The mile selected for the competition was The Avenue in Castlemore. Representatives from the group were presented with a cheque for 275 euro and a Certificate of Merit at an Awards Ceremony in Tulsk last week.
Ballaghaderreen Community Employment Ltd was formed in 1995 from the amalgamation of the Church Fás Scheme, The Angling Club Scheme and B. & D.D. It is a Company limited by Guarantee and is funded by Fás and the Local Community.
This years budget will be close to 500,000 euro. The Company employs a Supervisor, Mr Jimmy Cogan and 17 General Operatives who are deployed in projects such as Care of the Elderly, Fishery development and Town and District Enhancement. BCE also take part in the Fás Participant Training Program which provides valuable training for the people employed on the scheme in areas such as stone wall building, Computers, Hair Dressing, Lorry Driving, Childcare, Care of the Elderly, etc. The Directors of the Company are Fr. Michael Reilly, Chairman, representing The Church, Mary Devine O'Callaghan, Secretary, representing B. & D.D. and Seamus Sharkey, Treasurer, representing the Angling Club.

Students who come to Ballaghaderreen are not only tutored by the best musicians available but at night they are all very welcome to refine their skills in the Seisiúns which take place around the town. The welcome and encouragement which is given to all young musicians at the Seisiúns in Ballaghaderreen is what distinguishes Dr. Douglas Hyde Summer School from some other summer schools and contributes to its success. The Summer School starts on Sunday evening, July 3rd 2005, with The Border Collies in Concert. Tuition in Tin Whistle, Flute, Fiddle, Button Accordion, Piano Accordion, Concertina, Harp, Bodhrán, Banjo, Sean Nós Singing and Comhrá Gaeilge takes place in St. Nathy's College From Monday to Saturday from 9.30a.m. to 1.00p.m. with Lectures, Recitals and Concerts in the afternoon and evenings. Highlights of the week will include the visit of Ballaghaderrreen native and renowned musician, Matt Molloy, on the Wednesday and a Gala Concert that night at which Peter Horan will be honoured in recognition of lifetime's contribution to Traditional Irish Music

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The speciality of the night, however, was the presence of the renowned commentator of Radio and TV fame, Micheál ÓMuircheartaigh who launched the festival. He praised the Kilmovee Community for the number of organisations in the area and the amount of voluntary work taking place. He also launched a booklet "Blas na Sean Aoise" (A Taste of Times Past) - a collection of reminessences of Senior Citizens collected by the senior pupils of Kilmovee National School and consequently an integral part of the ongoing intergenerational programme. Micheál and his daughter, Nuala, having arrived in Kilmovee at 1p.m. must have been the most welcome visitors ever to have called to Kilmovee and Tavrane National Schools and he entertained the children for approximately 30 minutes. This most surely be, for many of the children, the most memorable event of their lives to date.

During the night the "Cois Tine" Heritage Committee, which hosted the function, made a presentation to Micheál ÓMuircheartaigh of an engraved mirror by "Classic Mirrors", Kilkelly. A bouquet of flowers was presented to Bridie McMahon, Co-ordinator with Kiltimagh C.D.P. by the "Cois Tine" Committee, as a token of her excellent work in Kilmovee and in particular her inspirational work with the Senior Citizens.

The "Cois Tine" Heritage Committee wish to record its deep appreciation to Micheál ÓMuircheartaigh for honouring Kilmovee with his presence at their Bealtaine celebrations.

People from all over Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo gathered in Dillon House on Friday evening to welcome Maire Mc Donnell Garvey back to Ballaghaderreen. Her new book is a nostalgic account of the formative years of growing up in Tobracken, Ballaghaderreen from 1927 to 1948. The book gives a graphic account of history, politics, social life, characters and traditional music.

The reissue of the ‘Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music’ was edited and bowed scientifically for the violin with 26 original compositions arranged for piano or violin by P.J. Giblin.

P.J. Giblin was born outside Castlerea in 1880, went to London at an early age to study music and qualified as a music teacher with degrees in piano and classical violin. He returned to his native west and became a stalwart in the music world, both classical and traditional over a wide area, especially Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo and Roscommon where he heard the “cream of traditional Irish fiddle and flute playing”. He married a teacher from Charlestown, where they settled down. Maire was a pupil of P.J. Giblin and has reissued this interesting collection of his. The first edition was published in Germany in 1928 and has been out of print since 1933.

Richie Farrell head of library services with Roscommon County Council welcomed everyone to the launch and noted that, in addition to the special guests including Christine Giblin who came from the US, many had travelled from Mayo and further afield to be present. Other special guests were Bishop Thomas Flynn, Paddy McDonagh and Madame Felicity McDermott. “I had little hesitation in accepting the invitation to facilitate the launch of these two books, which reflect the strong tradition of literature and music that we have,” Mr Farrell said.

A number of musical pieces were performed by Dan Healy on flute, Ciaran O’Reilly on fiddle, Ita Keane on fiddle and Barry Keane on concertina before the books were launched.Launching “Under the shadow of the Summerhills”, Madame Felicity McDermott compared Maire’s new book to Peig Sayer’s Blasket Islands memoirs as it illustrated her memories of growing up in Ballaghaderreen.

She noted that Maire’s memoirs dipped in and out of the difficult times illustrating the depressed 1930’s and beyond, when “everyone had their job and did it. And we had no couch potatoes or problems such as obesity”.

However, she noted that looking back to days gone by was not all “sugar sweet” and that Maire made some sharp observations on what life was like then and now.

“There was little money but also little crime. And children could grow without peer pressure,” she noted, adding that Maire’s new book reflected all of humanity and provided some great character sketches.

