Ballinahown & District News – 26/08/2022
Ballinahown Development Association Lotto – Bonus Number on main Lotto Draw Saturday 20th August 2022. Winning Bonus Number: 27. Winner: Mary Ledwith, Clonaderig.
Stories from the School’s Collection
We continue with our series of stories from the “School’s Collection” an initiative undertaken in the early part of the last century (late 1930’s) by the Irish Folklore Commission with the co-operation of the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers Organisation. Our story this week was recorded in October 1937 by Eilís Ní Dálaigh a pupil in Lemonaghan N.S. Co. Offaly and refers to the townland known as Dernagun. We will cover other districts in Lemonaghan over the coming weeks. The story is presented as written at the time.
Dernagun:
I live in the townland of Dernagun in the Parish of Ballinhowen the Barony of Garaycastle, County Offaly. There are nine families in my home district and there are about forty nine people in it. Each family has a different name and for that reason there is no name which prevails at present. Most of the houses are thatched and there are a few of them slated recently. All the houses are one storey high.
There was an oak wood growing in the townland long ago and people used to hunt there with greyhounds. That is why it is called Doire-Na-Gcon (The oak-wood of the hound).
There are three old people living in the townland. Their names are James Carroll, Peter Rigney, Mrs Corcoran. There are no ruins in the townland. Only a few people emigrated to America. It is good grass land and good meadow land but it is not suitable for tillage. There is no wood growing in the townland now. The river Brosna flows northward between Dernagun and Pullough and there is a small river which divides Lemonaghan from Dernagun and flows into the Brosna beside Pollough. There are also three rivers which meet at this place. The Brosna, The Silver River, and a brook, and it is a wonderful place for fishing
Rashina Vintage Club
The Threshing and Working Field Day takes place on Sunday 11th September. This year’s event returns after a three year absence due to Covid-19 and will be held as usual in Moony’s Field, Doon. The organisers are looking forward to renewing old acquaintances who have supported the event over the past number of years. So, if it’s something different you want to experience then come along on Sunday 11th September to what promises to be a great day.
As with all voluntary organisations the committee would love to see more volunteers involved in the event so if you are interested in helping out please come along to the next meeting to be held in the Doon GAA clubhouse on Thursday 25th August at 9.00pm.
This week’s Quote
This week’s quote is attributed to Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) who said “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time and is regarded as a genius. He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics
Ballinahown Community Development – Photography Competition
Would you like to win a One For All Voucher to the value of €100 or indeed other valuable prizes sponsored by local businesses. If so log on to the Ballinahown Community Development page where you will find all the information you need to enter the Ballinahown Photography Competition. The competition is open to all ages and skills.
Birthday Wishes
Happy Birthday to John Killian, Ballinahown who celebrated “ a roundy” birthday on 20th August. Also Happy Birthday to David Rohan, Shane Coughlan and Rosie Rohan,
Ballinahown and to Ina Dolan, Kilgarvan who all celebrated their birthday this week. Belated birthday wishes to Clodagh Coughlan, Ballinahown and Tracy Kelly, Clonfanlough who celebrated their birthdays last week.
We wish each of you the very best for the coming year and hope you all had a great day.
Local News
If you have any local news – birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries etc. or indeed old photographs that you would like to share with our readers we would love to hear from you. Please email us at Ballinahownnews@gmail.com or contact Denis Rohan on 0876308357.
Ballinahown & District News – 19/08/2022
Ballinahown Development Association Lotto – Bonus Number on main Lotto Draw Saturday 13th August 2022. Winning Bonus Number: 46. Winner: Peggy Quinn, Lackagh.
Stories from the School’s Collection
We continue with our series of stories from the “School’s Collection” an initiative undertaken in the early part of the last century (late 1930’s) by the Irish Folklore Commission with the co-operation of the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers Organisation. Our story this week was recorded in October 1937 by Seosaimin Ní Buacalla a pupil in Lemonaghan N.S. Co. Offaly and refers to the townland known as Curraghallasa. We will cover other districts in Lemonaghan over the coming weeks e.g. Dernagun and Ballydaly. The story is presented as written at the time.
Curraghalassa:
I live in the townland of Curraghlassa which is situated in the parish of Ferbane and in the Barony of Birr, County Offaly. There are only four families living in this district and the number of people amount roughly to twenty. Three of the houses are slated and one only is thatched. It is a remote district and got its name as the marshy land of the fort, there being a large stone fort there, under which there is supposed to be a cave.
Only one old person lives in this district who can tell many stories of the place. Her name is Mrs Margaret Connor Curraghalassa, Ferbane, Offaly.
Long ago more families lived here but they deserted it and went abroad leaving nothing behind but the ruins of their houses.
The land is level and marshy. Most of it is covered with woods one of which is called Dereennameel (Doirin na Miol -the oak wood of the animals).
The river Brosna flows adjacent to it providing a good watering place for cattle. Many streams flow into this river, the Brook, the Silver river and the Tap.
