Fáilte chuig gaa.ie - suíomh oifigiúil CLG
Cillian McDaid celebrates after landing a crucial second half score for Galway against Mayo. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Connacht Senior Football Championship Final
By Cian O’Connell at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park
On a wild and windy afternoon in Castlebar, Galway demonstrated character and class to defeat Mayo.
Trailing by eight points at half-time, Mayo fought back to draw level, but Galway still found a way to survive.
The breeze was behind Mayo, momentum had been generated, but Galway, without influential players, persevered. Ultimately, Pádraic Joyce’s charges stayed calm in the chaos late on.
When Rory Brickenden was black carded in the 62nd minute, Galway sensed the opportunity that existed to win a fourth provincial title on the spin for the first time since the 1960s.
Rob Finnerty nailed a free to steer Galway ahead again. Paul Conroy subsequently added a gorgeous effort, after inventive work by substitute Peter Cooke, Finnerty, and Dylan McHugh, who was a crucial figure in the closing stages.
It was fast and furious; Enda Hession extracted a magnificent save from Connor Gleeson. From the resultant 45, Colm Reape narrowed the gap to the minimum.
McHugh, though, made a brilliant block to thwart Paul Towey, and Galway briskly moved the ball upfield with Liam Ó Conghaile clipping a point that will be gleefully remembered in An Spidéal for decades.
Mayo had one last flurry, but from an acute angle Mattie Ruane drilled an effort wide. The Nestor Cup was retained by Galway. Gripping it most certainly was.
Initially, Kevin McStay’s outfit, playing into the teeth of a strong wind, still enjoyed a productive spell. Ryan O’Donoghue rifled over two frees before Paul Conroy thumped over a two pointer.
Mayo pounced for a seventh minute goal as Davitt Neary released Darren McHale, who supplied a crisp finish. The Galway net was dancing, and it appeared Mayo were acquiring belief.
Despite the elements, Galway only managed to get three shots off in the first 15 minutes with Mayo 1-2 to 0-2 ahead.
Galway, though, continued to perspire. Inspiration was supplied too by McDaid and Conroy, who once again showed his poise with a further couple of two pointers.
Matthew Thompson, McDaid, captain Seán Kelly, and Finnerty added scores for Galway, who edged 0-10 to 1-2 clear. Matthew Tierney converted a penalty after referee Paddy Neilan deemed that Ruane fouled the gutsy Johnny McGrath. Matthew Tierney’s conversion was ice cool.
Prior to the break, McHale and Finnerty traded points as Galway departed at the interval armed with a 1-11 to 1-3 advantage.
When the action recommenced, Mayo cut into the lead quickly and with a real sense of purpose. O’Donoghue and Ruane whipped over two pointers, while McHale was also craving involvement.
The Knockmore clubman kicked a 46th minute point that put Mayo to within one, 1-12 to 1-11 in front of 27,137 spectators.
Finnerty nailed a free for Galway, but Davitt Neary replied. A two-point free Ryan O’Donoghue was palmed over the bar by Gleeson ensuring it was only a single score. Nonetheless, parity was restored.
Galway were under duress, but McDaid was exceptional when the need was greatest. McDaid scored following a sweet exchange with Thompson. O’Donoghue equalised once more.
Then the critical burst arrived following Brickenden’s departure. The maroon and white flags were flying. Mayo, were left wondering about what might have been.
In a fortnight, Mayo will host Cavan. Galway’s meeting with Dublin in Salthill will capture the imagination. Drama is inevitable.
Scorers for Galway: Paul Conroy 0-7 (2 2pt, 1 2ptf), Rob Finnerty 0-4 (3fs), Matthew Tierney 1-1 (1-0 pen), Cillian McDaid 0-2, Seán Kelly, Matthew Thompson, and Liam Ó Conghaile 0-1 each.
Scorers for Mayo: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-9 (1 2pt, 6fs), Darren McHale 1-2, Mattie Ruane 0-2 (2pt), Davitt Neary and Colm Reape (45) 0-1 each.
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Jack Glynn, Seán Fitzgerald, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, Johnny McGrath, Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin D’Arcy, Seán Kelly, Cillian McDaid; Matthew Tierney, Rob Finnerty, Matthew Thompson.
Subs: Cathal Sweeney for Maher (HT), Kieran Molloy for Fitzgerald (41), Cian Hernon for Ó Maoilchiaráin (48), Peter Cooke for Sweeney (61), Liam Ó Conghaile for Thompson (66).
Mayo: Colm Reape; Rory Brickenden, Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh; David McBrien, Enda Hession, Stephen Coen; Mattie Ruane, Jordan Flynn; Diarmuid O’Connor, Ryan O’Donohgue; Jack Carney; Darren McHale, Aidan O’Shea, Davitt Neary.
Subs: Sam Callinan for McBrien (9), Paul Towey for O’Connor (HT), Fergal Boland for Neary (61), Fenton Kelly for McHale (66).
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Gene McConway, second from left, of McConway Construction is pictured presenting the new machine to volunteers from Castlebar Tidy Towns. Picture: Alison Laredo
The Limpar Street Weeder is a powerful, chemical-free machine designed to tackle weeds, moss, and other unwanted growth in an environmentally responsible way.
The new machine was generously sponsored by Gene McConway of McConway Construction.
“I’m building homes in Castlebar and getting great support from the community, so this is my way of giving back,” Gene said.
