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Conor
O'Connell |
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Conor
O’Connell, Kilcolman, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon,
who has been chosen as one of the monthly winners for the
month of November in the Boyne Valley Honey Book of Kells
National Art Competition. His prize was a framed print
from the Book of Kells. Conor is a pupil of St. Attracta’s
National School, Ballaghaderreen. Conor will now be
shortlisted for consideration as an overall prize winner
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New
Recording Studio Open in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon
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In exciting
news for Ballaghaderreen, Youth Work Ireland and Michael Cafferkey
have teamed up to provide the town’s first professional
Music Recording Studio, e=mcstudios. The studio,
located in the Youth Centre in St Mary’s Hall Cathedral
Street, is designed to offer Ballaghaderreen’s young
musicians an opportunity to have their music recorded to an
excellent standard ready for release. The studio may also
be hired by anyone else at the low cost of €99 - €135
per day, and this is hoped to provide vital revenue for the
continued development of the centre and the services it can
provide.
e=mcstudios consists
of two fully acoustically treated rooms, meaning that your
music can be captured and reproduced as faithfully as possible.
The studio uses industry standard Pro Tools software and hardware
which supports 48 track recording and can record 18 inputs
simultaneously. There are a large collection of microphones
on offer to meet any recording need and 4 independent headphone
mixes means you’ll always be able hear exactly what
you’re playing. The studio can also offer location recording
where recording in the studio is not feasible. This could
include the recording of choirs or piano recitals, the recording
of a live performance of a band or recordings of interviews
or speeches.
While not
recording, clients can make use of the handball or badminton
courts as well as the air hockey and pool tables.
Michael Cafferkey
is a local sound engineer who has completed a sound engineering
course in the Poppyhill School of Recording, has a Higher
National Diploma in Music Performance and Production from
Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, Cork and is currently
undertaking courses in Music Production, Sound Engineering
and Professional Mixing Techniques. Michael has extensive
experience with both Studio and Live Sound Engineering and
will do his utmost to provide a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere
for you during the recording process.
e=mcstudios is
available for bookings immediately, and you can contact the
studio by phone at (086) 1672039 or by email at equalsmcstudios@gmail.com.
The studio’s
website will soon be up and running and can be found at www.eequalsmcstudios.com
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Abbeyfield
Hotel Conference & Leisure Centre |
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Few
developments in Ballaghaderreen were greeted with as much
public enthusiasm as the new Abbeyfield Hotel Conference
and Leisure Centre which opened in April 2008 .
For many years, the town,
an important market town with a large hinterland in counties
Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo was without a hotel, meaning that
the town lost out in business terms. Now, all that is to
be put right, with the creation of a state-of-the-art four-star
hotel designed by Architects ‘Turner Designs Roscommon’
and ‘Westcon Engineering’ Oranmore , Galway
,incorporating a contemporary design with all the facilities
of an ultra modern hotel, while retaining a traditional
atmosphere and timeless elegance.
The new hotel is built in an historic area
of the town, on the site of an old Abbey which also formed
part of the Bishop’s Palace in Ballaghaderreen for
over 100 years.
The hotel is developed on an extensive 5.25
acre site and over 2,000 shrubs and trees are planted as
part of its landscaping plan, and these complement the mature
trees which already surround the site.
Until now, local weddings have had to take
place in a distant location, but the Abbeyfield Hotel Conference
& Leisure Centre provides the perfect backdrop for Roscommon
nuptuals and as the hotel hosts one wedding party each day,
they promise to give full attention to providing wedding
guests with the perfect day.
The Abbeyfield Hotel is built to 4 star specifications,
offering 70 luxurious bedrooms, comprising of 40 bedrooms
in the main hotel and an additional 30 contemporary executive
and family suites, each with their own living areas.
As well as the unrivalled Gray Suite, state of the art conference
facilities, a superb leisure and Wellness Centre and of
course a top class restaurant, Oscars Restaurant.
