Local Notes: Involve Ballina Youth Service opens new premises
Involve Ballina Youth Service opened its new premises in the Convent of Mercy on May 20th last as part of Traveller Pride Week. Pictured are, back row, from left: Paddy Maughan, Stanley Wills, Keith Maughan, Ciara Sheedy, James Maughan, Minister of State Dara Calleary TD and Cllr Mark Duffy. Front row: Rita Hopkins and Mariana Halyshyn. Picture: John O'Grady
The new, beautifully-developed open-air public plaza at IQ Ballina will be the location for this year’s Busking Competition, one of the many events in the programme of Ballina Salmon Festival 2024.
Buskers of all ages and from across all genres of music are invited to take part in the contest, with a top prize of €750 on offer, sponsored by Callan Tansey Solicitors, Ballina. Three junior trophies sponsored by Gerry Kenny Sports will also be awarded.
This new public square at IQ Ballina, formerly known as the Military Quarter, will help create the perfect ambience for singers and musicians to showcase their talents.
The judging will take place from Monday to Friday, July 8 to 12, but will exclude Wednesday, July 10, which is National Heritage Day in Ballina. Judging will be between 1pm and 2pm across the four days, with the grand final taking place on Friday, July 12.
While small amplification will be accepted, no PA systems are permitted.
Judging will be in the capable hands of well-known entertainers Paul Newell from the band Gorilla Radio, Mark O’Donnell and Harry Lawler from the group Billow Wood, Pamela Gilmartin, Music Therapist Rosie Connolly, and Niamh Statler.
Last year’s festival busking winner was Nessa Ruane Dalton, from Ballyhaunis.
To enter, please call 096-72800.
There will be a strong festive vibe in the air at The Quay, Ballina on Saturday, July 6, with the return of the Summer Night Barn Dance to the Kennedy Glasgow Centre, overlooking the calm waters of the River Moy at high tide.
The Barn Dance is organised by Craoibhín Ballina and will see live music by Trevor Moyles, who begins a short Scottish tour this coming Friday.
Apart from what promises to be a lively atmosphere, there will be a raffle on the night also.
The Barn Dance will run from 9pm to 11pm and the entrance fee is €10 per person.
Meanwhile, the ever-popular Afternoon Tea Dance organised by Craoibhin Ballina is on Thursday, July 4, in the same venue. Music will come from Padraig Moran, with patrons also enjoying refreshments and a raffle on the day. The cost is €10 per person, and the tea dance starts at 1pm, finishing at 3pm.
Everyone is welcome to both events and more information is available by contacting Craoibhín Ballina on 087-2785365.
The death has taken place of Patrick (Pat) Hennigan, Convent Hill Crescent, Ballina and Currower, Attymass.
Pat was the beloved brother of Mary, Peggy, Tommy, Caroline and Claire.
He will be sadly missed by his sisters, brother, brothers-in-law, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, relatives and friends.
He was predeceased by his parents Michael James and Teresa, and baby brother Joseph Gerard.
Pat reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Monday of last week. Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Joseph's Church, Attymass on Tuesday, followed by burial in Bonnifinglass Cemetery.
The next meeting of Mayo COPD Support Group will take place on Thursday, June 27.
The speaker at the monthly event in The Tennis Club, Lannagh Road, Castlebar will be Aisling Houlihan, Co-ordinator of Services. The meeting begins at 2.15pm.
The death has taken place of Phil McCafferty (née McNulty), Mount Assumpta, Ballina.
She was the beloved mother of Donald, Micheal, Robert, Bill, Brendan, PJ, Jeffrey, Catherine, Kenny, Phillip and Karen.
Phil will be sadly missed by her loving sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, sons-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends, including her many friends at Scoil Iosa.
She was predeceased by her husband Michael, sons Jim and Desmond (Doc), grandson baby Edward, parents Patrick and Bridget McNulty, and brothers Sean, Pearse and Willie.
Phil reposed at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina on Tuesday of last week, with removal afterwards to St Patrick’s Church, Ballina.
Requiem Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery.
The dog show category of Ballina Agricultural Show 2024 will have 20 categories available this year, offering prizes in each category.
The categories range from ‘Any Variety of Puppy Dog/Bitch, 6 to 12 months’, for which the winner will receive the Knockmore Chimney Services Cup, to children, gents and ladies handling categories.
And there is lots more opportunity to show off your dog across a variety of other competitions in the afternoon.
Ballina Agricultural Show 2024 will take place on Sunday, July 14. Entries for the dog competition will be accepted from 11am, at an entry fee of €5. Judging commences at 12pm.
The death has taken place of Seamus Parsons (senior), Abbey Street, Ardnaree, Ballina and formerly of Cloonaghboy, Swinford.
