Local Notes: Quiz night, winning gold and Drumboylan national school celebrates 75 years
Bishop Kevin Doran and Fr Micheal Donnelly, with teachers and pupils from Fairymount NS following a Confirmation ceremony. Pic: Liam Reynolds
Bealtaine Rambling House will be held in The Cornerstone on Monday, April 28th at 11 a.m. (F45P928). This will pay tribute to the Bealtaine Festival with stories, myths and music. All welcome to come in and enjoy. For any queries please call 094 9870340.
Western Gaels held its weekly lottery draw on Saturday, April 19th last. There was no winner of the jackpot. The numbers drawn were 13, 15, 25 and 31. The next draw (jackpot €9,000) will take place at the clubhouse in Frenchpark on Saturday, April 26th next. Tickets are available on-line through the Clubforce app or from local outlets.
Western Gaels will hold a table quiz in Tibohine Community Centre on this Saturday, April 26th. Doors open at 7.30 p.m.. Music and bar on the night.
A sincere word of thanks to everyone who supported Daffodil Day 2025, especially those who donated daffodils, made private donations and bought daffodils. Thank you also to the shops and outlets in the local areas that sold daffodils and pendants. Your support once again is very much appreciated. The sum of €890 has been forwarded to the Irish Cancer Society.
Frenchpark Community Alert will be holding an indoor car boot sale in Frenchpark Parish Hall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th next. All proceeds will go to Tidy Towns.
Frenchpark Tidy Towns will carry out litter picking clean-ups on Sunday, April 27th next from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Gloves, hi-vis, bags and litter pickers will be provided. All welcome and your help would be greatly appreciated.
The peaceful death took place of Mr Rory Duffy, Naas, County Kildare and late of Tallaghan, Ballinagare on Wednesday, April 16th at St. Brigid’s Hospice in The Curragh. Pre-deceased by his wife, Colette, and brother George in 2021, he will be sadly missed by his loving family, daughters, Fiona, Susan and Janine; brother, Paddy; sister, Bea; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, grandchildren, Jemima and Sukey, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and wide circle of friends. His remains will be removed to the Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas on this Tuesday, April 22nd (today) arriving for 12 noon Mass followed by burial afterwards in St. Corban's Cemetery, Naas.
The death occurred unexpectedly of Miss Peg O'Connor, St Attracta's Residence and formerly of Glann, Charlestown, on Saturday, April 12th last. She was pre-deceased by her father Michael and mother Ellie. Sister of Bea-Anne Dooley, Parkeel, Fairymount, Peg is also survived by her loving family, sister, Helen; brothers, John, Val and Jim; sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Her remains were removed from Horkan’s Funeral Home to St James's Church, Charlestown on Tuesday evening last. Following Requiem Mass on Wednesday, April 16th last, the funeral proceeded to the adjoining Cemetery.
Pray for the repose of the souls of Mrs Mary Bostock, Birmingham, England (sister of Jean Flanagan, Frenchpark; Mel Finn, Buckhill, Fairymount and the late Catherine Gaynor, Rathra, Tibohine), Mrs Kitty Lamb, Birmingham and late of Elphin, Frenchpark and Ballinagare (sister of the late Micheál Mulleady Ballinagare); Mr Michael Cunningham, Kilvaloon, Ballaghaderreen and Mrs Margaret Moylette, Willsbrook, Castlerea. May they rest in peace CHURCH NEWS A representative from Vincentian Lay Missionaries will speak at all Masses this weekend, April 26th/27th. The focus of their work supports projects in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and Ghana. A collection will be taken up at all Masses and your support would be much appreciated. Masses will be held in Frenchpark at 7 p.m. on Thursday (24th), in Ballinagare at 7 p.m. on Friday (25th), in Tibohine at 7 p.m. and Ballinagare at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday (26th) and in Frenchpark at 10 a.m. and Fairymount at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday (27th).
