Christmas Concert in aid of Pieta House
A Christmas Concert in aid of Pieta House will take place in Lanesboro Parish Hall on Sunday next 3rd December at 7.30p. St Mary’s Choir, Lanesboro and Moynalvey Church Choir, Kildare will entertain you with a great number of Christmas carols and songs. This promises to be a fabulous night of entertainment and I hope that the hall will be packed to the rafters. Both choirs are well renowned for their tremendous musical ability and the opportunity to see and hear them most definitely should not be missed. You are asked to buy tickets to support Pieta House and you can do so during the week in O’Brien’s shop or on the night on the door. Your generosity and support will be greatly appreciated. Tickets are priced €5 and you can also leave donations in an envelope.
Brushstrokes Christmas Exhibition 2017
Brushstrokes will be holding a short Christmas exhibition, in St. Mary’s Hall from Thursday 7th December and running through until Sunday 10th December. Drop in and have a browse—there are works at prices to suit all budgets and they make an ideal, locally-made gift or souvenir.
Christmas Day Run/Walk
As we look forward to Christmas not only do we think of Santa Claus but we also think of the sponsored run/walk from Newtowncashel to Lanesboro. For all you non-walkers and runners and those that only do this event every year now is the time to start your training. With only 8 weeks remaining until Christmas and to make the journey an enjoyable one it is very important that training starts as soon as possible.
This event is the main sponsorship for Longford MS, your generosity each year knows no boundaries despite it being a hard time on money. The organisers would like that you would continue you great sponsorship of all the participants and the committee would like to have a record number of participants this year.
Sponsorship cards are available from any of the committee or from O’Brien’s shop.
The Green – Mass
During last weeks report on the Mass for the Green residents and light refreshments afterwards I omitted to mention the two most vital components of the day. Firstly, I omitted to thank Fr. Mickie for saying the Mass and secondly, I omitted to thank the Hall Committee for making the hall available.
Currahoney Bridge reopens
After many years of being closed the past few months has seen a hive of activity at Currahoney bridge. Currahoney bridge is the bridge on old roadway leading up to Clonbonny and Mount Davis from the Longford Road via the back of Mickie Flynn’s Garage reopened this week. It will make a huge difference to all the walkers, cyclists who can now avail of their roadway. It will also be a distinct advantage to drivers that regularly use the road. From time immemorial this road was a hugely popular route for locals residing in the area and for those visiting Clonbonny Cemetery and going to matches and training at the Rathcline club grounds.
Videos and photographs.
Did you take photographs and or videos at any stage of the Lough Ree Monster Festival? If yes, we would love to hear from you if you pictured anything from the arrival of the Lough Ree Monster, through the nights of music, the Natty Wailer free concert, the fun and games in the red Barn on the Sunday afternoon to the fireworks and departure of the Monster on the Sunday night. We are also looking for photographs of the Lanesboro Ballyleague Credit Union night and the erection and dismantling of the Big Red Barn. If you have any of the above we love to hear from you. You can scan and email to joea@iol.ie or drop hard copies into O’Brien’s shop for collection or to Mike Greene. Hard copies will be scanned and returned
Sympathy
We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to Áine and Micheál O’Sullivan and family Lehery on the death at the weekend of Máirtín Ó Muirí, Tarmonbarry brother of Áine.
Advance Notice
Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th December the weekend after next will see the annual Church Gate collection for the Christmas Lights. You are asked to be as generous as possible.
This is your time to help
Month after month I eulogise the benefits the Lanesboro Social Services bring to our community. Every bit of their work is unseen and unspoken the committee just go about their business in helping people in need. We read and hear so much about those in need in many other areas of the country on a daily basis not realising there are people in our own parish urgently in need of help.
The regular monthly Whist Drive take place on the first Friday of every month and the December one takes place on this Friday night 1st December in the Parish Hall at 8.30pm. As Whist is a fun game of cards the committee would urge all card players in the locality to come along, bring a friend or two and join in a great night of card playing.
With Christmas a particularly hard time on the resources of Lanesboro Social Services you support and or contributions will be gratefully appreciated. If you cannot attend you can leave a donation in an envelope and drop it into O’Brien’s where it will be collected; you can donate either privately with no name on the envelope or you can put your name on the envelope and have your donation acknowledged.
