Lanesboro Ballyleague Notes
Rubbish Strewn at Clonbonny
The next time you visit Clonbonny, be it for a walk, to visit the cemetery or to attend training or a match walk onto the bridge and look back up towards the bog. You will be faced with the most unsightly sight imaginable. People have been throwing their bags of rubbish over the cemetery wall down onto the slope leading to the railway track. It is a hideous sight and it is something that must be highlighted. What is thrown over the wall is not clay, stone or old wilted flowers but household rubbish. The amount of rubbish thrown over the wall is a huge attraction to vermin hence the chance of the vermin in and around the area on an on-going basis. As people use the cemetery on a daily basis and youngsters use the pitch closest to the car park for training and matches and people and children are frequently in the vicinity there is a huge need to have this area cleaned up. There is also a need for either Bord na Mona or Longford County Council to erect CCTV cameras in this area to capture the culprits that are making the area so dirty. Perhaps it could be a joint venture as both are affected by the lousy acts of a few people.
As you continue to walk from Clonbonny Bridge towards Green Gardens and the Longford Road at Clancy’s you will see many bags of rubbish thrown down in the drain. There is an increased number of bags and people disposing of their rubbish on this road and again this is a huge attraction to vermin. As there is a lot of people using this quiet road for walking and it will be used more and more as the longer evenings come in there is a need to all these bags collected and a monitoring system put in place to identify the people using the road as a dump.
If you see or have seen anyone dumping in any of the areas mentioned please report them to the Gardaí or Longford County Council.
Memories continue
The memories of the businesses in the parish continue to draw attention as on Monday last I received the following memories of Tom Ginty in Canada “I remember when I was very young walking to Tullyvrane to Mc Kenna’s where there was a cinema and I saw some of my first westerns there. We walked in a group with the older kids, It was probably operated by Eddie Kelly or possible Tommy Harold, (Tom, it was Eddie Kelly). The Peer was also a major hardware store back then and they had a travelling shop that was a van operated by Dympna Clabby, she travelled all over both parishes picking up eggs from the farmers and supplying them with some light groceries”
In my time the Peer was the center for the rising and the very best of traditional and folk music. Those of us that had the pleasure of that time saw the best musicians in Ireland performing on our doorstep. It was fantastic times and we fondly remember Peter and his brother late Luke Farrell who excelled in their musical taste.
Joe Donlon, Moher, reminded me of his memories of Lizzie Martin’s shop in her house at the crossroads leading to Fermoyle, the Turlough and Blenavoher. He also remembers Mrs. Mc Getterick who had her dressmakers business where I previously mentioned Mc Getterick’s shop and flats. When he started to serve mass his parents got Mrs. Mc Getterick to make the servers surplus and sutan. Joe said that before Mrs. Mc Nally had her shop Mickie ‘Terry’ Farrell had a shop during war times selling tea, sugar and cigarettes and other items. Joe also remembers Francie Farrell, Lehery – where P and Maura Hanley now reside- having the agency for selling fertilizer.
Eugene Kelly brought me through his many memories, some previously listed, the entrepreneur his father was – he had extensive businesses throughout the area. He reminded me of the business Michael Casey, world renowned sculptor, Newtowncashel and Vinny Farrell had at the back of Michael’s father’s butchers business on Main Street making horse drawn gipsey style caravans which were great hit for the tourist business.
I hope anyone with photographs are dropping them into Stella, in the Library, either by hand or emailing them to her. Her idea for pictorial history of the Main Street is fabulous and it is incumbent for everyone that has a photograph to get them to her.
I would like to thank everyone that has contributed, to me, their memories of the businesses in the town and parish. It is proving to be a fascinating trip through the parish and I hope it has brought back as many memories for you as it has for me. It has added new names and shops that I never knew existed. If there are any other memories please email me joeaobrien@outlook.ie or call into the shop and have a chat and I can add them to the already extensive list.
50/50
On Monday night last 9th March the weekly Rathcline 50/50 draw took place in the Yacht Bar. The winning envelope was owned by Stella Mc Kearney, Weakfield and Stella was the lucky winner of €490.
The club appreciates your support for the 50/50 and for only €2 you too can be a winner.