Guest rooms in the hotel feature as standard
plasma screen with interactive TV, free wifi access, club
executive class beds, tea and coffee hospitality tray, iron
and ironing board and hairdryer. Most rooms include individually
controlled air conditioning.
Elegant banqueting
suites cater for every event from an intimate dinner to
a large gala ball. The hotel has flexible conference facilities
for 300 delegates and can also facilitate smaller groups
of 35-40 people and 15-20 people in its well-appointed meeting
rooms.
The leisure centre features a 15-metre pool on the ground
floor. Guests and members can also look forward to a sauna,
steam room and spa bath. Upstairs features include air conditioned
gym with state-of-the-art equipment, an aerobic and exercise
studio and treatment rooms.
The developer of the new hotel project is local man Martin
Carty. Martin has been in the construction business in the
Ballaghaderreen area for 30 years, having completed a number
of housing developments, but this is by far the most prestigious
project undertaken to date.
The hotel was developed by Archhill Properties Ltd and the
contractors to the new hotel is Carty Building (Ballaghaderreen)
LTD, of which Martin is Managing Director of both. The new
hotel employs 75 people.
The hotel is located on the main entrance to Ballaghaderreen
from the planned new by-pass of the town, ensuring ease
of access to both the town and the N5 for residents and
guests.
For further information telephone (094) 98 62736, fax (094)
98 62738, email info@abbeyfieldhotel.ie
or visit www.abbeyfieldhotel.ie.
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 Ballaghaderreen
Community Park |
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Great progress has been made
at Ballaghaderreen Community Park in 2006 with the 130m x
100m playing area now completed, and the training/jogging
track and fence due to be finished shortly. The main contractor
is ‘Emerald Pitch Services’ of Edenderry, Co.
Offaly. Work began in late June and progressed at a
great pace during the beautiful summer weather. Topsoil
was removed and stored; the field laser levelled; the soil
replaced and mixed with Wexford sand; then the drainage work
carried out. The field was seeded in September and is
now sporting a lovely green carpet of grass. The playing
area should be ready for use in late summer 2007.
Early in 2006 the Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism,
Mr. John O’Donoghue TD, officially launched the project
and turned the first sod, while Rev Dr Thomas Flynn blessed
the park and all who work and use it for recreation in the
future. St. Attracta’s School Band entertained
the attendants, which included local politicians, members
of the media, children, teachers and many other locals.
By this summer the field and track will be ready for use.
A very successful fundraising draw last spring raised a profit
of €50,000, while the company were successful in obtaining
an amenity grant of €4,000 from Roscommon County Council
in 2006. Almost all of this money has been spent to
meet the local contribution needed to supplement the €120,000
received from the Sports Capital Programme and €24,000
of Clar Funding. When this phase of the project is complete
it will have cost in the region of €200,000.
The committee are now concentrating on the provision of changing
facilities in a new Clubhouse, which it is hoped will be built
this year. A Walking Lane around the field is also planned,
while an Astroturf Pitch will complete the development.
The committee are hopeful they will be successful for another
grant under the 2007 Sports Capital Programme towards the
cost of the Clubhouse. Again however a local contribution
of 20% will be necessary to meet any allocation. The
committee have launched a ‘Sponsor a Block’ campaign,
whereby people interested in contributing to the building
costs of the Clubhouse may sponsor a block, or more than one
block, for €50 each. A receipt will be issued and
the sponsor’s name will be displayed in the Clubhouse
for future generations to see. The committee are appealing
for support for their fundraising campaign so that the dream
of a top-class sports and recreation facility for everyone
will become a reality. They would especially love to
receive any donations from Ballaghaderreen people living abroad
who would like to be associated with this project in their
native area and have that help recognised through the displaying
of all the sponsors names.
Those wishing to help may credit the account of Ballaghaderreen
Community Park at AIB, Main Street, Ballaghaderreen:
A/c No:
61348165
Sort Code:
93-25-58
The committee would like to thank
all who have contributed in any way to this project, and are
hoping for your continued support.
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