friendships in the communities of Kilgarriff and Charlestown. He was a good family man and enjoyed the regular interaction and contact with them and his passing is deeply regretted. We tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved.
Yoga classes with Tish resume in the Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Charlestown on this evening, Tuesday, January 6th, from 7.15 to 8.15pm. Mixed abilities catered for. Block of five classes cost €60 or pay as you go at €14 per class. For further information, contact 087-2906002.
The Charlestown Sarsfields GAA Club wish to inform their members that its annual lotto ticket time renewal again with the current annual lotto tickets due to expire in early February.
The ticket has been a terrific source of income to the club over any number of years and has always been very well received in the community and beyond by members and supporters alike. The club have a number of deals available for the 2026 season with a small increase in costs following a review as the ticket has remained at the same price for well over a decade and more.
Those members who want to avail of annual lotto and membership can do so for the sum of €130, which still represents very good value as your annual lotto ticket is included in each of the 52 weekly draws. Those who wish to purchase annual lotto, membership and county board ticket can do so for the very reasonable sum of €200, which represents a small increase on the 2025 price but one that represents good value as the County Board draw carries a prize fund of close to €250,000 and has seen several local people win some nice prizes in recent years.
Stand-alone membership comes in at €70 so there's a vast menu of options available to club members and supporters and the club are hopeful there's something there that appeals to everyone as they gear up for another busy season on and off the field.
