Lanesboro Ballyleague Notes
Community Games AGM called off
Due to lack of attendance our AGM in October could not go ahead. The AGM has been rescheduled to Thursday 5th November at 9 pm in St. Mary’s Hall. In order to proceed with Community Games in our parish for the 2015/2016 season, a new committee must be formed and parents must be involved. Last year we had 123 participants in various events ranging from board games and talent shows to athletics. We had All Ireland winners in the Project Competition and in the Swimming. There are competitions for all ages from 6ys to 15 yrs. Please come along to the meeting and offer your support in whatever way you can.
One of the Lanesboro project entries for 2015 can be seen in the library- the U 11 project, “When Our Grandparents Were Young” which was put together by Aoife Kennelly, Isabelle Smyth, Sienna Wyse and Kieran O’Dowd. This wonderful piece of work is definitely worth seeing.
Congratulations to Stephen O’Dowd (Youth volunteer) and Mark Brady (Adult volunteer) who received Community Games Volunteer awards last weekend at a Community Games Awards Night in Edgeworthstown.
“I thought that the day of me reporting a notice of having to call off or defer Community Games AGM’s was gone but it seems not. It is disappointing to see that we are back at this stage again. The Community Games in our parish gives so much opportunity to so many children and it is very important that a committee is formed and the children of the parish get the opportunity to compete in all of the many disciplines that is the Community Games and especially our own local competitions. Make sure you are there on Thursday 5th and don’t let us go back to the stage where we had no committee.” Joe
Ciaran set to launch his new Book
Over the last 30 years the economic profile of Lanesborough and Ballyleague and this part of the country has changed dramatically. Where once there were over 1000 jobs in Bord na Mona and ESB, today there are less than 250 and in his new book, to be published next week, Ciaran Mullooly is writing about some of the challenges facing all of us who live in this area and asking the question – where will the jobs come from for people who want to live here in another ten years’ time and what happens when the ‘Bord’ closes? Ciaran has also written a very locally-based personal analysis of the way the town has changed and the people who have gone out and invested in new developments here in recent months. The book will be launched here in the town in another week or so and Ciaran is delighted to announce this week that the one and only Marty Morrissey of RTE Sport fame is coming along to perform the local launch. More details next week.
Pike Boat Fishing competition
On Sunday week 8th November Lanesboro Pike Angling club will be hosting a Pike boat fishing competition on Lough Ree from 11am to 4pm.
Entries will be taken from 10.30am at Lanesboro harbour.
The entry fee is €25 per boat with a maximum of 4 rods per boat and no more than 2 rods per person.
All boats must have proper holding tanks.
Membership for new members may be taken out on the day
Sympathy
For those of us of the older generation and remember a man that left a mark on everyone that met him it was sad to see and have to record the death of Paddy Kilcommins. Paddy, from Ballygar, came to Lanesboro to work with Bord na Mona and along with Jack Mc Govern they share the upstairs floor of JP Leonard’s shop. Paddy involved himself greatly in the local community and it was only the other day Brendan Gilmore reminded me of his contribution to Rathcline GAA and especially at the winning of the 1963 Intermediate championship.
Paddy after leaving Lanesboro settled in Kiltoom, Co. Roscommon where along with his wife raised reared their family.
We fondly remember Paddy and we extend our deepest sympathy to his family and many friends.
Yoga Classes
A new 6 week Yoga course for beginners and improvers will commence on Tuesday week 3rd November at 10am and also on Friday 6th November at 8pm. To book a mat and for further information you are asked to contact Lesley at 087-6507871
Register of Electors 2016
The Draft Register is now being prepared. If you live in county Longford and wish to vote you should check that you are correctly registered to vote. If you have any family member resident in the county who will be over 18 years of age or over by the 15th February 201 they may also be registered to vote. You can check the register on the web www.checktheregister,ie or phone Longford County Council 043-33 43311. You may also email Longford County council at franchise@longfordcoco.ie if you have any queries.
