Local Notes: IFA activist widely mourned, monopoly run and tributes paid
A cheque for €8,865 from Courtney' s Bar & Off Licence in Brideswell has been presented to Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation. Vincent and Ann Courtney held a recent auction fundraiser in memory of Paul Ferry, a cherished friend. A huge amount of work went into organising the event, which consisted of an auction plus various raffles. The cheque was presented to Kathy from Mayo Roscommon Hospice by Vincent, Ann, Paul Ferry's wife, Jeannie, and members of the local community who supported the event.
Kiltoom Drama Group will stage its 7th John B. Keane production ‘Sive’ in the Parish Hall, Ballybay, Kiltoom, from this Thursday, March 19th to Sunday, March 22nd, at 8 p.m.. ‘Sive’ is being staged by kind permission of the Drama League of Ireland CLG. Acknowledging that "Sive" is a prescribed text for both the 2025-2026 Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate English exams, the Kiltoom Group is providing students from Roscommon, Westmeath and adjoining counties with a positive experience of live theatre by hosting a one off special performance on this Wednesday, March 18th at 8 p.m.. There will be a discounted entry fee of €5 for this performance. "Sive" was first performed in 1959 and it still enjoys iconic status in contemporary Ireland and retains several of the most enduring images within the annals of Irish theatre history. The poignant, character-driven drama revolves around the Glavin family, living in a typically small rural impoverished holding. The central character "Sive" is being played by Rebecca Collins, who effortlessly portrays a sweet, polite, innocent and obedient 18-year-old orphan schoolgirl.
The death took place on Thursday, February 26th, at the Ballinasloe Community Nursing Unit of Mr Paddy Berrigan, Clonark, Cornafulla. Aged 92 in January last, he had been lovingly cared for at the Nursing Unit since 2018. Of an affable and jovial disposition, the deceased was employed as a representative for Midland Oil for a number of years and his genuine nature, innate decency and sense of fairness enabled him to make many lifelong friendships in that work role. In his residential community, he was noted for performing neighbourly deeds and kind acts with typical self-effacement. A member of a family synonymous with the Clann Na nGael GAA Club, his late brother Willie won a senior club championship with Clann and the turn of the sixties and Paddy was a long time president of the club at the time of his death. He also attended all the fixtures of the Clann senior panel over the decades and was also a lifelong follower of the Roscommon and national GAA scene generally. A religious person, he also supported a number of charitable causes and bequests over the years. He took a keen interest in all political affairs and was a lifelong supporter and canvasser for the Fine Gael party in South Roscommon. The last surviving member of a farming family of four boys, he is survived by cousins, Adrian, Liam and Joe Ward, (Mount Florence); Maeve Garvey, Dromalga, Moore; Ita Wall, Cornafulla and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection at St Brigid's Church, Drum, on Monday, March 2nd, the burial took place in Drum Cemetery. The celebrant of the Mass was Rev, Fr Josef, CC, Drum.
The Roscommon Mobile Library Service will visit Monksland on this Thursday, March 19th, from 1 p.m. to3.30 p.m.. The mobile library will also be in Monksland on Thursday, April 2nd, and again on Thursday, April 16th, from 1 p.m. to 3.30 p.m..
Glowing tributes were paid to Mr PJ Martin, the Derries, Kiltoom, at the recent AGM of the St Brigid's (Kiltoom and Cam) GAA Club to coincide with his stepping down after 51 years of service on the club executive and over 65 years of involvement with the club as a player and administrator. PJ has served his club for varying periods as chairperson, secretary and treasurer and is the current vice-president of the club. He initially served as secretary for a two year period in 1971-72 and took up the post once again in 1981 for a ten year period. He served as chairperson of the club from 1993 to 1995 and once again from 1999 to 2002. His first post as treasurer was for two years in 1997 and 1998 and he once again held the post of treasurer from 2004 to 2019. He took up the role of club insurance officer for one year in 2020 and has been a vice-chairperson of the club between 2020 and 2025. He has also served for 13 years on the Roscommon GAA County Board Executive during his 13-year period as secretary of the Mid-South Board of the GAA. He also has the distinction of serving as secretary of the Roscommon GAA Minor Board for three years in the early nineties and was also an assistant secretary of the County Minor Board for a three year term. He will be the recipient of presentations from his GAA colleagues in the Autumn to mark his years of service.
Chair Yoga classes are being held in Moore Community Hall on Thursdays (Eircode N37HT680) at 11 a.m.. All are welcome.