While in many areas it's best to let nature thrive, weeds in certain areas detract from the visual aspect of the town. Weed control is a constant challenge for Mayo County Council, Castlebar Tidy Towns, and local homeowners. Traditional herbicides are harmful to the environment but the Limpar Weeder offers a sustainable solution, using an oscillating brush system to remove weeds from the root without chemicals.
Powered by a robust Honda engine, the machine is ideal for uneven surfaces, with adjustable height settings and a guide bar for accuracy. It’s easy to manoeuvre and significantly reduces the time and effort needed to clear paths, kerbs, and laneways - all while protecting the local ecosystem.
Alan Mee, Chairperson of Castlebar Tidy Towns, expressed his appreciation.
“We are extremely grateful to Gene and McConway Construction for this generous support. Partnerships like this are vital to helping us keep Castlebar clean, green, and welcoming.”
The machine will be shared between Castlebar Tidy Towns volunteers, Mayo County Council staff (Castlebar Municipal District) and local residents' groups as part of Tidy Towns’ commitment to empowering communities across Castlebar to care for their surroundings.
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so our Commandos were particularly looking forward to our latest outing
but the plan was to have enough porter so we could sleep all the way home
We’ve never done a proper count but there must be more than 20 pubs in this ever-expanding town and we’ve yet to find a bad one — a nice claim to fame for the area
Our designated driver found a parking spot on New Antrim Street and a very short stroll later we found ourselves at the front door of Rocky’s pub on Linenhall Street
The bouncer opened the door for us and welcomed us in
and as we stepped inside we realised the pub was thriving
There was a mixed clientele of all ages and at least four staff behind the counter at all times
Our Commandos stood at one of the high tables about two metres from the counter as we tried to place our order
but it did take some time as it was extremely busy
“You wouldn’t get this in Temple Bar,” the Young Commando joked with one of the locals
“And you’d be served much quicker too,” he said with a grin
“You probably would but you’d pay €10 for a pint of slop,” the local bar-fly replied
the creamy pints of stout set us back €5.50
an increase from the €4.20 we paid in Castlebar seven years ago
They serve food in this pub between Friday and Sunday from 1pm while they also host live music from Thursday to Sunday
The wine-coloured leather barstools were in good condition and the timber flooring was spotlessly clean despite it being extremely busy during our visit
The green and red coloured glass windows didn’t surprise us as the Mayo folks are some of the most loyal sports fans in the country
it wasn’t a great weekend from a sporting point of view
with the senior footballers losing to Kerry in Croke Park and Castlebar hosting the Munster victory over Connacht in front of 25,000 fans in McHale Park
“A poor result but it was great to see 25,000 people pour into Castlebar to watch the game,” one local told us
“They should tour the province while they’re waiting on the stadium to be redeveloped
a great way to promote the game,” he continued
a Mayo jersey hangs just inside the front door and a photo of the Mayo ladies team that won the 2023 Connacht championship hangs behind the counter
As our team of Commandos took in the atmosphere around the place
they also came across a second Mayo jersey worn by Paddy Durcan in 2023
and an Ireland soccer jersey signed by Katie Taylor
Usain Bolt and former Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni
“I’d trade all that for the All-Star jersey worn by Willie Joe Padden,” the Old Commando said
“One of the all time greats,” he informed us
There was a brilliant atmosphere throughout our stay and the stone interior walls are a lovely feature too
told him that this was “an old man’s pub” and “very small” at one point but had been completely revamped in recent years
We loved Rocky’s pub and we’d definitely recommend a visit if you’re heading down that direction anytime in the future
It’s been nine years since Pub Spy last stopped off in Balla for a pint but we had a wonderful time on our recent trip to The Rendezvous and we’re already looking forward to our next visit already
The pub was packed when we arrived but we managed to get seats and huddled around the large stove
The red-leather bench seating was very comfy and there was a brilliant atmosphere among the mixed clientele
There are at least five TVs and a large projection screen
The barman was friendly and pulled a nice pint of stout
Birra Moretti and Rockshore cider available on draught
The toilets contained two cubicles and a stainless steel urinal and the Young Commando said they were very clean
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As a final affront, the Galway team bus snaked away from MacHale Park on Sunday evening to a loud celebratory soundtrack of beeping and hollering and yelping
The Tribesmen had just won a record 51st Connacht title, pulling three clear of Mayo. In doing so they had also claimed a first four in-a-row since 1963-66.
They managed it without two of their key players – Shane Walsh and Damien Comer – and even as the fans spilled down to the pitch at the end of the game it was clear the difference between victory and defeat fell somewhere between colossal and immense.
In the tunnel afterwards, Pádraic Joyce was asked about the momentum they have now for a crack at Sam Maguire. The big time awaits. Down the way Kevin McStay was left rummaging around the wreckage for some scraps of hope. Nobody is quite sure what the future holds now for this Mayo team.
Their season isn’t over, but it felt like a lot of green and red eggs had been placed in the Nestor Cup basket. In wrestling it back. So where to now? Few Mayo fans are eyeing a day out in the capital on the last weekend of July but even if his body language suggested otherwise, McStay insisted the dream remains alive.
“That’s my job, that’s what I was appointed for so I can’t just perform on the good days and walk away from the tough days,” said McStay when asked if Mayo can regroup for the All-Ireland group stages.
“We have great leaders in the group so we will react because we have done, that’s our nature, we will react to it. By Wednesday, the soreness, the edge will have gone off it maybe to a certain degree and we will go again.
“Our recent history with this group is that we have been able to navigate the group series generally, sometimes better, sometimes not as well. But there is certainly no sense that anybody is going to walk on top of us.”
They will have Cavan, Tyrone, and the eventual Ulster champions for company in their All-Ireland group.
