CLOONACOOL

IRISH LIFE STEPS CHALLENGE

Cloonacool GAA Club have entered the Irish Life Steps Challenge that will be active for the next seven weeks. Anyone in the community can register. If the club logs more than 4,000km of steps in seven weeks, the club will be entered into a prize draw. The is an ideal community project that CAN actually happen at present as it has the advantage of being a very healthy outdoor activity. Full details are on the GAA Club Twitter and Facebook pages or Google ‘Irish Life Steps Challenge’.

CLOTHES COLLECTION

The recent clothes collection organised to raise funds for both the community park and the GAA Club was a great success. Over €1,200 was raised from the collection. Both groups express their sincere thanks to all who contributed bags of clothes. The money raised will go towards the continued upkeep of the park facilities and the running of the GAA club.

MINOR DETAIL

With the stress of trying to cope with a very unusual Christmas, it may have escaped many of us that at that time, young Liam Carty from Ballyglass was part of a County Sligo Minor football squad that were narrowly beaten by Roscommon in a Connacht Final played on St Stephen’s Day. Well done to Liam, who continues a fine footballing tradition for his family and for the parish.

SÉAMUS BURKE

In the coming weeks, Séamus Burke (1918 to 1983), brother of the late Malachy of Doomore, will be commemorated on a set of in

formation panels displayed in the village of Cloonacool. Séamus had a notable career in the employment of Joe ‘Spud’ Murphy, the founder of Tayto. Séamus spent his youth in Cloonacool and played a full part in community life before he left home. He was Murphy’s first employee and subsequently played a major part in the eventual success of the Tayto empire.

LOTTO RESULTS

The Community Park lotto draw for January took place at the community park recently. The jackpot stood at €5,000. There were no winners of the jackpot but there were three match-three winners. They were Barry and Helen Wims, Helena and Aiden Brennan and Jack Donoghue. The winner of the Surlis’ SuperValu shopping voucher was Gemma Mullarkey. Congratulations to all the winners and the park committee expresses their thanks for the continued support of the wider community.

MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

Free-text the word TALK to 50808 if you’re feeling anxious or experiencing a panic attack. You will connect with a trained listening volunteer 24/7 who can support you.

TIMES PAST

This note for February 1933 has an interesting parallel with today. An influenza epidemic has led to a good deal of illness in the district resulting in the closure of many local schools. Indeed, the adult population has not escaped either and there are not a few professional and commercial gentlemen currently ‘on the shelf’.

October 1992 saw the planning of a victory party for the senior boys’ and girls’ teams from St Michael’s NS, who had just achieved championship victories. Parents were requested to have the children at the community centre at 8.30 p.m. for a photograph to be followed by an evening of celebrations.

The First Holy Communion class of May 1998 included Evander Brennan, Niall McCarrick, Stephen Brennan and twins,

Séamus and Geraldine Quinn.

In June 2004, plans were afoot for the annual Sports Day. The day in fact sounded more like a Highland Games with the promise of events that included nail driving, horse throwing (possibly horse shoe throwing), potato picking and the firing of eggs over long distances.

NOTES

Please ensure that your notes are sent to cloonacoolnotes@ gmail.com before midday on Thursdays.