Local Notes: Heritage exhibition to take place in Ballina
Members of Moy Valley Athletic Club took part in the St Patrick's Day Parade in Balina. Picture: John O'Grady
An event management class from Mayo Sligo Leitrim ETB is about to put its learning to the test with the staging of a Living Heritage Exhibition in Ballina.
If your attic holds items which you would love the public to enjoy and learn about, or if have an interest in the heritage of the area, this class of nine – all of whom are studying for a QQI Level 6 qualification at the MSLETB Centre on Tone Street, Ballina – is organising a unique event as part of their course which will reveal some fascinating insights into our past.
The enthusiastic course group, the majority of whom are participants of the Moy Valley Resources Community Employment (CE) Scheme, is inviting the public to come along to this free event on Saturday, April 26, for an afternoon during which to marvel and reminisce about local memorabilia, curios, objects and antiques.
Local exhibitors will display treasured heritage objects that they have at home. The pieces will be of people’s own choosing such as, for example, objects relating to household, farm, school or childhood from pre-2000, pre-1980, pre-1970 or pre-1950. It could be oil lamps, cooking items, churns, teddy bears, coins, telephones, butter labels, LPs or school books.
Young people will have an opportunity to see how their counterparts in the last century might have spent their leisure time, pre-computer games and smartphones! Those of an older age will enjoy a unique trip down memory lane as fond memories are triggered by the items on display.
The organisers are calling for exhibitors to bring along their historical artifacts to show off to viewers, and perhaps chat to people about the personal impact that these objects may have had on their lives.
If you have any heritage objects you believe the public would love to see then please contact Ann-Marie on 087-3510639 or Michael on 087-2846363. You can also email michael@ballinafringefestival.ie.
While the exhibition is free to attend, and everyone is welcome, donations will be accepted, with the proceeds going to Craoibhín Ballina.
The Living Heritage Exhibition will take place from 2 to 5pm in Ballina Civic Offices, next door to the Motor Tax Office on Arran Place.
Good weather conditions and an excellent turnout generated great enthusiasm and impressive competition during the recent Spring League for ladies and gents at Ballina Golf Club.
Winners were as follows -
Gents Section (sponsored by Western Windows and Glass): Overall Winners were Darren Beattie, Malcolm Nash, Philip Devers and David Pierce.
Weekly winners: Week 1 - David Graham, PJ Ruddy, Keith Desmond and Noah Tracey; Week 2 - Malachi Burke, Peter Walsh, PJ Corrigan and Noel Murphy; Week 3 - Michael Brennan, Edward Bowes, James Hogan and Derek Roach; Week 4 - Michael Tighe, Sean Walsh, Michael McLoughlin and Eddie Harney.
Ladies Section: Week 1 - Frances Burke, Kathy Foley, Michelle Bourke and Fiona Newcombe; Week 2 - Mary Donnelly, Margaret Healy, Deirdre Beattie and Michelle Bourke; Week 3 - Pauline Gilgar, Bertha Cooke, Mary Tighe and Phil Lundy; Week 4 - Frances Burke, Bridie McCormack, Helena O’Dea and Michelle Bonner.
Dropout Scramble Winners were Elaine O’Hora, Catherine Smith, Catherine Mulligan and Michelle Grogan.
The Mayo Fleadh Cheoil concert which will take place Ballina Arts Centre next month promises a foot-tapping and entertaining show.
Ballina has been selected to host the county Fleadh Cheoil from May 3 to 11 following a successful staging of the Connacht Fleadh Cheoil in the town in 2023.
The forthcoming concert will feature Ireland's finest musicians, singers and dancers, including performances by The O'Donnell Family, Stephen Doherty, David Doocey, Fergal Ò Murchù, Mayo Teenage Trad Ensemble, Piper's Cross Céilí Band and many more.
The show will be staged at 8pm on Easter Saturday, April 19. Tickets are priced at €20, or €10 concession. Admission for a family of four is €50. You can book online now at www.ballinaartscentre.ie or by calling 096-73593 or emailing info@ballinaartscentre.com.