Doon GAA Club 5Klm Walk
Doon GAA Club will hold their annual 5Klm Walk on Sunday 21st commencing at 1.00pm following a three year absence due to Covid. Registration for the event takes place at Doon GAA Grounds from 11.30am. Family BBQ and Raffle in Martin’s of Doon afterwards. This year Doon Club are partnering with Rashina and Ballinahown National Schools for the event. So get your walking shoes on and come and enjoy a great day out.
Obituaries
Thomas (Tom) O’Connor, Clonmacnois, Athlone, Offaly.
Tom died on August 13th 2022, unexpectedly at his home. He was predeceased by his parents Peter and Nellie, brother Donal and sisters Betty and Rita.
Tom will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed by his brothers Peter and Kieran, sisters Josie Condron, Eileen Byrne and Kathleen Caulfield, sisters-in-law Margaret and Una, brothers-in-law Jimmy, Martin and Finbar, nephews, nieces, especially, Emily and Rory, extended family neighbours and friends.
Ar dheist Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Rashina Vintage Club are holding their Annual Threshing and Working Field Day on Sunday 11th September. This year’s event returns after a three year absence due to Covid-19 and will be held as usual in Moony’s Field, Doon.
The committee would love to have more volunteers involved in the event so if you are interested in helping out please come along to the next meeting which will be held in Doon GAA clubhouse on Friday 19th at 9.00pm.
This week’s Quote
This week our quote comes from Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, (1874 – 1965) a British statesman, soldier and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945, during the Second World War, and again from 1951 to 1955. Apart from two years between 1922 and 1924, he was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1900 to 1964 and represented a total of five constituencies. Ideologically an economic liberal and imperialist, he was for most of his career a member of the Conservative Party, which he led from 1940 to 1955. He was a member of the Liberal Party from 1904 to 1924. He is credited with the following words: “This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense”.
Ballinahown Community Development – Photography Competition
Would you like to win a One For All Voucher to the value of €100 or indeed other valuable prizes sponsored by local businesses. If so log on to the Ballinahown Community Development page where you will find all the information you need to enter the Ballinahown Photography Competition. The competition is open to all ages and skills.
Birthday Wishes
Happy Birthday to Michael Mahon, Clonfanlough who celebrated his birthday on 19th August. Hope you have a good one Mike.
Local News
If you have any local news – birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries etc. or indeed old photographs that you would like to share with our readers we would love to hear from you. Please email us at Ballinahownnews@gmail.com or contact Denis Rohan on 0876308357.
Ballinahown & District News – 12/08/2022
Ballinahown Development Association Lotto – Bonus Number on main Lotto Draw Saturday 6th August 2022. Winning Bonus Number: 38. No Winner.
Stories from the School’s Collection
We continue with our series of stories from the “School’s Collection” an initiative undertaken in the early part of the last century (late 1930’s) by the Irish Folklore Commission with the co-operation of the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers Organisation. Our story this week was recorded in October 1937 by Marie Nic Aongusa a pupil in Lemonaghan N.S. Co. Offaly. It would appear most of the stories recorded in that school for the “Schools Collection” were about the local pupil’s home district. We will cover other districts in Lemonaghan over the coming weeks e.g. Dernagun, Curraghalassa and Ballydaly. The story is presented as written at the time.
Lemonaghan
The name of my home district is Lemonaghan and the name of the division is Srah which takes its name from a marshy hollow. It is situated in the united parish of Meelane and Ballinahown and in the barony of Garrycastle. There are forty two families in the townland with the population of one hundred and forty five people. The family names most common in the district are Guinans and Corcorans as there are six families of Guinans and five of Corcorans. Nearly all the houses in the district are thatched and there are about five in ruins. There is also the ruins of a castle situated at the back of the school and it is known as Mough-Coughlans castle.
Lemonaghan got its name from the gray lands of Saint Monaghan who got these lands from king Diarmuid in the seventh century. There are about fourteen people over seventy in the townland but none of them know Irish. Almost all of them can tell old stories in English. There were seventeen more houses in Lemonaghan in former times which were knocked down by the crow-bar brigade in the year 1798 and almost all the inhabitants emigrated to America.
The centre of Lemonaghan is good fertile land but it is surrounded by bog. There is a small oak wood in the Lemonaghan bog which is called (Doirin a Mill) Derien a Meele. Lemonaghan is bounded by the Brosna river on the south eastern side and by the Great Southern-Railway on the North-western side.
Wedding Bells
Congratulations and best wishes to former Rose of Tralee Jennifer Byrne and Dara Jones who were married on Saturday 6th January in St. Colmcille’s Church, Ballinahown. The wedding ceremony was followed with a reception in the Glasson Lakehouse Hotel, Killinure, Athlone. We wish you both a long and happy life together.
Jennifer’s parents are Declan and Mary Byrne, Clonaderig, Ballinahown.
Doon GAA Club 5Klm Walk
Doon GAA Club will hold their annual 5Klm Walk on Sunday 21st commencing at 1.00pm following a two year absence due to Covid. Registration for the event takes place at Doon GAA Grounds from 11.30am. Family BBQ and Raffle in Martin’s of Doon afterwards. This year Doon Club are partnering with Rashina and Ballinahown National Schools for the event. So get your walking shoes on and come and enjoy a great day out.
