Local Notes: Iorras Aontaithe end of season awards evening.
Award winners at the recent Iorras Aontaithe end of season awards with club chairperson Mary Teresa Barrett, management and coaches. Missing from photo is Callum Gaughan and Dara Padden. Congratulations to everyone
The club held its annual awards for 2025 season in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel on Friday, October 10, the MC was Des O’Connor. Congratulations to all who received awards on the night.
The U11 Yellow Golden Boot was Ray Coyle; U11 Yellow Player of the Year was Ronan Carey; U11 Orange Golden Boot was jointly won by Ben O’Connor and Michael Walsh; U11 Orange Player of the Year was Shane Naughton; U12 Golden Boot was Rian McAndrew; U12 Player of the Year was Charlie Lynch; Girls U12 Golden Boot was Hazel Conroy; Girls U12 Player of the Year was Mila McLaughlin; U13 Golden Boot was Shane Ivers; U13 Player of the Year was Calvin Padden; Girls U14 Golden boot was Hazel Conroy and Róisin Lavelle; Girls U14 Player of the Year was Zoe Carey; U14 (A) Golden Boot was Anthony Padden; U14 (A) Player of the Year was Cuán Geraghty; U14 (B) Golden Boot was Shay Sweeney; U14 (B) Player of the Year was Lorcan Keenaghan; U14 C Golden Boot was Shane Ivers; U14 C Player of the Year was Oscar Barrett; U15 (A) Golden Boot was Johnny Carey; U15 (A) Player of the Year was Joe Gallagher; U15 (B) Golden Boot was Danny Gaughan; U15 (B) Player of the Year was Callum Gaughan; U16 Golden Boot was Johnny Carey; U16 Player of the Year was Blake Doocey; U17 Golden Boot was Keelan Barrett; U17 Player of the Year was Patrick Coyle; Junior Young Player of the Year was Jamie Reilly; Junior Golden Boot and Player of the Year was Dara Padden.
The ugly side of antisocial behaviour and vandalism was evident with the recent damage to golf greens and tee boxes on Doohoma Community Golf Course.
On Friday morning, October 10, the club discovered that salt had been heavily scattered on two of the golf greens and six tee-boxes. Salt causes irreparable damage, and it is clear in this case that these actions were intentionally undertaken and carried out to kill all of the grass on the targeted greens and tee boxes. This was done overnight on Thursday or in the early hours of Friday morning. The damage to the grass on all of these areas is already evident, and despite undertaking an urgent clean-up operation of the affected areas, it was impossible to remove all of the salt and residue, and the extent of the long term damage to these areas is yet to be determined.
Doohoma Community Golf course has been in existence for a period of approximately 25 years and in that time, from humble and basic beginnings, they have sought to improve it year on year. This journey has involved no end of voluntary work and time, with much valued help from Kiltane Rural Social Scheme, as well as fundraising and membership subscriptions that keep the ship afloat.
The members are proud of Doohoma Golf Club and Golf Course, and believe that they have achieved a unique and invaluable facility within the community. The golf course provides a sporting, social and leisure facility for both young and old within the community, and additionally its value in terms of a tourist and visitor attraction and facility to Doohoma area is unquestionable.
Recently Michael Conroy owner of Michael Conroy Motors Ltd, located in Derrycorrib, Belmullet expressed his concern regarding the absence of an NCT (National Car Test) Centre in the Belmullet area.
Erris is a large region encompassing Belmullet, Eachléim, Doohoma Head, Glenamoy, and Ballycroy, with a population estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 people. Within this area, there are over 15 garages, many involved in car sales and vehicle repair. Despite this, local residents and businesses must travel significant distances to access the nearest NCT centres in Ballina or Westport.
These journeys can exceed 150 kilometres return, taking up to three hours in total and incurring considerable fuel and time costs. At present, test appointments in both Ballina and Westport are typically booked up to three months in advance. Establishing an NCT centre in Belmullet would not only serve the local community but also help ease the backlog in these existing centres.
The Centenary Dinner dance of Belmullet Golf Club will be held on Sunday, October 26, in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel beginning with a drinks reception at 6.30pm with meal at 7.30pm. Tickets are €45 and music by Wavelength. Tickets are now available at +353 87 2561265 or email belmulletgolfclubcarne@gmail.com.
Erris Family and Community Support Centre has recently registered as a Rainbows Centre. The Rainbows Programme has long been recognised as a gap in supporting children and young people who have experienced separation or loss in Erris. It has been a number of years since Rainbows was available to children locally and the programme delivered by The Family Centre in Castlebar has significant demand and therefore a considerable waiting list.
Rainbows Ireland provides peer group support for children and young people experiencing grief due to bereavement, parental separation, or family breakdown.
In order to progress with this project and establish the programme locally, the group need the involvement and support of local schools, early years, clubs, groups, services, organisations and community members. They hope to roll out the programme using a community model which is a collaborative framework where organisations and groups work together to deliver the peer support groups. As a registered centre, Erris FCSC would act as the lead agency, coordinating activities while sharing delivery responsibilities across partners in the community.
A community information meeting will be held on November 5, from 5 til 6.30pm in the Wheelchair Centre in Logmore, Belmullet, to learn more about this project. They will be joined by Geraldine Kelly, CEO of Rainbows Ireland on the evening.
The Pat McDonnell 20th Anniversary Memorial Cup will be held on October 25 and 26, in Kitties Tavern in Bangor Erris. Although it has been 20 years since that terrible night, people all remember it like it happened just last weekend and yet the absence of his presence seems like a lifetime ago. A number of teams made up of family and friends will be battling it out over the 2 days for the cup. The entry fee of €20 per player as well as proceeds from the raffle prizes that have been donated by local people will be divided between the Ruddy/Mangan Fund and the Bangor Graveyard at the request of Bridie and Catherine.
Anyone interested in contributing to the raffle prizes contact Declan on 086 4093959 or Bridie on 085 7478188. Mass will be held on Sunday morning at 11.30am.
Thank you to everyone who supported the 10th annual Jonathan Shevlin Memorial Game recently. At the time of writing €1,823.37 has been raised so far for Cara Iorras, with more donations still coming in. It was a fantastic success from start to finish. It is always great to see so many people come together each year to remember Jonathan and to support such a worthy cause.
