Local notes: Ronan's reward at World Cup
Teresa O'Malley, Margaret Reilly and Martha Guiry in Foxford for the recent stopover of the All-Ireland winning Mayo senior football team. Picture: Michael Donnelly
Congratulations to Ronan Healy, a junior member of Foxford Angling Club, who won the Under-21 category at last week’s 68th Trout Fly World Angling Championships which were held on Lough Mask. He was one of two FAC members to qualify for finals day, as Stephen Browne also made the cut.
Both anglers did well to make the grade in what were very difficult conditions.
Ronan’s qualifying trout of 2.72lb placed him fourth in the heat, with Stephen right behind Ronan with a weigh in of 2.69lb to take fifth place.
For anyone with an interest in the proposals for a new routing of the N26 road between Foxford and Mount Falcon, it’s worth noting that Mayo’s National Roads Office is to display the emerging preferred option and hold a public consultation in the Great National Hotel, Ballina on Wednesday, August 19 from 2pm to 7pm. It will represent an important opportunity to learn more about and to discuss the plans.
Straide and Foxford United are for the first time looking to enter a team into the Mayo Women’s Masters League. The club is now recruiting players for the over-30s league which gets underway in the autumn. For anyone interested in joining the team, contact Brian Wallace at 086-3748128 for further details.
Foxford Salmon Anglers are to run the open invitation Waterkeepers Trophy 2026 competition on the River Moy on Friday to Sunday, August 21-23. There will be both senior and junior categories with cash prizes on offer along with spot prizes and a trophy.
With fishing allowed from dawn to dusk, the heaviest bag presentation will be held in Guiry’s Bar at 1pm on the Sunday. The entry fee is €20 for the whole weekend. Tickets are available in advance from the waterkeepers or Tiernan Brothers tackle shop.
Meanwhile, partial rain for the week ending August 2 failed to get the salmon moving, with only eight salmon reported caught for the week on Foxford club waters. Bubble and fly was the most popular.
With the dust settling somewhat on a momentous couple of weeks that saw the club welcome home Cian McHale from his exploits with the All-Ireland winning Mayo senior football team, Moy Davitts commenced their county intermediate football championship campaign away to Louisburgh last Saturday afternoon (see Game On sports section for a full report). There are a number of other club fixtures due to be played this week.
Tomorrow (Wednesday) in Group 1 of the Homeland U12 Summer League, Moy Davitts are away to Ballinrobe. On Thursday, Moy Davitts host Charlestown Sarsfields in Group 1 of the Homeland U16 ‘C’ championship while on Friday, Moy Davitts entertain Carras in the Homeland U10 Go Games South/East. All those games throw in at 7pm.
On Sunday at 1pm, Moy Davitts are also at home in Group 2 of the Homeland Minor ‘D’ football championship as they take on Crossmolina Deel Rovers at 1pm.
Moy Davitts GAA has paid out over €1100 in its past two 50-50 draws, with Anne Davey the winner of €577 and joint winners Clara Bourke and Tadhg Bourke claiming a jackpot prize of €590.
Tickets are available in the usual retail outlets and by playing on the club app.
The annual summer Seisiún of Bofield CCÉ is on a six night run at the Great National Hotel in Ballina. The very best in traditional music, song, dance and storytelling is guaranteed each and every Thursday night between now and August 20. The shows commence at 8.30pm.
Couples celebrating their Silver, Ruby, Golden, Diamond, Platinum or other wedding anniversaries are invited to attend a Jubilee Mass, along with their families and friends, on Sunday, October 4 October at 2.30pm in the Cathedral of the Annunciation and St Nathy, Ballaghaderreen. Bishop Kevin Doran will celebrate the Mass. Light refreshments will be served afterwards for all in attendance. As each couple celebrating an Anniversary will receive a certificate from Bishop Kevin, they are asked to register their details at https://achonryelphin.ie/jubilee-of-marriages/. If you have any questions, you can contact Sr Pat Casey or Bernie Mulligan in the Achonry diocesan office on 094-98-60034.
