Glór Achadh Mór Annual 2009 – Another Cracker

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.
ART FEATURES

There are many special features including some beautiful art work from students of the three local primary schools Achadh Mór, Tuairín, and Cúigiú.  There are  also some examples of excellent art work from local second level students.  The colourful imaginative  cover was drawn by Niamh Cunnane of Crois Ard  who is a student at Ballyhaunis Community School and there is also some stunning art work from Una O Brien of Eadar Gabhail who attends Kiltimagh Community School and from Claire Meagh of Cúigiú who is studying art in Dublin.

PHOTOGRAPHS.

There are over 400 photographs old and new.  Martin Devaney a young local photographer has a selection of glorious action shots of some of the underage football players.  There is another exceptional action shot of young showjumper SaoirseTarpey of Kilkelly competing for Ireland in Fontainbleau in France as well as a series of  snaps of dancers” throwing shapes ”at the Barn Dance for Hospice which was held last summer in Cúigiú.  There are several outstanding older archival photos also .  Three in particular from the 1920s stand out – The Eagney Family of Ceathrú an Eadain taken outside their house and a photograph of Achadh Mór church from that time taken by Sergeant Lyons who did a lot of historical research in the local area and took many early photographs of sites and people.  The Moran family of Doire Ghé can be seen in a picture taken at the January fair of Kiltimagh in 1929 and on the opposite page is a  great character shot of Seán Mháire Kneafsey of Mial Tráin (1840 – 1929) one of the last fluent gaelic speakers in the area.

ARTICLES

As usual the magazine contains dozens reports and  of articles of interest from new and from regular writers – Joe Coen of Bruff who has written articles for every issue of Glór since 1989 has two pieces in this current magazine and there are pieces also from other seasoned contributors such as Séamas Duffy, Sister Rose Patricia Mc Hugh, Michael O Grady, Máire Mulligan, Eddie Neafcey, Terence Flanagan, and Tom Waldron.  There are features on Local Puppet Makers in Shammer by Vincent Fahey and one on noted fashion designer Máire Forkin of Tuairín.   Bernard Mallee writes about being present at President Obama’s Inaurguration in Washington while James Moran describes life in Canada.  Linda McLoughlin Larkin seeks a photograph of her grandmother , Anne Marie Moran Beddis writes warmly about her relatives The Lohans of Lios Míogáin,  John Mulligan reports on a Mayo -   Mulligan Reunion in Malta while back at home Michael Nolan in an extensive article traces the families in part of his native village of Cloongoonagh and has included a marvellous selection of photographs from each household. There is a fascinating  account of Monsignor Hugh Curley’s arrest in 1920 during The Troubled Times, Paul Waldron has put together a carefully researched articles on Achadh Mór Memorials in the Friary Graveyard in Ballyhaunis and another scholarly piece details The Geaelic Learned Family of O Neachtain ,a talk given by Dr. Nollaig O Muraile at the 2009 P.D.Kenny – Bill Naughton Autumn School in Achadh Mór.

SELLING OUTLETS

Glór can still be bought in the local shops – Achadh Mór in Rogers .P.O. and in Moran’s Pub.  Ballyhaunis in The Gem.  Kilkelly in Tarpeys and in Cunniffe’s  and in Knock at Henegghan’s P.O. or contact Joe Byrne at Achadh Mór , Ballyhaunis , Phone (094 – 93- 67189.).  There are some back issues of Glór still available for several years since 1989.