Tesco
for Ballinamore
The
town of Ballinamore is set to be transformed this autumn
with the opening of a new shopping center that will include
a Tesco store. Tesco, which is a large Irish chain of
grocery
stores, will extend this new store to about 12,000 square
feet of retail space. When fully operational it will
employ 50 to 60 people.
Mohill
Has Something to Harp About!
Mohill
held its second "O'Carolan Weekend" on
the May bank holiday weekend, May 2nd - 5th. This
traditional music festival commemorates the famous Irish
harpist and
composer Turlough O'Carolan, who lived about two
miles outside of Mohill. A bronze statue, designed by
Oisin Kelly,
was created in Mohill in the mid 1980's, and was
officially unveiled by the recently deceased Patrick
Hillary, who
was then President of Ireland. Planxty Maguire's
Bar and Restaurant in Mohill is named after one of the
blind harpist's
compositions. The festival was launched recently
by the committee at Lough Rynn Castle Hotel. The committee
put
together a program of events, including a concert
featuring The National Harp Orchestra of Ireland, workshops
in the
arts, storytelling and the harp, followed by a junior
open session, and a farmers' market. The concert was
held at
the Lough Rynn Castle Hotel Conference Center. The
formal launch was performed by well-known local singer
Mae Reynolds-Malone
and Vince Hearns from the Michael Coleman Center,
Gurteen, County Sligo. Committee members included Enda
Stenson,
Chairman; Con Canning, Carmel Fitzpatrick, Carmel
O'Neill, Bernie Reynolds, John Reynolds and Thomas Mulligan.
Tin
Whistle Classes
Another
term of tin whistle classes will soon commence in the
Ceili House (Fitzpatrick's Pub) in Mohill
for all those interested in learning how to play
the tin
whistle
or those indeed who want to improve their playing
of this particular instrument.
Wedding
Fair For Lough Rynn
Lough
Rynn Castle Hotel was the setting for a wedding fair
(trade show) held on Sunday, April
27th. This
extravaganza had over 40 leading wedding
professionals on site to
offer
advice and to showcase their services, including
photographers, hair stylists, cosmetologists,
music ideas and floral
displays Well-known TV personality and fashion
journalist, Caroline
Morahan, was also present on the day, and
she gave a recommendation of great praise to the
Lough Rynn
complex.
FM radio's Bob
Conway and TV3's Aishling O'Loughlin were
also present at the fair.
Leitrim
Featured On British Television
Lovely
Leitrim was recently the subject of a BBC production
named Blueprint, featuring
presenter
William Cawley,
who visited Glenade to report on the
1997 discovery of bear
remains. This discovery of the 3,000
year-old remains
of a mother bear and her cubs, forced
historians to re-evaluate their theory that bears
became extinct in Ireland before
the human race occupied the island. The
program also featured
some flora and fauna around nearby Lough
Melvin, with
particular attention to the lake's arctic
char (fish) population.
Major
Conference In Mohill
Mohill
Enterprise Center hosted a major conference on Friday,
April 18th, with
former G.A.A.
President, Peter
Quinn,
who was the keynote speaker. Delegates
from 31 other Enterprise Centers
attended the
event.
Leitrim
Children For National Film Festival
Two
Leitrim children were recently chosen as consultants
for a national
children's
film
festival. They are
Naiose Ni Heanna, age 11, from
Leitrim Village, and 12 year-old
Yann Teyssou from Manorhamilton.
Fleadh
In Drumsna
The
village of Drumsna, on the banks of the River Shannon,
hosted this
year's County
Leitrim Fleadh
Ceol on April
25th, 26th and 27th. This
festival
brought a feast of Irish
traditional music and
song
to
the streets
and pubs
of the
village.
People
Of The Year Awards
On
Saturday, April 19th, the Bush Hotel in Carrick-On-Shannon
held
this year's
Annual
County Council-Rehab
Awards ceremony. The
following
were all recipients of
the Leitrim People
of the Year Hall of Fame
Awards:
Colleen Guckian (Drumsna),
Lucia Tyrell (Mohill),
Maureen McNabola
(Killnagross),
P.J. and Kathleen McGarry
(Cloone), Mary McCrann
(Drumshanbo), Anthony Brennan
(Aughavas), Angus
Dunne (Carrick-On-Shannon),
John Toolan (Ballinamore),
Mary Doran (Drumkeeran)
and the All-Ireland
winning Leitrim Ladies
team, and the
Leitrim 2007 Feile Committee.
Art
Exhibition In Ballinamore
A
couple of talented Leitrim artists, Cathy
Reynolds,
from Mohill, and
Cathy Kelly,
from Leitrim Village,
had their
works featured at
a recent exhibition in the Solas
Art Gallery in Ballinamore.
Mohill
Student Wins Texaco Art Award
Twelve
year-old Orlaith Cahill,
who is a
pupil at St.