Popular among athletes from right around Ireland, the acclaimed Salmon Run Triathlon returns to Ballina this summer.
Liquid Motion Triathlon Club, organisers of the event, says that the triathlon is a beginner-friendly race, but always highly competitive for those looking to grace the podium.
Telus Digital are the main sponsors of the race, which also aims to raise awareness of the great work that Mayo Mental Health Association is doing across the county. Mayo Mental Health Association operates an Information Centre in Bohernasup, Ballina.
The Salmon Run Triathlon will be held on Saturday, June 28, at 9am, featuring a 750km swim, a 20km bike race and a 5km run. Entries are now being accepted on the Triathlon Ireland website.
Last year’s Salmon Run Triathlon in Ballina was sold out over a week in advance so anyone interested in participating in the 2025 event is advised to book early.
Meanwhile, Liquid Motion Triathlon Club is hosting Try-A-Tri at the Great National Hotel, Old Foxford Road, Ballina next month. The short swim, bike ride and run will take place on Saturday, May 10, at 8.30am.
More information is available from the social media pages of the Ballina-based Liquid Motion Triathlon Club.
The death has taken place of Brendan O’Grady, Culleens, Killala Road, Ballina.
Brendan was the adored son of Margaret and Martin and will be sadly missed by his heartbroken parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his grandparents Elizabeth and Michael O’Grady, and Kate and Thomas Clarke.
Brendan reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina. Requiem Mass was celebrated in the Church of the Holy Rosary, Cooneal, Ballina on Monday of last week, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
Members of the dynamic Foxford-based New Stage Youth Theatre group bring their show, entitled ‘I felt Like Writing This’, to Ballina Arts Centre this weekend.
Two performances will be presented on Saturday, April 5, by the talented youngsters, one at 3pm and the other at 8pm.
New Stage Youth Theatre offers a yearly programme for young people from Mayo aged between 12 and 18. Being members of this theatre group empowers them to believe in their own creativity, skill set and themselves, to live in the moment and to see no boundaries in the world of theatre.
New Stage Youth Theatre was set up in October 2022 with 15 members and by November 2023 had 25 members, with both a junior and a senior group.
‘I Felt Like Writing This’ is a collection of original plays and songs from New Stage Youth Theatre.
Booking can be made online at www.ballinaartscentre.com, by calling 096-73593, or by email at info@ballinaartscentre.com. Tickets are €10, and will also be available on the door.
Paul Durcan’s poem ‘Golden Mothers Driving West’ has inspired local artists Emmanuel Matt and Michael O’Boyle to create a series of paintings which will go on display in Ballina Library later this week.
The paintings will be on exhibit in the gallery of the Pearse Street library from Saturday, April 5 to Tuesday, April 22.
The artists will launch their paintings on Friday evening, April 4, opening with a reading and conversation at 6.30pm.
The death has taken place of Mary Durkan (née Madden), Derrynamuck, Corroy, Ballina.
Mary was the dear mother of Michael, John, Padraig, Seamus, Noel, Maura, Edel and Eilish.
She will be sadly missed by her sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.
She was predeceased by her husband Michael, son Eugene, grandson Conor, brothers Michael, John, Paddy and Joseph, and sisters Kathleen and Anne.
Mary reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina last Wednesday. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Teresa’s Church, Rathduff, Ballina on Thursday, with her funeral proceeding afterwards to Ballinahaglish Cemetery, Knockmore for burial.
Ballina Bridge Club members enjoyed an exciting few weeks of games recently, played in The Moy Club, Dillon Terrace, Ballina.
Winners of the session on Tuesday, March 18 were: 1st, H. Moran and M. Gilvarry; 2nd, B. Thomas and G. Moran; 3rd, D. Hacket and V. Baynes; 4th, M. Mongan and M. O Dowd; 5th, G. Scanlon and F. Walkin; and 6th, J. Cawley and V. Mc Mahon.
