Lanesboro Ballyleague
Longford Leader Readers Abroad
As this is probably the last edition of the Longford Leader you will receive before Christmas I would like to wish everyone of you a very Happy and Peaceful Christmas and a Prosperous New Year
Engagement
Many congratulations to Padraig Hanly son of Pat and Mona Hanly, Lisnacusha and Marie Peters daughter of Mick and Tess Peters, Castletown, Co. Laois who announced their engagement last weekend.
Rathcline GAA Christmas Draw
Rathcline GAA will hold their annual Christmas draw on Friday 29th December in Adie’s Bar. The prizes will all be well worth winning and especially the first prize of €3,000 which will more than cover all the Christmas and New Year expenses. The tickets cost just €20 and it would be a fabulous Christmas present for yourself, a family member or a friend. Tickets cost €20 and they are on sale throughout the town and from club members.
The prize structure is 1st €3000, 2nd €1000, 3rd €500, 4th €250, 5th €250. 6th €200 and 7th €200.
The Rathcline GAA club would appreciate your usual generous support for the draw.
Lanesborough Primary School Celebrates
Lanesborough Primary School will present their annual Christmas Carol Service in
St Mary’s Church on Tuesday Dec 19th at 6.30. Everyone is invited to come along and enjoy the presentation of the young students.
Christmas Day Run/Walk
The Christmas Day Run/Walk from Newtowncashel to Lanesboro will again take place on Christmas morning with the walkers starting at. This is the 27th year of this MS run/walk that has raised so much money supporting for this hugely important charity. This event is the main sponsorship for Longford MS. Each year your generosity knows no boundaries despite it being a hard time on money. The organisers would like that you would continue your great support of all the participants. The committee would like to think that they will have record numbers of participants this year.
Sponsorship cards are available from any of the committee or from O’Brien’s shop.
Christmas Penance Services
Those that wish to avail of Communal Penance Service locally for Christmas can do so on Tuesday 19th December in the Church of the Blessed Virgin, Newtowncashel at 7.30pm Church of the Holy Rosary, Ballyleague on Thursday 19th December at 7pm followed by traditional confessions at 7.30pm and at St. Mary’s Church Lanesboro on Friday 22nd December at 7pm followed by traditional confessions at 7.30pm.
St. John’s Church
Roscommon Carol Service will take place at 7.30 pm on Thursday 21st December
Sympathy
We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to the extended Mc Evoy family, The Green on the death of Bill Mc Evoy’s brother Jim Mc Evoy, Portarlington, Co Laois on Saturday last 9th December.
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
50/50
Monday night last 5th December the 50/50 pool stood at €324 and the winning drawn in the Peer Inn, Lisnacusha was Ben Lackey, Barnacor. 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. The club would like to thank everyone that continues to support the draw on a weekly basis and also the many people that buy the one-year ticket. Your support is much appreciated.
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.
‘Chat and Chapters’ Social Book club, continues this month on Monday18th December 6.45pm-8.00pm. This book club has a relaxed format which gives members the opportunity to talk about a book they have enjoyed and would like to recommend or to simply come along and listen to other the members as they review and discuss books. You can drop in any time and there is no need to have read a specific book before joining the group. Contact the branch library for more information.
Tourism Co-Op Draw
The numbers drawn in the Lanesboro Tidy Towns lotto on Tuesday 5th December were 3, 11, 16 and 30. There was no winner of the jackpot of €9,700. The winner of the €50 prize was Martina c/o Mags and the three €20 winners were Bernie Mc Kenna, Barnacor, Johnie c/o Mags and Carmel Smyth c/o Mags
New CD
Lanesboro’s St. Mary’s Church Choir under the leadership of Tracy Tobin have recently recorded a CD of church music just in time for Christmas. The CD is available in local shops and costs just €10.
Remembering Jimmy Clarke
Last weekend I had the pleasure to receive ‘From Leahy’s Field to Bishopslane’ A History of Ballymore Eustace GAA (1887 – 2016). This is a fabulous and without doubt one of the best club histories I have ever come across. On my original browse through the book a photograph of Jimmy Clarke caught my eye.
Jimmy Clarke in my lifetime was always a Lanesboro man but on reading the article Jimmy was a native of Ballymore Eustace man and he held iconic status within the Ballymore Eustace club playing a leading role in their great successes of the 50s. He was known in Ballymore Eustace as ‘Ronnie’ as there were two Jimmy Clarkes playing at that time.
