Lanesboro Ballyleague Notes
Lanesboro Community College Courses
Outdoor recreation and Office Administration are two courses that Lanesboro Community College will run this coming year. These courses are Fetac level 5 and they will commence in September. The college is now accepting bookings for both courses and you can make your booking by phoning the college 043 33 21139 or online by emailing lanesborocc.ias@eircom.net. You can also make contact by any of the above means to receive information leaflet and information.
Annual 5k Road Race Series
The third annual 5k Road race returns to Lanesboro on Wednesday 4th September. The Race will be the usual route from Rathcline GAA pitch out the ‘line road’ where it will join the Main Road and you turn back to Cullen’s Filling station and back to the finishing line in Clonbonny. You can run, jog or walk the distance and be part of a growing number of people doing these run, jog and walks. The 5k distance is not all that far and even for the most novice of walkers it is a very enjoyable and attainable distance. Last year we had familiar former residents returning to take part in the run and we hope that this year many more will return and that a record number will come along and do the run, jog or walk. Registration will take place at Rathcline GAA clubhouse.
This is part of the Rós 5k series which has 4 run, walks and jogs throughout the area over four Wednesdays. The first run is this Wednesday 21st August in Roscommon Town, followed by Boyle Town 28th August, Lanesboro 4th September and finishing on Wednesday 11th in Taughmaconnell. All races will begin at 7pm.
Local Heroes at Community Games Finals
Lanesboro had 11 children competing with the best junior athletes in the country in the Community Games National Finals last weekend. The results were no less than amazing. Boding so well for the future of the local athletics club, it was great to have two under eight children Kieran O’Dowd and Aoife Kennelly winning their way to representing county longford in the U8 60M races. The two children did amazingly well and showed burgeoning talent to come through their heats, semi-finals and both reach the national finals of their events. Kieran was the first to take the place on the start line and though his heat included fast runners from big counties such as Galway, Cork and others, he beat off competition to get first place and qualification for the next round. Aoife was next to take the start line in the equivalent girls race, and had competitions again from 6 other large counties. Running as fast as she could Aoife came second in her heat – guaranteeing her place in the semi-final.
Both athletes returned to the track on Sunday morning to take part in the semi-finals and bolstered by their performances in the heats progressed through their respective races to reach the national final. The finals were tight and on this occasion the children were just outside the medal positions – finishing in 6th place. This was a fantastic performance and having two young runners in the parish that are in the top 6 in the country is a great platform for future parish success.
In addition to Kieran and Aoife, we had nine other competitors from Lanesboro representing Longford at the national finals; The u-13 mixed relay made up of Orla Keane, Lucy-Ann Myhill, Cronin Flood and Bryn Peters, the U-16 Girls relay made up of Anna Peters, Haley Rooney, Sarah Farrell and Tanya Farrell and also Rebecca Stavros in the Javelin. To reach the finals is a huge achievement and this was is a great representation from Lanesboro and it is a credit to the local athletic club.
Thanks very much to Steve Peters, Fabian Walsh and the rest of the athletic club trainers for preparing the children and to Steve for taking the team manager position for the weekend.
This brings to a close a very successful year for Community games where over 130 children were facilitated in taking part in Athletics, Track and Field, Talent (singing recitation, modern and traditional Dance, instrument recitals), Swimming, Chess, Draughts, Soccer, hand writing, Project, Art, Quiz, and Badminton. At national finals we are proud that with the weekend competitors Kieran and Aoife, to have four children reaching the finals of their respective competition at the national finals – and for the first time in a long time, we had two national medal winners – a Gold medal for Dúileach Ryan in U-10 Swimming and 4th place medal for Séadhna Ryan in U-12 swimming. In total 27 children won Gold medals at their respective competition at county level to earn the right to represent longford at the national championships with many others achieved silver and bronze county medals. The weekend brings to a close the end of another successful year for Lanesboro’s participation in Community Games.
