Local Notes: Gruddy family present cheque to NorthWest STOP, Erris.
The first-ever Coastal Regatta at Doohoma Beach was a fantastic success and a brilliant celebration of the community recently. Thank you to everyone who got behind the vision and believed that Tullaghan Bay Rowing Club could make this happen. From the athletes giving it their all on the water, to the parents and volunteers helping out behind the scenes, it truly was a team effort and a real example of what can be achieved when a community comes together.
This was the first of its kind in Connaught, and the club are incredibly proud of what was achieved together. TBRC is going from strength to strength, and the sky is the limit in terms of the progress they can make.
The club are already looking forward to seeing what next year will bring. Here’s to building on something truly special, creating more opportunities for the athletes, and making even more memories along the way.
CLG Cill Chomáin hosted the annual 5k/10k walk, run, jog on Sunday, August 23. A great crowd turned out for this event and the club thank everyone especially those who donated on the day. Thank you to the Anglers Rest for refreshments after the event and congratulations to the winner of the 10k Shane Moran and well done to Mark Healy (2nd place). The total amount raised for North West Stop (Erris) was €1000.
Naíonra Dhún Chaocháin, which is located in the Seanscoil in Ceathrú Thaidhg, and Naíonra Ghleann na Muaidhe at Bun Altaí, are both community-run Irish language pre-school services. Their main source of funding comes from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, and Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) on behalf of the Irish Government. Both services currently operate The National Childcare Scheme (NCS) and The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme and are also in receipt of core funding. The NCS offers parents a subsidy towards the cost of the service while the ECCE scheme provides a free pre-school year (or two years) for children who meet the required criteria. All the pre-school children who are attending the Naíonra during the term 2026-2027 are welcomed and they hope that they enjoy and benefit from their time there. For further information, contact Máire on 097 88877 for Naíonra Dhún Chaocháin (between 10am and 1pm) and Máire Cáit on 097 87838 for Naíonra Ghleann na Muaidhe between 9.30am and 12.30pm from Monday to Friday.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club lotto jackpot of €6,300 with the two €50 winners being Bert Flannery, Muinginaune and Paddy Mulligan, Bangor while Feadh Corduff, Bangor and Shauna McNulty, Corner House, Belmullet both won €25. The two online winners were Bridge Reilly, Geesala €50 and Maureen Mangan, Doohoma €25.
A free talk on money matters with ‘Mrs Smart Money’ Kel Galavan will take place on Thursday, September 17, at 7.30pm in Aras Inis Gluaire, Belmullet. The session will offer practical financial advice designed to give you the knowledge and tools to make more confident money decisions. To book your free place call or text on 087 184 0214 or 097 81079.
The draw was held on August 30, and the numbers drawn were; 02, 10, 16, and 31 for a jackpot of €11,000. The house prize of €100 was won by Bridie Noone, Gorthmellia Strand and the €30 offline winners were Margie Bourn, Glengad and Michael Ginnelly, Gorthmellia. The €30 online winners were Michael and Bernadette Moran, Gortleatilla and Lorcan Mason, Pullathomas. The jackpot on September 6, was €11,100 and the draw took place in McGuire’s Pullathomas.
Damien Padden, son of the late Angela Padden, Tallagh Road, Belmullet and formerly of Shanahee is running 10km every day - 300km in total for the month of September in loving memory of his wonderful mom, Angela, and to raise money for Inis Aoibhinn, Cancer Care West.
Inis Aoibhinn will always hold a very special place in the family’s hearts. ‘During one of the hardest times the family has ever faced, it gave mom a safe and welcoming home from home close to University Hospital Galway while she received her treatment last year. The warmth, kindness and compassion shown to her by the wonderful staff meant more to us than words can say. Knowing mom was safe, comfortable and so well cared for each week gave our whole family enormous comfort and peace of mind’.
‘This challenge is especially meaningful because it was mom’s own idea that Damian should do a run to raise funds for Inis Aoibhinn. Carrying out her idea now feels like a special way to honour her memory and say thank you to a place that gave mom and all of us so much care and support when we needed it most’.
Any donation, no matter how big or small, would mean so much to the family. Click on https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/damienpadden.