Jimmy along with his relation Mattie Reid (Valleymount, Co. Wicklow and Newtowncashel) initially came to work in Lanesboro Power Station where both men played with Rathcline before Mattie transferred to Cashel. Jimmy and his wife Rosie set their new roots in Lanesboro in 1957, they had 4 children Annette (England), Patrick (Dublin), Rosaleen (Church View) and Seamus (Gortgallon). Sadly, Rosie passed away in 1972. Jimmy later in life married Marie Finnegan from the Green.
During his sporting life in Lanesboro he played a leading role in the club winning a Junior Championship with the club in 1963. Jimmy’s performances at the time led him to the Longford county team. He had the distinction of playing for three county teams Kildare, Wicklow and Longford.
Jimmy worked in the Power Station until his retirement and was a very popular figure in Lanesboro. Jimmy passed away on 9th March 2006.
New Butchers Open
Another vacant premises has been reopened on the Main Street following the opening of what was John Casey’s and later Terry’s butchers reopened in the past few weeks. The new name on the premises is ‘Five Valley’ and we would like to wish the new owners a long and happy stay in Lanesboro.
Sympathy
We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Bernadette and Greg Gillen and family, The Green on the death of Rita Sands, Newry, Co. Down sister of Bernadette Gillen during last week.
Thank You
Edel Loftus, the organiser of last week’s concert in the Parish Hall would like to thank most sincerely everybody that helped out in any way towards the tremendous success of the evening. It was a very special night for everyone and especially Pieta House who were the beneficiaries of the €1,500 raised on the night.
New Nail Bar
For all those fashion-conscious people that love to have manicures, Pedicures, Shellac and Gel Nails it is great to know that you can now have your nails done in Lanesboro. The Nail–Bar is now open on upper Main Street over Laura’s Beauty Salon. We would like to Julianna the very best of luck with her new venture. Phone 087-1657875.
Leaving Certificate English Revision
Most of the time students have to travel to Dublin Galway or Limerick to obtain revision courses and to this end there will be a revision course taking place in January in the Quad Centre Roscommon Town. Hopefully the students doing the Leaving Certificate in 2018 will avail of this extra tuition.
English HL Leaving Cert Revision Course is being held in the Quad, Roscommon Town on Saturday 27th Jan 2018. Paper 1 will be covered entirely. Paper 2 will include plays, Comparative, Poetry (prioritising the key suspects for June), how to approach Unseen Poetry and answer all your questions.
Further information and booking on Facebook 625points.com and http://www.625points.com/2017/11/english-revision-day-roscommon.html.
Ballyleague Village Renewal
It was a weekend to remember in the Shannonside town of Ballyleague and Lanesborough as the local voluntary committee unveiled a stunning set of 19 Christmas lights features throughout the route of the N63 through the area.
“We are growing our lights collection every year and working closely with our friends and neighbours in Lanesborough to add new features “said Noel Moran , Chairman of Ballyleague Christmas lights committee , “we got a great reaction from local business owners, sponsors and volunteers this year so we have brought additional lights into
play throughout the village and joined up with Lanesborough lights to help install a new Christmas boat feature on the Shannon.”
Ballyleague lights committee would like to thank the following for all the help: Mr Denis Dunne of Ballyleague who officially turned on the lights last Thursday night. John Ward of Wards Hardware, Roscommon Town, Steve and Theresa Ormsby of Clarkes Bar, Bord na Mona, ESB, Lanesboro Christmas lights committee, Lanesborough – Ballyleague Credit Union & Lough Ree Angling hub for access to electricity for lights, James & Marie of Rosie’s bar for allowing us to generate funds, Larry Brennan of ‘Down the Hatch’ bar, Roscommon, The Residents & Management company of Waters Edge, Ballyleague and all businesses and residents who allowed us access to power.
Rathcline GAA
Cake Sale: The club would like to say a very big thank you to the organisers, the bakers, those that played any part in the Christmas Bake and Sale on Sunday last. Thanks also to everyone that supported the event buy attending and buying cakes and buying tickets for the draw. A full report from the organising committee will be published next week.
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.
50/50 Draw: Monday night last 5th December the 50/50 pool stood at €324 and the winning drawn in the Peer Inn, Lisnacusha was Ben Lackey, Barnacor. 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. The club would like to thank everyone that continues to support the draw on a weekly basis and also the many people that buy the one-year ticket. Your support is much appreciated.