“Unless I believe in what we are doing I can hardly sell that to the players but I don’t have to because I know they will react,” continued McStay.
“But they are so sore now and disappointed and it is a tough dressingroom right now. We have only ourselves to blame about how this is, we got into a position to win it, we didn’t win it and we need to reflect on that now and see can we improve.
“And we need to improve fairly quickly at seeing out these games. Galway have the cup now, we had one shot to draw it, that is how close this bloody thing is, but close is no good.”
And yet close they were. Still, Galway made the big plays at the pivotal times – Connor Gleeson’s fingertips, Dylan McHugh’s diving block, Rob Finnerty winning Colm Reape’s short kick-out.
Gleeson, who kicked the winning free in last year’s final, showed brilliant awareness when tipping over Ryan O’Donoghue’s two-pointer, his touch took the sting out of the score and out of Mayo’s rally.
McHugh’s block on Paul Towey was exceptional, coaches will be showing it at tutorials for years.
“It’s probably a bit of a blur,” said the Galway defender when asked about it afterwards. “I just remember seeing Paul Towey lining up and I was close enough to apply some pressure, that was it.
“If you’re not going to put your head on the line with two minutes to go in a Connacht final, you’re never going to do it.”
Before the game, it appeared all the local stewards on duty had been handed the same note and told to remain on message throughout because when asked about what might be about to unfold, to a high-vis bib each replied: ‘Mayo won’t win the All-Ireland but we’ll win today’.
In a sense, rightly or wrongly, Mayo folk believed this might be their only shot at championship silverware in 2025. For Galway, having reasserted their dominance locally, the challenge now is to stamp their authority on the national stage.
“For us to come out of Connacht as number one seeds, it’s great to win it,” said Joyce. “To try and regroup and play again in two weeks after a defeat, it’s just a different mindset so we’re delighted to come out of it.”
Galway will be in arguably the toughest group of all alongside Dublin, Derry, and the eventual Ulster runners-up. But they will arrive to that stage brimming with confidence.
“We’ve been in them [toughest groups] the last few years, it’s nothing new to us,” added Joyce. “We will enjoy tonight and probably enjoy tomorrow as well I’d say.”
Up the road in Mayo, the mood will be heavier. It feels a long way back for them now.
“In the prematch commentary I said we’d have no excuses and we don’t,” added McStay.
“The cup is presented, there’s nobody going to say, ‘hang on a minute now we’ll play another five minutes’. It’s done and dusted, Galway are the champions and we’re not, we have to suck that up now and get on with it.”
Gordon Manning is a sports journalist, specialising in Gaelic games, with The Irish Times
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Jordan Flynn shoots as Galway's Sean Mulkerrin tries to block the ball in sun-splashed Castlebar
AS always there was only a kick of a ball between the old rivals in another rip-roaring provincial final under sunny skies in Castlebar
The big wind blowing straight down the pitch played a major role in proceedings with Galway having it behind them first and Mayo enjoying its power after the interval
The Galway men went home with the Nestor Cup for the fourth year running after holding off the home side in the closing stages
but Mayo will have huge regrets and will rightly feel they left the game behind them
That certainly wasn't the case during the first half today when Mayo began the day with passion
yet ended the half eight points adrift of a rampant Galway outfit
The major talking-point of the half was the penalty awarded to Galway after 27 minutes when referee Paddy Neilan pointed to the spot after Johnny McGrath's shot was saved by Colm Reape
To say it was soft would be an understatement
Mayo had started well and were 1-2 to 0-2 clear after ten minutes when Darren McHale crashed home a goal
Galway seemed obsessed with two-point shots at that stage and they got good return in the first 20 minutes with Paul Conroy landing three of them as Mayo's attacking fluidity dried up
The home side went an age without scores as Galway took almost complete control around the middle and moved eight clear
Mayo needed an explosive start to the second half and got it when Ryan O'Donoghue landed an early two-pointer and the Mayo dander was up
They were back on level terms after 53 minutes when O'Donoghue's two-point effort turned into a single point when Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson got his hand to the ball before it cleared the crossbar
Mayo seemed ideally positioned to win it at that stage but a succession of poor wides halted their progress before a calamitous kick-out after 61 minutes was intercepted by Rob Finnerty
Rory Brickenden pulled him down and the Galway man kicked the subsequent free after Brickenden was sin-binned
Galway took charge again around the middle in the next few minutes and moved two clear when Paul Conroy raised a white flag against the 14 men
Mayo still had time to get back into it and went looking for scores but all they could come up with was a Reape '45 before Liam Ó Conghaile stretched it out to two again with a counter-attacking point as the huge Galway crowd went wild
Mayo still believed they could rescue it and had possession when the hooter sounded
They worked the ball to and fro but when Matthew Ruane's two-point effort drifted wide
Galway were champions again for the fourth year in succession
analysis and pre and post-match reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News
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Healy Park in Omagh is likely to be the venue for Mayo when they play Tyrone in the All-Ireland Championship
Graduates of ATU and its legacy campuses can benefit from the Alumni Scholarship
offering a 20% reduction on Masters course fees
Minster Alan Dillon at the opening of the new offices
The role offers an attractive package for the right candidate
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Galway just about confirmed their red-hot favourites tag by landing their fourth consecutive Connacht Senior Football Championship title
making it back-to-back wins over Mayo in the final with a 1-17 to 1-15 victory in front of 27,127 spectators at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar
The result leaves Mayo still searching for a Connacht title they last won in 2021
