Local Notes: Cheque presentation to hospice, McCarthy Cup and the late Seamus Kelly
Castlerea ICA Craft Group recently made beautiful shamrocks and sold them in some of the local retail outlets to raise funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation palliative care services. Pictured at the presentation of a cheque for €438 to the Hospice were Kathy Grogan, Hospice, Mamie O’Connor, Mary O’Hara, Maura Quinnn and Margaret Diggins, Hospice.
Castlerea ICA Craft Group was busy in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day crocheting. Members made beautiful shamrocks and sold them in some of the local retail outlets to raise funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation palliative care services. The Foundation was very grateful to recently receive €438 from these talented ladies. The Craft Group would like to thank the retailers who sold the Shamrocks for them, they also want to thank Castlerea Credit Union for their sponsorship through community grants.
The organisers of Daffodil Day in Castlerea would like to sincerely thank the following for their support and kindness: Anthony and Eoin Cahill and the staff of Cahill’s SuperValu; Siobhan Earley and the staff at Castlerea Livestock Mart; Castlerea Town Team for the use of D'Gaff, and the many businesses in Castlerea and surrounding areas who displayed collection boxes. Organisers are also indebted to the many wonderful volunteers who helped out on the day and, to you, the public who contributed so generously. A total of €7,958 was raised for this worthy cause. Míle buíochas.
Lake O’Flynn & District Angling Association will host the McCarthy Cup on Sunday, April 27th. This is the club’s first outing of the year and is the confined members’ club competition. New members are most welcome on the day, fishing is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.. The event is run on a heaviest fish basis with a good prize fund on offer as usual. Afterwards presentation of prizes will be held in the Kilmore Inn, Ballinlough.
The winning bonus ball in Castlerea Golf Club’s lotto for April 9th was number 6. Winners of this week’s lotto were Kathleen Hester, Brid Kilgannon, Thomas Hester, Maggie Lyons, and Sean Kilkenny. Each receive €100.
Congratulations and well done to the pupils from Third and Fourth Classes who participated in an Olympic handball blitz in The Hub on April 2nd. The boys were a joy to watch and the skill level on show was textbook material. Pupils succeeded in overcoming the challenges of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Slatta and lisacul NS. St. Paul's fielded three teams and all enjoyed themselves thoroughly and showed great skill in defending, passing and scoring with his unique sized ball and scoring zone.
On Friday last pupils took to the Demesne for a Teddy Bear’s Picnic in the glorious sunshine. The teddies were then propelled into the air with a giant parachute and caught as they landed with tender loving care. Next the Teds went on a skipping circuit around the park with a skipping rope and returned to rest on picnic blankets laid out by the pupils in the shade of a great oak tree. The highlight of the Teddy Bear’s picnic was undoubtedly a tub of ice cream, jelly and marshmallows for every tired little boy and their best bear. Conor’s Teddy was so exhausted that he was last seen driving off in a teacher’s car unable to climb the swimming pool hill. We wonder did he get a speeding ticket? The boys had a glorious day out in the brilliant sunshine with their bears and friends in the heart of Castlerea.
At the recent AGM of the Castlerea Rose Festival, outgoing chairman John Mulligan, who did not seek re-election, paid tribute to the late Christy Glynn who passed away on January 24th. He said Christy was one of the longest serving members of the committee and served as chairman for many years. He extended the committee’s sympathy to the Glynn family and to Helena Sharkey and family, New Jersey, on the passing of Alfie Sharkey who passed away on March 24th. The late Alfie with his family were regular visitors to the festival and also donated sponsorship. Many tributes were paid to John Mulligan for the professional way he carried out his duties as chairman over the past eight years and the trojan work he has done with his committee in making Castlerea one of the best run festivals in the country. John thanked all for their kind words, stating that while both himself and his wife Celia, who is also a long time serving members were taking a break, they would always be available to help our in whatever way they could.
There was widespread shock in Castlerea and further afield on Thursday, April 3rd when word filtered through of the sudden death at his residence of Mr Seamus (Shipper) Kelly, Knockroe, Castlerea and formerly Cloonbard, Castlerea. Predeceased by his wife, Hazel in 2013, mother, Marie and father James (Jimmy). Deceased was a very kind neighbour and always willing to help people out. He had a great love of the land, farming, and Castlerea, and attended many marts in the province buying cattle. He also worked as a prison officer for a number of years and one of the gifts brought to the altar was his cap and uniform, also a family photo, which showed his love for his family, cattle tags to show his love for the marts and his mobile phone which kept him in contact with people. He was a great family man and father and when his wife Hazel passed away, he took great care of their two children, Isable and Evan who both now are involved with Castlerea St. Kevin’s, Castlerea Celtic and Castlerea Community School teams. Shipper, as he was known to everyone, was a great character. He was good humoured, kind and understanding and loved to have a conversation with both young and old. There were lots of kind tributes paid to him by many including his former work colleagues in the Prison Services. He was very well liked, and this was borne out in the large crowds that attended his funeral on both days. He was a loving husband and father, and he will be sadly missed by his heartbroken children, Isabel and Evan; sister-in-law, Eleanor, brother-in-law Fehin; good friends, Tom O’Dowd and John McHugh and their families, nephews, Luke and Finn, niece Ruby, cousins, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends. His remains were removed from Gaynor’s Funeral Home to St. Patrick’s Church, Castlerea and following Mass of the Resurrection celebrated by Fr. John McManus burial took place in the New Cemetery, Dunkerrin, County Offaly. Before the final blessing Tom O’Dowd read the Communion reflection and Elaine McHugh read a poem. His daughter Isabel gave the eulogy on her dad’s life. The ceremony was enhanced by the music and singing of Jacqueline Kenny and Caroline Madigan, Leanne Vaughan played a tune on the piano during Communion. Castlerea St. Kevin’s and Castlerea Celtic Underage teams formed a guard of honour as the cortege left the funeral home on Monday evening and the principal, teachers, and students of Castlerea Community School formed a guard of honour as the funeral cortege left the church on Tuesday morning. May his gentle soul rest in peace.