The overall winner of BSAC 2 day beach competition held both days at Cross beach recently was 1st Kevin O’Hara, 2nd Billy Gilvarry, 3rd Sally Gilvarry, Best Saturday Peter Coyne, Best Sunday Kevin O’Hara, Longest fish - Arthur Thurrett, Best junior - Sally Gilvarry. A total of 128 fish were caught and released.
It was unbelievably amazing to see all the swimmers who took part in the annual Swim Ireland Mile and 1/2 mile swim recently. A special word to the local swimmers who have trained so hard this summer, the Tidal pool team are so proud of you. Swim goes from the Tidal Pool (mile) or the quay (1/2 mile) in Blacksod Bay through the canal and finished at The Docks in Broadhaven Bay. There is a lot of organising, sponsoring and volunteering involved in running events like these and the organisers are so very thankful to everyone who helps them out each year.
A big thank you to Mary Dunne and her events team in Swim Ireland, to all the sponsors and to everyone who helped out in any way which made the day such a success, especially the amazing volunteers. Everyone is delighted to have had another successful year of celebrating swimming achievements in Erris.
There were warm and dry conditions for the Erris Parkrun where 45 people walked, ran and jogged. There were 29 first-timers and 2 personal bests. Well done to Clodagh Geraghty and Robert Shaloe on their personal bests. It was a parkrun with a difference on the day, there was poetry recitations, a single song and recipe sharing all at the finish line. The Erris Parkrun was delighted to welcome visitors from Ballymena, Dromore, Port Rush, Sligo, Castlebar, Balla and London. Céad Míle fáilte to you all, especially Iain Bates, for returning and introducing his friends to Erris Parkrun. A warm welcome to Clodagh Geraghty for visiting with 9 other ladies from Castlebar Parkrun, they hope to see you all again soon. Míle buíochas to John Jock O'Carroll for providing everyone with the poetry recitations and the rendition of "The Rose of Tralee." He came in search of Sam McGuire and was happy to meet all the Mayo people available. Lovely to meet such a gracious Kerryman. Thanks also to Sebastian Kesik who ran parkrun and also kindly volunteered. The organisers hope to see all the visitors back again soon. Thank you to the volunteers Mary Gaughan, Margaret Conroy, Mark Gilbert, Lenny Gilbert, Eamon Padden, Bridget McMahon, Ciarán Ó Murchú and Sebastian Kesik who volunteered and made Parkrun possible for everybody.
A big thank you to the new Mayor of Ballycroy, Lauren O'Boyle who officially opened the new community library recently. Situated in the car park at the Ballycroy Visitor Centre, the library will open daily in line with the visitor centre opening times. Books are available to everyone and if you have any interesting books you would wish to donate to the library, feel free to drop them off.
Sunset4Stop 5km fundraising walk takes place on next Saturday, September 12. The walk starts at 6.30pm, leaving from the IWA Centre, Logmore. Registration is €20 and U16s go free. This is a family friendly community event supporting a local service. In 2025 NWSTOP delivered 737 sessions of free counselling in Erris. Please walk together as a community, support this important cause, stand in solidarity with those who are struggling and remember all who are no longer here with us. Register on www.northwestop.ie or on the Erris Family and Community Support Centre Facebook page. There will be music and warm-up on the evening, with refreshments afterwards.
The Michelle Gaughan Memorial Darts event takes place on Sunday, September 13, in The Broadhaven Bay Hotel. This year sees all events on the day played out in round robin style, then knockouts including the newly added ladies event. All events are confined to Erris players only and start times are sharp, no late entries.
As a new school year is starting, Erris Family and Community Support Centre understand it can be difficult to find time for yourself and sometimes it can feel quite lonely and isolating when parenting alone. It is hoped to bring lone parents and caregivers together for the first Lone Parents Peer Support Group meeting in a relaxed, welcoming space to connect with others who understand the journey of parenting by you. Come along on Wednesday, October 7, from 10am-11.30am at the IWA Centre.
Deepest sympathies are extended to the family of Paddy Lavelle, ‘The Eagle Bar’, Corclough West; Elizabeth Padden, Bayview, Binghamstown; David O’Donoghue, Lakefield, Bunnahowen; Geraldine Doherty, Carrowteige; Sean Neary, Foxpoint, Barnatra; Stephen Tighe, Stonefield, Carrowteige; and Frank Gallagher Townagh, Bellacorick. May they all rest in peace.