Paddy McDonagh from Riverstown, Sligo launched the eagerly awaited reprint of P.J. Giblin’s collection of traditional Irish music. Paddy was one of the few people privileged to meet P.J. back in the 1940’s in Ballaghaderreen, when he participated in a competition in which P.J. adjudicated.

He paid tribute to Maire, who had been the main driving force behind the reissue of the unique collection of music, for resurrecting the book for reprint nearly 80 years after it was first printed.

Paddy also commended Dan Healy and Ciaran O’Reilly for the music tapes that they had produced and to which Maire has also contributed. He paid tribute to local radio stations for their commitment to traditional Irish music and for giving great encouragement to boys and girls throughout the region.

Maire described the evening as “absolutely wonderful” and thanked everyone for coming, in particular Christine Giblin for the relaunch of her father’s book.

Maire, a pupil of Mr Giblin’s, delighted the gathering as she played one of his favourite pieces “Easter Snow” on the fiddle. Vince Hearns, a traditional Irish music enthusiast and friend, also paid tribute to Maire for her work, which, he said, reflected the growth and maturity of a ‘Blackberry Blossom’. As a member of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann he commended Maire for bringing P.J. Giblin’s collection of music back to life.

Fiona O’Connor from Dublin, one of Maire’s grand daughters, noted how proud the Garvey family were of Maire’s achievements. “Although Maire has spent most of her life in Dublin, her heart has always been in Ballaghaderreen, which is easy to see from the book,” she said.

Daughter of P.J. Giblin, Christine said her father would be delighted by the relaunch of the book and by the excellent musical performances that were given.She paid tribute to Maire for her interest in music and history, and for making history so easy to read in her books.



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Fiona O'Connor (Grand Daughter) presents a bouquet of flowers to Máire McDonnell Garvey at the launch of her two Books in Ballaghaderreen.

Máire McDonnell Garvey with Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Flynn, Bishop of Achonry, Dr Christine Giblin and members of her family at the Launch in the Library Building in Dillon House in Ballaghaderreen.

Richie Farrell, Roscommon Librarian, Máire, Dr. Christin Giblin, Madame Felicity McDermott and Paddy McDonagh.

Standing Paddy McDonagh, Ciarán O'Reilly and Dan Healy. Seated Dr. Christina Giblin, Máire McDonnell Garvey, Madam Felicity McDermott and Richie Farrell

The St. Patrick's Day Parade in Ballaghaderreen this year was successful beyond all the expectations of the organisers, B&DD Ltd. Hundreds of people lined the route from Sligo Road into Market Square and up through Main Street, as the sun shone down on what was a highly enjoyable event. The crowds were entertained by bands from St. Attracta's N.S., Brusna N.S., Carracastle N.S., Carracastle Fife & Drum Band, Tavrane N.S. and a large number of varied and imaginative floats.......

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The spirit of Tommy "Clogs" Gallagher emerges again this year during the "Clogs Gallagher Weekend" in Ballaghaderreen, Co.Roscommon, Ireland, on the first weekend in March - 4th, 5th and 6th.

Who was the man called "Clogs Gallagher"? and how do you describe this indomitable spirit? Tommy "Clogs" Gallagher was born in the village of Boughtiduff, about 3 miles outside Ballaghaderreen, Co.
Roscommon on December 3, 1930. His passion for the fiddle began at the young age of 7 years old. Like all true musicians, he needed no encouragement to practice as he strove for mastery of this instrument.

He was a born entertainer when he was a young boy. His good-natured mimicry of the local village characters was a constant source of entertainment and fun for his family and the village people. With his keen eye for the everyday human comedy of life, he reached deep into the soul of those he touched.

Tommy emigrated to America when he was 18 years old. Shortly after he arrived in New York, he was drafted into the Army and was stationed in Germany. It was there he was exposed to the music of jazz and blues played by musicians with his fellow soldiers. Here, he also was introduced to American tap dancing. This began the melding of his Irish musical tradition with the music and dance of American blues and jazz. He began to enjoy playing the blues and jazz on his fiddle and tap dancing seemed to bring him great joy.

Many years later, in the early 1970's, Tommy returned to Ireland and bought himself a pair of hand-made Irish clogs from Mr. Parsons in Charlestown, Co. Mayo. Clogs used to say that Mr. Parsons was the only man in Ireland who still made a fine pair of Irish Clogs. From that point on, his unique style of dancing with the mellow sound of the clogs became his hallmark. It was then that he christened himself "Clogs" Gallagher. He directed and produced the "Clogs Gallagher Show" in New York on Manhattan Cable TV. Several times a year, Clogs would return to Ireland to gather footage of the fading Irish Culture of thatched cottages, turf-cutting by local farmers, storytelling, and the revival of Irish traditional music in the late 1970's.

When the famous Bathy Band came to play in Ballaghaderreen, Clogs was their opening act to warm up the crowd. At a time when there were no video cameras, Clogs was recording precious cultural history of Ireland for generations to come.

Clogs was a regular guest on R.T.E. Radio. His appearances on R.T.E. were always entertaining, as he was very candid about his life and his loves.

Shortly before his untimely death in 1984, his appearance on the Late Late Show with Gay Byrne was true evidence of his rising national popularity. This year, Ballaghaderreen will once again recapture the spirit of the artist, the comedian, the musician, and most of all, the man who we all called "Clogs" Gallagher.

He was, at that time, President of St. Nathy's College Ballaghaderreen. He succeeded Bishop James Fergus. Bishop Flynn was consecrated in St. Nathy's Cathedral on 20th February 1977. He is now the longest serving member of the Irish Hierarchy. He is a native of Aughalustia, Ballaghaderreen and now resides in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon.

Email: bishop@achonrydiocese.org