Rathcline Ladies Championship
On Sunday next in Clonbonny the Rathcline Ladies team play their most important game of the year when they take on Mostrim in the final game of the round robin league. It is very important that the ladies receive great support as they strive to make it to the championship semi-final. Clonbonny is the best place to be on Sunday at noon supporting our ladies and cheering them on to victory. Commiserations goes to the Longford Ladies Intermediate team on losing the All Ireland quarter final to Tipperary on Saturday last in Birr and especially to the Rathcline contingent of Claire, Lauren, Noleen and Paula
Seeking New Members
Longford Swimming club caters for children aged 6 to 18. Whether children’s goal is to become competent swimmers and safe at water sports or to go further and become competitive swimmers the club caters for all. It is a great way to keep fit during the winter. On entry to the club children swim as part of the first swim group – the Seals – who have sessions 5-6PM Saturday and 10-11am Sunday. Fees are €150 per term (approx. 20 weeks/40 lessons). The swimming club was awarded Swim Ireland Club of the Year 2013 and the head coach Ronan Mc Nevin was awarded Swim Ireland Club Coach of the year. Swimmers who have completed swim 6 or swim 5, and sometimes swim 4 are generally successful in passing the entry trial for the club. The Next Trial will be held at 5PM Saturday 7th September Longford Leisure Centre – Be there to join a great club. See further details on www.longfordswimmingclub.com
School Reopens
Lanesboro Community College will reopen for 1st year students on Wednesday 28th August and for all students on Thursday 29th August.
Engagement
Congratulations to Anne Hynes, daughter of Terry and Maureen Hynes, Rathcline and Mark Mimnagh, son of John and Eileen Mimnagh, The Green who announced their engagement at the weekend.
Thank You
Lanesboro Triathlon Club wishes to thank everyone who took part and supported our recent Sponsored Swim in aid of Cystic Fibrosis Ireland. All fifty swimmers successfully completed the 3km course from Kilnacarrow bridge to Lanesboro, and raised over €6,500 in sponsorship for this great cause; an amazing achievement for which both the Triathlon club and Cystic Fibrosis Ireland are hugely thankful. The club also wish to thank our local Kayak and Sub – Aqua clubs as well as the other volunteers who provided safety boat cover on the day.
Ballymahon Reunion
The Ballymahon Convent of Mercy will hold a class reunion for the class of 1988 on Saturday 14th September. The reunion will commence with Mass at 6pm. As many of our readers will have gone to Ballymahon Convent we hope that all the 1988 from the area will make it to what should be a great evening.
Advanced Certificate in Business Course
Formerly Longford VEC and now the Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board is offering an Advanced Certificate in Business FETAC Level 6 (part time). This course is provided free under Back to Education Initiative (BTEI). As of yet no venue has been selected but it is expected to be in the VEC offices, as has been the norm for the past two years. The course will commence on Wednesday 12th September and will take place every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 2pm. This course is particularly suited to unemployed people who have already worked in a supervisory capacity. Places on this course will be offered following an interview. For more information you are asked to contact Adult Educational Guidance service 043 33 48177.
Getting Married
Spaces are available for the Accord pre-marriage courses on 7th/10th October and 15th/16th November. You can make bookings online at www.accord.ie or phone 043 33 47222.
This week celebrate Heritage Week
Heritage week takes place from all this week up to Saturday 24th August. This year St. John’s church will, again, be flying the flag for the area and their exhibition will be available for viewing throughout the week in the church. The exhibition is a display of history of St. John’s from beginning of worship on the site to the present day. St. John’s will be open each day from 10.30am to 5.30pm. Everyone that has not availed of viewing this great work is invited to go along.
Diocesan Pilgrimage to Knock
The annual diocesan pilgrimage to Knock will take place on Sunday 1st September and it will be led for the last time as Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise by Bishop Colm O’Reilly. The bus will leave Lanesboro at 10.30am. The timetable for the day is: Confessions at 12.30pm. Anointing of the sick at 2.30pm and the Mass and the blessing of the sick will take place at 3pm. Following mass there will be a Rosary procession.