Lanesboro Bridge Club
The results of the Pairs competition that took place Wednesday 25th February and Wednesday 4th March are: 1st Brid McDermott and Una Lawlor, 2nd Patsy Canavan and Maureen Hynes and 3rd Renee Walsh and Mary Jamieson.
The winners for week one were Eileen Kelly and Una Clarke and for week two Mae Casey and Noreen Dunne.
The results for the competition held on Wednesday 11th March were: North/South, 1st Una Clarke and Eileen Kelly, 2nd Phil Chalmers and Cyril Hussey and 3rd Elisa Gray and Gemma Douglas. East/West – 1st Philomena Walsh and Kathleen Kelly, 2nd Brid Mc Dermott and Una Lawlor and 3rd Maureen Hynes and Bernadette Gillen
Sympathy
We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Hilary and Vera O’Sullivan and the extended O’Sullivan family Main St and Knock on the death in England of Hilary’s sister in law Rose O’Sullivan wife of Noel O’Sullivan.
Local derby opens football Season
All roads will lead to Clonbonny on Saturday afternoon next for the throw in at 5pm. A huge crowd is anticipated for this opening game of the footballing season in Clonbonny. Rathcline will play host to Killashee and this game promises to be a ding dong thriller as both teams try to make a winning start to their Division 2 league campaign.
The Show of the Year DVD
The long awaited DVD’s of the show of 2014 Strictly Come Dancing Over the Bridge is now on sale and it is a must for every house. This night was one of the best nights ever in the communities of Rathcline and St. Faithleach’s and now that the DVD has become available the night will live forever. If you missed the night do not miss the DVD and if you were there relive the memories of a brilliant night with your own copy of the DVD. Copies can be bought in O’Brien’s for €15 and it will be tremendous watching and hours of totally unbridled entertainment.
Badminton Winners
Congratulations is in order to the Lanesboro Grade 4 and Grade 5 mixed teams who won the Mixed Midland League Competition in St Mary’s Community Centre in Edgeworthstown on Monday March 9th. It was a brilliant achievement for all involved to have two teams from the one club competing in their respective grades. Well done to the teams who consist of Karl Crawford, Frank Casey, Ann Duffy, Mary Flanagan and Edel Mc Dermott in Grade 4, with Frank Casey, Mark Bermingham, Niall Healy, Owen Casey, Edel Mc Dermott, Carol Manning, Gráinne Gallagher and Regina Scally in Grade 5.
Essential A.S.I.S.T. Training
Are you A.S.I.S.T. trained? Would you like to become part of a community volunteer group who want to provide positive mental health-suicide prevention? You are invited to attend a meeting in the EDI Centre – turn right after roundabout and before railway bridge lights on Lanesboro Road to Longford and continue in that road – on Tuesday next 24th March at 7.30pm. This is a very vital course for many from our community and they are urged to attend. To express an interest and find more details please ring 087-2915367.
Old Clothes
If you have old clothes you want to dispose of you can do so by contacting Mike 086 4046174 and he will arrange delivery or collection. Your donation will go towards supporting the Rathcline Ladies GAA club
Lanesboro Library Events
Basic Computer Course at Lanesboro Library: Both computer courses are now full. We are taking names for a further afternoon and evening course to be run after Easter. If you are interested please call Stella on 043 332 1291 or email lanesborolibrary@longfordcoco.ie
The Art Course is now full. Stella is now taking names for a further course to be run after Easter. Contact Stella at the library to book your place – 043 332 1291 or email lanesborolibrary@longfordcoco.ie
Foreign Currency Appeal Reminder; the library is 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.
Book Club continues on Friday 27th March at 11am. Contact Stella if you have any queries on 043 332 1291
Knitting & Crochet Group meetings every Monday 2 – 4pm.
Lasraí Writers Group meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month 7 – 9pm.
Active Age Group meetings every Tuesday 3 – 4pm.
ESOL classes (English for speakers of other languages) continue each Tuesday evening 7 – 9pm.
Locals in Final
Ballymahon Convent are in the Leinster U14 final in the very near future and there are a good number of local lads on the panel and we wish them every success. The team is captained by Cian Gilmore and the others local lads are Evan Chalmers, Cronan Flood, Oran Kenny and Seadhna Ryan.
