Monday night’s lotto jackpot is a massive €25,000, don’t forget to get your ticket Play online https://tinyurl.com/48ut6zxa Draw will be Live from Art O’Neills Bar Ballinrobe Thank you and Good luck! Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA #clannroba #clublotto
Lotto jackpot 25000 Read More »
Ballinrobe GAA and LGFA have announced significant progress in their ongoing Clann Róba fundraising campaign, with €621,964 pledged to date. These funds will support the development of much-needed facilities at Flanagan Park, marking a major step forward for the club and the local community. The Clann Róba Development Committee has expressed its appreciation to all who have contributed so far, noting the broad support from individuals and businesses locally and abroad. “We are grateful for the strong backing we have received. The funds raised will be carefully managed to deliver long-lasting facilities for Ballinrobe GAA and LGFA,” said club chairperson John Sweeney. Supporters who have pledged but not yet completed their payments are encouraged to do so as the campaign works towards its final goal. The committee also highlighted that the fundraising effort remains ongoing, with continued contributions critical to ensuring the successful delivery of the planned projects. The full payment process is available on https://www.ballinrobegaaclub.com/clann-roba-development/. The first phase of development is set to begin shortly. Work on a new gym to support player athletic development is scheduled to start by the end of October, with the construction of a 45m x 35m enclosed astroturf facility beginning in early 2025. These additions will enhance the training capacity of the club and provide improved facilities for athletes. In recognition of significant sponsorship support, the club’s main pitch has been renamed the Tim Kelly Group Pitch, Flanagan Park. Other facilities will also carry the names of local businesses, The Cummins Pitch, Flanagan Park; and Treacy’s Pharmacy Astro Pitch, Flanagan Park. The Credit Union in Ballinrobe are also delighted to come on board as the title sponsors of the new gym. Additionally, the club has successfully secured €166,106 in funding from the Sports Capital Programme, which will support the development of a second pitch at Flanagan Park. This grant is part of an effort to maximise available public funding to supplement the fundraising campaign. “We are looking forward to proceeding with the pitch development on finalisation of our grant award in the very near future,” said John. The committee emphasised the importance of ongoing support to ensure the project reaches its full potential. “While we are pleased with the progress made so far, continued engagement from the community is essential as we move forward with this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the club and our community,” added John. For further details on the campaign or to make a contribution, please contact the Clann Róba Development Committee or visit club’s website, www.BallinrobeGAAClub.com. Clann Róba Development Committee John Flannelly, Martin Murphy (joint chairpersons), Annette Conway, Gerry Donnelly, Sarah Gibbons, Denise Horan, Liam Horan, Des May, Paul McElarney, Elaine O’Brien, John Sweeney, Kevin Tuffy.
Work set to commence on Clann Róba development as pledges pass €600,000 mark Read More »
🌭🍔It’s summer barbecue time and everyone’s invited! 🌭🍔 To celebrate another great summer of football for our boys’ and girls’ teams, made possible by our coaches and a wider group of dedicated volunteers, Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA are hosting a fun summer barbecue social event on the evening of Saturday, August 31st. Tickets €5, which includes entry into the raffle . Food and entertainment provided and all are welcome. More details to follow, but for now one to get in the diary!
