News for Wednesday 23rd June

Whist Drive
Monthly Whist Drive in Ballinamore Community Centre, Thursday July 1st at 9pm please support!  Beginners and whist players most welcome!

Celebrate Midsummer with North West Hospice Fundraising Walk

The Walk commences at 7.30p.m. On Wednesday next 23rd June at the Weir Car Park on the Golf Links Road and will progress to the Club House and back.  Maureen will be available from 7p.m. in the Car Park to collect Registration Cards and money.  Collection buckets will also be available for walkers who have not yet contributed.    A special word of thanks to all those who took Registration Cards and encouraged others to walk and donate.  Your support is much appreciated.

Senior Citizens Party

A senior citizens party will take place in Tráthnóna Community Centre next Wednesday night June 30^th at 9pm.  So please come along for a very enjoyable night of music, song and dance.  Refreshments will be served.  Everyone welcome.

Ballinamore Pike Anglers Club

Ballinamore Pike Anglers fished for the Belfast Trophy on Sunday 13^th June on Lough Allen. 

1^st        Ollie Gallagher           5lb-2ozs         Pike

2^nd       Tony Gallagher          4lb-7ozs         Pike

3^rd        Dave Crosby             2lb-6ozs         Pike

Congratulations to Dave Crosby (recently mentioned in Fred Buller’s ‘The Doomsday Book of Mammoth Pike’) on winning the League, with one competition to go, Dave can’t be caught (unlike his fish) – as he is 11pts ahead.  He is now the Ballinamore Master Angler WELL DONE DAVE!!

Special Eye Health Check

Special eye health check for age related macular degeneration (armd)- at Sweeney’s opticians Ballinamore using our latest technology. This screening will take place on Tuesday 22nd and 29^th June at our practice located in Dr Bourke’s surgery, railway road, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.  Free eye tests with medical card and PRSI benefits.  For more information or to book your eye appointment phone 071-9169090

Sean O’Heslins -  Seálta ná Seachtaine

Lotto – Ni raibh aon bhuaiteoir den Phota Óir ar an Luan seo caite.  Pota Óir  €3,000. Buaiteoir  €40 for those present on last Monday night: Séamus Mac Murchaidh. Buidéal uisce beatha ó Ossie Costello; Thomas Prior, Lisculfee.  €40 an duine, Aodán Mac Samhráin, Lahard, Margaret Cassidy, Lahard, Martin Dowd, Sallyfield, Séamus Mac Murchaidh, Gary Donohoe. Uimhreacha: 53746021

The North West Hospice Refurbishment Project will improve accommodation and facilities for hospice patients and their visitors.  It will increase the number of In-Patient beds and provide a new separate day assessment area for out-patients.  €60 to €80 is required to complete the project.  The Midsummer Walk on June 23rd is your opportunity to help with this huge fundraising effort.  Walks are being organised all over the Hospice Area – Ballinamore Walk is out the Golf Links Road to the Clubhouse and back into town.  Walkers are asked to assemble at the Weir Car Park at 7.15p.m. on Wed 23rd June. Registration Cards are still available from Maureen Martin 086 1547788 along with a number of cards which have already been circulated to Aughnasheelin, Aughawillan, Ballinamore, Corraleehan, Drumreilly and Fenagh.  Please support.

School News

This year’s school magazine is now on sale, cost €10.  This is a permanent record of all the events of the past year, and an important keep sake.  It is on sale in local shops.

Head Sheaf Weekend

Well known Irish Times writer, journalist and playwright, John Waters, will be the honoured guest at “The Head Sheaf” weekend 31^st July/1^st August 2010.  As well as being an award winning journalist he is also a great lover of rural life and is looking forward to launching “The Head Sheaf” which is the concluding part of the Sliabh-an-Iarainn story.

Ultimate Volunteers.  – Please find attached an advertisement for a new RTÉ TV show, Ultimate Volunteers. They are looking for 2 volunteers to send around the world working on different charity projects in some of the most challenging areas of the globe and in order to find these volunteers they are taking applications from anyone aged between 18 and 80 who has a passion for helping others and pushing themselves to the absolute limit. This is the perfect opportunity for anyone with an interest in volunteering or doing charity work at home & abroad and these are exactly the type of people they are looking for…applicants do not need any previous experience but simply a desire to use their skills and passion to help others at home and abroad.  They are accepting applications from people of all backgrounds and walks of life and no previous volunteering/charity experience is required. Tel: 071 9650498 Email: sports@leitrimcoco.ie

Active Age Group

It has been planned to visit the Shannon Pot, Belleek Pottery and Bundoran on Monday 28th June 2010. Bus will leave the Square in Ballinamore at 10.00a.m and return from Bundoran at 6.30p.m. Please contact Mary Plunkett at 9644086 if your name is not already on the list. The next meeting which is the Annual General Meeting will take place at 3.00p.m on Thursday 1st July 2010 in Tráthnóna.

An information evening on Breast cancer and cervical cancer will be held in Tráthnóna on Wednesday 7th of July at 8pm sharp. Alison Feeley, from the national cancer screening programme, will speak at the meeting. Everybody welcome.
 

Kids Café project… Ballinamore
It’s been 12 months now since this project was first discussed and we would like to provide you all with an update on progress to date.
Initially, the idea was that this was to be a project enabled by localized fundraising events and the generosity of our major sponsor in Donohue’s’ Supervalu. Whilst we could have continued along this path, it came to our attention that specific government funding was to be made available for these types of venues. We, as a committee, sat down and discussed the options available along with the inevitable complications that accessing this kind of funding raises. We unanimously decided that this was the way to go and we are currently wading our way through the paperwork & the affiliation with North Connacht Youth Services etc etc etc .
This approach has added a whole new dimension to the original idea but we feel that these kind of opportunities only come along once in a blue moon and we should grab it with both hands. We also feel that our kids deserve our best efforts on this front and the additional work will be well worth the inevitable delay.
Our committee is now well established and I am pleased to say that we have some excellent & dedicated  people on board . There is myself , Phil Appleby , as Chairman. Eimear Carron is our Secretary and has vast experience on a daily basis in all funding matters. Michael O’Dell is our Treasurer and has years of experience with the Scouts and his experience as a Garda is invaluable.  Councillor Gordon Hughes brings his years of experience in community development & enterprise to the project. Helen Harte  is well known to you all as an enthusiastic advocate of community projects in Ballinamore & we welcome her too.
 We also have Nicola Kearns, Mary Bohan, Jeanette Appleby as more-than-willing helpers. These ladies have been busy collecting jumble & bric-a-brac for a jumble sale that will be held to help raise some funds to cover the initial costs we have to pay. If you have anything you wish to donate to this cause, give Jeanette a call on 087- 242-8800. If it’s a larger item we can arrange collection.  As always, your comments & questions are welcome….. this a community project after all.  We particularly welcome input from the people who will eventually be using the facility… the kids themselves. Speak up and tell us what you want…. don’t be shy!  Talk to anyone named above and we will listen to all opinions. We would like to say thank you to Padraig Donohue for his support & we ask you all for your continued support in  this project.
Go raibh maith agat.
Phil Appleby  087 239 6331   or  philappleby@eircom.net

 Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland, Church Street, Ballinamore, Sunday service is at 12.15pm every Sunday except on the 4^th Sunday which is held in Drumreilly Church, Drumreilly.

Our local website

The new refurnished web site for Ballinamore is up and running with a new format, why not have a look at www.ballinamore.ie and keep up with local events and details about the town.  Don’t forget to tell any relatives and friends who are living abroad to keep up with all the news.  The site gets many hits every week and is constantly updated.