Western Gaels play first game in Minor League Div 1 on Tuesday 17th March away to Killoe Óg at 12pm.
U13 and U14 training continues on Friday 20th March in Grattan’s from 6.30 to 7.30pm.
Table Quiz Rescheduled
Ballyleague Village Renewal &Tidy Towns have rescheduled their Community Table Quiz for Saturday week 28th March in St Faithleach’s clubhouse Ballyleague at 9pm. Go along and have a good night’s craic’ and support Tidy Towns at the same time. Teams of 4 for €40. Great prizes on the night.
Irish Revision Course
An Honours Irish Leaving Cert Revision Course will take place in Longford town on Tuesday 31st March 10am-4pm. An Bhéaltriail (Oral Irish), Essays, Prose, Poetry and Grammar will be covered and notes provided. For more information and applications please contact Yvonne Ní Mhurchú 087-2642665 or Trudy Uí Fhearghail 087-6475071
Longford GAA Fundraiser
Longford GAA will host a fundraising cookery demonstration in the Longford Arms Hotel on Monday 30th March. Leading celebrity chef and head chef at the excellent Viewmount House, Gary O’Hanlon will give the demonstration. Gary has receive many accolades for his cooking which makes it a night that should not be missed under any circumstances. Gary has a great personality as can be seen on the hit TV show The Restaurant and he has an uncanny knack of simplifying even the most elaborate of dishes for the amateur cook
Rathcline GAA
ACFL Division 2 – Our new season begins next Saturday evening March 21st when we face our neighbour’s Killashee in Clonbonny at 5pm in the league. We look forward to the new season with optimism and hopefully it can be a successful season for everyone involved. We urge everyone to come out and support the lads in their first outing of the year. Best of luck to all involved for the coming season. For the most up-to-date fixture information please see our club website www.rathcline.gaa.ie Club fixtures and results section.
50/50 Draw – Congratulations to Stella Mc Kearney, c/o The Yacht Bar, who was the lucky winner of €490 in last week’s 50/50 draw in The Yacht Bar. A few lucky few weeks for the Mc Kearney family with Malachy winning our draw two weeks previously! The draw continues every Monday night at 9pm and envelopes are available in all local businesses for only €2.
All-Ireland Club Final Tickets Draw – Congratulations to Colm Morgan, Hanley’s Marina who won the premium level tickets for the All-Ireland Club Finals on St. Patrick’s day. 2nd prize €50 went to Jim Brown, Cloontuskert. 3rd prize €50 went to baby Zoe Nutterfield, Edenderry. The club says thank you to all who bought lines in the draw.
Topaz Cash For Clubs – Topaz have announced a new initiative for clubs and communities. When you spend €40 or more on fuel you collect a stamp. These cards and stamps are available in all Topaz stores nationwide and Cullen’s XL is our local one. Once your card is full with stamps you can return it to Cullen’s or to a member of the Rathcline executive with your club name written on it. The cards will then be returned to Topaz for a draw on May 15th where the prizes are as follows: 1 club will win €10,000. 10 clubs will win €5000. 140 clubs will win €1000. Every club thereafter will receive €250. We would ask everyone in the community to try and get involved and you can also get friends or family around the country involved collecting for our club.
Strictly Come Dancing DVD – If you missed our great night’s entertainment and our amazing dancers or you just want to relive the night again, then why not get your hands on the DVD of the night! DVDs are on sale in O’Brien’s, Adie’s and St. Faithleach’s clubhouse priced €15.
Membership is now due for the coming year. With our first game of the season against Killashee next Saturday evening March 21st, it’s compulsory that all players are registered before this if they want to play. Players’ registration fee is €50 and non-playing members is €20. Players are asked to pay their registration to Brendan Rhatigan or James Hanley. Non playing members can pay their fee to Peter Skelly or Denis Crinigan.
Longford U21s – Best of luck to Liam Connerton, Shane Kenny and Eoin Sorohan with the Longford U21’s who face Dublin in the Leinster U21 semi-final on Wednesday 18th March in Navan at 7.30pm. Also to Gareth Johnston is who is a team selector.
Notice to all players – Could all players please refrain from kicking boots off the walls at the clubhouse in Clonbonny. The FAS men do great work helping with the upkeep of our facilities and it’s very disappointing to see their good work undone.
