Local Notes: Chess team to contest All-Ireland finals, principal Mary retires and tribute to Elizabeth Dolan
The U-13 Community Games chess team is made up of six local children from three local schools: Cloonakilla NS; Cornafulla NS; and Summerhill NS. They are pictured here at SuperValu Monksland where Tim Dolan presented the chess team with their jerseys.
A local U-13 Community Games chess team will contest the All-Ireland finals for the second year in a row, this Saturday. The team is made up of Addhrit Bhushan, Adhiraj Bhushan, Aaron Sheehy, Cuan Ryan, Cormac Gallagher, and Eleanor Neary, students from three local schools, Cloonakilla NS, Cornafulla NS, and Summerhill NS. They will contest the finals in Kilkenny on July 5th. Last year they took home All-Ireland silver medals, a fantastic achievement given this is only the second year Drum, Clonown, Monksland Community Games have had a chess team. “This year we are lucky enough to have an U-16 and U-13 chess team going to the finals,” organisers said. “The U-13 chess team would like to sincerely thank Paula Sheehy and Purnima Bhushan. Without them taking over the coaching, there wouldn’t be a team this year.” They also thanked Annette, Angela, and everyone at the Monksland Community Centre for donating a room every Thursday evening for chess practice. SuperValu Monksland and Tim Dolan were also thanked for the fabulous jerseys for the finals, as were Eugene Pettit and Luan Sports for designing and making the jerseys. Regina Kelly, the local community games secretary, was also thanked for all the time and effort put into organising local events.
Cloonakilla NS bade an emotional farewell to its principal Mary O'Rourke last week on her final day at the school. Mary retired after serving 41 years on the teaching staff and 19 years as principal. Her colleagues and children at the Bealnamulla school marked the occasion with a very special send off. On the day, there was music, song, and dance along with tributes from deputy principal, Siobhan McCabe, and chairperson of the school's board of management Tommy Cormican. Christina Melican and Lisa Byrne spoke on behalf of Cloonakilla NS Parents' Association, with all members of the school community wishing Mary the very best of health and happiness as she embarks on her next adventure. Mary oversaw the development of the school's new building, which officially opened in 2018. At the opening of the new school building, she was praised for having "gone above and beyond" the call of duty over the years to help ensure its development. She was thanked this week for her trojan work and exceptional leadership over the course of her career.
Ms Kelsey Daly, Kiltoom, was in the winners’ enclosure at the Irish Country Meats Flock of the Future Sheep 2025 competition at Teagasc, Athenry, on Saturday, June 21st last. Kelsey had to submit a video for her sheep project. She won five Borris hoggets and a five star ram worth €2,500. She is completing a Master’s degree in AG Extension Innovation at University College, Dublin. Following her secondary education at Our Lady's Bower, Athlone, she began studying agri-business management at UCD. Speaking to the Herald she explained that the Daly family sheep herd in Kiltoom is comprised of Suffolk and Charolais Cross Sheep and she "absolutely loves everything to do with sheep". She was one of five overall winners in the competition.
The annual open air Mass will be celebrated in Cam Cemetery on this Sunday, July 6th, at 10 a.m.. The annual open air Mass will be celebrated in Kiltoom Cemetery on Saturday evening, August 9th at 7 p.m.. The customary big attendances are anticipated.
The winners of the weekly progressive 25 card drive at the St Brigid's Handball Complex in Curraghboy on Tuesday night last were Willie Gacquin, Tommy Hynes, Paddy Dolan, Michael Donnellan, Mrs Patricia Staunton, Mrs Sarah Seery, Padraig Seery, Padraig Harney, Donie Brennan, Alfie Gately, David Connaughton, Eamon Ward and Cllr Tony Ward. The game on this Tuesday night, June 1st, will be the last game of the season. The series of progressive 25 games will once again resume at the venue in October next.
