Local Notes: St Brendan's College, Belmullet in county and Connacht finals.
Good luck to the 1st year boys Gaelic team from St Brendan's College, Belmullet in their upcoming county and Connacht finals.
Are you interested in hosting a Spanish Student this summer for a 4 week stay? It’s a full immersion programme, no classes or group activities, just live and integrates with your family and does what your children do. The Spanish child is ideally around the same age and gender as one of your children. It pays €1,600 for the 4 week stay. The dates are 25/06-23/07 or3/07-31/07. There are also a few flexible dates. So if you have a child aged from 12 to 18 years and interested in hosting this summer give Rina a text on 0877414252.
Scoil Naomh Bhride and Drumgallagh NS are open for enrolment. Contact Scoil Bhíde on 098 49201/089 4366758, Drumgallagh on 083 8799618. Bus Eireann school bus ticket deadline is May 8, to guarantee issue of school bus ticket (primary and secondary).
Three rural Mayo GAA clubs join forces at underage. Ballycroy, Kiltane and Cill Chomáin has amalgamated underage teams to keep young players engaged. The underage players will play together from now on under the name of Erris Shamrocks. Last year, the three clubs had joined forces at U-21 level, and this year the U18, U16 and U14 teams followed.
The Erris branch of the IWA is holding their AGM, in IWA Centre, Logmore, at 5.15pm on this Wednesday, May 6.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club lotto jackpot of €8,100 with the two €50 winners being John McDermott, c/o Erris Coast and Martin McManamon, Glenturk while Martin Harrington, Geesala and John G both won €25s. The two on line winners were Gareth Carey, Carnfowler €50 and Peter McDonagh, Geesala €25.
Bingo will take place in the GAA complex Bangor this Tuesday, May 5, at 8pm. The jackpot will be €1,000 in 54 calls or less.
There was no winner of the draw on April 23. The €50 lucky dip winners were Ann Gallagher and John Cusack whist Padraig Lynskey Junior won the €25. The jackpot is now €24,700.
The date for the annual Blitz na gCumáin in CLG Cill Chomáin has now been set for May 26. Come along and watch the young hurlers and camógs from all the national schools in Erris compete for the Ciaran Mallon, John Barrett and Mary Linnane trophies. Má tá Gaeilge agat, nó cúpla focal, labhair í ar an lá. Thanks to Courtney O’Donnell for her work in the national schools over the last few months. All U6 to U12 hurlers/camogs are welcome to club training in the town park every Saturday morning from 11am to 12.15pm.
The Erris Family and Community Support Centre had governance training recently for the board and staff team. It was really helpful to understand the roles and responsibilities for the voluntary board of management and how CLGs and charities operate, as well as the accountability and standards that are required. They also looked at the structure and operation of the FRC programme and the FRC National Forum giving all a really good sense of the collective way of working, and the combined model of family support and community development within FRCs.
Erris Family and Community Support Centre invites you to a Community Wellness Event on Friday, May 15, in Aras Inis Gluaire, from 11.30am-2.30pm. There will be Yoga with Agatha, Sound bath with Beata and an outdoor nature connection session with Ged. People can participate in one of the classes or just drop in to visit the information stands on the day, and enjoy some light refreshments and a chat. This event is part of the Hello, How Are You? Day campaign encouraging meaningful connections and conversations. There is no fee to attend the classes, but places are limited. Contact Leanne on 087 0670989 or email coordinator@errisfcsc.ie for more details and to book your place. This event is supported by the HSE National Lottery Fund.
What a fantastic achievement to make it to the Connacht Schools “D” final recently. The lads were excellent throughout and hard luck to a gallant St Cuan's team. It was a nice day in Foxford, a pulsating football encounter which delivered drama right to the final whistle as Brendan’s snatched victory in extraordinary fashion.
Trailing deep into the closing stages, Brendan’s looked to be heading for a narrow defeat despite a strong overall performance. However, in a stunning late surge, they turned the game on its head with two goals in the dying minute. The decisive moment came when Danny Gaughan himself found the net under immense pressure, sealing a remarkable comeback and sending his side into celebration.