It is with great sadness that Ballinrobe GAA Club announces the passing of one of our greatest supporters, Anna O’Loughlin. A native of Kilnaboy, Co. Clare, Anna (87) became an integral part of life in this town after moving here in 1970. If there was a match, you could rely on Anna being there, along with her husband, Christy, who passed away 12 years ago. A quietly spoken woman, Anna often sat in the car up on ‘the embankment’ at Flanagan Park where she studied football and hurling encounters with an astute eye. Afterwards, she would share with players and mentors a thoughtful word of commendation or encouragement, as befitted the outcome. Her loyalty to the club was undiluted in every circumstance. Long journeys to remote venues never cost her a thought, either. Wherever the maroon and yellow of the club – or the blue and white of Ballinrobe CBS and later Ballinrobe Community School – fielded teams in pursuit of victory, Anna and Christy made it their business to be there, an inseparable couple who wanted only the best for the people they knew and loved. Multiple generations of Ballinrobe players regarded Anna with great warmth and respect, and her passing has occasioned much sadness locally. Anna and Christy moved here in 1970, when Christy was appointed to work as farm manager at the agricultural research station at Creagh, Ballinrobe. He served for a period as vice chairman of our club and was also heavily involved in the physical developments of our facilities at Flanagan Park. He played an active part in Ballinrobe hurling club during the 1970s and 1980s. Their sons contributed to some of the best days our club has ever had – a teenage PJ featured on the team that captured our first Mayo Intermediate Championship title in 1979; Brendan played on the 1990 side that won the Mayo Junior Championship; and Fergal was a leading light when we won our second Intermediate Championship title in 2000. Fergal figured on the Ballinrobe Community School team that won the historic first All-Ireland Senior B title in 1991. Brendan was a substitute on the Mayo team that won the 1983 All-Ireland U21 Championship. The family involvement is as strong as ever and is highly valued by all of our members. Anna and Christy’s son, Declan, who also played at under-age level with the club, is a key figure in the club’s ever-expanding ladies football wing. The emergence of a strong ladies football sector in the club dictated that after many years watching her sons star in the Ballinrobe colours, Anna had the great joy of watching her grand-daughter, Ailbhe, shine for the club. Grandson Fionn, who is also an accomplished basketballer, has worn the club jersey from an early age. Declan’s wife, Katherine (Butler), is a former club secretary. The Christy O’Loughlin Cup was inaugurated in 2012 and Anna presented the cup to winning captains on a number of occasions, including to Fionn in 2018. We extend our deepest sympathy to Anna’s sons James, PJ, Brendan, Declan and Fergal; daughter Evelyn; daughters-in-law; son-in-law; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family members on their loss. As a club, we feel acutely the pain of Anna’s passing, and are mindful of the fact that the family have lost a dearly loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Funeral details are available HERE. The club will form a guard of honour at the removal of her remains from St Joseph’s Funeral Home to St Mary’s Church on Sunday. John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club.
The late Anna O’Loughlin, RIP Read More »
Ballinrobe GAA club regrets to announce the death in Nairobi, Kenya, of Fr Tommy Leyden, who was a distinguished wearer of the Ballinrobe and Mayo jerseys in the 1950s. Fr Tommy came through the Ballinrobe CBS football nursery and was a member of the team which won the school’s first Flanagan Cup title in 1951. He figured on the Mayo minor football panel in 1952 and lined out with Ballinrobe throughout the 1950s, including as a member of the squad which won the 1958 divisional and county junior titles. A year later, he played for Ballinrobe in the Mayo senior league final defeat to Ballina Stephenites. Club historian Michael Coyne, who also played in that 1959 final, recalled that the team and supporters travelled by special train to Ballina to take on the famed locals. Just a few short months later, on 31 December 1959, the Ballinrobe to Claremorris railway line closed. “Fr Tommy was a lovely fellow,” said Michael, “and a very good forward, a sweet footballer. He was a late vocation to the priesthood, having earlier worked as a civil engineer. He was compassionate and caring.” A member of the Divine Word Missionaries who had their west of Ireland base in Donamon, Co. Roscommon, Fr Tommy’s first ministry was in Flores, Indonesia. There he served the poor in districts with no electricity, running water or other basic facilities. He later moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he spent the remainder of his life helping disadvantaged people living in challenging conditions. Geraldine May, Ballinrobe, explained that Fr Tommy was a first cousin of her late husband, Des, who also played with Ballinrobe. “They were best friends. He was Best Man at our wedding. He was a deeply spiritual man, a mystic almost. He believed in giving people time, regardless of what religion they were – he was all about helping others,” said Geraldine. “He lived a simple life. He never got into emailing or texting. He never wore a watch. His mother Nell was dead three weeks before word even reached him. But he wrote an average of 500 letters per year, in beautiful handwriting that he retained right up to his final years even though he suffered badly with arthritis. He kept in touch with so many people. “He had a wonderful sense of humour too.” The Leyden family lived on Abbey Street, Ballinrobe. Fr Tommy’s father John Joe was a secondary school teacher in Ballinrobe CBS. His mother was Nell, and he had one sister, Maura (O’Connell), who passed away many years ago. He is survived by his nephew Tom and nieces Sharon and Helena. He quietly slipped away last weekend and will be laid to rest in Nairobi. John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club
The late Fr Tommy Leyden, RIP Read More »
The Martin Flannery Memorial Cup got underway this week, with the Ballinrobe Under 10 Boys playing in a winter Pella tournament under lights, on the Astro Turf pitch, in the Green. The tournament sees 40 U0 boys playing in a league format and there was nothing between the four teams who played this week, all trying to emulate the winning team from last year (see team members above with members of the Flannery family). This is the third year of the Martin Flannery Memorial Cup, an event which remembers Martin, a lifetime volunteer and coach at all levels for Ballinrobe GAA, a recipient of the Ballinrobe GAA Hall of Fame award, and a former winner of the Club Person of the Year accolade. Indeed, the Flannery family are still heavily involved in Ballinrobe GAA and Martin would be very proud to see his grandson Daniel playing in this tournament, alongside his peers. Throw in for Round 2 of the tournament is next Wednesday 11th of October at 6.15pm. Please come along and support the boys while also remembering a great man who gave so much to help develop our club over the years.