when they beat Galway a in a final played at Croke Park
Hidden behind the scoreline is another heartbreaking loss for Mayo
who came from eight points down at half-time (1-03 to 1-11) to draw level (1-13 to 1-13) with 15 minutes remaining
But just when they had drawn level for the second time (1-14 apiece) with nine minutes remaining
a short kick-out by Mayo goalkeeper Colm Reape was intercepted by Matthew Tierney
resulting in a black card for Rory Brickenden
It gifted Robert Finnerty a point from a free
Two minutes later Paul Conroy added a point to bring his tally for the day to 0-7 while pushing Galway two ahead
Yet the drama didn’t end there as Ryan O’Donoghue’s two-point effort fell short and then Enda Hession had the goal at his mercy but Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson saved at the expense of a 45' that was converted by Reape
reducing the gap to just one for the second time and the clock ticking down
Galway broke downfield and substitute Liam Ó Conghaile landed a precious point to extend the gap to two
It still left Mayo with the chance to force a draw and extra-time
Mayo waited and waited before finally Matthew Ruane pulled the trigger
but his effort drifted wide - and with it went his team's chances of a Connacht title this year
Mayo dominated the opening 10 minutes of this game playing into a strong wind
scoring the first two points from Ryan O’Donoghue frees before Paul Conroy struck for his first of three two-pointers in the half to level the game on six minutes
Mayo burst through a minute later to fire to the net
Davitt Neary cutting through the defence before laying off to Darren McHale who smashed the ball over the line
and you could hear that roar from the Mayo crowd as far away as Salthill
the Mayo supporters had little to roar about for the next 27 minutes as Mayo were held scoreless before Darren McHale hit the target with their only other score in that half
The game lurched dramatically in favour of wind-assisted Galway
who took control of the rudder around the middle of the field
Robert Finnerty and Matthew Thompson adding points
Matthew Tierney firing a bullet past Colm Reape after John McGrath was adjudged to have been fouled as he bore down on goal on 29 minutes
Mayo desperately needed a score but Com Reape’s effort from a free from outside the arc drifted wide
McHale getting a badly-needed point but Finnerty
putting Galway seemingly in control at the break at 1-11 to 1-3
An early second-half two-pointer from O’Donoghue set the tone as Mayo now had the wind at their backs in the second half
Ruane with a two-pointer and O’Donoghue with a free and an audacious fisted pointed from an impossible angle cutting Galway’s lead to a point before a lung-busting run by McDaid ended in a free which restored Galway’s two-point lead
Mayo did draw level on two occasions and had at least three chances to take the lead but misfortune once again was an unwanted visitor to MacHale Park as the black card shown to Brickenden was a significant moment in what was a rousing game
Kevin McStay's men can now start preparing for Cavan in the opening game in the group stages of the All-Ireland series
*See Tuesday's print edition for a full report and reaction
The Sunday World's Pub Spy has been at large in two Mayo towns
.giving a verdict on establishments in Castlebar and Ballina
The spy wrote: "Our designated driver found a parking spot on New Antrim Street and a very short stroll later we found ourselves at the front door of Rocky’s pub on Linenhall Street
"The bouncer opened the door for us and welcomed us in
"They serve food in this pub between Friday and Sunday from 1pm while they also host live music from Thursday to Sunday
"The wine-coloured leather barstools were in good condition and the timber flooring was spotlessly clean despite it being extremely busy during our visit
"The green and red coloured glass windows didn’t surprise us as the Mayo folks are some of the most loyal sports fans in the country
"As our team of Commandos took in the atmosphere around the place
"There was a brilliant atmosphere throughout our stay and the stone interior walls are a lovely feature too
Then the spy dropped into The Rendezvous in Balla
"The pub was packed when we arrived but we managed to get seats and huddled around the large stove
"The red-leather bench seating was very comfy and there was a brilliant atmosphere among the mixed clientele
"There are at least five TVs and a large projection screen
"The barman was friendly and pulled a nice pint of stout
"The toilets contained two cubicles and a stainless steel urinal and the Young Commando said they were very clean
Cllr Donna Sheridan says the Women's Mini Marathon should remain in Castlebar
A Castlebar councillor has called for the Women's Mini-Marathon which will take place in the Mayo capital on Sunday to remain an annual fixture in the town
The 2025 Mayo.ie Women's Mini Marathon returns to Castlebar on Sunday
May 4 after a two year absence with hundreds of participants expected to take part
The Women's Mini Marathon had been held in Castlebar since its inception in 2010 but the race moved to Ballina in 2023 as part of the town's 300th anniversary celebrations
It was considered such a resounding success that it remained in north Mayo in 2024 much to the annoyance of Castlebar councillors
Mayo County Council confirmed that the hosting of the race into the future will be shared around the county based on expression of interest and being able to abide by set criteria
Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Cllr Donna Sheridan who was highly critical of the decision to take the mini marathon out of Castlebar called on organisers to ensure it remains in the county town
“I was to thank the team [staff in Castlebar Municipal District] for putting forward an application for the mini marathon
Thank you all for supporting it and it is really appreciated and it is brilliant to see it come back into the town
It should never have gone and I don't think it should go again next year but that is a fight we will have afterwards
It is going to be a brilliant weekend in town,” she told the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District
READ: Anti-social residents in Mayo estate 'destroying the lives' of their neighbours
Last year, Mayo County Council confirmed that the hosting of the race into the future will be shared around the county based on expression of interest and being able to abide by set criteria.
The Women's Mini Marathon is one of a number of activities to take place in Castlebar over the bank holiday weekend as part of the Mayo Day celebrations.
