Local Notes: Best Kept Towns competition, Spring Clean and golf lessons for ladies
Aidan and Tadhg Flynn, Oran, pictured at the Roscommon Easter Festival at the Square, Roscommon. Pic. Gerard O’Loughlin
As a result of Roscommon’s excellent performance in the 2023 SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition, Roscommon Town has been nominated to participate in Ireland’s Best Kept Towns Competition 2024 in the Best Kept Large Town category. Two entrants from the SuperValu Tidy Towns along with one entrant from the Best Kept Awards will be in the running for this award.
Ireland’s Best Kept Towns Competition is an all-island initiative organised jointly by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Northern Ireland Amenity Council. Participation is based on a town’s performance in the SuperValu Tidy Towns or the Northern Ireland Amenity Council’s ‘Best Kept Awards’ in the previous year.
Adjudication takes place during the month of May and the results will be announced at an awards ceremony in Belfast in June, subject to confirmation. The judging criteria is similar to that of the SuperValu Tidy Towns competition.
There are four awards in this year's competition - Best Kept Village, Best Kept Small Town, Best Kept Large Town, and Best Kept Large Urban Centre, with one of these going on to take the overall prize of Ireland’s Best Kept Town 2024.
Roscommon Town last participated in Ireland’s Best Kept Towns Competition back in 2016. This year, Roscommon Town will be judged in both Ireland’s Best Kept Town in May and the National Tidy Towns Competition during June, July and August.
Roscommon Tidy Towns Association is calling on all residents and businesses to support the efforts during the adjudication periods. As both coincide with the upcoming Local Elections, the committee is appealing to all election candidates to adopt “Poster Free” campaigns within Roscommon Town and environs for the upcoming Local Elections, which will greatly assist the efforts to hopefully bring home the title of Ireland’s Best Kept Town.
Roscommon Town ICA Guild will hold its monthly meeting in Hannon’s Hotel on Tuesday, April 2nd at 8 p.m. New members are always welcome.
Mental Health Ireland will hold its AGM on Thursday, April 4th from 7-9 p.m. at Hannon’s Hotel, Roscommon.
Kilteevan Tidy Towns is holding its annual An Taisce Spring Clean on Saturday, April 6th. Participants are asked to gather at 10 a.m at Kilteevan Community Centre. High viz jackets and litter pickers and bags will be provided. Please bring your own gloves. Support for this worthwhile work would be very much appreciated.
Results from the Bridge Clubs: Happy '71 Bridge Club - 1st, Phil & Seamus Cooney; 2nd, Kitty Dowd & Celia Ansboro; Gross, Mary & Vincent Brennan.
St. Coman's Bridge Club: 1st, Evelyn Curley & Susan Farrell; 2nd, Peggie Kelly & Ann Flynn; Gross, Nuala Costello & Chris McGrath.
Ballymurray Bridge Club (Section A): 1st, John O'Gara & George Bannon; 2nd, Ann Igoe & James Walsh; gross, Gertie Spillane & Josephine Devaney. (Section B) 1st, Ethel & Brian Keenan; 2nd, Mary Law & Susan Farrell; Gross, Marian Byrne and Paula Whyte.
Kilbride Bridge Club: 1st, Margaret Mullen & Pauline Leonard; 2nd, Frances Keane & Brid Gillooly; 3rd, Jane Hunt & Annette Gaffney.
Roscommon SPCA will be holding its first-ever church gate collection at The Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon Town on April 6th/7th. This collection will raise much needed funds for animal welfare work and also raise awareness of the SPCA’s mission and vision. If you would like to learn more about the organisation, please visit the website at www.roscommonspca.ie or call 087 050 5594. Your support for the collection would be greatly appreciated with all donations going directly towards animal welfare in the county. Thank you so much for your assistance and continued support of Roscommon SPCA.
Roscommon Harriers are delighted to bring you their 5km Series for 2024. Again, this year it will be a four-race series, held on consecutive Fridays starting on Friday, April 5th (race starts 7.30 p.m., pick up numbers from 6.30 p.m.) (April 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th). Entry can be for full race series (€30 + fees in total), and the race number you get for race one will be for the runner to keep and wear in race 2, 3 & 4 or on an individual race basis €10 per race. T- Shirts for all full race series entries (subject to size availability). Race HQ and number pick up at Hannon’s Hotel.
Golf lessons for beginner ladies commence at Roscommon Golf Club on Monday, April 8th from 6 - 7 p.m.. No experience necessary. For more details call 086 8238698 / 086 2577211.
Professor Anne-Marie O’Dwyer is a clinical professor at Trinity College, Dublin, and a psychiatrist with almost four decades of clinical experience. Her recently published book, The Cancer Guide, is a definitive and inspirational book designed to help patients, partners, family, and work colleagues navigate the trials and difficulties associated with cancer and its treatment. She highlights the person at the heart of every treatment, providing helpful advice and shared experiences that are able to destigmatize the shame, fear and denial faced by those affected by cancer. As part of the Healthy Ireland at Your Library programme, Professor O’Dwyer will visit Roscommon Library on Thursday, April 18th at 6 p.m.. Contact Roscommon Library to book your place – email library@roscommoncoco.ie or phone 090 6637277.
Learn to use your smart phone to take stunning images. Three Tuesday sessions will be held – April 16th, 23rd & 30th from 10 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. in Roscommon Town Booking essential, contact Teresa on 086 029 1215 or teresa@ridc.ie DARKNESS INTO LIGHT 2024 Darkness into light, proudly supported by @electricireland will take place on Saturday, May 11th at 4.15 a.m. from the Convent of Mercy Secondary School Gym, Convent Road, Roscommon. Communities from across Ireland and the world will come together to raise vital funds for Pieta's services and support anyone impacted by suicide and self-harm. Every donation, every fundraiser, every walk, and every community coming together makes a huge difference in the lives of do many.
Roscommon Gaels 25 Card Drive winners- Monday, March 18th - Maureen Kilmartin; runner-up Colin Kilcline; 3rd, Frank Naughton, Leo Tully, Peggy Moran and Pat Egan; Free game, Maureen Kilmartin Monday, March 25th - card winners, Peggy Moran; runner-up, Frank Naughton and Michael Sharkey; 3rd, Willie Weldon; free game, David Gibbons.
Bingo at the Hyde Centre each Sunday at 8 p.m..
Clooneycolgan Community Centre Committee thanks all those who performed at and attended the Irish night on Sunday night last. Thanks also to all those who helped on the night.
Activities at Clooneycolgan Community Centre include: Bingo at 8.30 p.m. on Mondays; children’s dancing with Eithne Fahy, Arts & Craft with Ann McCormack and ceili dancing with Kevin Kelly on Tuesdays; Wednesdays pilates with Eimear Foxe; Thursdays, progressive card drive and Fridays, Keep Fit.
The winners of the progressive 25 drive in Clooneycolgan on Thursday night last were as follows: 1st, Peter Keegan;
2nd, Kevin McDonagh; Table prize, Rose Curley. The winners on Thursday, 21st were as follows: 1st, Jimmy Bracken;
2nd, Norman Doorly and Brendan Leech; 3rd Gerry Cunningham; Table Prize, Brendan McDermott. Next game Thursday next at 8.30 p.m..
