Local Notes: Presentation of the Michael Byrne Memorial Cup at Fr O'Hara Park, Charlestown on St Stephen's Day.
At the presentation of the Michael Byrnes Memorial Cup after the match which was held in Fr O’Hara Park on St Stephen’s Day.
There was no winner of the Charlestown Sarsfields GAA lotto jackpot of €14,900 in the weekly draw held on Sunday night, January 5, and the following were the four numbers drawn;17, 19, 25 and 26. The winners of the €50 weekly prizes were John Honan and Paddy Durkan Lurga (annual ticket).
The latest jackpot increased to €15,000 and the draw was held on Sunday night, January 12. Tickets are on sale in a number of outlets in the town and are also available on the online platform which can be accessed via the smart lotto or the club’s Facebook page. The club thank all who played and supported the weekly lotto during 2024.
The East Mayo Athletics Club launched their very ambitious development plan for 2025 on New Year’s Day and it makes for impressive reading as they look to bring their long standing project to fruition with a lot of fundraising events in the pipeline in what’s going to be a busy first half of the year for one of the fastest growing and most progressive clubs in the community. The club was formed in 2019 and they can boast a membership in excess of 250 which speaks volumes for their enthusiasm, energy and ambition as they attract members from all corners of the community and beyond. The club headquarters will be located in the centre of the town next to St Attracta’s NS with the total cost of the investment expected to be in the region of €400,000 which is a significant one indeed and is testimony to the vision of the club’s hierarchy with athletics now very much a key part of the town’s recreational infrastructure.
The development will commence in the Spring of 2025 with the erection of a 6 lane floodlit 200 metre synthetic grass running track, with a 3 g Astro in the centre, long jump, throwing area and new cross country training layout.
This development will play a huge part in allowing the club to continue to grow and flourish and attract many more members notwithstanding the continued development and harnessing of the outstanding local talent that has emerged since the club’s inception many of whom have gone on to achieve wonderful feats and achievements in primary and secondary school athletics competitions with many adults and teenagers also making their mark at all levels of competition and events of one form or another.
The committee have worked tirelessly over a number of years to bring this project to completion and they were buoyed to receive significant lotto funding from the sports capital programme at the start of 2024 which gave the project and the committee the impetus to push on and make their dreams a reality.
The committee are looking for financial support in a myriad of ways to help with the completion of the development and there are a number of ways you can support /contribute such as the following; you can sponsor a metre of track the details of which can be found on the splendid East Mayo Athletics Facebook page. You can also get involved with and support the club’s LipSync Battles Ireland fundraiser. If you are a business owner, the club have sponsorship packages available which will give you more visibility and acknowledgement so contact eastmayotrack@gmail.com if you are interested in contributing through this format/forum. People can keep an eye on the club’s socials for further updates and share all posts to build up awareness and generate momentum. The club are always looking for volunteers so if you are interested don’t hesitate to contact any member of the committee This is a huge year for the club and their energetic committee and members and they deserve as much support as they can get as they look to bring the club’s facilities into the twentieth century and allow it to compete on an equal footing with similar clubs in Mayo and beyond.
The death took place at her home, Sandyhill, Charlestown of Kathleen Smyth nee Gavaghan. Her remains were removed to Horkan’s Funeral Home, Lowpark, Charlestown, and burial took place after solemn requiem Mass to the cemetery of the resurrection. She is survived by her daughter Anne-Marie, granddaughter Emmanuelle, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours, and friends. The late Kathleen, who was pre-deceased by her husband Vincent, was a well known and popular member of the community. She was the owner and proprietor of St Ann’s Nursing Home, Sonnagh, Charlestown, for many years right up until its closure some eighteen months ago. She was renowned for her kindness and compassion and treated all her patients and clients with the utmost of dignity and professionalism. Kathleen and her late husband Vincent were an integral part of the business community of Charlestown having run the OId Ship Inn for a number of years throughout the 1970s and 1980s. They opened St Ann’s Nursing Home in the mid to late 1980s and brought an immense work ethic to the project and delivered care of the highest possible standard to all their patients right up until its closure.