The Big Day on the Mall, a youth music festival produced by Music Generation Mayo celebrating youth music making within the county will take place on Saturday as will the Mayo Pink Ribbon Charity Cycle.
On Saturday evening, the TF Royal Theatre will be packed to capacity for the Mayo Day 2025 Grand Finale Concert which will feature artists such as Tommy Fleming, Garron Noone and many more.
Cllr Sheridan said the organisation around Mayo Day does not just happen and praised the staff in the Castlebar office for their hard work.
“This does not happen by accident. We know we have the smallest number of staff in the district and a huge thank you to the team because they have delivered for us,” she said.
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Healy Park in Omagh is likely to be the venue for Mayo when they play Tyrone in the All-Ireland Championship. Pic: Sportsfile
The Pavilion Road Car Park in Castlebar, which is set to close
Graduates of ATU and its legacy campuses can benefit from the Alumni Scholarship, offering a 20% reduction on Masters course fees
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Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
HARD TO TAKE: Mayo manager Kevin McStay before the Connacht GAA Football Senior Championship final match between Mayo and Galway at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar, Mayo. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
A two-point defeat saw Galway climb the steps in Castlebar to celebrate a four-in-a-row of Connacht senior championships for the first time since the 1963-1966 era
Mayo boss Kevin McStay isn’t sure if it is one that got away
“I think that might be a bit unfair to Galway to summarise it like that
some great chances and a sore one to take now obviously
“Lost another big game down the stretch that we feel we could have won and until we start taking those chances and putting the pressure on our opponents that's going to be our lot
“So it's a very hard one to take because we know we have the chances to win it.”
Matthew Ruane was penalised for a tug on Johnny McGrath that resulted in a Matthew Tierney penalty
A Ryan O’Donoghue two-point free became a one-pointer after Connor Gleeson touched the ball
although it did look over before he made contact
Only direct kicks over the bar from outside the 40-metre line are worth double points
“I don't have a TV obviously on the sideline
But what I'll say is in the pre-match commentary I said we'd have no excuses and we don't
all these things would have been irrelevant if we looked after those moments you're talking about
there's nobody going to say hang on a minute now we'll play another five minutes for the Cup
we have to suck that up now and get on with it
But that's our job is to kind of put a bit of shape on the next fortnight
we were going to have to play the round robin anyway
somebody was going to give us a pass to the quarter final.”
Diarmuid O’Connor was taken off at half-time due to injury
Paddy Durcan was included in the matchday 26 but did not play
McStay said they wanted their captain to lead them through the weekend and that the Sam Maguire group stages is his target
Their task now is to improve how they finish out matches
We'll be talking about it again next Friday night I'm sure
big matches and we didn't see them out and here's the first one of this season again now that we feel we've left it behind
“I mean they had a big part to play in the second half too
I won't shy away from that; we put an awful lot into this
this was a date in the diary 12 months ago
whenever the draw was made we thought this was a day we could get back.”
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GAA preview: Waterford aiming to back up their 'perfect day' when Limerick come to town
if obvious parts of this weekend’s Munster Senior Football Championship final
it is only one part of a tangled web that links a handful of the protagonists involved in Sunday’s Killarney clash
Keane was the Kerry boss before Jack O’Connor and came desperately close to halting Dublin’s ‘Drive for Five’ in 2019
O’Connor succeeded Keane in the senior job when he wanted a fourth season at the helm
A Castlebar councillor has hit out again over the lack of progress in dealing with dereliction
Councillor Harry Barrett says he receives a call once a fortnight from people wondering what is happening with a derelict property on Ellison Street in the county town
“It is one of the biggest eyesores in the town,” he told a municipal district meeting where he urged that its redevelopment be pushed on
made the front page of The Connaught Telegraph last week in a lead story on dereliction
Councillor Barrett has called out the scourge of dereliction across the county and has previously called for the recruitment of additional staff to tackle the issue
he asked management if there is any way planning can expedite it and push it on
Councillor Michael Kilcoyne noted how the council has spent money making properties at Barrack Bridge safe
He wanted to know the cost involved in making them safe
Councillor Barrett has asked for more regular reports on dereliction
and what's happening on a number of properties in the centre of town
Municipal head David Mellett said they are seeing increased action on dereliction
with a lot more levying and potentially following up on court cases
There have been discussions with various property owners
with work planned for some of them and others moving on to the next level
Mayo County Council have confirmed that a car park in the centre of Castlebar is to be closed for over a fortnight
the council confirmed that the Pavilion Road car park would be closed from 8am tomorrow (Tuesday
PLAYER RATINGS: How Mayo fared in the Connacht Final against Galway
The car park is located next to the Castlebar Library and Castlebar Celtic’s soccer pitch
permit holders for the car park can park at Spencer Street
In Tsundoku, Japan, they have a word to describe the practice of buying and storing books and never reading them.
The books just lie there waiting to be opened and tell their story.
My bookcase and Mick Byrne have a lot in common, for Mick is a man of stories. Raconteur. Seanchaí.
Known the width and breath of this island. Larger than life. Yarn upon yarn. A walking library waiting to be opened.
Memories stretching back over 60 years and a wide repertoire of stories to tell, and only a finite amount of time to tell them.
I meet Mick regularly in Caroline's, Market Square, and I asked him if he’d meet me for a chat in Castle Street. He duly obliged.
Mick was a former student in St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, and won a Hogan Cup medal in 1974. We started there.
MB: I enjoyed it. I made great friends there, you know. There was a man on that team called Padraig Jordan.
