Local Notes: Kenya Fundraiser, Road Closure and Cemetery Mass
Kate Nolan (right) pictured with her sister Marian, is one of 50 inter-county Gaelic players who will travel to Kenya in November for the 2026 Plan the Planet Games
The intense dry spell of recent weeks and the corresponding lack of growth means that hundreds of farm families in Mid-South Roscommon have to postpone the harvesting of the second cut of silage and feed some fodder to livestock which could impact the availability of fodder in the winter and spring. IFA personnel in the region are hoping for significant rainfall to redress the situation. Moore IFA branch chairperson, Michael Glennon, Camcloon, got his first cut of silage the first week of June and now finds that there is "nothing to cut" regarding a second cut due to the lack of growth. He is hoping that he will be able to get a second cut of silage at the end of August or early September. He added that all farmers are "in the same boat" and they have found that spreading fertiliser in June was not effective due to the land being so dry. Michael believes that by supplementing for bales of hay and silage farmers will eat into their fodder reserves for the winter months. He reckons in particular that dairy farmers are "hard hit" and their milk yields have dropped. Michael has a calf to beef farming system and hopes that rainfall will come and "soften the ground again". Michael is currently serving a second term as Moore IFA branch chairperson.
Pat Leonard, Station Road, Kiltoom, who completed a four year term as chairperson of the Roscommon IFA County Executive at the end of February, reckons that all IFA members want at least three days of rain but not heavy rain as the second cut of silage this summer is proving "very slow to grow". He too believes that dairy farmers who are heavily stocked have to feed fodder in order to keep up the volume of milk. Pat added that farmers cannot currently spread fertiliser due to the ground being so dry. He also appealed to farmers to be aware of the risk of fires and exercise caution due to the ground being so dry.
The Elphin and Achonry Diocesan pilgrimage to Knock Shrine will take place on Sunday, August 16th. Dr Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin and Achonry will be the celebrant and homilist at the 3 p.m. Mass. He will speak on the topic "Rebuilding the City of God- Pope XIV and New Technology". There will also be a Family Day on that Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a range of activities for children and adults alike across the Shrine grounds. The Dioceses extend a special invitation to altar servers and their families to join the pilgrimage.
St Peter and Paul's Parish, which includes Drum-Cornafulla- Clonown and Bealnamullia, is considering forming a community committee to explore the possibility of tidying up Cloonakilla Cemetery in Bealnamullia. The objective is to make the cemetery accessible for visitors and enabling an annual Mass to be celebrated in the cemetery. Those interested in being part of the envisaged committee and requested to contact Martina at the St Peter's Parish office, parishoffice@athloneparish.ie
The death took place on Tuesday, July 21st, at Bonnyton Care Home, Clarkston, Glasgow, of Mrs Noreen O'Reilly, Glasgow, who was the former Ms Noreen Hanoria Cunniffe, Liswilliam, Dysart. Aged 94 in March last, she had been in good health up until recently. The deceased emigrated initially to Birmingham in 1948 and she worked in the hospitality sector for some years. Following her marriage to Frank O'Reilly, a native of Riverstown, Sligo, in 1956 they moved to Glasgow when her husband was appointed to a managerial role within his construction firm. She spent her initial years in Glasgow rearing her two daughters and decided to return to the workforce in the seventies by accepting a post as a nanny with a well-known Glasgow family, and she remained with them for upwards of 20 years, and they have remained lifelong friends with her family up until the present time. Over the decades she was a regular visitor to her extended family members and friends in Dysart and South Roscommon generally and she retained many lifelong friendships in the area. Devoted to her immediate and extended family, she was an excellent homemaker, who was skilful at baking, cooking, knitting and sewing. Of a friendly and caring disposition, she possessed an excellent signing voice and retained her love of Irish music, song and dance all throughout her years in Glasgow. Her affability and genuine nature enabled her to make friendships with ease and she enjoyed her friendships with a wide age range down the years. A deeply religious person, she recited the Rosary daily and supported a wide range of charitable causes and bequests with typical self-effacement. She was predeceased 20 years by her husband Frank and is survived by daughters, Mrs Mary Fallon, Giffonock, Glasgow, and Mrs Denise Donnachie, Giffonock, Glasgow. A member of a farming family of three boys and three girls, she is also survived by one sister, Mrs Mary Fallon, Carrick House, Curraghboy, five grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a number of other relatives. Following Mass of the Resurrection at St Joseph's Church, Glasgow, on Saturday, August 1st, the burial took place in Glasgow. A Mass for the repose of her soul will be celebrated at St Patrick's Church, Dysart, at a later date.
Roscommon LGFA player Kate Nolan, daughter of Shane and Catherine Nolan, Barrymore, Kiltoom, is one of 50 inter-county Gaelic players who will travel to Kenya in November for the 2026 Plan the Planet Games. Kate, who featured in the All-Ireland Intermediate football final in Croke Park on Sunday week, intends to raise €10,000 to help Self Help Africa plant one million trees in the fight against climate change and provide sustainable community livelihoods. Supported by the GPA and Warriors for Humanity, the initiative, which is undertaken annually, brings together male and female inter-county players from all four Gaelic games codes to East Africa. The trip will take place from November 20th-28th. Players will physically participate in environmental projects and also play exhibition matches in an effort to combat poverty and environmental degradation. Kate is a member of the St Brigid's (Kiltoom and Cam ) GAA Club. Those who wish to make a fundraising page may visit https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiseer/katenolan2
From Monday, July 27th to Thursday, July 30th, the stretch of road between Curraghboy to Derryglad which continues on to Bealnamullia and Monksland was closed to facilitate resurfacing work under the auspices of Roscommon County Council. Motorists and road users had to detour on the Curraghboy to Kiltoom road via Famore for the duration of the work.