Sympathies – The club would like to extend our sympathies to Joan, David and Hugh Devereaux, Rathcline Road on the death of Denis following illness. RIP.
Minor Club
Minor League Division 1 – Western Gaels will play Killoe Óg in Killoe this Tuesday March 17th at 12pm in their first match in Division 1.
U13 and U14 training continues on Friday 20th March from 6.30pm to 7.30pm in Grattan’s.
Ladies Club
Senior League –The ladies take on Edgeworthstown next Sunday March 22nd in Clonbonny at 11.30am. Please support.
U14 and U16 training continues every Sunday at 12 in Clonbonny.
Clothes collection – The clothes collection continues for the ladies club. Anyone who has old clothes they wish to dispose of please contact Madaleine or Mike on 086 4046174.
Angling Hub
The Lough Ree Lanesborough angling hub was set up last January to help promote the sport of fishing in this area, develop angling tourism and restore the good name of this town as a fishing hub. The hub has the support of the Angling Council of Ireland, The National Federation of Course Anglers, Inland Fisheries Ireland and 32 local community groups. The hub has already applied to stage a world championship angling event here in 2016.
Training event: Next Saturday March 21st Mr. Der Casey of the NCFFI will be in Lanesborough to conduct a one day foundation training course in St Mary’s Hall for people who would like to be able to coach angling to others. The objective of this is to bring new people fishing in the area and promote angling among young people and people with special needs. 12 people have already registered to take part in this training event. There are 5 places left. To register e mail: loughreeanglinghub@gmail.com or contact the hub chairman Hugh Keane at 087 1010032 . Representatives of the parents associations in each of the schools in the area are especially welcome to attend.
A major coarse fishing competition is now scheduled to take place on the June bank holiday weekend and the Hub has promoted the event and this area in front of 5000 anglers at the National Angling show in the Swords Exhibition Centre.
The hub will again be promoting the area again at a major angling exhibition in Farnborough UK next weekend March 21-22 where 5000 leaflets for this area will be given out at a show with 17,000 UK anglers present and is presently seeking help with transport costs and leaflets. Our thanks to Philip Gordon, Joe Cribbin, Alan Horohoe and Paul Waghorn who are traveling to the show in Farnborough. Thanks also to ESB Lough Ree Power, Bord na Mona, Longford county council and Fáilte Ireland who are supporting the project. An invitation has been sent to Roscommon county council, Lanesborough Tourism Co-op and Inland Fisheries Ireland to also play a part in this event and we await a response.
Our thanks to Eamon Gleeson of Gleeson’s Townhouse, The Square, Roscommon who has come forward with sponsorship for the event.
To assist us please speak to Ciaran Mullooly from the hub marketing committee on 087 2433201 or e mail: loughreeanglinghub@gmail.com
Competition: The Lough Ree Angling hub decided at their meeting in February to stage a major national and international fishing competition here on the June bank holiday weekend with 3000 euro in prize money. The hub committee have been given guarantees from the IFI about rehabilitation work on the local fishery between here and June so we intend to promote this area as best we can in the meantime.
The competition will be a 2 day event on 60 pegs, the entry fee: €25 per person or £20 stg.
The competition will take place from 11am to 4pm on Saturday May 30th & Sunday May 31st
Registration 8am to 9am Saturday May 30th and the draw for pegs will take place at 9am Saturday May 30th
Fishing will take place from 11am to 4pm each day and the presentation of prizes Sunday May 31st 6.30pm. Competition entries will close on Friday May 8th, 2015 at 12 noon
The will be a prize fund of €3000 and will be distributed as follows: 1st – €1500 (approx. £1100),
2nd – €500 (approx. £350), 3rd – €200 (approx. £140). There will be 3 fishing sections each day (A, B & C), alternating sections each day on a rotational basis for anglers over 2 days
Section winners each day will receive 1st – €75 (approx. £50) and 2nd – €50 (approx. £35) leading to a grand total = €2950 (15 cash prizes)
The result will be determined on points: 1 for section win each day, 2 for 2nd, 3 for 3rd and 4 for 4th etc. The angler with lowest number of points wins.