RM: I was a close personal friend of his nephew Andrew Verity – a gent.
MB: Padraig’s father was a sacristan – Pat Jordan - who was a great character in Castlebar.
Padraig could run so fast that he couldn't solo the ball. He had to stop to solo the ball. I'm telling the truth when I say this.
He had to pop the ball at an angle away from him to keep the ball in motion.
The greatest I seen coming out of Jarlath’s in my time there was my good friend Henry Gavin.
MB: Henry Gavin was class. Henry Gavin captained Jarlath’s in 1974.
He also captained the Science Cup team, which was the All-Ireland athletics team. The Science Cup was an athletics cup for colleges. And Jarlath’s were the only team ever to win the Science Cup and the Hogan Cup in the one year. He was the great servant of Castlebar Mitchels as well. He played with Castlebar Mitchels for the best part of 20 years.
I mean, you talk about the Mitchels team in 1978. Like he was instrumental in that winning team. They were beaten the year before in ‘77 by Ballintubber. First round of the championship by 17 points.
The following year we beat them. Tom Blake, Lofty Walsh, Henry Gavin. James Quinn was class. James Quinn was stylish. He won a minor All–Ireland in 1971 with Mayo. He was that good.
Of course, you had Paul Gavin, Leo Doherty, who later went on to manage the team, and become chairman of the club. There was Jody Munnelly, son of the legend Josie, who in my opinion was one of the greatest of all time.
Ray Flaherty, who is over in Boston now at the minute. Jumping Johnny Kelly was class. As hard as nuts. Believe me when I say that.
You know, that final will live long, in my mind, for the simple reason, we were given no chance that particular year.
It was a wet September Sunday when we played Claremorris at MacHale Park. I think the final score was 0-8 to 0-6. We went into that match as complete underdogs and came away with our 24th senior title.
The one thing about that team is the memories. Because, believe me when I say that, it's the memories that are precious. And this is nearly 50 years ago now.
I am very passionate about Castlebar Mitchels.
I was privileged to be chairman for five years. I was there in the’ 90s.
But I can go back to the mid ‘60s, when Ray Prendergast captained the team. They were county champions in 1969 and 1970.
There were serious players on that team. Serious players. And then, of course, you had Gerry McDonald in the complex.
Gerry McDonald was instrumental in building the complex and getting the complex ready in 1978. Unfortunately, he passed away the following year.
MB: Oh, Martin was one of the die-hards. Martin, Jerry Henry, Gerry McDonald.
We were privileged to have so many people like that. That's why sport in Castlebar is so good. You look at Castlebar Celtic last year.
Castlebar Celtic celebrated a brilliant centenary in 2024. You have the rugby club celebrating 140 years this year. Three weeks ago, we had a brilliant rugby match here in Castlebar.
I mean, you look at the Nines Football Festival, we had a very successful Nines competition.
Only over the last couple of days, 32 or 36 teams playing. 600 people coming to Castlebar. It was massive for the town. This wouldn't have happened years and years ago. But the clubs are going from strength to strength in the town at the moment.
MB: Unbelievable. I thought the rugby was unbelievable....I mean, the craic and the build-up. Like, people were talking about it since Christmas. To have 28,000 people in MacHale Park. At a rugby match. I have never seen it before in my life.
It was one of those occasions where the whole of Castlebar got behind it.
MB: Castlebar is very, very special to me.
We had a reunion in 2003 of the Main Street residents in the Welcome Inn Hotel. I think 210 people attended that reunion. Now, on the Main Street in Castlebar, only five of the old stock are living on the Main Street in Castlebar.
MB: I feel very, very sorry about that. I feel very sad about that. I grew up in Castle Street.
To me, Castle Street is special. I grew in Ducksie Steward’s. For 12 years, Steward’s Corner at the top of the street. Where the barbers is now.
And it was a funny thing. John Kelly's grandfather, Thomas Kelly, started in Stewards in 1932. Along with the sweet shop.
There were great characters from Castle Street like Patrick Lavelle, Tom McHugh, Hughie McGartland and Mickey, of course. Mickey P. was legendary.
You had Seanie Kilcoyne, Seanie Kelly and Eoin Morgan. Peter Dever's Shop.
RM: Do you miss that now? People have moved out of the town centre?
MB: In times past, I'd be walking from Castle Street down to Main Street, down to my mother, Margo. And it could take me an hour to walk down. You could be in a hurry to bring a message back. The next thing you know, you'd meet somebody. That's what I miss about Castlebar.
RM: Do you think though that there should be more of an incentive to build up to Main Street and get people back living there?
MB: Yeah, I genuinely do. I mean, the problem with the Main Street, the traffic, the footfall isn't there. There's nothing huge to attract the people in.
We're lucky enough at the moment that down on our end of the Main Street, we have two very, very big developments, opening shortly, thanks to investments by Dermot Fadden and the Swift family at Bridge St.
And we have Vaughan Shoes and Unit 7 that came in there a couple of years ago, which have helped us immensely.
RM: I've heard this story about yourself and Skinty McEllin in 1983. Did you land an aeroplane up the street?
MB: No, what happened was we towed the airplane.
RM: Yeah. I thought you drove it and had the wings up.
Because the wings were taken off the aeroplane.
MB: No, the wings were off it because a storm two months previous.
So we towed it up the street after a rugby dinner. That's about six o'clock in the morning. And there was somebody who was just after getting up, seen this plane on the Main Street and said, they’d seen it landing. But it never landed.
The story was that the plane landed on the Main Street.