Moore Scouts are hosting Monopoly Run Ballinasloe from the Emerald Ballroom on Saturday, April 11th, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.. Registration is at 12.30 p.m.. Everyone is welcome.
The death took place on Tuesday, March 3rd, at Tullamore Regional Hospital of Mr Joe Lennon, Glasson, Athlone, who was a native of Upper Curramore, Kiltoom. The deceased was in his 83rd year, having been born in 1943 into a Kiltoom family synonymous with the St Brigid's (Kiltoom and Cam) GAA Club. He was employed as a representative in the midlands for the Irwin firm and his affability and innate decency enabled him to make many lifelong friendships in that work role. He was devoted to his immediate and extended family and noted for his sense of neighbourliness in his residential community. He had a playing career and administrative roles with the St Brigid's GAA Club and he remained a lifelong supporter of St Brigid's senior panels over the decades. He served as secretary of the St Brigid's Club in 1966 and 1967. He was a member of the St Brigid's senior side which defeated Roscommon Gaels in the senior County final in 1969 and he was also a member of the St Brigid's side which brought the first O'Rourke Cup title to Kiltoom and Cam in 1971. He also supported a number of community and church linked activities in his adopted parish and was caretaker of Tubberclaire National School, Glasson, for over 20 years. He is survived by his wife, Mary, (nee Moran, Glasson); son, Peter and daughters, Ruty, Susan, Joan, Maeve and Shannon. He is also survived by one brother, John, (Rev. Bro Ronan, St John of God Brothers, Stillorgan, Dublin); sister, Mrs Anne Henehan, Hill of Berries; brother-in-law, Mattie Moran; sister-in-law, Ann Cullen; 13 grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a number of other relatives. Following Concelebrated Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Tubberclaire on Friday, March 6th, the burial took place in the adjoining cemetery. The celebrants of the Mass were Very Rev. Paddy Conlon, a friend of the Lennon family; Very Rev. Michael McManus, PP, Kiltoom and Cam and Rev. Brother Derek O'Connell, OH, St John of God Brothers, Kerry.
Mr Paddy Halligan, "Ava Maria", Drum, Athlone, whose passing took place at the Sonas Nursing Home, Athlone, on Saturday, March 7th, was one of South Roscommon's most prominent and best known IFA activists extending over 30 years. Aged 85, he was a native of Collogorriff, South Roscommon, and he had been lovingly cared for at Sonas in recent years. The deceased operated a wholesale fruit business in the midlands for a number of decades and he was noted for his business acumen, tact and discretion in all his dealings with the general public. He was also a part-time drystock farmer and his lifelong interest in farming affairs initially led to his involvement with his local Clonown IFA branch where he held the posts of both chairperson and secretary at varying intervals. The flooding in Clonown and along the Shannon callows was an issue which he pursued diligently within the IFA both locally and nationally. He served as chairperson of the Shannon Flood Action Committee and also as a representative of the IFA on the Shannon Forum. He also pursued the flooding issue and other rural development matters with diligence while serving on the IFA Rural Development Committee for a number of years. Former IFA president John Donnelly referred to his commitment to the farming community and flooding issues generally in a public tribute over the weekend, March 7th to 11th. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather and he performed innumerable neighbourly deeds and kind acts in his residential community with typical self-effacement down the years. He was an engaging conversationalist on a one to one basis and his affability, innate decency, listening skills and genuine nature enabled him to retain many lifelong friendships with a wide age range. He also took a keen interest in current affairs and rural affairs generally. Hundreds of people attended the reposing in Drum Parish Hall on Monday evening and the Concelebrated Mass in St Brigid's Church, Drum, on Tuesday, March 10th, including former IFA Presidents John Donnelly, South Galway and John Dillon, Limerick. The burial took place in Drum Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Kitty, (nee Halligan); daughters, Irene and Colette; son, Sean; son-in-law, Rob; Sean's partner, Peter; grandchildren, Katie, Caoimhe, Juliet and Eve; sister, May; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and a number of other relatives. His IFA colleagues throughout the midlands and west formed a guard of honour at St Brigid's Church on Tuesday.
The winners of the weekly progressive 25 card drive at the St Brigid's Handball Complex in Curraghboy on Tuesday night last were John Mc Hugh, Padraig Harney, Mark Doyle, Enda McHugh, Mrs Marian Lynch, Seamus McHugh, Johnny Hughes, Vinny Brady, Cllr Tony Ward, Johnny Cormican and Tommy Cormican.
