‘Mayo Music and Musings Collection’ – 6 CD’s – 20 Years on Mid West Radio, compiled by Joe Byrne, was launched on Friday Dec. 4th 2009 in the Park Hotel in Kiltimagh.

There was a great turn out at the special event, among them many leading musicians, singers poets and historians.

THE LAUNCH

The Launch was done by Tom Shiel, regional editor of the Connacht Telegraph. Tom was the ideal person for such an occasion as he himself worked in the radio station in Ballyhaunis, was the main voice of the news on Mid West radio for many years and it was Tom who put in place most of the news network and systems in the fledgling station. Tom began by saying ”This is a unique and very special collection of music, song, lore, poems, talk and history that includes contributors from almost every corner of Mayo.” He then went on to praise the efforts made in recording and in gathering up such valuable material, – without the assistance of recording equipment or of any travel expenses. ”However the fruit of the labour is evident and I can only compare it to a diligent farmer who has husbanded his land carefully and is now gathering and saving a rich harvest into a granary.”

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UNDERAGE TRAINING.

Training for the Achadh Mór under 6 and under 8 and under 10 teams has began last Saturday April 17 and continues each Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in the football pitch at Achadh Mór and will continue through uot the season..

Achadh Mór G.A.A. Club Lotto.

The Achadh Mor club lotto has now almost reached 19,000 €!  Try your luck and please support.  Ticket are available in all the usual outlets in the Knock, Achadh Mór and Cill Cheallaigh areas.

Achadh Mór G.A.A. Club – Management and Training Personnel for 2010 Season

Achadh Mór G.A.A Club members are gearing up and preparing for the 2010 football campaign.  Management personnel for the various teams have been put in place already. The following are in charge of training and selection for this year.

• Under 6s – Cathal Duffy.  Under 8s – Philip Lennon and John Hession.
• Under 10s. – Ger Grealy and Liam Lyons.
• Under 12s – Kenneth Walsh,Michael Joyce,Dara Kilkenny,David Morley,and Austin Kenny.
• Under 14s. – Richie Crinnigan, Pádraig Duffy and Liam Brady.  Under 16s – Brian Murphy, Colm Garvey and Noel Prendergast.
• Minors – George Leetch and Brendan Harrison.  Juniors – Tommie Feeney.
• Seniors – Michael Hunt. Seán Byrne and John Duffy.

The 21st edition of Glór Achadh Mór was published as usual before Christmas 09 and is another superb production.  The current edition of the popular annual magazine is another bumper issue.   Containing a whopping 168 pages  it could almost be described as a double issue and yet the price of the magazine has remained the same, at ten euros,  for the past 10 years.
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Glór Achadh Mór, (Voice of Aghamore), is the title of the annual magazine that is issued each December.  It contains articles and photographs old and new from the Achadh Mór, Tuairín, Woodfield, Cill Cheallaigh and Cnoc Mhuire areas.

The first edition appeared in 1988 and was one of the community Projects that was organised by the local branch of Conradh na Gaeilge – Glór na nGael, a group that promote the gaelic language, local heritage and community culture.

There has been an issue of the magazine each year since then – except for the year 1993.

The latest edition of Glór Achadh Mór ( the 21st)  was issued at Christmas 2009.

Back copies of the annual are available for the years 1992,1994 to 1998, 2000 to 2001, and 2003 to 2009.  Contact person is Joe Byrne at Achadh Mór, Ballyhaunis , Co. Mayo. Phone 094 – 93 – 67189 or email at trishmb@eircom.net Copies cost 10 euro each with 7 euro pp in Ireland and 10 euro overseas.

Persons wishing to receive future editions of the annual can send us their namees and addresses and will be added to our mailing list.  The new edition will be forwarded in December so as to be received in time for Christmas.

Articles and photographs memoribilia etc. are always welcome and can be forwarded to the above addresses at any time.

CONTENTS  of GLOR ACHADH MOR

The magazine has 3 main sections – A. Contemporary stories and photographs.  B. Arts and Review pieces and Photographs.  C. Reminiscence aand Reflection. Stories  thoughts and photographs from the past.

The Glór Easter Saturday Night Concert in Moran’s, Achadh Mór in aid of the annual magazine was a great success. There was a very large crowd in attendance and plenty of variety and talent.