Lough Derg Pilgrimage
The annual one day retreat to Lough Derg will take place on Sunday next 25th August leaving Ballyleague Hall at 7am. Last year there was a great demand for this annual one day retreat and early bookings are advisable. The bus will pick up pilgrims at Scramogue, Rooskey and Carrick-on-Shannon. The cost of entry to the island is €40 and the bus fare is extra. For immediate bookings you are asked to contact Mary at 043-33 21969.
Lanesboro Ballyleague Community Childcare
The community childcare service will resume on Wednesday 28th August. Preschool service for children starting national school in 2014 will take place from 10am until 12 noon. Afterschool will be open from 2pm until 6pm. Places still available, telephone 0433330957. Playgroup for younger children will begin at the end of September.. We will inform you of date shortly.
Warmer Home for the Winter ahead
Longford Warmer Homes provides free attic insulation, cavity wall insulation and energy advice to elderly and disadvantaged home owners throughout the county. There are a certain criteria to be met and if you do so you can avail of all of the above services.
Longford Warmer Homes also carries out work for the elderly as part of the Care and Repair Scheme.
You are invited to check the Longford Warmer Homes Ltd. Website www.lwh.ie or Facebook page www.facebook.com/LongfordWarmerHomesLtd to check to see if you are entitled to this free service. If you have not access to the web you can ring 043 33 93255.
Ballyleague Village Renewal
Triathlon athletes, bingo players and tourists from all over the world have put their hands in their pockets this Summer and come to the aid of the campaign to rebuild the river bank in Ballyleague and make it safe for future generations.
The Chairman of Ballyleague Tidy Towns and Village Renewal committee Gerry Thompson this week paid tribute to over a thousand people who have already supported the association’s forthcoming fundraiser for the river bank development by purchasing ducks for the Gala Duck race on the Shannon in Ballyleague on Saturday September 7th.
“We are delighted with the response from the local community and visitors to the area” Gerry said, “our local volunteers have sold hundreds of ducks so far and there are only a handful left now for sale in various business premises, shops and pubs in the Ballyleague and Lanesborough area. We are appealing to locals to avail of the opportunity in the next seven days to come in and put their name in the race by buying a duck before we take back spare entries and sell them elsewhere in the region.”
Final preparations for the duck race are continuing with the committee taking time to give their plastic friends a good wash, clean and a new number in recent days. The committee would also like to thank the Ballyleague Bingo hall committee for allowing them to sell tickets at their weekly bingo last Thursday. The gesture is much appreciated.
The winning duck in the September 7th race will earn 500 euro for its owner. The 2nd place duck gets 250 euro and third place will mean a cheque of 100 euro for the owner of the ticket. Ducks cost just five euro each but you can get three for ten euro if you want and the race will be a very colourful event on the Shannon.
To buy a duck today telephone Chairman Gerry Thompson directly 085 1740819 or Vice Chairman Jimmy Hudson at 086 8588572 .
You can get more information on the re-development of the old river bank – starting this Autumn by visiting www.facebook.com/Ballyleague.renewal or by speaking to any member of the Ballyleague Tidy Towns and Village Renewal Committee.
Rathcline GAA
Championship 2013 – Congratulations to our senior team who recorded a good victory over St Patricks Ardagh in round three of the Intermediate Championship. The final scoreline read: Rathcline 2-11, Ardagh 0-10. The pressure was on Rathcline to get the much needed win to secure a semi-final spot and thankfully the lads turned on a bit of style for the tie. It also must be worth noting that Rathcline have now played the three other semi-finalists in the group stages of the competition and must surely stand us in good stead in the business end of the championship. Carrickedmond provide the opposition for the semi-final and the game will take place on Sunday 1st September in Pearse Park at 5:30pm. The winner will contest the Intermediate Championship final against the winners of Ardagh and Legan Sarsfields. Well done to the management team of Gerry Lynn, Joe Rooney and Albert Cooney and indeed to the panel of players who seem to be coming into peak at the right time of the season. Before the championship semi-final, the team return to competitive action in the league (Round 9) with an away match to St. Patricks Ardagh next Sunday afternoon 25th August at 1pm. Your support would be very much appreciated.