Vincent’s untimely death hit Kathleen hard but she carried on with spirit and determination and did her best by her daughter Anne-Marie at all times. She lived a full and active life and was a keen bridge player who was one of the founding members of the Charlestown Bridge Club. She was a long time sponsor of the Vincent Smyth Trophy, one of the key prize nights in the club’s yearly schedule. Her death has caused widespread regret and sorrow in the community of Charlestown and beyond as Kathleen was a lady in the true sense of the word. The large crowds who attended the removal of her remains and subsequent burial was ample proof of the esteem and affection in which she was held and we tender our deepest sympathies to the bereaved.
The East Mayo Athletics Club are keen to get all their members and the wider general public active for the new year with their January challenge which started on Monday, January 13 (yesterday). It consists of 3 x 5km challenge which runs for four weeks. The rules follow the same format as before with between 4 and 6 teams with each team member completing 3 x 5km runs/walks between Monday morning and Sunday night in the four week window. The countdown to Christmas challenge was a terrific success and the club are looking forward to welcoming all their members back with some newcomers perhaps keen to join and get the heart rate pumping for the new 2025 season. For more details on the challenge check out the East Mayo Athletics Club Facebook page which gives regular updates on all matters pertaining to the January challenge and the club to boot.
A new clubbercise dance fitness class takes place in the Town Hall Arts Centre, Barrack Street, Charlestown, on Friday nights from 8-9pm. All are welcome.
Salsa dancing classes resume in the Town Hall Arts Centre on Wednesday nights from 7.30-8.30pm and all are welcome.
Basketball for adults has resumed in the CBD Recreational Centre on Tuesday evenings from 9-10pm, so come along if interested.
Pilates with Taragh resumes in the Charlestown Arts Centre on Monday nights from 8-9pm and all are welcome.
Well done to the U12 girls team who played a couple of games against Ballintubber and Castlebar Comets recently in mini-tournament hosted by the Comets Club in Castlebar. The girls acquitted themselves very well losing narrowly to Ballintubber before bouncing back to defeat Castlebar in a cracking contest with additional time needing to be played with the Charlestown Cubs displaying commendable battling qualities to come out on the right side of a tight and narrow scoreline. This was a terrific morning’s basketball and hats off to the parents of the girls who braved the tough conditions and made the trip with the games and the manner of their displays making it a very worthwhile mission indeed. All teams in the club have resumed training with the days and times all teams train at to be found on the Cubs Basketball Facebook page.
Congratulations are extended to Catriona and Kieran Flatley, Kilkelly, on the birth of a baby girl recently.
www.charlestown.ie is your first point of contact for what’s happening in Charlestown at any time. All weekly events are posted on the above website address with everything from GAA/LGFA, Basketball, Pilates, Yoga, Athletics, Weekend Music, etc. They can only update if clubs / businesses send updates to the domain.
Catholic Marriage Care is seeking facilitators to volunteer to train as presenters for marriage preparation courses. If you feel you would like to help contact Aisling at the Accord Centre, Maynooth, Co. Kildare on 01 5053112 or email marraigecourses@accord.ie.
The first game of the 2025 season, which was due to take place on Wednesday, January 8 last, fell victim to the recent cold snap with freezing temperatures and treacherous road conditions making it impossible to reconvene. The club pushed their return out by a week and they extend their sincere sympathies to the family of Kathleen Smyth on her sad passing early in the new year. Kathleen was a long standing, prominent member of the club going back any number of years and was a popular and jovial presence at the weekly game and was quite the skilful player to boot. She was also the sponsor of the Vincent Smyth Trophy, one of the biggest nights in the bridge calendar, in memory of her late husband Vincent, who was a noted player and formed quite the formidable partnership with Kathleen. Her passing is deeply regretted.
The weekly game will resume on Wednesday, January 15, at 8pm in Walsh’s Bar and the club look forward to seeing all their members back in situ for the new 2025 season with new members most welcome.