Exercise classes for Seniors will start up in the Parochial Hall, Frenchpark on this Thursday, April 24th and will run for twelve weeks at 10.30 a.m.. Siel Bleu Ireland aims to provide accessible exercise programmes for all members of Ireland's older population, people living with physical and intellectual disabilities and those living with chronic disease, irrespective of their level of ability or physical health. These are not walk-in classes and to sign-up please contact The Cornerstone on (094) 9870340. The twelve week session is €15 per person.
Details: Cambridge, 2279; Luke, 2274; Livingston, 2215; Rovers, 2132; Meadowbank, 2203; Westlife, 1994; QPR, 1984; Gunners, 1844; Luton, 1688; ET, 1649.
If you have any local news or items to highlight, please email to qprlodge@hotmail.com
Last week at the University of Limerick Rachel Guckian, Ava Regan and Jessica Lavin won gold in the national junior C shools’ volleyball finals playing for Drumshanbo Vocational School. All three played the whole match against Ardscoil Muire, Ballinasloe where the score was 25-18 25-18. While Ardcarne parish has always had players on Drumshanbo teams, there has never been three from the parish on the first six on a national winning team. Jessica was a star in the first set where they had to come from 0-5 down at the start. Ava clinched the match with her final volley and Rachel who, was also captain, was awarded MVP for the match.
Both Jessica’s parents, Tom and Sharon, are ex-Drumshanbo Vocational School. Ava’s Dad played on the first Ardcarne volleyball team that played in the Community Games in 1994 and came very close in the Connacht final. Rachel’s uncle, David Guckian, was also on that team and, earlier that year, captained Drumshanbo to the school’s first ever junior national boys’ final. But Rachel went one better and won. It was the first ever junior girls’ national final that Drumshanbo reached in 31 years of competition.
Cootehall, Crossna, and Drumboylan Defibrillator Group is now able to offer the people of Ardcarne Parish the opportunity to train in CPR. If you are interested contact Elizabeth at 086 3555167 or WhatsApp Peter at 086 3934734.
Our Mindful Minds Easter Camp 2025 will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22nd and 23rd in the John McGahern Barracks, Cootehall from 10 a.m. -2 p.m.. Suitable for 4–12-year-olds. Fun mindfulness activities, creative arts and crafts, nature exploration, games, stories and poems, movement, music and guided meditations. Places are limited, message Maura on 0860797178 to book a place.
The Ardcarne Community Games Sports Day will take place on Monday, May 5th.
Well done to the organisers, sponsors of prizes and those who bought tickets for the Cootehall Village Enhancement Group’s fundraising raffle. The fundraiser came to a climax in Henry’s Bar, Cootehall last Saturday where a packed house was entertained by Karl Moffatt prior to the raffle draw and the auction that followed. Full details of money raised, prize winners and sponsors in next week’s paper.
This year Drumboylan NS celebrates its 75th anniversary and would like to invite you and your family to a celebration day on Sunday, May 4th. Mass will be celebrated on the school grounds at 12:30 p.m.. There will be a shuttle bus from the church in Drumboylan to the school on the day for safety reasons. This will be running from 11.45 a.m. until finish. The celebrations will continue with a family fun day and an all-stars football match which will feature past pupils young and old. Please join in what promises to be a memorable occasion for Drumboylan NS.
Congratulations to Caoimhe McLoughlin who represented Roscommon and Cootehall NS in Pearse Stadium on Sunday in the Cumann na mBunscol half time game.
Congratulations to Rachel Guckian and the Roscommon Under 14 Ladies and management who defeated Sligo, 4-11 to 4-7, in an exciting Connacht Championship Silver Final on Saturday. Well done also to Rachel Flynn who featured with the Roscommon U-18 Ladies in their opening Connacht Championship encounter against Mayo on Wednesday and wishing her the best of luck away to Leitrim on Wednesday 23rd.
Congratulations to St. Michael’s Club players, Fiachra Henry and Michael King, and their Abbvie team-mates, winners of the All-Ireland Inter-firms Intermediate Football Final in Cork last week.
Best of luck to St. Michael’s club player Ruadhan Henry and the Roscommon Under 20s who play Sligo in the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.