Minor Champions 2013 – Last Thursday night proved to be a very historic occasion for the parish of Rathcline and all in Stonepark. After defeating Colmcille in an epic semi-final in the previous week, Western Gaels inflicted a devastating win over our good neighbours and strongly fancied Southern Gaels in the final of the Minor B Championship in Kenagh. Final Score: Western Gaels 2-12, Southern Gaels 0-02. With a huge crowd in presence, our boys came out all guns blazing. Although it took the team a good twenty minutes or so to settle into the game, Western Gaels took complete control of the game in the second half to record a fantastic win. Great credit must go to the management team of Kevin Hanley and Mickey Hand who have gelled a brilliant bunch of lads together; so much so that one would never believe it was an amalgamated force for such a short period of time. The result is testament to the amount of work the management team and players have put in since starting training last October in the Convent Hall. Great celebrations were to be had in both Stonepark and Lanesboro on Thursday night. The only disappointment on the night; we didn’t make it back in time for Joe O’ Brien’s cones! The team now enter the quarter final of the “A” Championship as well as competing in the semi-final of the Minor league. We have no doubt Kevin and Mickey are already thinking and planning to extend the Western Gaels honours in the already short life of the amalgamation. The Shannon Gaels Executive would like to thank all the supporters who came over to Kenagh on Thursday night and to all people who have helped out in the background. With the Under 16 and Minor A Championship starting in the near future, there is great reason to believe that there are more trophies to be won this year and all support would be greatly appreciated.
Rathcline Ladies – The second round of the Championship will take place next Sunday 25th August at 12pm in Clonbonny against Mostrim. There are many permutations on this game on how the girls can the reach the Championship final; but the most important one is; a win or draw to guarantee a final spot. Effectively this match is a home semi-final and we hope that as many parishioners as possible will come out and cheer on the Ladies in their bid to reach their second consecutive Intermediate final in the hope of going senior next season.
Longford Ladies – Commiserations to the Longford Ladies team who lost the All Ireland Quarter final to Tipperary on Saturday. Hard luck to the Rathcline contingent on the panel – Paula, Claire, Noleen & Lauren.
Club Rathcline Lotto Draw – Preparations are on-going for Phase 2 of the Lotto campaign and it is hoped to have the fundraiser rolled out in the next couple of weeks. Many thanks to all our patrons who participated in the last lotto and we look forward to your support for Phase 2.
Leaving Cert Results – Congratulations to all our students who received their results last Wednesday. We hope that everyone gets what they want when the offers are posted on Monday.
Commiserations to St. Faithleachs who nearly pulled off the shock of the year only to lose out to St. Brigids by a single point in the quarter final of the Roscommon senior football championship on Saturday evening last.
Shannon Gaels – Coaching for U6, U8, U10 and U12 will continue in Clonbonny on Friday in Clonbonny from 7pm to 8pm as normal.
U16 Championship – The first round of the U16 championship will take place on this Thursday evening coming 22nd August with an away match to St. Colmcilles. The team which is managed by Padraig Kenny, Mick Shorthall, Cathal Twaddle and John Moran will be hoping to continue the momentum set by the minor team and record a good start to the championship. Rounds 2 & 3 will be followed on the subsequent weeks with games versus Clonguish Óg and Northern Gaels respectively. Training with the minor team this week continues per the normal routine.
Finally we would like to wish Brendan Keane the very best of luck in his promotion to club caretaker for the coming week in the absence of Sean and Seadna who are on holidays. We have no doubt that the club is in good hands.
St. Faithleach’s GAA
Senior Football Championship: Our seniors were defeated by a point by St. Brigids in the Shannonside FM Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final on Saturday evening last in Dr. Hyde Park on a final scoreline – St. Faithleachs 1-11 St. Brigids 1-12. Team: S. Connor, D. Murray, C. Brennan, C. Gunn, C. McCormack, B. Murtagh, H. Kenny, P. Wallace, S. O’Grady, K. Farrell, D. Rooney (0-2), D. Harrison, C. Murtagh (1-6), D. Murtagh (0-3), E. Kenny. Subs: A. Dooney, A. McCormack, D. McCormack, D. Hussey, C. Gannon.