Angler who wins overall prize cannot win section cash prize. Prize goes to next lowest points competitor in section.
To get an Application form and match rules please e mail: loughreeanglinghub@gmail.com or speak to Philip Gordon from the hub fishing committee: 087 7698468
Accommodation: To host the fishing competition locally we will need accommodation for up to 60 anglers in the Lanesborough-Ballyleague area. At the moment we have precisely 2 bed and breakfast providers in the town and we need more please! The hub is drawing up a list of people who will provide accommodation for anglers on the June bank holiday weekend (May 28-June 1st). To register your details e mail: loughreeanglinghub@gmail.com or speak to Gerard Farrell from the hub hospitality committee on 086 8745180.
Ballyleague Village Renewal
Heritage Plan: Ballyleague Village Renewal wish to thank everyone who came along to the launch of our new heritage plan recently in the Lifebelt bar. We had a full house and the plans will now be put up on the Roscommon county council heritage website: http://www.roscommoncoco.ie/en/Services/Heritage your feedback would be very welcome. Please e mail: keepballyleaguetidy@gmail.com with your comments and suggestions.
New Riverbank Opening: Work is now commencing on the final stage of Phase 2 of the new riverbank, quayside wall and promenade in Ballyleague. During the next 8 weeks construction work will commence on a new traditional stonework plinth at the entrance on the bridge side of the site just – starting immediately after St Patrick’s Day. Work will also be carried out to relocate parts of the existing stone walls and install a new water mains pipe to the south of the site – providing a number of taps for anglers and pedestrians use. The next part of the work will include the installation of a new two metre wide tarmac footpath linking the Waterways Ireland marina and the southern end of our cobble lock promenade. This will facilitate disabled anglers and able bodied pedestrians with access to the new promenade.
While this work is going on Ballyleague Village Renewal and Tidy Towns have invited in ceramic artist Patsy Preston from Westmeath to see if she can work with local students from Lanesborough community college and other local schools on a new artistic image for the remaining back wall of the old swimming pool. It is hoped to produce something very special with the synergy between the students and the artist. More information on this soon.
Finally the last stage of Phase 2 will include some landscaping on the site and Mark Boyle of Murray Associates in Dublin is already planning designs for this.
Ballyleague Village Renewal wish to thank everyone who has helped in any way in the work carried out so far on the site. We also wish to join with Roscommon county council to apologies for the inconvenience caused to pedestrians by the closure of the site during the construction stage and confirm that the new riverbank and promenade will be re-opening to the public on the June bank holiday weekend (May 28 to June 1st) when a special festival will be staged to celebrate the big opening over the weekend.
Events planned over the weekend include a special swim event in association with the Tri Lanesborough Triathlon club, a cruise in company in association with the Inland Waterways Ireland Athlone branch and an international fishing competition – in association with the new Lough Ree Lanesborough Angling hub and Waterways Ireland. There will also be a number of music events – more details soon – so there’s a very good reason to put the June bank holiday weekend in your diary for staying home or coming home to join in the celebrations at this very special Lough Ree Summer Prom Festival on the new Prom! More details available now from: keepballyleaguetidy@gmail.com
Ballyleague Men’s Shed
The Ballyleague & Lanesborough area Men’s Shed group is presently raffling one of the four fantastic fishing lake boats they made over a 14 week period since last November. The proceeds raised will go to buying varnish and paint and other supplies for the boats and equipping the Men’s shed new workshop in Cloontuskert with hand tools and equipment. You can buy a raffle ticket for just €5 from any of the lads who did the boat building and in the shops and pubs around the town. The wooden boat is now worth in excess of €5000- such is the quality of the workmanship so it is a great raffle prize. You may have seen the raffle prize and the boats in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Lanesborough this year and judge for yourself about the quality of the work the lads and their tutors did.
Presentation: Just before Christmas the members and friends of Men’s Shed Ballyleague and Lanesborough area staged the annual Santa show at the Thatch in Ballyleague Just under 300 children came with their parents to meet the man in red and Sean Hogan from Ballyclare Court was our VIP for the day – getting collected by Santa on his sleigh too. On the day there was also a train show, a farm machinery show and lots of other attractions for the children. The event was a great success and the Men’s Shed members proposed that all profits would go to Crumlin Children’s Hospital – we are delighted to say that Sean and his Mom Sinead Connaughton Hogan and Grandad Michael were available this week to collect a cheque for €700 for St John’s ward in Crumlin. Many of those who helped on the weekend came along too – and the money has now gone back to support the children in Crumlin. Our thanks to everybody who supported the event and helped Crumlin Hospital.
