Local Notes: Erris rowers make waves at Indoor Championships
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Congratulations to the members of Tullaghan Bay Rowing Club on achieving 11 gold medals at the recent Irish Indoor Rowing Championships held in Limerick.
Tullaghan Bay Rowing Club recently competed in the Irish Indoor Rowing Championships at the University of Limerick Sports Arena.
The squad of 36 secured 11 gold medals, three silver and three bronze in various categories from Under 13 to Masters.
Congratulations to Caoimhe Walsh, from Doohoma, who won bronze in the Girls 3-minute row for distance and the 500 metre sprint.
Congratulations to Emma Gaughan who won gold in the Lightweight Women’s 2k and silver in the 500m race. Jonathon Deane won silver in the 1k and was joined on the podium by fellow clubman Kevin Carey who won bronze. This was the Geesala men’s first All-Ireland Championship competition.
Tony Reilly from Binghamstown secured two gold medals in the Masters Male category and it was also his first competitive outing. Kathleen Doocey won silver in the Senior Women’s 1k event. Paul Murphy secured bronze in the Senior Men’s 500m event to round off the individual results.
The club also competed in the relay events with gold for Ballycroy sisters Kate and Nessa Ginty and teammates Saoirse Donoughue from Shraigh and Loughros Point Rower Erica Gallagher.
The Senior Mixed Relay was won by the club's coaching team of Hugh Egan, Donal Murphy, Kathleen Doocey and Emma Gaughan.
The club couldn’t be more proud of its young people who achieved great things at the in-door championships and its senior competitors who are inspirational. Thank you to the community, parents, sponsors, supporters. The club has been competing since 2017 and in every race, every year, the club manages to find something new because of you.
The club will celebrate all of these achievements in a few weeks and if you haven’t got tickets for the dinner dance make sure you get them quick!
Erris United FC held its annual general meeting in the Erris Irish Wheelchair Association Centre in Logmore recently.
Addressing the well-attended meeting, outgoing chairperson Mary Teresa Barrett thanked the hard working committee and officers for their work during the past year. She also thanked the coaches and managers from the academy to senior level for their dedication and commitment.
Ms Barrett congratulated the teams that brought success to the club over the season and thanked all the parents, supporters and club sponsors who support club at every turn. She thanked Michael, Frank and Ann for their dedication in keeping the club ground and clubhouse in lovely condition and to Micky Dixon for coordinating the club ground maintenances.
The club got long overdue repairs to its stand with new seating and painting. Thanks were extended to the art students and their teachers in St Brendan’s College and Our Lady's Secondary School for creating lovely murals for the back wall of the stand.
There was also much needed drainage work completed on the main pitch and training pitch during the year with more to be done in that regard.
The chairperson thanked all who continued to support the club fundraising efforts over the year.
She congratulated all who received awards at the recent club awards event and to Des for his excellent presentation on the evening. Se also thanked the Erris IWA for facilitating a room for club meetings.
The outgoing secretary Paul Reilly thanked everyone for their hard work - to the parents for bringing their children to games which saves the club on transport. He said great work was done during the year on the pitches, especially the training pitch.
There as great success on the pitch by various teams over the season and he extended thanks to the coaches/managers.
The outgoing treasurer David Reilly gave a very satisfactory account of the club finances, keeping in mind the work done on the ground over the year.
The following officers were elected: Club President, Fr Kevin Hegarty; Vice-President Patrick Conway (Durham); Chairperson, Mary Teresa Barrett; Vice-Chairperson, Micky Dixon; Secretary, Paul Reilly; Assistant Secretary, Louse Carey; Treasurer, David Reilly; Assistant Treasurer Padraig Reilly; Public Relations Officers, Tom Reilly and Garth O’Malley (Media Influencer); Club Registrar, Harry Reilly; Children’s Officers, Mary Teresa Barrett and Louise Carey.
The following team managers were appointed: Junior, Michael McHale, Brendan Nallen, Michael Meenaghan; U17, David Reilly, Paul Reilly and Garth O’Malley; U15B, John Conroy and Aidan Doherty; U15A, David McDonnell and Declan Conmy; U13, Aiden Creane and Vinnie Coyle.
The U11 managers will be announced later.
There was no winner of the jackpot of €9,200 in the Kilcommon Community Development Lotto draw on January 19th last when the numbers drawn were 12, 13, 21 and 36.