The night began with music and song from “The Bearded Troubadour“, the inimitable Paddy Joe Tighe and ended three hours later with lively dancing of The Stack of Barley, Shoe the Donkey and some old time waltzes. Singers who performed were Eimear Flatley, Bernie Tighe Lily, John and Vinny Kelly, Tommie Doherty, Niamh Cunnane, local duet Ivan Hynes and Siobhán Wilcox and Scór winning Ballad Group, Sinéad Niland , Deirdre and Michaela Durkin and Emma Duffy.  Recitations were given by Michael Nolan, Martin Forde and the effervesecent Micky Hopkins.  Main guest for the night was multi instrumentalist Tony Howley the noted saxophone player with the Shaskeen Band.  Tony had flown over specially from Manchester and he received a rousing reception.  He went on to give a marvellous performance of traditional music as well as sax favourites such as Stranger on the Shore and Whistling Rufus and some beautiful slow airs.  Joining Tony on stage were Vinny Kelly, guitar, Brian Scahill, banjo and Maébh Rattigan on keyboard.  As usual there were some great displays of dancing – Orna Hession and Ellen Hynes did some superb step dances and there was a brilliant performance from another troupe of sean nós steppers, Mairéad Mooney, The Three Hessions and The Three Frains.  There were three groups of set dancers, the junior set with David and Seán Kenny, Fergal Boland and Damhóg Frain and the multi talented ladies of the ballad group Emma Duffy, The Durkin Twins and Sinéad Niland.  The All Ireland Winning Set of the 1990s has come together again and several members of that famous group took the floor, Imelda Hession Byrne, Michael Duffy, Debbie Lane Lennon, Cathal Duffy, Adrian Hession, Brendan Mc Guinness, Aoife Coyne, Maébh Rattigan and Siobhán Mc Loughlin.  The regular mature set who practise each winter in Moran’s also showed their paces, Mary Caulfield Duffy, Sandra Walsh, Mary O Loughlin, Bridie Cassidy, Mary Jordan Niland, Frances Cunniffe Murphy, Anne Hession and the lone brave man himself Michael Nolan.  Other musicians who took part were Stephen Doherty and David Doocey who play with the band Gráda and other local stalwarts  Anne Conboy, Joe Byrne and Michael Nolan.  Thanks to all who supported the gig and to all who helped in any way.  The following provided free food and sandwiches – Josie Folliard junior, Chris Glavey, Mary Pa Duffy, Sandra Walsh, Eibhlín Loftus Lily, Eibhlín Waldron, Mary Hession, Anne Glavey,(Screig), Mary Niland, Teresa Loftus, Teresa Caulfield, Cláir Robinson and Mary O Loughlin.  Raffle Prizes: Curley’s Chemist Ballyhaunis, Mary O Loughlin and Moran’s Pub.  Raffle Ticket Sellers: Bernie Prendergast Cunnane, Trish Murphy Byrne and Orla O Loughlin.  Doormen: the solid and utterly reliable Gerry Tarpey and Liam Dooley.  Help with sound and travel to O Neill’s in Glenamaddy Risteárd Byrne.  Articles, ideas, photos and memorabilia for Glór 2010 are all welcome and can be forwarded to Joe Byrne , Achadh Mór.  Some copies of the latest Glór annual 2009 are available in Moran’s and in Roger’s PO in Achadh Mor, in The Gem in Ballyhaunis , in Tarpey’s and Cunniffe’s in Kilkelly and in Heneghan’s P.O. in Knock.  Some back issues of Glór from the past 21 years are also available from Joe Byrne , 094 93 67189.

The annual magazine Glór Achadh Mór is now in circulation. This is the 21st edition and to celebrate the twenty first the present magazine is another very large bumper issue  – with 168 pages.  For this special birthday there is special emphasis on visual art  with a big selection of paintings and drawings done by student of the 3 local primary schools – Achadh Mór, Cúigiú and Tuairín, and from local students in Ballyhaunis  and in Kiltimagh Community  Schools and also  a student attending a third level institution.  The colourful vibrant cover  – Friends On Sleep Over – was designed  and drawn by Niamh Cunnane of Tuairín, a student at Ballyhaunis Community School. There are over 500 photographs included also. The price at 10 euros has remained the same for the past 10 years. It is be available in all the same local outlets in Achadh Mór, Ballyhaunis, Knock, Kilkelly and Kiltimagh or can be ordered direct from Joe Byrne, Achadh Mor, Ballyhaunis  Co. Mayo . Phone 094- 93 -67189.