There was an excellent 8-2 away win for S&F United against Killala AFC in the Mayo U16 Premier Division last week. Calum Costello struck a hat-trick and Sean Walsh bagged a brace while there were goals apiece by Jamie Loughney, AJ McKeown and Michael Ruane.
Also picking up three points were S&F United’s U18 boys who were 4-0 winners at home to Fahy Rovers. The goals were scored by James Duffy, Brady Guilfoyle, Michael Ruane and Donnacha Timlin. Less fortunate were the U14 boys who exited the first round of the cup after a 4-0 defeat to Claremorris.
Meanwhile, congratulations to Ann Maloney, Green Road, Foxford, who was the winner of €100 in the weekly S&F United 50-50 draw.
A 30 year reunion of St Joseph’s Secondary School’s 1996 Leaving Certificate class is to be held on Saturday, September 12 in The Riverbank, Foxford where a night of music, memories and lots, lots more is guaranteed.
Former students are asked to save the date and spread the word. You can get in touch by email at classof96stjosephs@gmail.com or follow on Facebook at Class of 1996 Reunion.
This year’s Foxford Traditional Weekend is taking place from October 15 to 18 and the organisers are seeking offers of accommodation for the increasing number of visitors from across Ireland and beyond that the festival is attracting.
If you are you a local accommodation provider with rooms, self-catering accommodation, a B&B, holiday home, Airbnb, or other visitor accommodation, the festival committee would love if you could help them showcase everything that Foxford and the surrounding area has to offer, by making it easier for visitors to plan their trip.
If you would like your accommodation to be featured free of charge on the Foxford Traditional Weekend website, you can email foxfordtraditionalweekend@gmail.com and include a few good quality photos, a short description of your accommodation, contact details, website or booking link (if applicable) and any social media links.
Congratulations to Martin Boyle, Culmore and Aoife Harrington, Galway, who were married in Ballintubber Abbey on Friday, July 24.
There are to be no Masses in either Toomore or Attymachugh churches on the weekend of August 30/31, with all Masses that weekend instead taking place in St Michael’s Church, Foxford only.
Well done to former Moy Davitts and Mayo player Niamh Kelly who featured on the Ireland team that played Australia in the first ever Women's AFL International. She would have been joined on the team by sister Grace were it not for a hamstring injury, but also representing Ireland Down Under were Niamh’s former Mayo teammates Dayna Finn (Kiltimagh), Rachel Kearns (MacHale Rovers) and Sarah Rowe (Kilmoremoy).
Niamh and Grace play in the AFLW for Adelaide Crows.
Unfortunately for the Irish team, the Aussies proved too strong on the day.
Meals can be provided from Monday to Saturday by the Foxford Meals on Wheels service at a cost of €7 per meal. To avail of this service please contact Geraldine on 087-9040463 or Carmel on 086-6064670.
Time is running out if you would like to support Moy Davitts in its sale of Mayo GAA Club Development Draw tickets. This annual county board draw requires that Moy Davitts must sell 50 tickets and return 100% of the sales revenue to Mayo GAA after which 90% of all additional sales revenue generated by the club stays with the club. Therefore it is in the interest of Moy Davitts GAA to sell as many extra tickets as it can because it is one of the club’s most important fundraisers of the year.
All money raised through these ticket sales is re-generated back into the club facilities for the benefit of all club members from Moy Davitts GAA, Moy Davitts LGFA, Dads and Lads and the GAA for All teams.
Development draw tickets cost €100 each and each ticket is entered into six draws where a top prize of €10,000 is on offer in draws one and six and €5,000 in draws 2 to 5, with €1,000 the second prize in ever draw and up to 30 cash prizes up for grabs in every draw.
Moy Davitts would be extremely grateful if club members would purchase a Club Development Draw ticket at https://pay.sumup.com/b2c/QFH3FXKG or by contacting any of the club executive.
