Local Notes: Angling competition, award for Helena and campaign to fill GP vacancy
Organisers of a special Don Arms reunion night in Garvey’s of Ballintubber in aid of the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice pictured here with some former staff. Pic. Liam Reynolds
St. John’s Heritage Group will host a very interesting feature on Rev Fr. Wallace, The famine Priest on Friday, May 17th in St. John’s Community Centre. Fr. Edward Wallace ministered at St. John’s Church, Lecarrow from 1860 to 1873 as parish priest. His remains are interred in the body of the Church. The speaker on the night will be Mr Jarlath McNamara, Ballygar who will give an account on Fr. Wallace’s life. It will be a very interesting talk, and all are welcome. Open to all. Light refreshments will be served.
Lough O’Flynn Ballinlough is the venue hosting the Malone Cups on Sunday, May 12th. This event is run by the Lake O’Flynn & District Angling Association and has been on the angling calendar since (1999). The event is fished in memory of Michael Malone of Castlerea and Tourmakeady and is in its 25th year. This event is generously sponsored annually by the Malone family. The main prize on offer is the Michael Malone Perpetual Cup plus €300 for the heaviest fish. The Colm Malone Cup will go to the combined boat catch of to anglers and the Malone Junior Cup will also be up for grabs on the day. There's a substantial prize fund of over €1,000 for this event, which usually attracts a sizeable entry. For more information ring. Michael on 094-9620064, Daniel on 0858697600 or Ronan on 0868897850.
Hard luck to Cloonfad Utd who lost to Westport Utd two goals to one in the semi-final of the Connacht Junior Shield played in Cloonfad on Sunday last. This was an excellent performance by the home side who led for most of the game thanks to a great goal in the 37th minute set up by Conor Flynn and scored by Neil Morris. Westport got the equaliser in the 69th minute and grabbed the winner as the home team tired in the 84th minute. This was a tremendous performance against a highly rated visiting team. Thanks to all who helped out on the day and especially Pat and Dolores Donnellan for the after match refreshments.
Congratulations to Helena Cummins who received her award for being selected on the Lidl lgfa Division 3 Team of the League in Croke Park last Friday night. She was joined on the podium by four of her Roscommon teammates. Well done too to Shauna and Niamh Fleming who played on the Roscommon ladies team who defeated Sligo in the Connacht Championship last weekend.
A men’s prayer group meets in Brickens Community Centre at 7 p.m. on May 12th. This will be followed by tea and refreshments.
Congratulations to all the children who received their first Holy Communion recently and to their teachers and parents.
A pilgrimage to Lourdes led by Archbishop Duffy will take place from August 30th to September 6th for six nights. For further information contact Knock Shrine.
Local Councillor Declan Geraghty organised a successful, constructive and very well attended meeting in the Parish Hall on Monday, April 29th, on the issue of trying to fill the vacancy for a local GP and retain the Williamstown Health Centre. In addition to Declan, also present were his fellow councillors Peter Keaveney, Michael Connolly and Evelyn Parsons, as well as Michael Fitzmaurice T.D. and Senator Eugene Murphy. All the public representatives spoke in a positive manner on the issue and pledged their full support to the campaign. Six volunteers then opted to sit on the local committee to work towards the retention of a doctor and health centre in Williamstown. All six of them spoke eloquently and passionately on their support for the cause. Before the meeting concluded, all present signed a petition supporting the cause.
Among the projects currently being addressed by members are the enhancement of the exhibition room at Templetogher, the continuation of the links with the various members of the diaspora, the finalising of the Michael McGovern biography, and the preparation, along with fellow community organisations, for Pride of Place 2024, as the community has been invited by Galway County Council to represent the county in this prestigious competition.
Congratulations to the Galway senior footballers and management on their exciting victory over Mayo in the Connacht Final in Pearse Stadium on Sunday. Well done also to young local footballer, Aaron Tevnan, on being selected on the Galway U-15 panel.
The community lost one of its special treasures recently when Paddy O’Connor, Moorefield passed away. It would be difficult to come across anyone who was so universally loved as Paddy was. His friendly, affable nature, his constant good humour, his relaxed temperament and his ever pleasant demeanour couldn’t but endear him to everyone. Always the best of company, he lived a full, active and most rewarding life until his health began to fail in recent years.
Apart from a year working in Manchester in his younger days, he spent practically all of his life in his beloved Moorefield. Being one of a big family, his many relations were regular visitors to his home, and the fact that these visits were repeated over and over again, shows how welcoming Paddy always was. Farming as a way of life just suited him, not just because of his great love of animals and his closeness to nature, but also because his natural efficiency allied to his impeccable neatness ensured that everything was always done to the highest of standards. For several years, he supplied top class potatoes and vegetables to some of the major retail outlets in the locality.
As regards enjoying his leisure time, he was second to none. He had many varying interests, but it is safe to say that card playing and horse racing were easily top of his list. He was equally happy at twenty five or poker, but because of his love for the occasional small gamble, the face always lit up that bit brighter when the poker session started. He was a keen student of the horse racing game, and by following the form diligently, he was able to pick out the winners better than most. His love of the sport brought him to race meetings all over Ireland and in the U.K. also. He had a huge interest in almost every sport, and between his daily purchase of one of the newspapers, and his regular viewing of the various sporting channels, he could converse freely and knowledgably on all sports, even the less popular ones.
The immaculate taste which he always applied to his work was just as obvious when it came to his own personal appearance. He took great pride in presenting himself well, and never once did he let this high standard drop. Though happier in Moorefield than anywhere, he also had a great interest in travel, and with so many of his family members based in some far flung destinations, he didn’t miss the opportunity of regularly visiting them. Music was another of his great interests and he was not shy in letting you know his favourite song.
He was a man of quiet, strong faith and his regular attendance at Mass was very important to him. Perhaps, above all, he loved people, just as they loved him. His sociable nature meant that he was comfortable in the company of people of all ages. The lovely Funeral Mass, including the sincere homily from Fr. Anthaiah, the superb poem from his niece, Mary and the excellent eulogy by his nephew, Pat, was a fitting farewell to a unique and special person.
Sincere sympathy to his brothers Gerald and Brian; sisters, Kathleen Cassidy and Margaret Joyce; brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
Rest easy, Paddy, old friend. Raise you ten. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh do Anam Uasal. L.F.