Martin Flannery Memorial Cup 2023 Read More »
Ballinrobe GAA club regrets to announce the death today (18 August 2023), of a much-loved club member and former President, Tony Walkin (85), Creagh Road, Ballinrobe. He had borne the cross of illness bravely for the past number of months. A man of many parts, Tony was known all over Ireland – and, indeed, further afield – for his love of Gaelic football. He travelled far and wide to support Ballinrobe and Mayo teams and his great interest in people, and his capacity to entertain others, meant that he established firm friendships wherever he went. A native of Ardagh, Ballina, Tony played football with Ballina Stephenites. When he met and married Irene Ryder, a member of a well-known Ballinrobe business family, Tony relocated to Ballinrobe in 1962 and quickly became an integral part of the community, including playing for our club. Irene and Tony enjoyed a wonderful bond, and the club is particularly cognisant of the loss she is experiencing at this time. He opened a business on Main Street that over the years engaged in a variety of pursuits. Tony learned the German language and became a trusted point of contact for Germans moving to Ireland, often sourcing sites or properties in the region where they could build or renovate properties. At the back, he had a small public house. He ran a travel agency – again, German visitors were a key customer segment – and he developed a fine trade in giftware. The business continues to the present day and is now operated by Tony’s daughter Mary and her husband John. Ballinrobe benefitted from his seemingly boundless energy. A stalwart of various local organisations, including the Town Development Company, Tidy Towns and the Town Hall, Tony was at the heart of everything positive in Ballinrobe. His work with the Society of St Vincent de Paul was not as well known as he carried it out with admirable discretion but suffice it to say that many local people were grateful for his quiet generosity at difficult times in their lives. With great affection and even greater sadness, we say “Tony was Tony”. His avuncular personality found expression on the stage as he was a performing member of Ballinrobe Musical Society for six decades. His final show was The Pirates of Penzance in 2020. He served in an administrative capacity on many occasions. Other affiliations he cherished were his involvement with Mayo Male Voice Choir and his lifelong membership of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. Despite all of the foregoing commitments, Tony somehow found time for the GAA Club. He was an ever-present at club events and served in a variety of administrative and management positions within our club, including as a long-serving county board delegate. On away trips to other clubs or counties, Tony assumed an almost ambassadorial role as he engaged with friends – be they new or just-formed – to enquire about the fortunes of the local team. If you travelled with Tony, you were virtually certain that he’d get you into the tea-room for some refreshments before or after the game – people simply warmed to him whenever he went. His faithful companions on many of those trips were his clubmates Billy Horan, who passed away last year, and Michael Coyne, all three of them glorying in the moniker by which their entourage became known – The Last of the Summer Wine, in deference to the TV programme of the same name. Tony’s family also served the club with distinction. Paddy, Peter, Tony Jnr and Mark played at all levels for Ballinrobe, winning numerous titles, while Tony Jnr featured on the Mayo minor team which contested the 1991 All-Ireland final, losing to Cork. Peter, Mark and Tony have worked in coaching and administrative capacities, with Peter serving as club chairman in the early to mid-2000s. Though domiciled in New York, Paddy retains a strong interest in Ballinrobe GAA Club. Tony’s grandchildren have also worn the maroon and yellow of Ballinrobe. In 2015, granddaughter Sarah Finnegan earned the distinction of landing the first score recorded by the club’s reformed ladies football wing in an under-age challenge game with The Neale. Tony is survived by his wife Irene, children Mary, Paddy (USA), Paula (Fermanagh), Elaine, Peter (Dunmore), Tony and Mark, sister Maura (Ballaghaderreen), brothers John (Ballina), PJ (Ballina), Gerry (UK), Shamus (Ballina), Eamon (Ballina), and Vincent (Doc, Dublin), sons-in-law John, James, Kevin, daughters-in-law Mary Ann, Joan, Denise and Marie, sisters-in-law, 13 adored grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends. As a mark of respect to Tony, a minute’s silence will be held at all club events this weekend, including our Mayo IFC clash with Burrishoole on Saturday evening in Newport. The club will form a guard of honour to give a fitting send-off to a man who made a very rich contribution to the lives of our members and to his adopted community. Funeral arrangements are as follows: reposing at his residence (F31 H308) on Saturday from 4.00pm to 7pm. Removal from his residence on Sunday morning to St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe, for Funeral Mass at 11.30am with burial afterwards in New Cemetery, Ballinrobe. Funeral Mass will be streamlined live on Cummins Funeral Directors page. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. Donations, if desired, to the Mayo Roscommon Hospice, c/o Cummins Funeral Directors or https://www.hospice.ie/donations/in-loving-memory/ John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club
The late Tony Walkin, RIP Read More »
Ballinrobe GAA Club members are now considering two proposals the development of their club facilities at Flanagan Park, following a club meeting. “We urge all members to consider these proposals carefully before an upcoming Club meeting where we will take a vote on them,” said John Sweeney, Chairperson. The proposals are as follows: Proposal 1: Develop a clubhouse that will feature extra dressing room facilities, a meeting room, a new press/commentary box, a kitchen, and new toilet areas. Additionally, the newly acquired ground will be developed into an all-weather pitch. Proposal 2: Develop a clubhouse with the same features as outlined above and the newly acquired ground as a standard grass pitch. “At our last Club meeting we took a decision to seek planning permission for Proposal 1 above, as the application is not a costly process, and it will be of value to us regardless of which proposal we select. In addition to these proposals, it was agreed to meet with the Principal of Ballinrobe Community School to discuss the club’s support for pitch maintenance and repair work at the Ballinrobe Community School pitch, which we frequently use, and this meeting took place this week. Furthermore, we strongly believe that the development of a gym at Flanagan Park will benefit the club and its members,” added the spokesperson. The club acknowledge that no matter what decisions are taken, a major fundraising and promotional effort will be required. “However, we believe that this effort is necessary for the future of the club, given the large number of players and teams we currently have. Playing space is a problem – but a good problem, we acknowledge. We will seek to access public funding as we proceed in whichever direction we take,” said the spokesperson. “All of these items will be discussed at our next Club meeting, and we encourage all members to attend and participate actively in the decision-making process. Together, we can ensure that the future of our club is bright.”
Development of Club Facilities at Flanagan Park Read More »
James (Jimmy) Philbin, Liskillen, Ballinrobe, who has passed away peacefully at his residence, was a former Ballinrobe footballer who starred on the club team that won the 1958 Mayo Junior Football Championship title. That win was the club’s second ever county junior title and Jimmy was a tight-marking defender who handled some of the top forwards in Mayo during that period. In previous years, he played as a half-forward and featured on the team that won the 1956 O’Mara Cup. He added further O’Mara Cup titles to his collection in 1958 and 1963. Jimmy had a lengthy career in the Ballinrobe colours and his sons Seamus and Adrian, as well as his grandchildren, all followed in his footsteps. Quietly spoken by nature, he was intensely popular in the locality and his passing has evoked sincere regret. He worked in the Agricultural Research Centre, Creagh, Ballinrobe, for many years, while also maintaining the family farm. Predeceased by his parents Brian and Bridget (O’Keeffe), brother-in-law Jimmy, and sister-in-law Eileen, he is deeply regretted by his loving family wife Josie, sons Adrian and Seamus, daughter Lorraine, grandchildren Leonie, Ross, Ciaran, Ella, Dara, Oisín, Brian and Lily, daughter-in-law Linda, Frances, son-in-law Tom, sisters-in-law Perry, Bernadette, Maureen, Kitty, extended family, cousins, relatives, neighbours and friends. His remains will repose at Saint Joseph’s Funeral Home, Ballinrobe, F31H289, on Sunday evening, 2 April, from 6pm with private removal at 7.30pm to his home. The funeral cortege will arrive at St. Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe, on Monday, 3 April, for Requiem Mass at 12 noon with the funeral proceeding to the Old Cemetery, Ballinrobe. The club extends its deepest sympathy to Jimmy’s family at this sad time. John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club.
The late James (Jimmy) Philbin Read More »