Tennis Club
Lough Ree Bay Tennis club wish to confirm that Junior club membership is now closed for 2015. Over 30 children have now paid their membership, are fully insured to play and will be moving out of the hall in Ballyleague to train on the two tennis courts in the Waterways Ireland marina on Saturday April 11th at 6pm where we look forward to a long hot sunny summer of tennis with our Tennis Coach Ireland Richard Turner. Next weekend will be our last session for the children in the hall. There will be no tennis on Saturday March 28th or Saturday April 4th. Club chairman Mark Kerrigan spoke to all members and parents recently and has thanked parents for their co-operation and support for our new club. The club executive also met with Audrey Sorohan, Michelle Quigley Brehon and Ciaran Mullooly planning for lots of future developments. We are all genuinely delighted with the absolutely overwhelming reaction from parents and children….Chairman Mark has also asked parents to take note of two important issues before coaching sessions: 1. Parents or guardians must come into the hall in Ballyleague before tennis and sign in their children in the book. Children will not be permitted to leave the hall on their own after sessions until parents or guardians come into hall and collect them at 7pm and 8pm. This rule is in the specific interest of child protection. 2. Parents are asked to ensure that children are not suffering from any injuries before they arrive at coaching. Our coach Richard Turner will speak to children who are obviously injured at an early stage and will ask them to sit out the coaching if they are injured. Their coaching fee will be returned to them and they will have to remain in the hall until a parent or guardian returns. This measure is in the interests of health and safety of members. Thank you for your co-operation.
Adult tennis coaching: The weekly sessions have now resumed on Sunday mornings at 9.30am at the tennis courts in the Waterways Ireland marina in Ballyleague. Only 5 places remain in this session. For more information and to register contact Chairman Mark Kerrigan on 353 (85) 152 5301 as soon as possible. The club will be staging tennis competitions and coaching all summer long so now is the time to register your membership and be ready for a long hot summer of tennis hopefully!!!
St, Faithleach’s
Congratulations to Roscommon CBS who have a win of 0-8 to 0-7 over Summerhill College in the Connaught GAA Post Primary Senior A Final , and to our club reps Daniel Foley and Steven Walsh. U16 Boys: Our U16 boys suffered a defeat against Strokestown on Sunday with a score line of 5-13 to 1-06 . Team M O Donnell, S Farrell, K Trautt, C Reynolds, R Trimble, I Trautt, K Nerney, J Donlon, D Cox, L Ormsby, C Gannon, M Dunne, N McGovern, D Mc Dermott, C O’Brien, A Hegarty, K Gallagher. U16 Girls: Our U16 girls were defeated by St Dominic’s on Sunday scoreline of 7-06 to 2-05. Team D Mc Caffrey, K Browne, N Hegarty, P Jedrych, K McPhillips, S Hoare, J Brennan, K Byrne, M Kelly, S Scally, A Curley, J Banahan, N Parker, E Irwin, L Cox. Subs L Farrell, I Farrell, O Irwin, K Mullooly. Community Alert: A meeting is to be held in St Faithleach’s clubhouse on Wednesday 25th March at 9pm for the areas of Ballyleague, Ballagh & Curraghroe. Lotto: The jackpot of €12,000 was not won on Tuesday night last. The numbers drawn were 6, 10, 24 and28. The five winners of the €20 prizes: Tim Fox, Diarmuid Thompson &Ollie Pender, The Hustlers c/o Clubhouse, Benny Connor, Evan Tynan. The next draw will take place on Tuesday 24th March in the clubhouse. Cards continue every Tuesday at 8:30pm in the clubhouse. All are very welcome. The winners on Tuesday night were Peggy/PJ. Joint Winners Eugene/Sonny, Kevin/Mick. Last Game Tom/Mary. Tickets: Mick, Padraig, Jimmy, Pat Joe.