The house prize of €100 was won by Pat Deane/Ryan McBride, c/o McGuire’s Pullathomas and the two €30 offline winners were Joe McNulty, Belderrig and Aaron Walsh, Ballinaboy. The two €30 online winners were Jo Croghan, Roscommon and Jemma McGuire, Glengad.
Next week’s jackpot is €9,300 and the draw will be held in Denny’s Ferry Bar.
Deepest sympathies to the families of the following who passed away recently: Frank Maughan, MRCVS, Shore Road, Belmullet; Paul Gaughan, Shraigh East, Bunnahowen; Agnes Gaughan (née McAndrew), Tallaghan Bawn, Geesala; Harry Barrett, Fr Mulhern Crescent, Church Road, Belmullet; Kevin McGrath, Portacloy, Carrowteige; Susan Mills (née Tiernan) of Kent, London and formerly of Gorthmelia, Barnatra and Kilkerrin, Glenamaddy, Co Galway.
May they rest in peace.
At the recent Champions of Erris event, held in the Broadhaven Bay Hotel, there were over 80 junior competitors and over 60 senior competitors taking part in this very popular annual event.
Congratulations to Rita Walsh who is the 2025 Ladies Champion of Erris. Rita won the title for the first time with a 5-3 win over Margaret McAndrew.
Congratulations also to Michael O'Boyle, 2025 Champion of Erris, and to Conor MacAndrew for winning at U18 level.
Congrats too to Finn Gallagher at U15 level and his brother Oran Gallagher at U12.
In the ladies' competition, congratulations to Isobel Langan who won at U18 level and to Finola Holmes who claimed the shield competition.

The annual general meeting of the hurling and camogie club will take place on Friday, January 31st, in Una's, An Fód Dubh at 8pm.
The club always welcomes new volunteers to help develop camoige, hurling agus cultúr and anybody who would like to get involved should contact the chairman (Ciaran O'Hara – Dú Locha) or any club officer. Go raibh maith agaibh as ucht bhur dtacaíocht.
The general coaching and development plan for the year will be available at the AGM.
Erris Darts Club are delighted, on behalf of Michael, Catherine and the Gaughan family, to announce the eagerly awaited return of the Michelle Gaughan Memorial Darts Competitions later in 2025 after an 11-year absence.
In the early 2000s, this competition was a cornerstone in Erris Darts which regularly saw over 100 players each year with thousands of euros raised for charity in Michelle's memory. Some big names took home the beautiful crystal trophy. Who will it be in 2025?
Plans are also underway for a youths' event on the day with more details later.
Over 60 players took part recently for the district round robin at the Valley Inn Bar, Pullathomas, with Kevin Rowland coming out on top narrowly defeating Matthew Walsh in the final. Aaron Togher and Pat Deane were semi-finalists.
There were some cracking battles all day and thanks to all the players/organisers for ensuring everything was wrapped up by 10.30pm.
Thanks as always to Mixie, Pierce, Hannah and Mia for the top-class hospitality and the endless baskets of food.
Also a huge thank you to Mixie McGuire and the Valley Inn Bar for sponsoring a new set of jerseys for 2025. Much appreciated as always.
Erris Players and Mayo players and managers were in Carrick-on-Shannon recently representing Mayo in the WestCoast Challenge in the Landmark Hotel. Four Erris youths - Jack Padden, Cillían Lavelle, Alex Bielinski and Jack O'Grady - play in the U18s team event, while Pat Deane and Thomas Moran line out for the men's teams alongside manager Shane McHale.
There was another fantastic turnout for the 2nd Annual Tracey Moran Memorial Darts Competition recently with 85 players taking part.
There were some brilliant games of darts along the way and overall a very enjoyable day between many friends and family that came together in Tracey's memory.
On behalf of the Moran family, a special thanks to Bernie, Michael, and all the staff in The Anglers Rest, Healy's Glenamoy for hosting. To Damian Reilly for the use of the sound system, to Mixie McGuire for the use of his boards, Kevin Kilcoyne for help in setting everything up and to all those who sponsored all the prizes or helped in any way on the day.
Big thanks as always to Rachel McBride and Shane McHale for running the darts and ensuring everything was wrapped up in good time.
After a hugely entertaining evening of darts, the competition was down to its last eight players with some shocks along the way, adding to the brilliant atmosphere. Returning faces and newcomers all played their part in creating a super competitive competition.
