Local Notes: RTÉ in Ballyhaunis for pre-election special
Usman Sarwar (left), a popular staff member at the local Supermac's in Ballyhaunis was interviewed by Brian O'Connell (centre) of RTE who was in town recently for the Claire Byrne Radio Show election special. Also in the photo is Mike Griffin, of the Community Hall.
Inspirational women from the Ballyhaunis area who were involved in the War of Independence and the Civil War will be the focus of an exhibition and lecture on November 30th at the Community Hall.
Presented by the Mayo Genealogy Group and hosted by Ballyhaunis Community Council, the Revolutionary Women of East Mayo exhibition and talk will feature a series of women from the Ballyhaunis area. Historian Frank Fagan will speak about the Irish Civil War on the night while an exhibition of story boards will feature the biographies of the brave women and their fight.
Some of the local women included in the talk are Mrs Dillon-Leetch, Dr Maude O’Cleirigh, Gretta Mullins, Mae Grealy, Florrie Murray, Mollie Donnellan, Baby Hunt, Bridget Sloyan and Kathleen McDonald. Also featured are the Kenny sisters, Crossard.
Local farmers want a new, more effective approach from government to TB eradication in local cattle herds, the annual general meeting of the Ballyhaunis branch of the Irish Farmers' Association heard.
A number of local farms have been affected by TB in their herds recently while under-staffing of the Department of Agriculture’s wildlife unit which vaccinates badgers – a protected species under Irish law - has led to lower vaccination rates, according to Jarlath Walsh, who addressed the meeting on IFA priorities in the lead-up to the general election. This, he explained, may be leading to higher levels of TB transmission to herds.
Convened by local chairperson Gerry Cuddy, the meeting featured a discussion of various farm subsidy schemes, in particular ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme). One farmer present complained that his farm payments have suffered from government adjustment of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) to support environmental actions.
“We are being asked to do more for less money, you’re asked to do loads of different actions which require more paperwork in order to get payments.”
A policy of convergence of payments means “money is being taken from productive farmers to give it to less productive farmers,” said the farmer.
Strong cattle and sheep prices were highlighted during the meeting while a suggestion was also made that the TAMS (Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Schemes) farm capital investment subsidy programme be extended to refurbishment on slatted houses and other structures built several decades ago and now requiring maintenance work.
A ground-breaking new series of maps produced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that the Irish population remains largely unanimous on the need for action on climate change, with rural dwellers as concerned as their urban counterparts.
The maps were produced by the office of Ballyhaunis native Dr Tara Higgins, programme manager at the EPA Evidence Programme, and show people across Ireland continue to be in almost full agreement that climate change is happening with majority support for all government policies to reduce carbon emissions.
Tara said: “It is encouraging to see that most people across all parts of Ireland believe we have a collective responsibility to act on climate change. It will be important to understand and address people’s concerns about some climate action policies – such as moving away from fossil-fuelled transport and home heating.
"These latest climate opinion maps are a valuable resource for climate policy decision-makers, researchers, the media, non-governmental organisations, and students. We encourage people to use these maps to explore opinions on climate change and worries about climate risks in their own county and region.”
The maps, which can be viewed on the Epa.ie website, show that while support for climate action is high and largely consistent across the country, there are slight regional variations in the level of support for some policies such as the banning of peat, coal, and oil for home heating. Support is highest in urban areas, and weakest in the North-West and border regions. A similar pattern is evident for policies to increase taxes on cars that use petrol and diesel.
Ballyhaunis was presented with no less than four options for a bypass route which would link up the roads into and out of the town, but the project appears to have been shelved. A document circulated at a June 2008 public meeting in the parochial hall was shared by a local reader after we reported in last week’s edition that candidate Patsy O’Brien has made a Ballyhaunis bypass a priority in his election manifesto.
Published by Mayo County Council in 2008, the document offered four different potential routes for a new road to connect the Claremorris, Galway, Dublin, Ballaghaderreen and Knock roads. A query to Mayo County Council on the status of the bypass plans was unanswered at the time of going to press.