Junior Men – Mid South Junior B Championship: Our junior men have two Championship games this week. Game against Fuerty on Wednesday evening 21st August at 8.00pm in Ballyleague followed by the re-fixture game against Clan na nGael on Friday evening 23rd August at 8.00pm in Ballyleague.
Junior Ladies Championship: Our juniors were defeated by St. Ciaran’s on Tuesday evening last. Final Score: St. Faithleachs 1-07 St. Ciaran’s 4-07. We wish Qona Cox a speedy recovery from her injury following this game.
Best of Luck: To Amanda Mc Loone with the Roscommon Ladies team in the All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Championship Quarter-Final against Fermanagh this Saturday 24th August in Clones at 3.45pm.
Minor Men – Championship: Our minor men were defeated by Tulsk on Tuesday evening last at home. Final Score – St. Faithleachs 1-09 Tulsk 2-11. Team: D. Kelly, J. Farrell, C. Farrell, E. Farrell, J. Irwin, M. Cox (0-1), J. Walsh, D. Murtagh (0-3), K. Farrell, S. Phillips (0-3), J. Sweeney (1-0), D. Foley, J. Hussey, C. Gannon (0-2), S. Walsh. Subs: D. Nerney, C. Gannon, J. Kelly, C. Mangan, M. Gill, L. Parker.
Minor Ladies: Our Minor Ladies have a Championship game against Kilglass Gaels this Tuesday evening 20th August at 7.00pm in Kilglass.
U16 Boys – League: Our U16 boys’ league game against Kilbride has been refixed for this Sunday 25th August at 6.00pm in Kilbride.
U14 Boys – D2 Championship Semi-Final: Our U14 Boys have a Championship semi-final game against Tulsk this Thursday evening 22nd August. See fixtures for confirmation of Venue.
U14 Girls: Our U14 Girls had a win over Shannon Gaels on Sunday evening last at home. Final Score – St. Faithleachs 6-10 Shannon Gaels 6-07. Team: D. McCaffrey, L. Farrell, K. Browne, P. Jedrych, C. Curley, K. Mc Phillips, I. Farrell, A. Curley, M. Kelly, J. Brennan, J. Banahan, L. Cox, O. Costello, E. Irwin, K. Byrne. Subs: C. Kelly. Next game is against Roscommon Gaels this Friday evening 23rd August at 7.00pm away.
U10 Boys: Congratulations to our U10 boys and management winners of the Bernie Browne Shield at the Sonas Care Centre, Oran U10 Inter club tournament on Sunday last in Oran. Team: S. Ryan, J. O’Connor, F. Dunne, E. Kelly, D. Cullen, S. Cox, J. Murray, L. Kilcoyne, T. Ryan, C. Gannon, C. Betts, E. Murray, D. Walsh and F. Reynolds. Management: David Kilcoyne & Derek Murray.
Lucozade Sport Club Crusade: Thanks to all who are supporting St. Faithleachs GAA Club, in collecting bottle caps for the “Lucozade Sport Club Crusade” Please continue to drop your Bottle Caps into our collection Bag in the Club House.
Congratulations: To all our Club Members & Friends on their Leaving Cert Results. To Patsy Cox who celebrated his Birthday at the weekend.
Lotto: The numbers drawn were – 15, 18, 23 and 25. There was no jackpot winner and the five €20 winners were- Shay Rohan, Jim and Phil Browne, Paul Hurson, Breege Nerney, Marty Gill. The next draw will take place on Tuesday next 27th August for a jackpot of €9,300.
Cards: Every Tuesday in the clubhouse at 9.00pm. All welcome. Winners last week were Peggy/Phonsie. Joint Runners-up, Dan/Sonny & Freda/Gemma. Last game, Frank/James. Ticket Winners – Tom, Ann, Johnny.