Leitrim
Invades New York
An
estimated 2600 Leitrim people traveled to New York for
the New York versus Leitrim Championship clash in mid
May. It was the first time in five years that the Leitrim
team
played in 'the big apple'. Most of the traveling supporters,
having gotten an excellent exchange rate on the dollar,
had a hectic week of socializing and shopping in 'the
city that never sleeps'. While some fans, with a few non-fans
thrown in for good measure, stayed with relatives and
friends
in various parts of the city, many stayed in the hotels,
such as the Milford Plaza, among the skyscrapers of Manhattan.
Just
like the last visit in 2003, Leitrimites thronged to the
bars of McLean Avenue in Yonkers, such as McKeons,
Fagans
and Ned Devines. Both Clarkes and Rory Dolans hosted
official functions during the week, while downtown in-Manhattan
bars, such as The Playwright, Rosie O'Gradys and The
Mean Fiddler,
became regular haunts for people from various parts of
County Leitrim. Smiths Bar and Restaurant did a roaring
trade in
traditional Irish breakfasts.
On
the Friday evening before the big game, a traveling team
from Aughnasheelin played local side Astoria Gaels
in a challenge
match in Gaelic Park in the Bronx. After the game,
both teams enjoyed a social get-together in the Gaelic
Park
Community
Center with Bornacoola man, Fergal McGill, supplying
the musical entertainment. Yes, that is the very
same Fergal
McGill who is also a top officer with the G.A.A.
as well as being Bornacoola goalkeeper.
Among
the traveling contingent from Mohill, which included yours
truly, was Martin 'Terry' McDermott, who
enjoyed his stag party on the trip, while a number of
Mohillians enjoyed
a visit or two to the Slainte Bar in Manhattan,
and the
hospitality of its hosts, Mohill natives Patrick
and Garrett Rogers.
The
match itself, in Gaelic Park in the Bronx, saw Leitrim
score a comfortable enough 0-17 to 0-6 victory
over the hosts, with Emlyn Mulligan who scored 0-11
out of his
team's total,
getting his hands on the Man of the Match Award.
The game also saw brother take on brother as Leitrim's
Michael
Foley
faced his brother Alan, who was part of the
New York side. Other Leitrim natives on the New York side
were
Johnny
Goldrick and Sean Munnelly.
Leitrim
Welcomes the President of Ireland
The
President of Ireland, Mary McAleese received a warm welcome
from the people of lovely
Leitrim when she visited
the county
during the month of May to perform two
official duties. The President's first port of call
was Mohill where she
officially
opened the new Leitrim Association for
People with Disabilities Centre on Station Road
in the town. After being welcomed
by the chairman of the association, Tommy
Murphy, the President unveiled a plaque to mark the
occasion. Her
next stop was
at Carrick-On-Shannon Golf Club where
she opened the club's new course.
O'Carolan
Trail Launched
In
glorious sunshine, county council chairperson, Damien Brennan
of Cloone, launched
the newly sign posted O'Carolan
Trail in Mohill recently. The trail
highlights various locations in Counties Leitrim
and Roscommon associated
with the famous
harpist and composer, Turlough
O'Carolan. The event was part of the second
Annual O'Carolan Weekend Festival
in Mohill.
Kilargue
Soldiers Remembered
A
memorial will be officially unveiled in Kilargue this summer
to
remember the local
men who lost
their lives
fighting in
World War I and World War
II.
Carrick
Singer Launches Debut EP
Carrick
lad Daire Taylor launched his debut EP
(Extended Play)
titled 'Hidden
Maps' in
his hometown
during May
at the 'Basement'.
Daire's American idols are Bob
Dylan, Bruce
Springstein and Neil
Young and, indeed, he has recently
played
in subway stations
in
'the city
that never sleeps',
New York.
Hopes
High for Rinn (Rynn) River Project
Hopes
are high for the Rinn River
Project to go
ahead
shortly.
The aim of the
project is
to traffic boats
from the Shannon
to the Rinn River
and thus boost
tourism in the Mohill
Area.
Sex
and The City Local Premier
Sells Out
in Record Time
Tickets
for the Carrick
Cineplex
premier
of 'Sex
and the City',
the movie,
were
sold out
in double
quick time.
Those
lucky enough
to secure
tickets were treated
to
pink champagne
on arrival,
and goodie
bags were
handed
out as well.
The demand
for tickets
was mostly
from the
women of
the county
and was
unprecedented. Tickets were
actually
sold out before
the premier
date was
finalized.
King
of Clubs
Dutch
anglers
descended
on
County Leitrim
during
the
month
of
May for
the
'King of Clubs'
fishing
tournament
which
was
held over
a
four day
period in five
different
lakes
in
the county.
This
is
the fourth
year
that
the
competition has taken
place.
The
event
is
run by
the
Dutch Media
Angling
Outlet
Beet
Magazine.
First
prize
was
a Diahatsue
car
worth 20,000
euros.
The
biggest overall
weight
caught
in
one day was
a
massive 21.4kg
which
was
caught
in
Lough
Rynn
by
the winner,
J.W.
Plekkenpol.
Mooney
for Europe
Drumshanbo
man and
former Fainna
Fail Senator,
Paschal Mooney,
has expressed
an interest
in competing
in this
year's European
elections.
4Home
Superstore Opening
4Home
Superstore in
Carrick-On-Shannon celebrated
its
official opening
with a
four day
party extravaganza
over the
May bank
holiday weekend.
St.
George's Visitor
and Heritage
Centre Opens
The
St. George's
Visitor and
Heritage Centre
in Carrick-On-Shannon
opened its
doors to
the public
over the
June bank
holiday weekend.