Big Day for Rathcline
Sunday next the Rathcline Intermediate team will make their debut in the Leinster Intermediate championship when they make the long journey to Wexford where they will take on Glynn-Barntown in the Leinster Quarter Final.
Since their championship win Rathcline have had a great run winning their League games and being unlucky not to beat Division Drumlish in the battle for promotion; that game finished in a draw and will be replayed on 6th November.
The lads are in flying form at the moment and we would like to wish the panel, team manager Gareth Johnston and team management the very best of luck on Sunday and we look forward to a home semi-final in the weeks to come.
Triathlon Club AGM
With a hugely exciting year ahead the Lanesboro Triathlon Club will host its Annual General Meeting on Friday week 6th November at 8:30pm in the Club Rooms. The rooms are in the Community Centre on the first floor of the old convent building. All members should by now have received nomination forms etc.…it is important that the members give their time to filling out the form and ensure that the nomination forms are returned. The club expects to see a large turnout on the night, for this very important meeting. There is a very special year ahead for the club and community and a full turnout for the AGM is essential as many topics of great importance will be discussed on the night.
Sympathy
We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Annette and Martin Farrell and family, Clonfower, on the sudden death of Annette’s sister Alice Wilson in Zurich, Switzerland and formerly of Rossduff, Aughnacliffe.
Battle of the Bridge
Following the outstanding success of dancing over the Bridge last year the clubs of St. Faithleach’s and Rathcline have come together to stage a weekend of activities of which the highlight of the weekend will be the White Collar Boxing as both side compete in the Battle of the Bridge.
The weekend would not have happened without the most generous sponsorship Munnelly Support Services and Lanesboro Ballyleague Credit Union and both parties must complimented for their wholesome support for this tremendous community event.
The White Collared boxing will take place on Saturday night 14th November at 8pm. The venue will be the St. Faithleach’s club grounds. Following the night of boxing a DJ will be on hand to help you dance the night away.
The events will commence on Friday night with a Kiddies Disco in the marquee from 7 to 9pm followed at 10.30 by one of Ireland’s best dance and party bands. It is said of shaken Edge that they have wonderful individual musicianship, unrivalled vocal harmonies, energetic stage shows and audience interaction that makes Shaken Edge a band not to be missed.
On Sunday there will be a Tractor Run beginning at 2pm and that evening the weekend will finish with a Céilí in the marquee to the wonderful sounds of the Matt Cunningham Céilí band.
Lough Ree 2000 Bridge Club
The results of the competition held on Monday 19th October are: N/S: Gross and Nett: 1st Joan Browne and Patricia Mc Gann, 2nd Nancy Dolan and Eileen Kelly and 3rd Bernadette Gillen and Patsy Canavan. E/W: Gross and Nett: 1st Tom Feeney and Essie Nugent, 2Mary Mulvihill and Helen O’Shea and 3rd Maureen Hynes and Una Clarke
Gun Club Meeting
Lanesborough Gun Club Meeting: Friday night next 30th November at 9pm Sharp, all members are asked to attend to discuss urgent club business.
Lanesboro Bridge Club
The results of the competition held on Wednesday night last 21st October are: N/S 1st Phil Chalmers and Cyril Hussey, 2nd Frank and Frances Brennan and 3rd Bernadette Clancy and Mary Mc Gushin. E/W 1st Una Lawlor and Brid Mc Dermott, 2nd Margaret Gillen and Maureen Hynes and 3rd tie May Casey and Noreen Dunne & Mona O’Flaherty and Bernadette Gillen.
Mass for Deceased Members
Mass for deceased member of staff of ESB Lanesborough will be held in the ESB Sports and Social club house on Wednesday week 11th November at 8pm.
