Local Notes: New director for Kiltimagh's Clann Machua Drama
There was a great turnout in Kiltimagh for the recent Tidy Towns clean-up with all generations taking part.
Moira Mahony, from Athenry, has been announced as the director of Clann Machua’s One-Act entry into this year’s All-Ireland circuit.
Moira is a vastly experienced actor and director and is no stranger to Kiltimagh. Her recent work has been with yhe Seamus O’Kelly Players, based in Loughrea. Moira has performed with various groups in the Kiltimagh One-Act Festival down the years and at the Claremorris Fringe Festival and has a family connection to the town. Her uncle, Pat Carey, lives in Cordarragh, so both he and Mary are likely to see lots of Moira over the next few months.
Moira’s first task is to choose a suitable script and cast the play. Rehearsals will commence in the next week. The One-Act competition takes place nationwide, in October and November annually, while the All-Ireland Finals take place over the first weekend in December in a different province each year. This year’s final will be held from December 6th to 8th at the Moat Club, Naas, Co Kildare.
Clann Machua has ambitious plans to stage three plays over the winter season.
Along with the one-act entry, Rebecca Farrington will direct Roddy Doyle’s for the Three-Act national circuit competition. The play was adapted from the novel of the same name by the author and is set in northside Dublin in the 1980s, and features a cast of 13. Performances for the national competition will take place in late February and March, with the All-Ireland Finals being held in Claremorris at the end of April.
Sean Langan will direct by Michael Joe Ginnelly, from Mulranny, for local audiences. This is a very popular three-act comedy which celebrates the great Irish tradition of wakes. Clann Machua stages plays like this to give local audiences a good laugh and to raise funds for the group. It is also provides an opportunity for new actors to come in and experience theatre for the first time.
Kiltimagh senior GAA team were in very hard luck in the first round of the Intermediate Championship last week, losing to Hollymount-Carramore by a single point.
The game was played at the Centre of Excellence, Bekan, and Kiltimagh were leading by three points with five minutes remaining. It wasn’t to be their day, however, and, with great disappointment, lost out at the end, 2-10 to 2-9.
Mick Regan’s side were underdogs going into the contest but gave a good account of themselves against tough opposition. Conor Mallee scored 1-2 for Kiltimagh and Cian Gallagher got 1-1. The other scores came from Donovan Cosgrove and Seán Gilmartin who scored 0-2 each with Niall and Oisin Mulderrig getting 0-1 apiece.
Kiltimagh’s next outing in Group Two of the championship is on Saturday next, August 31st, when they travel to Ballindine to play Davitts, with the throw-in at 5.45pm. Davitts won their opening match over Castlebar Mitchels 1-12 to 1-8.
In other GAA news, Jennifer Roughneen was the winner of the club’s 50/50 draw, taking home €539.
The community was very saddened to learn of the recent passing of Sadie Burke of Cordarragh.
Sadie was originally Sadie McGibney, from Killeshandra and Lemongrove House, Co Westmeath.
Sadie and Aiden, her husband of 55 years, met in Moate, where they were both teaching. Sadie later taught commerce to secondary school students in Ballyhaunis, while Aiden taught in St Louis Community School, Kiltimagh.
Sadie is survived by Aiden, daughters Jeannette Burke-Carroll (Kiltimagh), Maeve Stephens (New York), Carla (Belfast) son Cathal (Huddersfield, UK), eight grandchildren, her sisters Maureen and Nuala, brothers Desmond, Brendan and Colm.
She was a great community woman and will be missed by her valued friends and neighbours.
Sadie was laid to rest in Kilkinure Cemetery on Saturday, August 17th.
It’s been a difficult season for Kiltimagh Knock United’s men’s team in the Mayo Super League. The side is in transition, with players leaving to travel; others out with injuries and young players coming in. Results haven’t always gone their way, but they can’t be faulted for effort.
But every season has its moments, and this is no different. Castlebar Celtic came to CMS Park last week, and while KKU ended up on the wrong side of the result, the match will be remembered for the excellent goal Dylan Roache scored. His textbook powerful header to the top corner of the net, from a Cormac Caulfield free kick, will surely be a contender for goal of the season.
As the Mayo soccer season draws to a close, the goal will give the players and management something to smile about and remember going into the winter.
The late Seán McDermott
There was great sadness in the town at the passing of Seán McDermott, of Gortfada, and formerly of Keenagh in North Mayo who died suddenly on August 20th at his home.
Seán was predeceased by his brother PJ and sister Maura and is survived by his wife Eileen, sons Con (Kiltimagh), John (Dublin), Bernard (Claremorris), Patrick (Paris), Damian (Donegal) and Eugene (Kiltimagh).
Seán will be sadly missed by his brothers Gus and Bernard (Keenagh), daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and a wide circle of friends.
Seán was laid to rest on Friday, August 23rd, in Kilkinure Cemetery.
Tidy Towns
The Tidy Towns group is one of the most hands-on organisations in the community.
Their most recent work took place in the St Louis’ Car Park off Chapel Street when a team of workers cleared weeds and did a great tidy-up. The group had some young helpers as well, with Corbin and Sadie getting stuck in. This sets a great example to youngsters and fosters the excellent community work and spirit enjoyed by the town for generations.
The community extends its sympathies and condolences to Murt Dunleavy of the teaching staff of St Louis Community School on the passing of his brother, Billy, of Creevaghbawn, Togher, Tuam, Co Galway.
Billy passed away suddenly at home on August 4th. He was predeceased by his father Tom.
Billy is deeply regretted by his mother Bridie, brothers Pat and Murt, sisters Marie (Fahy) and Cathriona (Boyle), brothers-in-law, Fabian and Tony, sisters-in-law Teresa and Marie, nieces and nephews, grand-nephew and grand-nieces and his extended family, neighbours and friends.
Billy was laid to rest in Creevaghbawn Cemetery after Requiem Mass in St Mary's Church, Killererin.
John Corless is the new correspondent in Kiltimagh. He succeeds Mai Higgins who has retired after 39 years of outstanding service to the newspaper and the community.
John can be contacted by email at johncorless100@gmail.com or by telephone/WhatsApp at 087-9843900.