Fr William (Willy) Byrne, a Ballyhaunis-born priest with a long missionary career in Asia, was remembered at a special Month’s Mind mass on November 10th when his chalice was presented to the local parish.
Fr Stephen Farragher explained: “On the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood in 1960, Fr Willy was presented with a chalice by his mother Bridie, and his brothers and sisters in memory of his father John Byrne. Fr Willy died in Dalgan Park, Navan on October 10th. His wish was that following his death, the chalice should be presented to his native parish of Ballyhaunis.
"On Sunday, November 10th, a Month's Mind Mass was celebrated in his memory in St Patrick's Church, Ballyhaunis. The chalice, with wine, was brought to the altar at the offertory.”
An official presentation took place at the end of Mass with Fr Willy’s sister Maria and his brother Michael presenting the gold chalice to Fr Stephen Farragher.
A member of the Missionary Society of St Columban, Fr Willy served for several decades in Japan. He was brother of Val Byrne of 'Val's Restaurant' on Main St. His sole surviving brother Michael lives in Tuam and his sole surviving sister Maria lives in Dublin.
Val of Val's Restaurant died a few years ago but had been living with his daughter in Maynooth and a Kildare nursing home before he died.
Local singer songwriter Brian Flanagan, who performs under the moniker U.M.A.N, will wrap up his national tour with a show with his band in the TF Royal Theatre on Saturday, November 23rd. He will be joined by special guests on the night The Chapel Street Gospel Choir.
Brian has just released his debut album , produced by Grammy-nominated Billy Farrell. A press release from Brian states he has “been lauded for his soaring harmony driven vocals, sophisticated songwriting and feet-tapping melodies".
MidwestRradio listeners will be familiar with Brian’s voice when during the Covid-19 pandemic the Ballyhaunis native provided music for the station's mass for over a year when choirs were not permitted to perform.
The All-Ireland Senior Céilí Band Champions 2023, the Pipers Cross Cêilí Band, will launch their first album, , in Eileen's Bar, Aghamore on Friday, November 22nd, at 9pm. All are welcome for what promises to be a great night of music, song and dance.
Irish Rail is looking at ways to provide more car parking spaces at its Ballyhaunis station, the company told this column, in response to worries raised about congestion at the station in last week’s edition.
“In terms of car parking, we are reviewing our national car park strategy in 2025 to update priorities based on current usage and envisaged future requirements, and Ballyhaunis will be assessed along with other station requirements around the network,” said the statement.
Any car park improvement works in Ballyhaunis “would be subject to both planning and funding approval", the company said.
Local postal workers are calling for the restoration of pension rights reduced as part of a restructuring of An Post’s retirement fund over a decade ago. The 2013 deal to replenish the semi-state company’s pension reserves has meant the postal workers’ pensions have risen by only 2.5% between 2013 and 2022 whereas An Post staff received in the same period increases of 13.75%, according to retirees impacted.
“Before the agreement, pension increases were on a pay parity with what staff received - if staff got a 4% increase it was automatically passed onto the pensioners,” explained Brickens-based An Post retiree Eugene Delaney.
Eugene was one of a number of retirees from the area who travelled to Dublin recently to protest at the headquarters of the Communications Workers' Union.
The agreement allowed An Post to reduce its contribution to the pension fund down from 14.4% to 8%, resulting in An Post saving approximately €30 million a year rather than pass the increases onto the pensioners.
“Pensioners that retired up to December 31, 2021, have lost out completely in their pension and gratuity,” noted Mr Delaney. “Given that the pension fund is in such a healthy state, why were the pensioners not compensated for their unnecessary financial hardship, many of whom are in their twilight years.”
Congratulations to Connor Freeley, Doctors Road who won €625 in the Ballyhaunis GAA 50/50 draw on an envelope sold in Curley's. The next draw is in The Clock on November 17th.
