Lanesboro Ballyleague Notes
New Shop opens
The Main Street is really starting to fill up with a new phone shop opening on the opposite side of the street to Sean Mimnagh’s Shannon Grill. Not only are the dealing with phones but there is an array of electronic goods displayed in the window. We would like to wish the new proprietors the very best of luck and a long stay on our Main Street.
It is also great to see work continuing to take place down at the Lough Ree Arms. The work continues apace at what was Samantha’s restaurant and the painting of the building has brough a great brightness to the Main Street.
Detective Garda Colm Horkan
On Wednesday night last while most of us were back home preparing for the night’s sleep and what the next day would bring the most horrific event was unfolding just a few miles down the road from us Castlerea. Detective Garda Colm Horkan was responding to a call just a short distance from the Garda Station. In his attempt to bring law and order to the situation he was fatally wounded. The entire country was not only shocked but deeply saddened when the news broke. This is something that we never expect in ant community or indeed in our country.
The Garda Force in Ireland is laden down with people from different communities and while they are stationed in our area, they are our protectors and we take them as one of our own when they are stationed here. Many of our own people, of which we are extremely proud of, are and have been serving members of An Garda Síochána and have served the communities they were attached to as if it were their own. While stationed here and in neighbouring stations many Gardaí move into our community and become integral parts of our community in off-duty hours.
When something happens, we all feel their pain but on Wednesday we grieved with An Garda Síochána as if it was one of our own that was fatally wounded.
Detective Garda Colm Horkan entered our lives as if we knew him all our life from his life as a family man who lived with his father, lost his twin sister 19 years ago and his mother to a sudden death, a Garda, a great community man and a GAA man who played with his native Charlestown and underage with Mayo. Everything that we would expect as we rear our own Colm Horkan typified hence our absolute feeling of grief.
From our community I would on your behalf like to express our deepest sympathy to his family, his Garda colleagues, and his community and the Castlerea community on such a tremendous loss.
On Sunday last a big representation of our community joined with our local Gardaí as they observed a minutes silence at the time the Funeral Mass of Colm Hokan was about to begin.
A Book of Condolences is available for signing at Lanesboro Garda Station
Searching
This weekend I received a query as to whether I had the line out and photograph of the Rathcline team that played at the opening of the pitch in Clonbonny. If you have one or both I would appreciate you sending it to me at joeaobrien@outlook.com or drop it into the shop where it will be copied and returned immediately. Thank you in advance.
Lanesboro Library
Now you can ‘contact & collect’ your books at the library on Tuesday & Saturday 10am to 1pm. Books can also be collected at Joe & Martina O’Brien’s shop.
Email: lanesborolibrary@longfordcoco.ie
Facebook PM: @lanesborolibrar;Tel: 043 332 1291 You can browse online at www.longfordlibrary.ie to choose your books by searching ‘Book Search’ – within Co. Longford Library service.
Check out all our Online Services by selecting ‘Your Online Library’.
Limited Printing/Photocopying/Scanning service available.
Football to Return
Following the lifting of some restrictions in the Government announcement on Friday last there is some hope of getting back to normality on the GAA pitches. Clubs are now allowed to get together for training from this Wednesday and for minor players from Saturday hence the signal of club football returning in the near future.
For the players of Rathcline and St. Faithleach’s it is the end of a frustrating couple of months and I am sure all will return with a great eagerness. The best of luck to both clubs for a successful season.
It is also a godsend for the supporters of both clubs who were deprived of attending or seeing any games. Although supporters are limited to 200 at present it will rise to 500 in phase 4.
Following the commencement of club games there is also light at the end of the tunnel for the return of inter county football and hurling although with a limited number in attendance.
Meeting of Bord na Mona Workers
Lough Ree Angling hub will launch a new Access for All boat service on the River Shannon in September 2020. This new state of the art angling boat will be powered by two engines and will have the capacity to carry ten people and a crew of two on the river. This passenger boat will be the first in Britain and Ireland to carry seven people with disability and wheelchair-bound or have mobility issues. It will also serve as a heritage tourism service for the islands of Lough Ree as required.
In preparation for the boat’s launch, the angling hub is recruiting and training a panel of up to 20 people who will operate the boat on a full-time, part-time paid and voluntary basis. Part of this group will also offer their services as angling ghillies to visitors to the area – when required.
A training course has now been organised for early September for people who are interested in committing themselves to taking part in this training.
All those with an interest in boating and fishing are invited to get in touch with us before July 1st – especially present or previous workers with Bord na Móna or ESB who may be looking for alternative employment.
An information meeting for present and former Bord na Mona and ESB workers who are interested in being part of this project will take place on Wednesday July 1st at 5.30pm at the Access For All Boat Shed on the North Quayside in Ballyleague. Admission is by ticket only For information and to get a ticket call Alan Broderick at +353 (44) 937 2015 or call into our office in Ballyleague or speak to Alan Farrell, Philip Gordon or Ciaran Mullooly. All social distancing guidelines must be followed.