RM: The All-Ireland final of 1996, Tom Tom Denning and the Byrne’s Babes. Tell me about that?
MB: Aah, class. ‘96. Tom Tom Denning and the Byrne’s Babes. We got to number five in the Irish Top Ten with a song called ‘Sam Maguire's Coming Home To Mayo’. And we were on Up For The Match.
MB: It started with a bit of devilment. We had this Volkswagen Beetle painted. It was never seen before. He parked it outside the pub about a month before the All-Ireland final.
And we were invited to every new supermarket and shop in the county that was being opened at the time.
And we'd go down for the craic. Tommy Staunton, Mickey P., myself, and Tom Tom, of course, was the main man.
And you'd be going into schools. And the craic. The week before the All-Irelands were… ah, the memories are precious.
MB: The Castlebar Song Contest. And I have to mention Paddy McGuinness on this. He was instrumental in the Castlebar Song Contest. Paddy McGuinness is one of the greatest men to organise anything. The GMIT in this town. Now they can talk about politicians as long as they want, but to me, McGuinness was special. And still is.
We had the Blues Festival that went on for 10 or 12 years. I mean, these were all something special.
And they had their own kind of identity. Like the Occasion at the Castle. They had Madness, Thin Lizzy, The Boomtown Rats. The problem is the people stayed in the town and not out on the site at Rehins.
MB: And I had never seen Hare Krishnas in my life before until I seen them that time. They were coming down the Main Street.
There were 10,000 people on the Main Street. The pubs. We ran out of drink. We ran out of glasses.
MB: Byrne’s Pub started 120 years ago. We are the oldest family run pub in the town.
When I was growing up, there were 74 pubs in Castlebar. Now there's, I think, just 17 open now.
My grandfather ran the pub for years and years. My father Michael John took it over then in the mid ’50s. Sadly, he passed away in 1960. My mother Margo then took it over from 1960. She sadly passed away on September 4, 2023.
MB: The mid ‘70s. I took it over then. And believe me when I say this. I've had quiet days, but I never had a bad day.
Thankfully, I never had a bad day. I don't think I could have been anything else.
All the characters, all the stories, the football matches. The GAA has been very, very good to me.
The people at Castlebar have been very, very good. Not just to me, but to my mother and to my father.
And I mean, that's why I love Castlebar. That's why Castlebar is special to me.
I just want to give something back for everything that Castlebar has given me.
I was struck by his loyalty to his old comrades and friends and his deep genuine love for the Mitchels and the town. Micky P. Tom Tom. Skinty. Paddy McGuinness.
There is depth, humility, humanity and simple decency.
For me it was a deep privilege and an honour to sit and listen to him reminisce about the town I love and the great characters that have trod the streets before us.
Castlebar is imprinted on this man's heart.
MAYO County Council has been urged to hold discussions with Castlebar Tennis Club in a bid to resolve parking issues at the nearby leisure centre.
The club introduced a 'pay for parking' system on its property because of health and safety concerns.
The decision was taken following the termination of a long-standing agreement with the council for the use of the facility by members of the public using the leisure centre at Lough Lannagh.
Parking has become a major issue at the leisure centre, says Councillor Blackie Gavin, and it needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
The facility is 'packed', being a runaway success, he highlighted at the monthly municipal district meeting.
Councillor Ger Deere said the tennis club have insurance concerns.
They are very reasonable people and he encouraged the council to engage with them again.
They needed to come to an agreement with the tennis club until they get proper planning for further parking at the complex.
Councillor Michael Kilcoyne wondered if, when the land was transferred to the tennis club, there was an agreement about parking, noting that the swimming pool wasn't in place at the time.
Since the transfer, an agreement was entered into for 20 spaces in the car park but that came to an end last year, municipal head David Mellett explained.
There had been discussions to see if they could extend it and there were issues on both sides on how that would work.
But they are looking at an alternative at the minute and trying to identify funding.
It needs to be looked at as part of the overall masterplan for Lough Lannagh, and also in the interim, said cathaoirleach Councillor Donna Sheridan.
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A powerful Mayo squad escaped the clutches of a fine Galway team in Castlebar. Pic: David Farrell.
MAYO refused to have their championship quest blown off course tonight in Castlebar when they powered past a fine Galway team under blazing skies. The hard-earned victory was copper-fastened in the final run-in when the Green and Red powered away from the guests with a flurry of scores.
The nine-point gap at the end was rough justice on the Galway boys who were on level terms with ten minutes to play. But they couldn't hold off the reigning champions who picked off some classy scores.
Galway were backed by the breeze in the opening half, but Mayo had most of the ball. However, the home boys made poor use of possession and wasted numerous scoring chances. A goal from Oran Murphy after 26 minutes kept the Green and Red within a point of the guests at half time, but they hadn't played well when the short whistle sounded.
Galway landed three two-pointers in the first 30 minutes and made good use of limited possession but were only a point clear at the break, 0-8 to 1-4.
Mayo had the wind behind them in the second half but couldn't shake off the Galway boys despite fine points from Tony Carey and a pair of two-pointers from Conor Hession. Then, seven minutes from the end, a superb Carey goal edged the home boys in front, but they were immediately dealt a blow when wing-back Dara Flanagan was sin-binned.
That's when Mayo's character came to the fore. Adam Kelly took charge in the middle of the field, Full-forward Hession came out the middle and plucked two from the sky and added another stunning two-pointer. Galway tried to come back into it but a goal from Rhys Neary ended the game as a contest and sent the home side into next Friday's final against Roscommon in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.
A full match report and reaction will be carried in Tuesday's Mayo News.