Try a Dive – Last chance
Thursday night 29th October is the last night for anyone wishing to take part in Lough Ree Sub Aqua Clubs FREE ‘Try a Dive’ in Longford Sports & Leisure Centre at 9pm. You will learn how to use scuba equipment which is all provided by the club. There is nothing like breathing underwater for the very first time. It takes a little getting used to –after all, human beings weren’t designed to do that – but after a few minutes of awestruck wonder, most participants realize how easy scuba diving really is. The biggest challenge is not coaxing participants into the water, but coaxing them out when the session over. It’s all fun! If you would like any further information you can contact 0879765911. Age 18+
Conversational Irish for adults: Classes continue every Wednesday in the old school in Kenagh from 8.00pm until 10.00pm. If you ever wanted to improve your Irish speaking, this is the ideal opportunity in a relaxed and informal setting. If you only have the “cúpla focal” or if your school Irish has faded then why not revive it over the winter months. It is fun and relaxed with just a nominal charge to cover expenses. All levels of ability are welcome. For any further information please ring Seán at 086-4466029.
PTAA Dinner Dance
The Longford Region of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association will hold their annual Dinner Dance in the Rustin Inn, Abbeyshrule on Friday 13th November. Music will be provided they the very popular TR Dallas. The dinner will commence at 9pm. This dance is one of the highlights of the year on the social calendar. Such is its appeal that it draws people from far and wide for a wonderful night. Tickets are priced at €25 each and they can be bought from Breda Moran.
The Price of Sex
The Price of Sex is a documentary about young Eastern European women who’ve been drawn into a netherworld of sex trafficking and abuse.
This documentary is presented by the Longford Federation ICA and the Immigrant Council of Ireland in collaboration with Turn off the Red Light campaign. The documentary will be shown in the Family Centre, St. Mel’s Road, Longford, immediately at the back of St. Mel’s Cathedral at 2pm on this coming Thursday 29th October. Following the showing of the documentary there will be a presentation and discussion. This is for over 16’s only
Windsong Seminars for Success
Achieve your highest goals with ease in Business, health, Finance, Study and Business! The next seminar will be held at Healthy Beings, Strokestown (beside the library) on Saturday 7th November from 11.30am to 5.30pm – lunch included. If you want to book or receive further information you are asked to contact Edel 087-3649005 or email windsongseminars@gmail.com
Local Library Updates
Book Club: The next Book Club meeting is on Friday 30th October at 11am where the book for discussion will be ‘The Dandelion Years’ by Erica James. All welcome.
Knitting& Crochet Group: Knitting & Crochet Group continues every Monday 2 – 4pm. All welcome.
ESOL Class: ESOL Class (English for speakers of other languages) continues every Tuesday evening 7-9pm.
Under 11 Community Games Project: A taster of the Under 11 Community Games project will be on display in the library for the next three weeks. The Under 11 project was completed by Sienna Wyse, Aoife Kennelly, Isabelle Smyth and Kieran O Dowd, and is entitled ‘When My Grandparents Were Young’. Drop in and see the wonderful work these talented children have accomplished.
French Conversational Class: French Conversational Class no 3 continues on Wednesday 28th October 6.30-7.30pm.
Lasraí Writers Group: The next Lasraí Writers Group meeting will take place in the library on Monday 9th November 7-9pm. New members welcome.
Paint it Pink this October!: Paint it Pink ….Ribbons & pens on sale in the library in aid of Irish Cancer Society. Check out www.paintitpink.ie . Please support this worthy cause.
Foreign Currency Appeal Reminder: The library staff are still collecting unwanted foreign currency and old coins/notes in aid of ISPCC. The smallest donation can make a huge difference.
Used stamps also being collected at the library for ISPCC.
Community Meeting
We are pleased to announce that Longford will host one of Bank of Ireland’s Enterprise Towns for 2015.
Through this initiative Bank of Ireland and the Longford business community are working together to support local business.
In addition we will involve the wider community and our local schools through a range of different activities.
To hear more about the plans for your Enterprise Town and/or to get involved –
Please join us in Longford Arms Hotel next Thursday 29th October at 6.30pm.