This new
project includes
a very
modern visitor
center that
houses state
of the
art audio-visual
facilities. Beside
the visitor
center, the
recently renovated
St. George's
Church contains
a display
of artifacts.
The church
was built
in 1827
and has
been restored
into a
multi-purpose facility
serving the
needs of
the community.
Freak
Storm at
Lough Errill
A
very localized
and freak
storm hit
the Lough
Errill area
just a
few miles
from Mohill
town on
the evening
of Sunday,
May 17th.
The storm
saw massive
hail stones
cause some
damage in
the area
with roofs
and a
boat being
damaged. Torrential
rain accompanied
by thunder
and lightning
also caused
flooding in
the area.
Sports
G.A.A.
Connacht Senior
Championship
Leitrim
0 -
17 New
York 0
- 6
Leitrim
Senior
Footballers
and
many
of their
supporters
made
the long
trek
to
New York
for
a
first round
Connacht
Senior
Football
game
with
New
York and
came
home
victorious
courtesy
of a
fairly
comfortable
0-17 to
0-6
victory
over the
host
side.
On this
occasion,
the
New York
side
was
made up
exclusively
of
Irish
emigrants.
The game
took
place
at the
host team's
headquarters
Gaelic
Park,
which
is situated
in the
Bronx area
of the
city.
Leitrim's
Emlyn Mulligan,
who
scored
a whopping
0-11 points
of his
side's
final
total,
received
the
Man
of the
Match Award
after
the
contest.
Connacht
Junior
Final
Roscommon
2-10
Leitrim
0-3
Leitrim's
Junior
Footballers
lost
out
to
fierce
local
rivals
Roscommon
in
the
recent
Connacht
Junior
Final
on
a
2-10
to
0-13
score
following
a
closely
fought
encounter
that
went
to
extra
time.
Connacht
Post
Primary
Schools
First Year
Final
Glenmaddy
4-14
Ballinamore
5-6
Ballinamore
P.P.S.
lost
out
to
their
Glenmaddy,
Co.
Galway,
counterparts
in
the
Connacht
school's
first
year
final,
which
was
played
in
glorious
sunshine
at
Orchard
Park
in
Elphin
recently,
following
a
high
scoring
encounter,
4-14
to
5-6.
The
Leitrim
school
included
Michael
Doonan
and
Niall
Mulvanerty
who
had
but
just
arrived
back
from
New
York
a
couple
of
hours
before
the
game.
Jet
lag
did
not
appear
a
problem
as
Doonan
bagged
1-4
of
his
side's
total
and
young
Mulvanerty
weighed
in
with
1-1.
Leitrim
Observer
Sports
Star
Awards
The
inaugural
Leitrim
Observer
Sports
Star
Awards
ceremony
took
place
at
the
Landmark
Hotel
in
Carrick-On-Shannon
recently.
Overall
winner
was
Colm
Griffin
from
Ballinamore,
a
top
class
athlete
who
is
Beijing
bound
for
the
Olympics.
Other
award
winners
were:
January
-
Adrian
Croal
-
Gaelic
Football;
February
-
Vernon
Gilmore
-
Soccer;
March
-
Colin
Griffin;
April
-
Claire
Plunkett
-
Ladies
Football;
May
-
Fergal
Ellis
-
Athletics;
June
-
Noel
Plunkett
-
Gaelic
Football;
July
-
Shane
Flanagan
-
Gaelic
Football;
August
-
Ryan
O'Rourke
-
Gaelic
Football;
September
-
Ann
Marie
Cox
-
Ladies
Gaelic
Football;
October
-
Michelle
Beirne
-
Race
Walking;
November
-
Laura
O'Dowd
-
Athletics;
December
-
Thomas McDonald
- Soccer.
Soccer
McSharry-Foley
Cup
Final
Cartron
United
3
-
Carrick
Town
1
Leitrim
side,
Carrick
Town, lost
out
to
Sligo
side,
Cartron
United,
on
a
3
-
1
score
in
the
McSharry-Foley
Cup
Final
played
in
Sligo
recently.
Ian
McGreevy
was
the Carrick's
side
goal
scorer.
Sligo-Leitrim
Under-16
Final
Manor
Rangers
2
-
Merville
United
1
Leitrim's
Manor
Rangers
from
Manorhamilton challenged
the
Sligo
Team's
Merville
United
in
the
Sligo-Leitrim
Under-16
decider,
which
took
place
in
the
show
grounds
in
Sligo
recently.
A
goal
five
minutes
from
the
end
of
extra time
from
P.P.
O'Hara
proved
decisive.
Badminton
Carrigallen
Vocational
School
Under-14
team captured
a
Connacht
Badminton
title
recently
when
they
challenged
Mayo's
Westport
in
the
final.
The
victorious
team,
which
is
coached
by
Nicola
Moran,
consists
of
Niamh
O'Malley,
Pamela
Graham,
Blaithin
O'Donoghue
and
Lucy Ann
McDermott.
Rowing
Carrick's
rowing
club
Squad
Scull
women's novice
team
continued
their
unbeaten
run
when
they
were
winners
of
their
event
at
the
Portora
Regalia
in
Enniskillen.
The
squad
consists
of
Shana
Patterson,
Edel
McWeeney,
Adrianne
Bolton,
Louise
Murray
and
Conor
Cunniffer.
Young
Mohill
Soccer
Star
Keith
Beirne
was
recently
awarded the
Longford
District
Schoolboy-Girl
Under-10
Player
of
the
Year
accolade.
Keith
plays
soccer
with
Mohill
United
and
also
plays
Gaelic
football
for Mohill
at
Under-12
and
Under-14.
Next
Issue Leitrim
Connection September 2008