The results of the game played on Tuesday, March 25 were: 1st, G. Scanlon and F. Walkin; 2nd, S. and A. Callaghan; 3rd, E. Walker and A. Maguire; 4th, M. Corcoran and B. Mulkearns; 5th, D. Hackett and V. Baynes; and 6th, A. Ivers and H. Moran.
The busy spring schedule at Craoibhín Ballina has something to suit everyone this year, from Monday through to Friday each week.
Today (Tuesday), you can develop your knitting and crochet skills between 10am and 12pm, followed by a lively and fun line dancing session this afternoon for an hour, starting at 12.30pm.
Wednesdays are even busier at the centre on Cathedral Road, Ballina. Seated exercises start the morning off at 10am. Or you choose to take Spanish conversation classes for an hour, from 11.15am, and then take in a two-hour bingo session from 2pm to 4pm!
The sedate sports game boccia is offered at Craoibhín Ballina on Thursdays, with two hours scheduled each week from 11am. In the afternoon, it is the turn of chair yoga, beginning at 2.30pm and taking place for one hour.
Fridays are devoted to art classes from 10am to 12pm, and Irish conversation classes from 12.30pm to 2pm. The Craoibhín Ballina shopping bus is also available to transport shoppers into town on Fridays.
Next Monday, Craoibhín offers French conversation from 9.45am to 10.45am, and tuition in a musical instrument for an hour from 11am.
Craoibhín is a community-focused organisation that operates under the auspices of Moy Valley Resources IRD, with support from Pobal. For more information about its activities, please call the centre on 087-2785365.
When the children of the Lynn Academy of Music and Performing Arts get together for a show later this month, expect an act of the highest calibre from these young musical theatre stars.
The students of the Ballina-based group will present a feast of visual and musical fare during a double bill featuring songs from ‘Rockpool’ and ‘The Greatest Showman’.
‘The Greatest Showman’ is a reimagined adaption for primary school children of the popular Oscar-nominated feature film, re-written by Sarah Bowe and staged and directed by Aine Killeen, David Lynn and Sarah Bowe.
In the show ‘Rockpool’, Crabby wants to join the Rockpool Band but is interrupted by Jellyfish, Prawns and Mussels, as the nosey Barnacles provides the enjoyable narration.
With choreography by Aine Killeen and Romy Battle, this promises to be a brilliant evening of entertainment for young and old.
The double bill show comes to Ballina Arts Centre on Sunday, April 13 and Monday, April 14, at 6.30pm on both evenings.
Tickets cost €10 for children and €15 for adults, and can be purchased online at www.ballinaartscentre.com. You can also book by calling 096-73593 or emailing info@ballinaartscentre.com.
The death has taken place of Mary McLoughlin, Gurteen, Ballina and formerly of Eskeragh, Crossmolina.
Mary was the dear mother of Dom, Maureen, Jerry, Jim, Linda, Christy, Micheal and Sandra.
Mary will be sadly missed by her sons, daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, relatives, friends and neighbours.
She was predeceased by her husband John and her brother Anthony.
Mary reposed at Hiney’s Funeral Home, Crossmolina on Thursday of last week. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated in the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, Eskeragh on Friday, followed by burial in Crossmolina Cemetery.
Ballina man Fergal Birrane is the only Connacht player to have been called up to the Irish Down Syndrome Futsal team to compete in the SUDS European Championships in Padua, Italy in June.
A table quiz to raise funds to help Fergal on his trailblazing journey is to take place in Ballina on Friday, April 25.
Organised by Elaine Tighe, the quiz promises to be a fun and rewarding experience for all participants. The venue is The Loft Bar, Pearse Street, and the event begins at 8.30pm.
If you would like to catch a story time with your little one, then come along to Ballina Library this coming Wednesday morning or Friday morning, at 10.15am on both days.
During the library’s fun Baby Storytime every Thursday or Wobbler Toddlers session every Friday, your little child will enjoy some soothing words. And you can avail of a selection of fabulous books to take home with you afterwards.
Further details are available from Ballina Library, Pearse Street by phone at 094-9064442 or by email at bvarley@mayococo.ie.