Christmas Lights
Over the past couple of weeks both sides of the bridge have been very busy as the Christmas lights went up. On the Ballyleague side new and improved lights have been erected and on the Lanesboro side the lights from the corner to Casserley’s have been erected and in the next few days the Christmas lighting will go up on the Main Street. Well done to both committees and to all that gave of their time to ensure that Lanesboro and Ballyleague will be the brighter place with all the Christmas lights.
Next Blood Donation Clinic
The next local blood donation clinic will take place in The Longford Arms Hotel on Tuesday 5th, Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th December from 4.30pm to 8pm.
As we get closer to the great event that is Christmas there would be no better gift than to go to the Blood Donation Clinic and give blood. You never know but it could be a lifesaving donation but there is one thing for sure it will go to a person that needs an infusion.
Go along and let you blood donation be your first Christmas gift.
Sympathy
We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to Marie and Niall Dennigan and family, Mahoraveen on the death last week of Marie’s uncle Jim O’Connor, Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Louth
All Bakers
Rathcline GAA club is holding a festive fund-raising Bake Sale and Cake Demonstration event on Sunday 10th December in the parish hall.
The club is looking to the many fabulous bakers within the parish and outside for your support. Create your ideas, prepare for baking and remember the date 10th December. You can bake anything you want be it buns cupcakes, rock buns, brownies, scones, brioche, doughnuts, biscuits, chip cookies, cakes, puddings, loaves, cheesecakes, muffins and breads or anything else you wish to bake.
There event will also host a superb draw that will include 1st prize of a Kenwood Kmix worth €500,2nd prize, a €200 health and beauty hamper from Cloud 9 Lanesboro and third prize Neven Maguires perfect Irish Christmas cookbook.
This promises to be a fun filled afternoon for everyone and it is an event to be baked for and not to be missed.
Thank You
The Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club would like to sincerely thank everyone that contributed so generously to their recent Church Gate collection. The sum collected was €860 which was a very generous contribution by everyone.
Under 21 Final
On Sunday next at 12.30pm our Under 21 team will play either Abbeylara or Mullinalaghta in the county final. Due to lack of playing numbers, in this competition we are joined with Grattan’s and there is a right good team well worth supporting on Sunday. We wish the lads and team management the very best of luck
Christmas Post Dates
The last dates for Christmas postings are as possible USA – letters 12th December, parcels 7th December; GB letters and parcels 18th December; Europe letters 18th and parcels 13th; Northern Ireland letter and parcels 19th; Ireland 20th and the rest of the world 7th December.
Lanesboro Bridge Club
The winners of the Marie Sheeran Memorial Cup played for on Wednesday 15th November were Una Clarke and Eileen Kelly.
The results of the competition held on Wednesday 22nd November were N/S 1st Gemma Douglas and Elish Gray, 2nd Phil Chalmers and Cyril Hussey and 3rd Frank and Frances Brennan. E/W 1st Bríd Mc Dermott and Una Lawlor, 2nd Eileen Kelly and Mary Farrell and 3rd Loretto Cooney and Freda Kenny.
50/50
Monday night last 20th November the 50/50 pool stood at €335 and the winning drawn in the Clarke’s Bar was Charlie Mc Dermott, Lisnacusha. Your support is greatly appreciated for the weekly draw. Tickets are on sale locally at €2 each. Alternatively, you can by the pink ticket for the year for just €100 and have 2 free weeks
History in the Making
Over the past few months, Mairead Casey and some of the dancers from Lanesboro Class have been composing a new set dance.
The set was influenced by the area around the Shannon and has movements that represent this. It was also influenced by the old set from this area that won an All-Ireland medal back in the seventies.
The step from that set has been used in the new set. The set is called the Laniuish Set, short for Oileain Uisce or Ireland of the Water, an area close to Barley Harbour. Legend states that Luacht na Laithi or Swamp People used to come out at night to dance in circles in Laniuish, and this concept is evident in our new set.
On Sunday December 10th there will be a workshop to teach the new set in the Hill in Newtowncashel from 1.30—2.45pm. Light refreshments will be served.
This will be followed by a Céilí with music by Rise the Dust, a local band including Johnny Duffy, a local musician.
The group are inviting as many local people as possible to attend. Even if you don’t dance, come along and enjoy.
There will be a short demonstration on the day given by some of the very young dancers from the area.
It has been a long time since there was a Céilí in the Hill, so please come out, support and enjoy.
Tidy Towns group hosts seminar and field trip
Ballymote-based nature educator Michael Bell is coming to Ballyleague next weekend for a unique field trip which will focus on pollination.