Pilates
New Morning (Beginners) Pilates course commencing at Kelleher’s dance studio Longford on Wednesday 4th November 11am (6 classes €40 or €8 per class) Intermediate Class commencing Monday Nov 2nd at 7.30pm (6 classes €50 or €10 per class) For all information you are asked to call Regina 0872485822
Pioneers Church Gate Collection
The Lanesboro branch of the Pioneers Association will hold their annual Church Gate collection at all masses on Saturday 31st October and Sunday 1st November. It time past your contributions to the collection has been excellent and the committee is once again asking for your most generous contributions.
Christmas Craft Fair
Edgeworthstown Christmas Craft Fair will be held in St. Mary’s Community Centre, Granard Road, on Sunday 6th December from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you would like to book a stall, please contact 043–6672417 or 043-6671801 or email stmarys.etown@gmail.com Cost per stall €20. Santa will also be arriving on the day. Visit Santa in his Grotto, photo, present. Music, craft stalls, refreshments, raffle and festive fun for all the family.
National Coin Week
Change for Charity will take place during Nation Coin Week which will run from this coming Friday 2nd November to Thursday 8th November. As you may know there is a National roll-out to remove the 1 cent and 2 cent coins from circulation. The Irish Heart Foundation is one of five key charities involved in a campaign to raise funds from their involvement in this activity. They are requesting that people bring coins and put them in receptacles which will be conveniently located in your local branch of Bank of Ireland and Allied Irish Bank.
Lough Ree AC
Leitrim Village was the venue for the Western Region Primary Schools Cross Country Championship on Saturday 17th October. While appreciating the fact that the local GAA Club made their fine facilities available, it has to be said that a football field is not an ideal venue for a cross country event. “Beggars cannot be choosers is a well-known phrase” and hosting a fixture as big as this is not an undertaking most clubs want to get involved in. So not being critical of the organisers it was a great event. Large numbers of qualifiers from six counties and glorious weather as a bonus made the day.
There were no teams from our immediate area involved but a few individuals had qualified on their performance at the county championships.
Kieran O’Dowd was not on form, and the fact that 6 lads he beat in the Longford competition finished ahead of him proves the fact. The opposite was the case with Shauna Mimnagh who finished 19th in the Roscommon competition but finished ahead of 8 of those girls on Saturday. Nikita Attis ran to form in the senior boys and must be learning from each run. Athletes benefit from the presence of their team mates on competition days. Congratulations to Ardagh on winning team silver medals in the 5/6th class boys event hard luck to Colehill N.S. Girls who were so close, you did Co Longford proud. Finally not forgetting Robbie Chalmers and his Whitehall Brigade, well done on a great performance.
Upcoming events are the Connaught Even Age Group Cross Country in Moyne on Sunday November 1st and the Uneven Age Group Cross Country in Boyle on Sunday November 8th. Finally a reminder the Club is holding a Children’s Disco in the Lough Ree Community Resources Centre on Halloween night 31st October. Get your scary Halloween outfits ready!!!
Book Launch in Clarke’s
Gill Casey would like to invite everyone to a special evening in Clarke’s Bar at 9pm where there will be a book launch celebrating the publishing of Gill Casey’s book “Ubiquitous Q”.
Gill who lives in Newtowncashel and is perhaps best known for running the ladybird shop in Lanesboro has had her first novel published by Austin Macauley in London and is delighted to celebrate its launch locally.
The paperback version of heartwarming, life affirming and often humorous novel will be available to buy on the night, priced at €6.99 while hardback and e-book editions are available online – see Gill’s Facebook page “Gill Q Casey” for more details. The book launch will include refreshments and music by Denis Hughes
Rathcline GAA
Leinster Intermediate Championship Quarter Final – All roads lead to Wexford on next Sunday as we face Glynn-Barntown in Killurin, Wexford at 2pm on Sunday. It’s ten years since our last Leinster campaign and we hope we get off to a successful start on Sunday. Again we ask anyone travelling to Wexford to bring all the colours and have their voices in full swing to cheer on the lads. Best of luck to the whole squad and management in this big match.
