Public meeting on mental health issues
Ballinasloe Mental Health Association will be hosting a public meeting entitled ‘Life in the Golden Years: Exploring the Rewards and Challenges’ on Monday April 4 at 8pm in Gullane’s Hotel.
The guest speaker will be former local resident Professor Greg Swanwick, consultant psychiatrist and clinical professor of psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, who will be discussing mental health for people in later life. Chairing the meeting will be Galway Mental Health Service’s consultant psychiatrist of later years, Dr Sabina Fahy.
The meeting will be open to all. For further information, please contact Jackie Eastwood on (090 ) 9644920 or (087 ) 2341535.
Stage school takes top prize in Ballinasloe parade
Organisers were delighted as large numbers took to the streets for the colourful St Patrick’s Day Parade in Ballinasloe. The In-Step Stage School entry was a well-deserved overall winner for the second year running. Other impressive entries included category winners Stanley Clarke and Sons, Eglish NS, Ballinasloe Rugby Club, and the Moycarn Family Fun Day entry.
The window competition attracted a large number of entries, with the top prizes going to An Tain, Duignan’s Dunlo Street, and Broderick’s Pharmacy.
Organisers expressed their thanks to main sponsors Ballinasloe Town Council, and to Ballinasloe Vintners, Ballinasloe Chamber, Ballinasloe Credit Union, AIB, Gullane’s and Supermac’s. Thanks were also expressed to the local Gardai, Defence Forces, Kathleen Croffey, parade marshal Maureen Cahalan, and adjudicators Conal Duffy and Michael O’Grady.
Enterprising transition years on Late Late
A game conceived to help her brother learn his spellings has proven very enterprising for transition year entrepreneur Fiona Gacquin and her business partners, Ciara Moloney and Nora Corcoran. Recently winning the Connaught finals of the transition year enterprise competition for their Spelling Survival Guide Board Game, managing director Fiona was invited to present their business concept on The Late Late Show last Friday for the St Patrick’s Day special.
A confident Fiona pitched the game to Ryan Tubridy and an audience full of business experts and explained how the game could be used for a wide variety of educational purposes. The innovative group have copyrighted their concept and are presently researching the options of manufacturing or outsourcing their product before the final of the competition later this year.
Allotments
Allotments are available for lease in the Aughrim/ Ballinasloe area. On-site parking and secure storage are available and allotments will be ploughed and rotovated and ready for planting. Bee-keeping is also permitted, and water, toilets, and tea-making facilites are provided.
If you are interested in renting a plot, or for more information, please call (087 ) 8334433 or email [email protected].
10k charity fun run - back by popular demand
The community of Ballinasloe is buzzing with excitement as the town prepares to host its second Ballinasloe 10k Charity Fun Run on Sunday April 17. The run begins at noon from the Carlton Shearwater Hotel and continues up Harbour Road, through Poolboy, back through Moher, and finishing in Beechlawn where there will be buses to take participants back to the Shearwater Hotel for light refreshments and live music.
All proceeds will go to the Irish Cancer Society and the Ballinasloe Relay for Life, a 24-hour community celebration honouring those affected by cancer. The Star Gazer Lily Foundation are delighted to bring this event to Ballinasloe. Participants are welcome to register at the Carlton Shearwater Hotel & C Spa or online at www.carlton.ie/shearwater/events or visit the Ballinasloe 10K Fun Run facebook page.