Michael has visited several community groups throughout Co Roscommon to guide them on what they may do in their locality to help pollinators. All groups have been very welcoming and have shown a keen interest in taking actions to help our pollinators as they are for the most part well aware of the dramatic population declines of bees and many other insect species. This project is kindly supported by Roscommon County council and creative Ireland.
Most of the community groups Michael has already met are already taking positive action, though some are more active in this regard than others. After next Saturday’s visit to Ballyleague Michael will compile and present a report that will highlight some of the on-going work already being done as well as suggest further direct actions that will help pollinators. His final action plan for the area will
reference the range of 24 low/no-cost pollinator friendly actions as laid out in the Local Communities: Actions to help Pollinators All Ireland Pollinator Plan 2015-2020. It must be remembered that to truly
help pollinators and to leave more environmentally friendly communities for future generations actions will need to be on-going.
Michael Bell visit the community already and talked to 12 members of Ballyleague Tidy Towns at St Faithleach’s Club House on 4th November 2017 to inform the local group about the Let’s Get Communities Buzzing programme. He also visited Salmon’s Lane and the Harbour area.
This weekend he returns on Saturday morning December 2nd at 10.30am for a field trip to Salmons lane in Ballyleague. He will meet with all interested locals and visitors at the new nature trail wildlife sign at the first turn in Salmons lane at 10.30am on Saturday and conduct a really interesting field for about 90 minutes.
After lunch on Saturday he will then meet all interested local people to prepare and complete the new pollinator plan for the entire community so please come along to St Faithleach’s GAA club house at
1.30pm on Saturday if you wish to take part in this fascinating exercise. The event is open to all – young and old and you don’t have to be a member of the tidy towns committee to come along to either events. All welcome
Ballyleague Pollinator Action Plan
Where? When? – Nature Trail Walk & Presentation
Saturday 2nd December with Wildlife Educator Michael Bell 10.30am-12.30pm Salmon’s Lane Nature Trail Walk (meet at Nature Trail Wildlife Sign)
13.30pm-15.30pm Presentation on Pollinator Plan Promoting Pollinators – Practical Guide and Tips on Feeding Birds at St Faithleach’s GAA Clubhouse
Your local Library this week
Library Opening Hours
Monday 2-8pm, Tuesday 2-6pm, Wednesday 10am-1pm and 5-8pm, Thursday closed, Friday 10am-1pm and 2-5pm, Saturday 10am-1pm.
The Knitting and Crochet Group meet in the library on Mondays, 2-4pm. All welcome.
‘Babble and Books’ Baby Book club, a free weekly baby book club for parents/carers and children aged 0-2 years is held on Wednesdays at 10.15am. Sessions include songs, stories and rhymes followed by a cuppa and a chat, so come along to meet other families and build a lifelong love of reading.
Preschool Drop In and Sing-along is held every Wednesday at 12.30pm. Pop in to the library on your way home from preschool to join the group sing-along and choose a book with your friends.
Library membership is free for everyone and provides members with access to books from any library plus free digital services including full downloads of digital magazines and newspapers, eBooks and eAudiobooks.
Rathcline Ladies
Friday night next 1st December is the date for the AGM of Rathcline Ladies club. This year Madaleine Murray and Mike Greene will be stepping down after a number of years on the committee.
The club should now be preparing for the change and parents and past players should be considering the idea of taking over the reins and developing the club into the future.
There are many excellent ladies footballers in the club and it is important that they are progressed to bring titles back to the club along with the fun and excitement they all get when playing and socialising together.
Tidy Towns
At a recent meeting of the Lanesborough Tidy Towns committee, the Chairman referred to the successful “Breakfast Morning” held in the parish hall, paying particular thanks to the many sponsors. Their support with food, cutlery, delph, etc, all items necessary for a good meal was greatly appreciated. He also acknowledged the outstanding help provided by the chefs/waiters/waitresses and kitchen staff who gave freely of their time.
Last but not least, the Chairman paid tribute to you the public who turned up on the morning and made the Breakfast the success it was.
Finally, he thanked the Lough Ree Community Resources, who kindly donated a framed photograph of the Bridge at Lanesborough for our raffle.
Tourism Co-Op Draw
The numbers drawn in the Lanesboro Tidy Towns lotto on Tuesday 21st November were 4, 5, 8, and 18. There was no winner of the jackpot of €9,500. The winner of the €50 prize was Claire Mullen Xlntee and the three €20 winners were Dinny Matthews c/o Co-Op, Peter Brockenhurst c/o Co-Op and Martina O’Brien, Corner Shop..
