Local notes: GAA president remembered, school celebrations and golden jubilee
Anyone for tea? Patricia Dunne, Ann Moore and Frances Scanlon, pictured at the St. Ronan’s NS, Taughmaconnell, Golden Jubilee celebrations. Pic. Gerard O’Loughlin
Former GAA President, the late Dr Mick Loftus, who was born in Kiltoom in 1930, was remembered in his hometown of Crossmolina on Saturday, May 25th, when a bust was unveiled in the town by current GAA President, Jarlath Burns. Dr Loftus passed on to his eternal reward on April 22nd last year at the age of 93. He was a general medical practitioner in Crossmolina for a number of decades and he had also served as coroner for North Mayo. His late father was stationed as a Garda in Kiltoom Garda Station at Newtown at the turn of the thirties and he spent the first two years of his life in Kiltoom living in the dwelling house opposite the Garda Station. His father was transferred to Elphin from Kiltoom and after the Garda Station closed it served as a general grocery run by Mrs Margaret Ann Nolan and her late daughter, Mrs Eileen Nolan Ross. At the time of his death, Dr Loftus was the last surviving member of the All-Ireland winning Mayo panel of 1951. Dr Loftus served the GAA as a player, referee and administrator. He won three Sigerson Cup medals with University College, Galway, while studying medicine there in 1948, 1950 and 1954. In his role as a referee he had responsibility for the 1965 and 1968 All-Ireland finals. He served as president of the GAA in the mid-eighties and he came back to the Kiltoom area in 1984 to launch the St Brigid's GAA club history in the Prince of Wales Hotel, Athlone, which was penned by the late Michael Fayne, a long-serving administrator of the St Brigid's GAA Club.
Roscommon Mobile Library will visit Monksland on this Thursday, June 6th, from 11 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. and also on Thursday, June 20th, from 1 p.m. to 3.30 p.m.. Library membership is free.
Thirty years of activities at Curraghboy National School at its present location will be celebrated on Friday, June 21st, at 1 p.m. in the school. All past pupils are welcome to come along. The new school was officially opened on a Monday in September 1994 by then Minister of State, the late Noel Treacy who deputised for then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds. The principal then was Mrs Teresa Hand Campbell, sister of the late Detective Garda Frank Hand, who is a native of Lower Ardmullen, Kiltoom. She subsequently spent a number of years as principal of the Abbey Boys National School in Roscommon. She edited a booklet to mark the centenary of the old Carrick National School in Curraghboy in 1990.
There will be a Holy Hour with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St Brigid's Church, Curraghboy, on this Friday, June 7th, at 7 p.m..
The death took place on Monday, May 20th, at the Abbey Haven Nursing Home, Boyle of Mr Brian Curley, Derreenargon, Keadue, who was a native of Curlea, Curraghboy. Aged 83, he was a national teacher by profession and he was a long serving principal of Keadue NS during his 42 year teaching career. He was educated at Rahara National School, the Marist College, Athlone, and St Patrick's College, Dublin, and, on qualifying as a national teacher, he taught at a school in Clondalkin, Dublin, initially before taking up the post in Keadue. He will long be remembered by his hundreds of past pupils for his undoubted intellect and his care and concern for the well-being of all the pupils entrusted into his care. Aside from teaching, he engaged in part-time farming and, in recent decades, he bred horses and enjoyed attending race meetings. He also enjoyed gardening as a hobby. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and a most obliging neighbour and reliable friend. He was brother of the late John Curley, Curlea; the late Jimmy Curley, Ballyforan; the late Dan Curley, Birr; the late Mrs Winnie Mee, Dysart; the late Mrs Bernadette Lynch, Dysart; the late Mrs Kathleen Boyle, Athleague and the late Mrs Nell Fallon, Ballygar. He was predeceased also in recent years by his wife Dolores, (nee Whitney, Derreenargon, Keadue), and is survived by sons, Gavin, Fintan and Peter and daughters Fiona, Ailbhe and Fidelma. He is also survived by one sister, Mrs Agnes McCaul, Dunmanway, County Cork; one sister-in-law, Mrs Teresa Curley, Curlea; eight grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection in St Patrick's Church, Drumboylan, on Wednesday, May 22nd, the burial took place in Kilronan Cemetery. The celebrant of the Mass was Very Rev. Seamus Whitney, a brother-in-law of the deceased.