Patsy Reilly Cup Semi-Final – Well done to the lads on their comprehensive victory over Sean Connolly’s in the semi-final of the Patsy Reilly cup on Friday night. The match finished 3-18 to 0-05. We now face the winners of Ballymahon/Killashee in the final in a few weeks.
Table Quiz – Thanks to everyone who supported our players’ fundraising table quiz which was held in the Peer on Friday night. Thanks to our quizmaster Seadna Ryan, to all who corrected and organised the event, to the Peer Inn for their hospitality and to all who sponsored spot prizes for the raffle on the night.
“Battle of the Bridge” White Collar Boxing – Following on from last year’s successful Strictly Dancing over the Bridge we have teamed up with our neighbours St. Faithleach’s again for a White Collar Boxing Weekend Special. On Friday November 13th there will be a kiddies disco from 7pm – 9pm. This will be followed by the band Shaken Edge who will perform from 10.30pm until late. Then the main event of the weekend takes place on Saturday night at 8pm as boxers from Rathcline and St. Faithleach’s fight against each other in the white collar boxing. All locals are busy in training for the event and we can expect some good fight action on the night! Following the boxing there will be a DJ until late. Then Sunday at 2pm sees a tractor run take place followed by evening entertainment from 6pm – 8pm by Matt Cunningham Céilí Band. The whole weekend of entertainment will take place in a marquee in St. Faithleach’s GAA Complex. A weekend of entertainment to suit all tastes and not to be missed!
50/50 Lotto Draw – Congratulations to PJ O’Neill, Knock, who was last Monday’s winner of €360 in our 50/50 draw. The draw takes place every Monday night at 9pm and envelopes only cost €2.
Yearly Subscription 50/50 – Our 50/50 draw which started a year ago has proved to be very successful. We have given away over €21,000 in prize money since the draw began. We are now giving people who live abroad or away from town the opportunity to be in with a chance of winning and supporting our Leinster campaign. After a 10 year wait we are now County Intermediate Champions and on the road to Leinster. A yearly subscription will include membership for the year along with a chance of winning an average weekly prize of €400. Your support would be greatly appreciated. Please contact any member of the executive or email us at pro.rathcline.longford@gaa.ie if you’re interested in subscribing.
125th Anniversary Celebrations – As the club is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year there will a special concert held on Saturday December 12th in the parish hall celebrating the occasion with lots of local talent on show. Rehearsals are now on-going. The drama act on the night is called “The Dressing Room” and it’s not to be missed!
Wedding Celebrations – Congratulations to Trisha Curran and David Buller who were married recently. We wish you both the best of luck and happiness for the future.
St. Faithleach’s GAA
U21: U21’s play Elphin on Sunday 1st November at 1pm in Elphin.
Halloween Party: Halloween party is to be held in the club house on Friday evening the 30th, 5pm -8pm. Face painting, ghost stories and a spooky walk as well as plenty of fun for children and adults alike.
Battle of the Bridge: Tickets for the event between St. Faithleach’s and Rathcline are on sale from Joe O’Brien or Joe Cribbin (Daybreak) .The weekend promises to be wonderful collaboration between the two clubs with something to suit all tastes. Friday 13th sees kids disco from 7pm-9pm followed at 10:30pm by the very popular band Shaken Edge, Saturday 14th is the big fight night which sees members from each club go head to head in the ring from 8pm, followed by D.J. Sunday 15th starts at 2pm with a massive tractor run and then the Matt Cunningham Céilí Band from 6pm-8pm. All events take place on Club Grounds and more information can be found on the Facebook “Battle of the Bridge” page.
Lotto: Numbers drawn 4, 7, 8, and 12 there was no jackpot winner and the five € 20 winners: B. Compton, Strokestown, Pat Kilcoyne Barnacor, Bridie Cox Curraghroe, Edward Moran Gardenstown, and Joseph/Colm Mangan Moneen. The next draw will take place on Tuesday 3rd November.
Cards: Winners Eugene / Sonny, Runners up Mark/Noreen, last game Kevin/Bill, tickets Packie, Tom, Mark, P.J. Cards take place every Tuesday night at 8:30 pm.