Lanesboro Christmas Cards
Christmas Cards with images of Lanesborough are available locally from Joe & Martina O’Brien’s Corner Shop, Terry McLoughlin’s Butchers and Mags Hair Salon; all proceeds from the sale of these cards will go towards the Christmas Lighting in the town. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Digital Hub Training
As you may know we have been awarded the honour of becoming Ireland’s First Digital Hub town.
To help support people to move online and enjoy all that the internet offers, a free training programme will be held in Lanesboro Community College. This will be funded by the Department of Communication, Climate Action and Environment. The Digital Skills training is intended to empower people to connect with the world digitally.
The programme is designed for anyone who has not actively engaged with the internet and do not have the skills required to complete tasks digitally.
It is expected that people will following this course be comfortable and confident to use the internet as part of their everyday lives.
Businesses and groups can also avail of the free training for their members or employees in preparation for the Lanesboro Ballyleague app.
To make the first step you should contact Debbie 33 21734 or 086 2230 97. If there is no answer, please leave your name and number and Debbie will return your call.
Rathcline GAA
Christmas Draw: We are looking forward to the local community and club people far and wide to buy tickets for the annual Christmas draw. This draw is so vital to the early stages of the club year as there are insurance and affiliation fees to be paid to allow entry into competitions.
Tickets are priced €20 each and it will make a great Christmas gift. The prize structure is 1st €3000, 2nd €1000, 3rd €500, 4th €250, 5th €250. 6th €200 and 7th €200.
U21: Sunday at 12.30pm in Pearse Park our Under 21 team will take on Abbeylara or Mullinalaghta in the county Under 21 final. In this competition we are joined together with Grattan’s due to our lack of numbers. The team has jelled very well and with a great amount of work by the team management they are only one step away from their holy grail. We urge every Rathcline supporter to go along to Pearse Park and give the lads and team management our full support.
50/50: Monday night last 20th November the 50/50 pool stood at €335 and the winning drawn in the Clarke’s Bar was Charlie Mc Dermott, Lisnacusha. Your support is greatly appreciated for the weekly draw. Tickets are on sale locally at €2 each. Alternatively, you can by the pink ticket for the year for just €100 and have 2 free weeks
Your Baking Skills: are you ready for the club’s festive fund-raising Bake Cake and Cake Demonstration event on Sunday 10th December in the parish hall.
We know there are many fabulous bakers within the parish and outside and the club is looking for your support. Create your ideas, prepare for baking and remember the date 10th December. You can bake anything you want be it buns cupcakes, rock buns, brownies, scones, brioche, doughnuts, biscuits, chip cookies, cakes, puddings, loaves, cheesecakes, muffins and breads or anything else you wish to bake.
This promises to be a fun filled afternoon for everyone and it is an event to be baked for and not to be missed. Further details will be published next week
You should consider refereeing?
Have you ever thought of taking up refereeing? Refereeing is open to men and women from the age of 18 upwards. It is something that brings great satisfaction and allows referees to progress up the ranks to whatever level their dedication takes them.
The image of referring being a solitary occupation does not bear anything close to reality. You are a member of a team of referees in the county where there is great comradery. You also will have your own umpires that leaves you part of another team and a leader of that team.
Now, there are wonderful opportunities for young referees to climb the ranks within Longford and indeed in the Leinster ranks also. Now is the time to be giving it serious consideration.
Longford has a proud record of supplying referees to Leinster and the National Refereeing panel for many years and this opportunity is waiting for you with the right application.
Refereeing is fun and it builds great friendship. If you decide to explore the idea feel free to contact Joe O’Brien joea@iol.ie or phone 086 2460 840.
Minor Club
Cavan Curse: The club was delighted with the response to the play held in the Parish Hall on Friday night. The club would like to thank everyone that supported the play either by buying tickets or coming along to what was a most enjoyable play.
The committee would like to thank Seamus O’Rourke and his team for putting on the play, to those that manned the door, shop and kitchen and also the 3 lads that done the raffle.
The club looks forward to your full support as the new committee swing into action for the coming year.
Parish League: A good number took part in the Parish League on Saturday last and an enjoyable time was had by all. For those in attendance it was mighty, but it was disappointing that a number of players were not available on the day.
For the past number of years more and more females have got involved in every aspect of the club. This year we hope to see more fathers getting involved in the club especially in pitch related activities and help continue that great work that has been started over the past number of years.