Very Rev. Gerry Hanley, PP, Boyle, who ministered as a CC in St Peter's Parish, Athlone, prior to taking up his Boyle ministry, is celebrating the golden jubilee of his ordination this June. Fr Gerry has been ministering as a PP in Boyle for the past 26 years. In all his parish ministries he has been attentive to all his parish duties and especially to the needs of the sick, the elderly and the bereaved. He was the recipient of a special presentation from the people of Clonown prior to his departure from Athlone for Boyle 26 years ago. St Peter's Parish includes the Clonown, Drum, Cornafulla and Bealnamullia areas of South Roscommon. St Peter's Parish is part of the Diocese of Elphin while St Mary's Parish on the Leinster side of Athlone is in the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.
Vincent Coyle, Mount Talbot, has been bereaved by the death of his brother, Noel Coyle, Stonepark, Roscommon, which took place on May 19th at Mullingar General Hospital. Aged 82 on December 18th last, the deceased was a native of Mount Talbot and he was a joint proprietor alongside Vincent of Coyle Brothers garage on the Golf Links Road in Roscommon which were the main Opel dealers for County Roscommon for upwards of 30 years. He is survived by his wife Mary (nee Allen, Fourmilehouse); sons, Vincent, Malahide, County Dublin; Shane, Madrid, Spain; daughters, Mrs Bernadette Waring, London; Miriam, Melbourne and Mrs Emer Coyle O'Reilly, Dublin. He is also survived by brothers, Pat, Dublin; Vincent, Mount Talbot; Eamon, Dublin; one sister, Mrs Marie Coyle Mc Dermott, Roscommon, eight grandchildren and a number of other relatives. Following Concelebrated Mass at the Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon, on Wednesday, May 22nd, the burial took place in St Coman's Cemetery, Roscommon. The celebrants of the Mass were Very Rev. Kevin Fallon, PP, Roscommon; Very Rev. Francis Beirne, PP, Ballyforan, Dysart and Tisrara and Rev. Stephen Walshe, Sligo.
The death took place on Thursday, May 16th, in Bristol of Mrs Margaret Henehan, Bristol, who was wife of the late PJ Henehan, who was a native of the Hill of Berries, Kiltoom. Aged 79, she was employed for a number of decades as a carer in a private nursing home and she enjoyed the respect and esteem of all those with whom she became acquainted. She was a regular visitor alongside her late husband PJ to their extended family members in Kiltoom and Athlone down the years and she retained many friendships in the area. Her main hobbies were walking, gardening and listening to music. She was predeceased in December 2016 by her husband PJ and is survived by sons Michael and John; daughter Julie; two grandchildren and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection in Bristol on June 4th, the burial will take place in Bristol.
The death took place recently in West Hartford, Connecticut, USA, of Mrs Anne Isakson, West Hartford, who was the former Ms Anne Gallagher, Whitepark, Curraghboy. The deceased was a member of a well-known Curraghboy family of five boys and five girls and she had reached an advanced age. She was predeceased seven years by her husband Donald, a native of´ Wisconsin, and is survived by sons, Geoffrey and Danny and daughters Elizabeth and Nancy. She is also survived by one brother, Noel, Raheny, Dublin; sisters, Sister Rita of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary community, Cork and Sister Bridie also of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary community, Cork and Mrs Bernadette Mc Aullife, Rah ny, Dublin; grandchildren and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection in West Hartford on May 28th, the burial will take place in West Hartford.
The winners of the weekly progressive 25 card drive at the St Brigid's Handball Complex in Curraghboy on Tuesday night last were Mark Doyle, Vinny Brady, Tommy Hynes, Mrs Marian Grehan, Gerry Menton, David Connaughton, Eddie Nestor, Peter McHugh, Johnny Hughes and Liam Gately.