This week’s Quote
This week our quote comes from Steve Jobs American entrepreneur, industrial designer, business magnate, media proprietor and investor who is credited with the following “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”
Local News
If you have any local news – birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries etc. or indeed old photographs that you would like to share with our readers we would love to hear from you. Please email us at Ballinahownnews@gmail.com or contact Denis Rohan on 0876308357.
Ballinahown & District News – 05/08/2022
Ballinahown Development Association Lotto – Bonus Number on main Lotto Draw Saturday 30th July 2022. Winning Bonus Number: 12. Winner: Sinead Middleton, Loughill.
Stories from the School’s Collection
We continue with our series of stories from the “School’s Collection” an initiative undertaken in the early part of the last century (late 1930’s) by the Irish Folklore Commission with the co-operation of the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers Organisation. Our story this week informs us as to how Mount Temple got its name. The story was recorded by Eamon O’Neill, Mount Temple and is presented as written at the time.
Mount Temple
A landlord named Harris Temple owned a lot of land around this place. He had a daughter who was a great horsewoman. She rode up the Mount on horseback. This is how Mount Temple got its name. The old name was Ballyloughloe.
The story is told when they were making the Mounts, they had one finished and they starting the second Mount, a man passed by without saying, God bless the work. The men left down their shovels and spades and left the Mount unfinished. The unfinished Mount can be seen to the present day. There are a range of hills from Mount Temple to Clara. It was supposed to be the boundary between Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland.
There used to be guards on the hills in ancient times.
Wedding Bells
Congratulations and best wishes to Justin Coughlan and Katie Shine who were married on Thursday 28th July in St. Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan. The wedding ceremony was followed by a reception in Castle Leslie Estate. Monaghan. We wish you both a long and happy life together.
Justin is the son of Gerard and Anne Coughlan, Kilgarvin while Katie hails from Brideswell, Co. Roscommon.
We also want to congratulate Shaun Henson and Katelyn Huetl who were married in St Colmcille’s Church, Ballinahown on Sunday 30th July. Again we wish the happy couple a long and happy life together.
Shaun is the son of John and Margaret Henson, Corrcullen, Ballinahown while Katelyn is a Canadian native.
Birthday Wishes
Happy Birthday to Fiona Coughlan, Kilgarvin who celebrated her birthday on Monday 1st August.
Belated Happy Birthday to Gordon Duffy, Fardrum who celebrated his birthday on July 27th. Hope you both enjoyed your celebrations.
This week’s Quote
This week’s quote comes from Jerry Seinfeld, American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer who is credited with saying “I saw a study that said speaking in front of a crowd is considered the number one fear of the average person. Number two was death. This means to the average person, if you have to be at a funeral, you would rather be in the casket than doing the eulogy”.
Gardening Tips (Fruit & Veg Garden)
- Cut away the old and yellowing foliage of courgettes, tomatoes, broccoli and all other vegetables to allow for better air circulation
- Twist onion stems in preparation for harvest
- Ensure root crops and tomatoes receive regular watering to avoid split roots & fruits
- Sow seeds for Christmas & Spring harvest. You can sow Spring Cabbage, Winter Cabbage, Kale, Salads, Carrots, Broccoli, Chard, Spinach, Lettuce and Beets
- Continue to feed your plants, focus on using a high potassium based feed on tomatoes, courgettes, fruits & cucumbers
- Keep harvesting all crops little and often. With regularly harvesting you can prevent vegetables from going to seed, crops from going off and you can also encourage a second yield
- If your vegetable plot is becoming bare, by the end of the month you can sow green manure
In the Greenhouse
- Maintain regular watering of crops
- Keep doors & window vents open during the day
- Continue to pinch out side shoots of tomatoes, if tomatoes are too slow to ripen you should sacrifice some fruits for the sake of others
- Slugs, snails and aphids can still be a problem this month
- Make softwood cuttings of Lavender, Geraniums & Fushias and place in compost & perlite
Plant Care
- Support taller herbaceous plants using bamboo canes or stakes
- Trim back leggy flowers such as Geraniums and Asters & Sage
- Continue to treat roses for black spot & mildew. Also dead head regularly
- Remove suckers that sprout from the base of rose plants
- Feed late Summer & autumn Flowering plants such as Verbenas, Dahlias, Echinaceas & Rudbeckias
- Flowering heads of alliums & hydrangea can be left in situ or brought indoors as cut flowers
- Begin collecting seeds of herbaceous & flowering plants. Label and store in a cool, dry place for sowing the following Spring
- Order your spring bulbs for planting at the end of the month
- August is a good month for trimming evergreen and beech hedging
- Divide Irises, Lilies, Dicentra, Hostas, Aubretia, Iberis, Peonies, Primrose and Poppies
Local News
If you have any local news – birthday celebrations, wedding anniversaries etc. or indeed old photographs that you would like to share with our readers we would love to hear from you. Please email us at Ballinahownnews@gmail.com or contact Denis Rohan on 0876308357.