The quarter-finals saw Shane McHale, Thomas Moran, Pat Deane and Michael John Reilly defeat Jack Padden, Tony Maloney, Kevin Naughton and Alex Bielinski respectively.
It was brilliant to see Mayo youth players Alex and Jack making it to the business end of big competitions. Well done, lads.
The semi-finals played on both boards in the pool room created an atmosphere that the Lakeside in the '80s and '90s would have to be proud of. Big scores and big checkouts followed, but in the end, Thomas and Míchael John got over the line with both games finishing 4-2 against Shane and Pat respectively.
In the final, Michael John came into the sound of
and Tom to the , which set the scene perfectly for the main event.Thomas won the first leg but Michael John quickly showed his class by winning the next three legs to go 3-1 up and then 4-2 up. The seventh and eighth legs could have gone either way, with Tom getting over the line in each to level it up at 4-4 going into the ninth and final leg. In that final leg, Tom just nosed ahead with some big scores to set up his chance and pinned double five to seal the title much to the delight of his supporters.
Congratulations to Thomas and commiserations to Michael John. The highest checkout in the day went to Harry Bancroft with a tidy 140.
The raffle raised an unbelievable €2,300 which was presented to members of the Deane family on the night in aid of the Help Mags Find Relief Fund. Thanks to everyone who sold and bought tickets.
The 2025 Eileen Maloney Memorial Darts competition will be held in the Valley Inn Bar, McGuire’s, Pullathomas. The Ladies event will be held on Saturday, February 15th, at 7pm and the Main Memorial Event on Sunday, February 16th, at 4pm. The entry fee is €10 and the competition is confined to Erris.
Erris Darts are hugely humbled and delighted to have received the 2024 Community Award from the Western People Sports Awards.
This is a brilliant recognition of the work done by all in the club over the past 12 months in encouraging new and younger players to pick up darts as well as upwards of €20,000 being raised for local charities from the numerous events that have been run during 2024. Darts in Erris have become an important social outlet for so many younger people in the area and the club will continue to work hard with your support to ensure this only continues to grow stronger.
To every player, supporter, venue and organiser in the Erris Darts community, a massive well done. It is a well deserved award.
There was no winner of this week’s Kiltane GAA Club weekly lotto jackpot of €16,300.
The two €50 winners were Sarah Kennedy, Geesala and Noreen Hegarty, Bangor while Paddy Monaghan, Dooyork and Helen Deane, Elly both won €25. The two online winners were Catherine Donohue (€50) and Tom Carroll (€25).
Bingo will take place in the GAA Complex, Bangor this Tuesday, January 21st, at 8pm. The jackpot will be €700 in 49 calls or less.
The Frank Coyle Memorial Cup 25 Card Competition is to be played in McDonnell’s Bar over a four-week period commencing on Tuesday, February 4th, and all names must be entered by January 31st.
There is €1,000 in prizes, including a first prize fo €500, second prize of €250, third prize of €150 and fourth prize of €100.
The competition will be run on a league basis with the winner on each night receiving four points, the runner-up getting two points and all other participants receiving one point. The entry fee each night is €5.
All proceeds will go to Inis Aoibhinn, Cancer Care West in memory of Frank Coyle. For more information, call 087-236213.
The annual Tom Rafter Memorial Darts competition will be held on Sunday, February 9th, in the Anglers Rest in Glenamoy with check-in time at 5pm with the event beginning at 6pm.
Please support - all funds to to the Help Mags Find Relief Fund.
There was no winner of the jackpot in the Lotto Gaeltacht Erris on January 16th last when the numbers drawn were 1, 20, 25 with Bonus 3.
Nathan Doherty (online) won €50 and Sean O Boyle (Una's An Fód Dubh) won €25. There was no winner of the €500 Match 3 prize.
Buíochas lenár urraitheoirí SolarWest agus Rendmaster.
All proceeds from the lotto funds the development of hurling and camoige in Iorras. The pota óir has gone to €18,100 with a minimum jackpot of €15,000 for every draw and you can play online.
There are vacancies on the SST2 Rural Social Scheme operating in Kiltane. The type of work available is with non-for-profit organisations and includes caretaking and maintenance of public facilities/amenities outdoor and indoor, office and administration duties.
To qualify for the RSS, you must be in receipt of a payment from the Department of Social Protection and have a herd number or have access to a parent or sibling's herd number.
For further information, contact Eimear on 087-2653129