Seamus was the beloved father of Seamus, Eileen and Micheal, and beloved brother of Peggy Fleming. He will be sadly missed by his loving sons, daughter, sister, daughters-in-law Angela and Geraldine, son-in-law John, adored grandchildren Laura, Karen, Brian, Joanne, Hannah and Adam, great grandchildren Sean, Donnacha and Emily, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.
He was predeceased by his loving wife Margaret and his parents James and Catherine.
Seamus reposed at his family home on Tuesday of last week.
Requiem Mass was celebrated in St Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina on Wednesday, followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.
Two couples who recently married in Ballina have been congratulated by the Parish of Kilmoremoy (Ballina).
Those who tied the knot were Susan Nealon, Ballinahaglish, Ballina and Joseph Fay, Dublin, and Tommy McDonagh, Galway and Margaret Lawrence, Riverside Drive, Ballina.
Toys, plants, books and clothes are the items which will be swapped during the Mary Robinson Centre Swap Shop Day in Ballina on Saturday, July 13.
Between the hours of 2pm and 4pm that afternoon, you are invited to bring along any of these goods, take something away with you or, indeed, both!
Entrance to the swap shop will be via Moy Lane (Bank Lane), just off Emmet Street, Ballina.
Sixth-class pupils of The Quay National School, Ballina recently presented a cheque for €2,000 to Daisy Lodge, a charity which caters for the needs of children diagnosed with cancer.
The aim of the charity is to empower, connect and strengthen families so that they feel equipped to deal with whatever cancer throws at them.
The Quay National School also donated €300 each to the Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice and Children’s Health Ireland.
Following on from a successful performance by Billow Wood in St Michael’s Church, Ballina earlier this month, David Lynn and Friends will present a concert on Sunday, July 21, in the same venue.
David is a renowned tenor from Ballina who has sung internationally.
The show will feature classics from the world of opera, musical theatre and the Irish song tradition, and the full line-up of artists will soon be announced.
Tickets are available on Eventbrite, at €20.
Ballina Meals on Wheels will benefit from proceeds raised at the door of the inaugural Best of Ballina Awards, which take place on Tuesday, July 9.
The newly established Best of Ballina Awards are part of the programme for this year’s Ballina Salmon Festival, celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Run in association with Midwest Radio and sponsored by Callan Tansey Solicitors, tickets for the Best of Ballina Awards are now on sale at €10 from Ballina Tourist Office, Pearse Street.
The ceremony will take place in The Great National Hotel at 7.45pm and will include a live Midwest Radio broadcast starting at 8pm, compered by Tommy Marren. There will also be live music and light bites on the night.
Ballina Meals on Wheels operates a service for the Ballina area from its base at Ballina Community Centre, Teeling Street.
If you would like to support the organisation’s important work, then you can contact Ballina Meals on Wheels directly at 096-21572, or email monwb@hotmail.com.
Mayo Volunteer Centre is seeking volunteers to join the team that will assist with the running of this year’s Ballina Salmon Festival.
The team of volunteers for the festival will help the organisers to deliver the best festival experience yet, as it marks 60 years since the very first festival was staged in 1964.
If you would like to be part of this exciting and energetic celebration you can sign up via the Volunteer Ireland website or you can contact Vincent McHale at Mayo Volunteer Centre on 096-71444 or by email at vincent@volunteermayo.ie.
The top prizewinner of €15,000 in the June Quarterly Cash Draw for members of Ballina Credit Union was Margaret Devine.
Robert Marshall won the €3,000 prize, while €2,000 each went to John J. Brogan, Peter Sheridan and Angela Kearns.
€1,500 each went to Robert Sweet, James and Hannah Kilcullen, Deirdre Walsh, Nadine Nealon and Valerie Lavelle.
Winners of a prize of €1,000 each were Padraig Moran, Marian Hickey, Robert Cording, Mary Maughan, Bridget Douglas, Mary J. Devers, Daire Mulligan and Christina Smith.
Concepta McKeon won €750, Gerard Melvin junior won €575 and Lisa Forde won €500.
Culture Night will take place this year on Friday, September 20, with Ballina always among the towns which puts on a memorable and entertaining celebration of this national event.
Applications are invited for Mayo County Council’s Culture Night 2024 Event Fund. The fund is open to not-for-profit organisations, local community groups, arts, heritage and cultural groups, venues and societies.
The Mayo County Council’s Culture Night Event Fund supports the cost of events specifically programmed for Culture Night, which is now just under three months away.
The maximum amount of available funding is €1,000 and the deadline for applications is 5pm on Thursday, June 27.
For guidelines and application forms, please visit www.mayo.ie.