News from our local Parishes
Kilgefin parish notes
Opening Times
Ballyleague church will remain open each day from 10.30am to 8pm
Funerals and burials
Call Fr. Dusmanta at 043 3321171 or dusmanta.m.n@gmail.com
Government guidelines for the bereaved
Funeral arrangements are made via phone calls or emails. A limit of 10 people attending any ceremony with social distancing and no associated gatherings. The use of condolences books is discouraged; where possible. Close relatives and contacts of the deceased should use their own transport. Families and friends of the deceased will not be able to have gatherings after the funeral service.
Mass Intentions
All Mass intentions which have been book can be rescheduled for a later date when the current situation changes.
Collections
Fr. Dusmanta would like to thank everyone that has dropped in their collection envelopes into his house. Parishioners who can afford to are encouraged to drop off offertory and priest’s dues envelopes into his house whenever you are passing.
St. John’s Church of Ireland
St Johns church of Ireland diocesan Service broadcast takes place every Sunday at 10 a.m.
You can log onto Kilmore Elphin Ardagh YouTube or http: shortturl@/drbz3 or www.dkea.ie.and follow the link.
News from St. Mary’s Church
Cemetery Sunday
Considering the present circumstances, it is advisable not to hold the normal Cemetery Sunday celebrations this year. Complying with social distancing requirements along with the gathering of large numbers of people would present major difficulties. Masses will be offered in private for the souls of all interred in our local three cemeteries on the following dates: Sunday 5th July for all those interred in Rathcline, Sunday 12th July for all interred in St. John’s Cemetery, Lanesboro, and Sunday 19th July for all interred in Clonbonny.
Weekly Envelopes
Fr Reilly would like to thank everyone who continue to drop in the weekly envelopes into the presbytery. The generosity of those people despite the hardship they themselves have to bear in those difficult circumstances is both magnanimous and benevolent
Opening Times
The church will be open each day from 10.30am to 7.30pm
Urgent sick calls, funerals, and burials
The designated priests in this Deanery of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois are Fr. Merlyn Kenny PP Newtowncashel 086 0603433 and Fr. Turlough Baxter, Killashee 087 9972259.
Mass Intentions
All Mass intentions which have been book can be rescheduled for a later date when the current situation changes.
Parish Newsletter
The parish newsletter will be printed each week and it will be available in the Church porch from Friday afternoon. The newsletter will also be available from Friday afternoon in O’Brien’s Corner Shop.
News from our local Parishes
Kilgefin parish notes
Opening Times
Ballyleague church will remain open each day from 10.30am to 8pm
Funerals and burials
Call Fr. Dusmanta at 043 3321171 or dusmanta.m.n@gmail.com
Government guidelines for the bereaved
Funeral arrangements are made via phone calls or emails. A limit of 10 people attending any ceremony with social distancing and no associated gatherings. The use of condolences books is discouraged; where possible. Close relatives and contacts of the deceased should use their own transport. Families and friends of the deceased will not be able to have gatherings after the funeral service.
Mass Intentions
All Mass intentions which have been book can be rescheduled for a later date when the current situation changes.
Collections
Fr. Dusmanta would like to thank everyone that has dropped in their collection envelopes into his house. Parishioners who can afford to are encouraged to drop off offertory and priest’s dues envelopes into his house whenever you are passing.
St. John’s Church of Ireland
St Johns church of Ireland diocesan Service broadcast takes place every Sunday at 10 a.m.
You can log onto Kilmore Elphin Ardagh YouTube or http: shortturl@/drbz3 or www.dkea.ie.and follow the link.
News from St. Mary’s Church
Cemetery Sunday
Considering the present circumstances, it is advisable not to hold the normal Cemetery Sunday celebrations this year. Complying with social distancing requirements along with the gathering of large numbers of people would present major difficulties. Masses will be offered in private for the souls of all interred in our local three cemeteries on the following dates: Sunday 5th July for all those interred in Rathcline, Sunday 12th July for all interred in St. John’s Cemetery, Lanesboro, and Sunday 19th July for all interred in Clonbonny.
Weekly Envelopes
Fr Reilly would like to thank everyone who continue to drop in the weekly envelopes into the presbytery. The generosity of those people despite the hardship they themselves have to bear in those difficult circumstances is both magnanimous and benevolent
Opening Times
The church will be open each day from 10.30am to 7.30pm
Urgent sick calls, funerals, and burials
The designated priests in this Deanery of the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois are Fr. Merlyn Kenny PP Newtowncashel 086 0603433 and Fr. Turlough Baxter, Killashee 087 9972259.
Mass Intentions
All Mass intentions which have been book can be rescheduled for a later date when the current situation changes.
Parish Newsletter
The parish newsletter will be printed each week and it will be available in the Church porch from Friday afternoon. The newsletter will also be available from Friday afternoon in O’Brien’s Corner Shop.