Despite conceding five goals over the course of the game, Brendan’s attacking persistence proved decisive. Their final tally of 2-18 edged out their opponents’ 5-8, a single-point margin that barely reflects the dramatic swings of momentum throughout the contest. It was a game defined by resilience, late-game composure, and a grandstand finish that will be talked about long after the final whistle.
McGraths Erris Tours is going to Bundoran Donegal on Sunday, June 28, to Wednesday, July 1. The price is €405 sharing and single €480. Breakfast on way up and dinner on way home is included along with bed and breakfast each day while away with dinner every night and music each night with inclusion to Mick Flavin and Philomena Begley on Sunday night with tours each day. There are a few seats left and if interested contact Mary Irwin 087 232327 or Carmel Gaughan 086 8488266. A deposit is €100 per person is requested as soon as possible.
Congratulations to the incredible 1st year boys GAA team, led by captain John Lynch, who have powered their way into the Connacht final recently. In a nail-biting showdown in Bonniconlon, the lads showed grit, determination, and true team spirit to edge out a strong Grange Post Primary side, winning by just one point in a thrilling finish that had everyone on the edge of their seats.
A huge thank you is extended to the management team for their dedication and commitment in guiding this fantastic group of players.
Well done to the boys and girls of Aughalasheen NS on recently winning the Erris Cumann na mBunscol Division 4 finals and to their dedicated coaches Melissa and Gabriel.
"Seanchaí Iorrais-Erris Storytellers” are about to embark on a tour with the stage play production of "We have him back!"
Landmark Theatre Production to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Death of Frank Stagg written by Brían MacSuibhne. The production will tour the island of Ireland after opening in Belmullet on May 15 and 16, then from June to December 2026 to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Stagg, the Mayo man who died on hunger strike in Wakefield Prison in February 1976 and whose body was subsequently secretly buried in an unmarked grave under concrete by the Irish State.
Set in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina. The play is an historically accurate and deeply human account of the events surrounding Frank Stagg’s 62-day hunger strike, the forced feeding carried out by the British prison authorities, and the extraordinary actions of his family - particularly his brother George Stagg, who, 22 months later, fulfilled his promise to recover Frank’s remains and reinter him in the republican plot in Ballina.
Developed with the full permission, blessing and factual input of the Stagg family, ‘We Have Him Back’ tells the story through the voices of a mother watching her son die, a wife confronting official falsehoods, a sister struggling to understand, and a brother whose love and resolve would not allow history to be buried in silence.
The play also weaves in documented conversations, world and national news, music, fashion and social life of 1970s Ireland, grounding the personal tragedy in its wider historical moment.
Author Brían MacSuibhne, from Belmullet, said: “Fifty years ago, the truth of what happened to Frank Stagg and his family was buried in concrete, censorship and lies. This play is about uncovering that truth, about love between brothers, and about a family who refused to let their son be erased from history.” Opening with a two-night inaugural run in Belmullet on May 15 and 16, in the Áras Inis Gluaire, home town of the writer, cast and crew, the production will then tour every province, bringing this story from Mayo to Dublin, Belfast, Donegal, Cork and beyond.
With a cast of 12 and a crew of 8, the tour will present approximately one to two performances per month, accompanied by post-show discussions and community engagement events in each location. A spokesperson for the Stagg family said: “This production tells a story of my brother Frank’s story with honesty, dignity and accuracy. It honours not only his sacrifice, but the pain, courage and determination of our family in the face of what was done to him after his death.” The production is conceived as a major heritage and commemorative project, exploring themes of family, human rights, state power, historical memory, and the enduring impact of the prison struggle of the 1970s. It is intended for audiences across generations, from those with living memory of the period to younger adults encountering this history for the first time. Some scenes are very graphic and are not suitable for children.
Information evening.
An information evening takes place in Teach Greannai, Cornboy, F26W7W9 on the Thursday, May 7, at 7pm in relation to installation of solar panels and the benefits to households followed by a question and answer session. The talk is given by a representative of Westquay Energy and is open to all.