The weekly game resumed on Friday, January 3, at 9pm at the Yeats County Inn, Curry, and the following were the prizewinners; 1st Vera Scally and Ivan Maloney; 2nd Darby and Breege Leonard. The game moves back to its usual Tuesday night slot at 9pm in the Yeats County Inn and new members are most welcome.
The following were the winners of the 25 Drive game held in the Yeats County Inn, Curry, on Tuesday night, January 7; 1st Miko Sheridan and Vera Scally; 2nd Darby and Breege Leonard. The game takes place every Tuesday night at at 9pm and all are welcome.
The activator pole and chair exercise class takes place in the Charlestown Arts Centre from 12 noon-1pm on Friday, January 17. Lift access available. All welcome, €2 fee.
You can drop into your local centre or contact it by phone and email for information, advice and advocacy. Make sure you check your local service’s opening hours if you are dropping in. Appointments are offered as needed following an initial assessment. You can also call the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000 Monday to Friday 9am-8pm.
Alone is a national organisation that enables older people to age at home. If you are in need of advice, support or information, call the National Support and Referral line 0818 222 024, seven days a week from 8am-8pm.
The Charlestown Sarsfields Ladies Club are hoping to enter a second adult team into the Mayo Ladies Junior League for 2025. The club are already competing with distinction at the top tier of the senior club football in Mayo with the senior ladies competing in the senior championship and the top division of the league and are more than holding their own as they continue to build year on year and put it up to the heavyweights in the senior championship. The executive feel they have enough players to run two teams for 2025 hence the idea has been mooted to enter a junior team to cater for the large number of adult/underage players on their role so to speak. The call is going out to all players who may have an interest in competing at junior league and championship level with all expressions of interest very much welcomed as the club decide whether the numbers are there to run two teams. They are throwing it out there to all would be players with a link available on the Charlestown LGFA Facebook page which you can click to indicate interest or otherwise. The link is as follows : tinyurl.com/ctownjunior.
The Medjugorje Irish Centre organise pilgrimages to Medjugorje from April to June offering 7 nights apartment accommodation, B & B for €273 per person sharing. Airport transfers available on request. Telephone contact Ireland, 01 44 34 510, Medjugorje 00387 36 651 518, or email reservations@med-irishcentre.com.
A very unique calendar of special images from The Butterfly Garden, Swinford, honouring all the little babies who couldn’t stay are available costing €10 each with postage extra, and with all proceeds going to the Butterfly Garden Maintenance fund. To order, call or text Anita on 087 9794338.
Marriage Counselling Rooms are now available at Convent Road, Ballaghaderreen and at Moneen, Castlebar. Enquiries to office in Castlebar 087 9972503.
Age Friendly Mayo is delivered by Mayo County Council and works to improve the services that older people have identified as being important to them, and the wider community, as they live healthy and active lives. The projects they offer, in conjunction with other organisations include; outdoor spaces and buildings, transportation, housing, respect and social inclusion, social participation, communication and education, civic participation and employment and health and wellbeing.
The key contributors to this programme are the Age Friendly Alliance and Mayo OIder Peoples Council. The Age Friendly Alliance brings together older people, service providers and businesses to change thinking about aging and how services to our older people are planned and delivered.
If you would like to find out more about this programme email agefriendlymayo@mayococo.ie.
Mayo Genealogy Group meet on the second Saturday of every month in Turlough House at 11am. All are welcome and new members are especially welcome.
Life after bereavement can feel very lonely. Trained facilitators conduct a weekly ‘Bereavement Support Meeting’ at the Family Centre, Knock Shrine, each Wednesday at 11am. There is also a special meeting for bereaved partners/spouses on the first Thursday of each month at 11am. No appointment needed . Further information from Monica Morley, 094 9375320.
East Mayo Athletics Club and East Mayo Special Olympics present Lip Sync Battles Ireland on Saturday, March 29, in the Park House Hotel, Kiltimagh, at 8pm. This promises to be a cracking night of fun, music, laughter and entertainment with both organisations very keen to make it a night to savour for all connected and involved. More news in the coming weeks but save the date and make sure you clear your diaries for what should be a cracking night of jollity and hilarity and one not to be missed under any circumstances.
