Lanesboro Ballyleague Notes
Blood Transfusion Service
The Irish Transfusion service will offer the opportunity to people to give blood when they visit Longford during the coming week. They will be in the Longford Arms Hotel on Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 14th, and Thursday 15th October from 4.30 pm to 8.30pm each day.
Terry Fox Run this Sunday
The Annual Terry Fox Run in aid of Cancer research will take place on Sunday next 18th October. As usual the Run/Walk will start at St. Mary’s Church, Lanesboro and follow the regular route with a starting time of 3pm. All walkers and runners are asked to take part and help this excellent charity that carries out so much excellent work in Cancer Research. Your support will be deeply appreciated. For further information please contact Una Clarke phone 086-8929402.
Launch of Poetry Collection
A collection of poems, entitled “April Promise” by Margaret Nohilly will be launched by native writer Jack Harte, in Lanesboro Library on Friday night next 16th October at 8pm. This is the first collection of poetry by Margaret and we wish her every success.
Margaret who retired from teaching a short time ago has put her retirement to great use by writing this collection of poems.
Margaret would like to extend an invitation to each and everybody to the launch. If you cannot make it to the launch copies of the book will be on sale in O’Brien’s Corner Shop.
Lanesboro Bridge Club
The results of the competition held on Wednesday 7th October are; N/S 1st Barbara Ferguson & Eilish Gray, 2nd Mairéad Gill & Maura Hanly, 3rd Kathleen Reilly & Tom Feeney. E/W 1st Noreen Dunne & Mae Casey, 2nd Cyril Hussey & Una Lawlor, 3rd Renee Walsh & Mary Jameson.
Lack of Policing a Major Concern
On the 16th June last I wrote an article expressing a concern about the lack of policing in Lanesboro Ballyleague area, see article on www.joeobrien.ie It is my greatest regret to inform you that in the Lanesboro Ballyleague the policing concern of then has now become a major crisis for both communities. The Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy and Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern, were recently in Granard denying the media claims and concerns of locals that there were going to be stations closures in rurals areas and that the station at Aughnacliffe, in particular, was going to be closed. The local community were demanding extra Gardaí and not the closure of their station.
In last weekends Sunday Tribune we were treated to the extravagant living of our Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue, Government Ministers and in recent times read of the extraordinary expense claims by ordinary TD’s, all of this I can only presume, at the expense of an ample number of Gardaí in Lanesboro to serve the people of both the Lanesboro and Ballyleague communities. We have honest decent and hard working communities and we deserve the fairness and the security that the Garda force was set up to serve. We have hard working and dedicated Gardaí working to serve the community from Lanesboro station and it is extremely unfair on them.
In recent time we have seen a change in the Garda divisions and with that change has come the ludicrious situation of Ballyleague being served now by Roscommon Garda station. When there is any incident now in Ballyleague it has to go through Roscommon who may be duty bound at some other incident leaving the people of Ballyleaue in a very vulnerable and scary situation. The people of Ballyleague deserve much better, they deserve the same rights and protection as every citizen in this country is entitled to. Imagine the scenario where an incident just across the bridge in Ballyleague has to be reponded by Gardaí over 10 mile away in Roscommon and Gardaí a few hundred yards away are not notified.
In my previous article I mentioned the fall in manning levels at Lanesboro Garda station. The situation has got infinitely worse and there is no sign of any extra gardaí been transferred to Lanesboro station and the situation seems to be progressively getting worse. I belive that the number of 12 a few years ago has diminished so much that it is now at crisis level with only 3, yes 3, gardaí working from Lanesboro station right now. How can this be justified by local Superintendant, Garda commissioner, our politicians or Minister for Justice. It is now time for a tremendous outcry from the communities of Lanesboro and Ballyleague into the treatment we are receiving. It is truly beyond belief that we can be left in such a vulnerable position. Like any community we deserve the best policing that the minister can give. It is an entitlement that each citizen of the country is enntitled to receive.
How dare they treat our communities with such contempt. How dare they leave us so vulnerable. When will we receive any response or will we receive any information as to why we are being neglected and ignored by those that decide policing in our area. Why should we be treated like second class citizens. If Minister Ahern or any of the superior officers from the Gardaí want to explain to us why we are are being treated as we are I will be happy to organise a meeting for both communities to hear their reasoning, but I will not be holding my breath. I presume this article will meet the same response as the previous one did back in June – utter neglect.
Shannon Gaels Minor Club
The under fourteen team and management finished their season with a very enjoyable blitz in Clonbonny on Saturday last.The club would like to compliment the management team of Neil Donohue, Sean Lisle and all the players for their great season and we look foward to next year.The blitz was a great success and thanks goes to the management team and Michelle Lisle and Jacqui Rooney and to Padraic Farrell and Brendan Rhatigan for refereeing the games and everybody that turned out to support. The first final was between the the Stephen Tobin captained team of Eoin Sorohan Sean Costello, Sean Casey, Laura Peters, Niamh Shea and Andrea Carter overcame the challenge of the Andrew Ward captained team of Shane Kenny, Jack Rooney, Lauren Guinan, Elanor Lisle, Emily Brennan and Dearbhail Flood. In the second final the Carol Cooney captained team of Kieran Lisle, Niall Keane, Mikela Cox, Jo Sweeney, Eugene Maguire and Andrew Rhatigan beat the Oisin O’Sullivan captained team of Gary Gallagher, Sharon Rooney, Garth O’Reilly, Shannon Rooney, Connell Kennelly and Danielle Irwin. A feature of both winning teams was that they were both managed by our underage ladies Linda Kilcoyne and Tara Leigh Lulham. Well done girls and also well done to all players.
The Junior Championship visited the two parish primary schools on Monday.Thanks very much to the team captain PJ O Neill for taking the time to visit the schools.The future of the club and future successes on the field will all start in the primary schools.year.
Preparations for Scor have begun and five disciplines will be entered this year. This is great progress as the club had never entered the competition up to a few years ago. The club would like thank everybody for their efforts.
A winter indoor under 8 league has commenced on Monday and will continue for six weeks.
Birth – The club would like to congratulate Stephen and Tina Dowd on the birth of a baby girl recently.
Photographs – if you have any old club photographs they would be greatly appreciated for the upcoming yearly club annual.
Sympathy
Would like to extend our sincere sympathy to Breda and Niall walsh and family, Clonbonny on the death last week of Breda’s father Johnny Tanner, The Island, Kenagh.
Keeping Well and Warm
LCRL Social Inclusion Group in partnership with the Longford Citizens Information centre are organising an information session on rights and entitlements which you or family member may be entitled to this winter. “Keeping Well and Warm in County Longford” will take place in the Acorn CDP offices in Longford town (behind Crossan’s, Main St.) at 10.30am on Tuesday 20th October . There will be free onsite childcare and you are asked to book immediately. To book please contact Martina at LCRL on 33 45555
| Coillte Meeting
Coillte is reviewing its forest management plans for South Longford and we would like to hear your views. Please come along to the public consultation meeting which is taking place on this Thursday 15th October 2009 at 8pm in Cooney’s Hotel, Ballymahon. For more information or to view these plans online, please visit www.coillte.ie Guitar Lessons Will commence in the Lanesboro Parish Hall on Thursday 29th October, classes are 1 hour long and costs €15 per class. Lessons will start soon depending on the numbers interested. Please call Karl Somers on 087 7472563 to book in and for info. Please note that the notice in the Parish News read that the guitar lessons were in Ballymahon, there was an error in sending and the lessons will be in Lanesboro Parish Hall. Lanesboro 2000 Bridge Club
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