Ballinasloe Notes

Festival Launched The nine-day long Ballinasloe Fair and Festival was this week officially launched by the current mayor of Ballinasloe Cllr Johnny Walsh. This festival programme will run from Saturday, October 3rd to Sunday, October 11th inclusive. All in attendance at the launch were warmly welcomed by the new Fair co-ordinator Miss Julie Ann Rooney who is a native of Longford town. The 2009 main sponsors of the Fair and Festival are the Carlton Shearwater Hotel at Marina Point. Planned dates for the traditional horse fair are Sunday, October 4th and Monday, October 5th. A new event being held this festival season is a Golf Classic. This major competition will take place at the local golf course on the Portumna Road. Other attractions will include a tug-a-war contest on the streets and a dog show at St. Michael's Square. Again in 2009 huge crowds are expected in the East Galway town of Ballinasloe for the October Fair and Festival. Principal Appointed The County Galway Vocational Education Committee have appointed a new principal at St. Jarlath's Vocational School in Mountbellew. She is 29-years-old Mrs.Ann Marie Carroll-Kenny who comes from the local village of Newbridge. Prior to coming to Mountbellew, Mrs. Carroll-Kenny was on the teaching staff of Lough Allen College in Leitrim. She replaced Mr. Mattie Kilroy from Caltra who has recently retired. New Night Club A new top quality Night Club has been opened at Dunto Street, Ballinasloe. This development is known as the East Night Club and is located in the former East County Hotel premises. The club is owned by the well known Earls business family who have been in the construction industry in Ballinasloe for many years past. New Vintage Club A new Vintage Club has in recent weeks been established in Ballinasloe. Members of the new club plan to have a vintage parade in Ballinasloe Town on Sunday, October 11th. This club has been started by Gerry Strong of Main Street, Ballinasloe. Show Meeting A well-attended committee meeting at Ballinasloe Show took place this week in the ballroom at Hayden's Hotel. The chairman Fr Christy McCormack welcomed all in attendance and the recording secretary was Mr John Harney. This year's annual agricultural show will be held in the newly revamped showgrounds on Saturday, October 3rd. It is planned to use the showgrounds for parking lorries and cars on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of October Fair Week. A proposal by Peter O'Connor that part of the money collected by the car park be donated to the Galway Hospice Foundation was passed at the meeting. The Show Ltd are to promote a summer festival in 2010 in their grounds. Harvest Thanksgiving Service Arrangements have been finalised to build an inter-denominational and multi-cultural thanksgiving service at St John's Church of Ireland in Ballinasloe on this coming Friday evening on September 25th at 8pm. The special guest speaker on this occasion will be Fr Bernie Costello, chaplain, at Portiuncula Hospital. All interested people are cordially invited to come along to this service. Musical Society In early 2010 Ballinasloe Musical Society will be staging Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in the Town Hall Theatre in Society Street. All interested in taking part are kindly requested to a pre-audition workshop on Monday evening, October 12 at Gullanes Hotel. The director is Paul Norton and local girl Fiona O'Leary is the choreographer.