Cloonacool Players` production of ‘Moll’ takes to the stage in Cloonacool on Friday, February 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23. The cast, which includes the ever popular Tom Towey and Mary Kathleen Johnson are in top form as are Dennis Ross and Martin McIntyre. Keep that weekend free in your diary so you can take your seats and sit back and spend the night laughing.
There was one winner of the Curry GAA lotto jackpot of €2200 in the weekly draw held on Monday night, January 6, and the following were the four numbers drawn; 5, 11, 15 and 21. The following were the winners of the 3 x €20 weekly prizes; Sean Henry, The Brett Family, and Jimmy and Rita Brett. The latest jackpot increased to €2300 and the draw took place on Monday night, January 13. Tickets can be bought in a number of outlets or via the online platform and also by logging onto the club’s Facebook and Twitter pages respectively.
Grow is a mental health support program based on lived experience. This mean Grow groups are a meeting of peers, who are striving to develop and maintain good mental health. If you would like to know more, call your local GROW office on 1800 558 268. You can also register for ‘Welcome to Grow’, the online orientation session. This will give you an introduction to how meetings work and an opportunity to ask questions. You can also search for a group close by to you by using Find a Group and just turning up. No registrations are needed.
Senior Line is Ireland’s national telephone service for older people open every day of the year 10am-10pm. Freephone 1800 80 45 91. Callers may feel isolated, alone and may wish to discuss a problem in confidence, or for company during the day. Senior Line’s older volunteers are trained to listen, to support, to discuss options and to refer callers to other helpful services, if necessary. Senior Line 1800 80 45 91 is open every day of the year at the above times.
There was a good turnout at the first weekly darts competition of 2025 held in Walsh’s Bar, Main Street, Charlestown, on Sunday night, January 5, as The Duke and The Pillock dogged it out in a real local derby in the true sense of the word. Governor Gus had to be at his imperious best to maintain control as tempers threatened to boil over on a number of occasions but the red marauder has his ways and means of exerting control with both men stepping back from the brink on a number of occasions.
The Pillock raced into a two set lead which had his large band of followers on their feet as he hit every double and treble with marvellous precision and accuracy. The Duke, stung by the level being exhibited by his opponent, had to find something at the start of the third set or face the dreaded white whitewashing and he duly found some form as he blasted his way back into the match, sealing the third set with a bull eye finish in the third leg to silence the Pillock’s hordes as the Duke’s followers found their voice after been stunned into submission in the opening two sets.
The Duke kept the pressure on in set four and wrapped it up in double quick time stringing three legs together with some sizzling finishing as the Pillock hardly got a look at a double such was the rampant form being displayed by the number two seed. The crowd were totally invested in the contest as it headed for a fifth and deciding set. The Pillock began well taking the first leg but the Duke responded in typically swashbuckling fashion, winning the next two to leave him one away from victory as the atmosphere reached fever pitch levels. The fourth leg was a gripping affair with both men throwing some sublime numbers simultaneously. It was the Pillock who won the race to the double however albeit he had 136 to shoot at which he never looked like hitting once he missed treble twenty with his first dart. He left 36 on his side of the ledger however as the Duke strode to the ochie mulling over 96 which he knew had to take out or face into a fifth and deciding leg battle. He nailed treble sixteen with his first dart as the crowd roared on with approval which left him with two darts at double eighteen as he fixed that beady stare of his on one of his favourite double. He narrowly missed with his first as it grazed the wire and stayed on the high side. He paused before releasing his final dart as a hush descended on the auditorium. The Duke has been down this road so many times over the years and hurled his final dart at the double with the flight path looking nigh on perfect as it made its way to the double. It landed bang on target and nestled in the corner of the double eighteen bed to set off wild scenes of celebration and jubilation as the Duke claimed the first title of 2025.
The Pillock cut a dejected figure at the Duke raised his hand in celebration but like the good sportsman he is, he duly offered his hand in congratulations as both men shared a couple of beers and chatted away in a very friendly and affable manner. A great start to the weekly competition for 2025 with viewing figures at an all time high as the competition continues to go viral into all corners of the universe.