Achadh Mor Gaa U – 10 news Round Up for 2009.It was a very good year. Training took place on Saturdays at 10. 30 and there was an exceptionally good attendance from the large pool of 31 players. At this level the emphasis is on skills development.We were lucky to  have a core of highly talented young lads. Furthermore most of the panel were very committed .. one of the keenest bunches of players for many years. Great progress was made in team and individual skills. At u10 level its not competition driven but in order to help maintain an edge and an appetite a number of challenge matches were arranged. We played four in total against Cnoc Mor, Coillte Mach, Michael Glaveys, and Eanach Cuain. Later on Eanach Cuain invited us to take part in a blitz tournanent at their grounds in Galway in October. There were 8 matches on the day and we won 4 and lost 4 . It was a particularly enjoyable and useful experience for us. Parents kindly arranged tea, sandwiches and treats for the teams afterwards as did our own parents for the home matches. The skills tests which were held in October also were very successful and there was 100 percent attendance. I wish to thank the club officials and my fellow mentors and trainers Tommy Lyons,  Liam Brady, and Paul Mc Guinness. The 07 panel was Cathal Brady, James lyons, Christy Cobnboy, Ross Egan, Dylan prendergast, Steimphin Glynn, Dara Hunt, Dylan Niland, Aiden Henry, Kevin Austin Tighe, Nevin Fannon, Stephen Collins, Diarmaid Duffy, Sean Kenny, Brian Morley, Martin Mulhern, Nathan Boles, Aiden Byrne, Danny Jennings, Shane Crinnigan, Niall Dunleavy, Brian Waldron, Thomas Duffy, Sean Og Tighe, John Cassidy and Jason Cullinane. Finally a very big go raibh agaibh to all our supportive parents.

Patrick Dermot Kenny was born in Lismagansion, Aghamore in 1862. As a child he attended Doogarry National School. Like so many Irish before and after him, while still a teenager he went to work in England. Later on he began to further his education with help from (amongst others) Michael Davitt, the great Mayo born politician and author. P.D. later studied in Manchester.

Afterwards he worked as a journalist in Glasgow and subsequently became editor of the Newcastle Daily. Moving to Brighton he became literary critic for the prestigious Saturday Review where he worked and befriended the famous Winston Churchill.

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William John Francis Naughton, or Bill Naughton (Ballyhaunis, 12 June 1910 – Ballasalla, 9 January 1992) was a playwright and author, best known for his play Alfie.

Born in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo,Ireland his family moved in 1914 to Bolton, Lancashire, England, where he attended Saint Peter and Paul’s School. Naughton worked as a weaver, coal-bagger and lorry-driver before he started writing. Naughton’s preferred environment was working class society. Although Alfie is the play with which he will always be associated, mostly because of the British film starring Michael Caine in the eponymous role, he was a prolific writer, with both plays, novels, short stories and children’s books to his name. At least two of his other plays have been transferred onto the cinema screen as well. These are Spring and Port Wine, which had James Mason starring in the role of Rafe Crompton, and The Family Way, which starred John Mills. His work also includes the novel One Small Boy (1957), and the collection of short stories The Goalkeeper’s Revenge: And Other Stories (1961). Had many of his plays performed at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton town Centre and has a theatre named after him. (more…)

The folk music of Ireland (also known as Irish traditional music, Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the entire island of Ireland, North and South of the Border.

Irish traditional music has survived more strongly against the forces of cinema, radio and the mass media than the indigenous folk music of most European countries. This was partly due to the fact that the country was not a battleground in either of the two world wars. Another significant factor was that the economy was largely agricultural, where oral tradition usually thrives. From the end of the second world war until the late fifties folk music was held in low regard. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (an Irish traditional music association) and the popularity of the Fleadh Cheoil (music festival) helped lead the revival of the music. The English Folk music scene also encouraged and gave self confidence to many Irish musicians. Following the success of The Clancy Brothers in the USA in 1959, Irish folk music became fashionable again. The lush sentimental style of singers such as Delia Murphy was replaced by guitar-driven male groups such as The Dubliners. Irish showbands presented a mixture of pop music and folk dance tunes, though these died out during the seventies. The international success of The Chieftains and subsequent musicians and groups has made Irish folk music a global brand.

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