Manachan's National
School
in
Mohill,
recently won
a special award
at the 54th Annual
Texaco Art Awards
for
children.
Orlaith
was the sole
Leitrim winner
among the 161
prize winners.
Her entry, "Floral Explosion",
won her the Special
Merit Award.
Car
Bin Bag To Combat Litter
Problem
Leitrim
County Council has
launched
a novel
way to help
curb the
scourge of
roadside
litter. A
PVC bag, which
can be washed
and reused,
has been
designed
for cars and trucks.
They will
be distributed
free of charge
from Leitrim
County Council
officers.
The Leitrim
Community
Litter Warden
is
Michael Reynolds
from Mohill.
Success
for Mohill Girl
in Feis
Ceoil
Aisling
Dwyer
from Gorvagh,
Mohill,
recently
won a
silver medal
at the
Feis
Ceoil
in Sligo for
her piano
playing.
Forty
Jobs
for
Manorhamilton
Manorhamilton
Enterprise
Forum
has
received
a
major funding
boost
to
develop
a
flagship Enterprise
Park,
which
will
contain
nine
business
units
and
provide
ninety-three
car
parking
spaces.
It
is
hoped
that
forty
jobs
will
be
created
by
this
latest
development,
which
has
already
received
its
permits.
County
Council Buys
Sean McDermott's
Artifacts At
Auction
The
Leitrim County
Council recently
spent 12,600
euros at
an auction
to secure
various artifacts
belonging to
Leitrim native
Sean McDermott
of Kiltyclogher.
He was
one of
the signatories
of the
1916 Irish
Proclamation of
Independence. There
is also
talk of
a Sean
McDermott Summer
School being
set up
in his
native village,
where his
house is
a local
tourist attraction.
New
Mohill School
Appointments
Una
Duffy, current
Principal of
Marian College,
Mohill, has
been appointed
as Principal
of the
new Mohill
Community School,
which will
open its
doors shortly.
Declan Conboy,
current Principal
of Mohill
Vocational School,
has been
appointed as
Deputy Principal
of the
new school.
New
Judge
Well-known
Mohill solicitor,
Kevin P.
Kilraine, has
recently made
a major
career move.
He became
a judge
in what
Kevin described
as a
classic case
of "poacher turning gamekeeper".
Kevin, who is also chairman of the Mohill G.A.A. Club,
had been a solicitor for thirty years.
President
of Ireland
to Visit
Mohill and
Carrick
The
President of
Ireland, Mary
McAleese, will
visit County
Leitrim on
Friday, May
9th, when
she will
open the
new People
With Disabilities
Center in
Mohill. She
will then
move on
to Carrick-On-Shannon
where she
will perform
the opening
of the
new range
at the
local golf
Club.
Sports
Clarke's
Rynn Valley
Lodge Hotel
will host
the Irish
National Darts
Tournament during
the May
bank holiday
weekend.
Leitrim
Senior Footballers
were relegated
in somewhat
contentious
circumstances
to Division
4 of
the National
Football League,
following a
narrow one
point defeat
to Limerick
on Sunday,
April 20th,
in Killmalock.
The first
half of
the contest
finished in
controversial
circumstances
with the
match referee
blowing the
half-time whistle
just as
Leitrim fullback,
John McKeon,
was in
the act
of kicking
the ball
over the
bar for
a point.
If the
point would
have been
allowed, it
would have
proved vital
at the
end of
the day.
Leitrim needed
just a
draw to
remain in
Division 3
while the
home county
needed a
win to
secure their
status.
Leitrim
Minor Footballers
(under 18)
lost out
to close
rivals,
Roscommon,
in a
local derby
Connacht championship
clash played
in Carrick
on Saturday,
April 19th,
with a
1-4 to
0-4 score.
Consolation
never-the-less
for Leitrim
cornerback
James
O'Brien
as
he picked
up the
Man of
the Match
Award. The
team is
trained and
managed
by
former county
star and
Gortletteragh
club
man, Derek
Kellagher,
who
was with
just ten
men for
much of
the contest
following
the
dismissal
of
one of
their Leitrim
side. Carrick
Town defeated
Sligo team
Ballymote
Celtic,
2-0, in
the quarter
final of
the McSharry
Cup Competition.
Goal scorers
on the
day were "super sub", Stephen Sirle, and
Benny Whelan.
Manorhamilton
Rangers
eventually
won their
Robert Cawley
Cup encounter
with Roscommon
side, Boyle
Celtic,
on
penalties.
The
sides were
deadlocked
following
a pulsating
90 minutes
of football.
Final score
3 -
1.
Lough
Allen
College,
Drumkeeran,
captured
the Connacht
Vocational
School's
C Title
recently
when
they defeated
neighbors,
Drumshanbo
Vocational
School,
in an
All-Leitrim
decider
with
a
1 -12
to 1
- 5
score.
The
final was
played
on
the Leitrim
Gael's
Community
Pitch.
Next
Issue Leitrim
Connection June 2008