The death took place on Thursday, June 12th, at her residence of Mrs Elizabeth (Lizzy) Dolan, Ballybay, Kiltoom, who was one of Kiltoom's best known senior citizens. Aged 91 on May 1st last, she was the former Ms Elizabeth Eivers, Ballybay, and had resided in family setting at Ballybay since the sixties. Of an affable and chatty disposition, she worked in Mannion's Post Office and general grocery outlet at Baylough for a number of years prior to marriage and she worked latterly at the Hodson Bay Stores general grocery outlet in Kiltoom. In both her work roles she was noted for her undoubted business acumen, tact and discretion in all her dealings with the general public. Devoted to her immediate and extended family, she was an obliging neighbour and reliable friend. Over the decades, she was also associated with a wide range of community activities in her native parish. She fundraised as a member of the Kiltoom Ladies Committee for the work improvements at the Church of the Risen Christ, Ballybay, in the mid-seventies. She was also an activist with the then Kiltoom and Cam branch of the Association for the Mentally Handicapped over the years. In recent years, she was a prominent member of the Kiltoom Active Age Group and she participated in all of their outings and activities. A follower of all sport generally, she had a great interest in particular in Gaelic games, rugby, golf and soccer, and was a follower of Manchester United. She also had a lifelong love of music and song and enjoyed listening to music cassettes and tapes. A devout Catholic, she was a daily Mass goer for many years and espoused Christian values by virtue of everyday example. She also supported a range of charitable causes and bequests. She was predeceased by her husband, Johnny and is survived by one daughter, Mrs Mary Kenny, Cloneash, Oldtown, Athlone; sons, Tony, Mayfield Grove, Athlone; Frankie, Cappalisheen, Kiltoom; Aidan, Ballybay, Kiltoom; and Raymond, Carnagh, St John's. The last surviving member of a family of one boy and eight girls, she is also survived by ten grandchildren, four great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection at the Church of the Risen Christ, Kiltoom, on Monday, June 16th, the burial took place in Kiltoom Cemetery. The celebrant of the Mass was Very Rev. Michael McManus, PP, Kiltoom and Cam. He was assisted by Deacon William Gacquin, Curraghboy.
Her affability and easy familiarity meant that I always called Elizabeth (Lizzy) Dolan, Ballybay, Kiltoom, who passed on to her eternal reward on Thursday, June 12th "auntie Lizzy". She was just that to me and countless other people resident in Kiltoom. Lizzy developed her inter-personal skills while working in Mannion's Post Office and general grocery at Baylough for a number of years prior to marriage. She once again displayed those skills and all her local knowledge of families resident in the general Kiltoom environs when she went back to work in Guinan's Hodson Bay Stores in Kiltoom in her fifties. She informed me over last Christmas, when I made my usual visit to her, that she felt happy about receiving a number of Christmas cards each year from former residents of the area who were now living in other parts of the world and Ireland. She was one of a family of eight girls and one boy who had to endure a family tragedy in September, 1961 when their only brother, Frank Eivers, made international news headlines when he sustained fatal injuries in a plane crash in the Congo region of Africa while on his way to peace keeping talks with the then UN Secretary General, Dag Hammarskjord, who was also killed in the crash. Frank was the first Irish person to meet his death while serving in a UN civilian role. The Eivers family soldiered on bravely, and despite being in her 90th year, she spoke on the telephone on Joe Duffy's Liveline regarding the significance of that tragedy on her immediate and extended family circle.
Aside from a genuine interest in people, Lizzy was interested in all current affairs and sports. She was a follower of Gaelic games, rugby, golf and soccer.
She also read widely and loved also to talk about her grandchildren and great grandchildren and her love of gardening. Her faith was central to her existence.
Her immediate and extended family enjoyed her love and devotion. Lizzy generally conversed about the positive attributes of people and tended to praise them for their traits. Her chatty disposition, and total recall of events of yester year in the lives of people, endeared her to countless acquaintances who crossed her path over the decades. Her interest was genuine and personal.
Last Christmas, on my visit, she was loud in her praise of the people of Moore and Clonfad where her only daughter, Mrs Mary Kenny resides at Cloneash.
She was also an activist in a wide range of community activities in her native parish and fundraised for the renovation of the Church of the Risen Christ, Ballybay, in the mid-seventies.
Her family home was just across the road from the parochial house at Ballybay and up from Ballybay National School. She gave great neighbourly assistance to the clergy ministering in Kiltoom over the decades and all the pupils and teachers of Ballybay NS. Lizzy, may your soul be granted eternal rest. You were one in a million.
An appeal has been made for individuals to join the Moore Badminton Club. The summer membership is €37 inclusive of insurance for June and August. The games are played on Mondays from 8 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 p.m. and also on Sundays from 9 a.m.. Both new and experienced players are welcome. Contact Michelle on 0858825911 for more information.