Pavilion Road car park in Castlebar will be closed from 8am on Tuesday May 6th to 8am on Wednesday May 21st.
Permit holders can park at the following car parks during this period:
Mayo County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused.
Connacht SFC final: Mayo 1-15 Galway 1-17 In a game of inches, fingertips made the difference to secure Galway a fourth consecutive Nestor Cup after a gripping Connacht final at sun-drenched MacHale Park in Castlebar
Mayo will have regrets, when do they not? They chose to play against the wind in the first half, trailed by eight at the interval, got back level inside 20 minutes of the restart but failed to take the lead at any stage.
And when the game-defining moments arrived, Galway seized them.
Mayo had reduced the gap to the minimum in the 53rd minute when Ryan O’Donoghue stood over a central free just outside the 45-metre line in two-pointer territory. Having all but wiped out Galway’s lead and at that stage dominating the contest, the home fans had the smell of Galway blood in their nostrils.
With the wind at his back, and Mayo in the ascendancy, O’Donoghue sent his effort towards its intended target – but crucially Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson launched himself skyward and managed to get his fingertips to the ball as it dropped over the crossbar. That touch reduced the score from a two-pointer to just one point.
It was enough to bring Mayo level at 1-13 apiece but it had denied the home side the oxygen of taking the lead in front of a raucous 27,137 crowd. They still had the momentum, but they hadn’t got the lead.
And it never came. Mayo registered three wides in the four minutes that followed. They were hammering on the door but just couldn’t kick it open.
Matthew Tierney made a brilliant catch from a kick-out just before the hour mark and after a sweeping move Cillian McDaid nudged Galway back in front again. Mayo’s gallop to the podium was starting to veer off course.
O’Donoghue pulled them back level with a free on the hour mark but moments later the home side were down to 14 men for the remainder of the game. Colm Reape undercooked a short kick-out to Rory Brickenden and Rob Finnerty capitalised, stealing inside to snatch possession.
Brickenden was left with a hopeless set of choices, bundle Finnerty to the ground or allow the Galway forward a one-on-one goal chance. He took the hit, opted for the former. Black card. Finnerty pointed the resulting free.
As Mayo tried to sort out how best to counteract the numerical disadvantage, the outstanding Paul Conroy raced forward and popped over a point to put Galway two in front.
Mayo had to try chase the Tribesmen down all over again.
Off they went. Aidan O’Shea sent Enda Hession through with a goal chance but Gleeson made himself big to pull off a good save. Reape floated over the resulting 45. One point game again.
In the last minute, after working the ball across the pitch in front of the Galway goal, eventually Paul Towey darted through the lines and found himself in a great position to send the game to extra-time.
But just as the Mayo sub pulled the trigger, Dylan McHugh made an extraordinary game-winning diving block.
The hooter went seconds later but with Mayo in possession they had one last chance to equalise.
When Jordan Flynn fed Matthew Ruane out wide on the right, the Breaffy man shouldered the responsibility of trying for a two-pointer. But as soon as the ball left his foot Ruane knew Mayo had fallen short, again. Galway had won their first four-in-a-row since the 1960s.
“Certainly we had chances and it’s a sore one to take now obviously,” said Mayo manager Kevin McStay.
“Lost another big game down the stretch that we feel we could have won and until we start taking those chances and putting the pressure on our opponents that’s going to be our lot. So, it’s a very hard one to take because we know we have the chances to win it.”
The decision by Mayo to play against the wind in the first half was certainly a significant plotline in the story of the game.
“We knew this was going to be a big Connacht final,” explained McStay.
“In the first 10-15 minutes there’s going to be a lot of sorting out and settling and misses that you wouldn’t normally [see] so you know that first 15 minutes sometimes when you’re with the breeze can be wasted.”
And it didn’t go too badly. They led 1-2 to 0-2 after seven minutes thanks to a Darren McHale goal but their next score was not until the closing seconds of the first half.
Conroy was gargantuan during that opening period for the visitors – he kicked Galway’s first three scores, all two pointers. They were awarded a rather soft penalty in the 27th minute and Tierney tucked it away nicely to give Galway a 1-11 to 1-3 lead at the interval.
The question of whether eight points was going to be enough for Galway playing against the wind seemed to find its answer when Mayo got level in the 53rd minute. But it turned out the winds of change would not be blowing through Connacht football this season.
“It was just a fantastic day, two teams going at it,” said Galway manager Padraic Joyce.
“While I’m elated, we could easily have come out on the wrong side as well. Mayo came back well and it looked like we were in trouble against the wind, under pressure on our kick-out.
“We knew it was going to come down to the wire. It’s about making the right decisions in high-pressure situations. We got a bit of luck but sometimes when you work hard enough a bit of luck will come your way.
“This has been a target for the group, we’ll enjoy it now and then move on.”
It’s Dublin in Salthill next for Galway while Mayo must regroup for the visit of Cavan. Two Connacht teams setting off on the same journey but it feels right now one is significantly closer to arriving home with Sam Maguire than the other.
MAYO: Colm Reape (0-0-1, a 45); Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Rory Brickenden; Enda Hession, David McBrien, Stephen Coen; Diarmuid O’Connor, Matthew Ruane (0-1-0); Davitt Neary (0-0-1), Jordan Flynn, Darren McHale (1-0-2); Aidan O’Shea, Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue (0-1-7, 6f).
Subs: Sam Callinan for McBrien (9 mins); Paul Towey for O’Connor (h-t); Fergal Boland for Neary (61); Fenton Kelly for McHale (66)
GALWAY: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Seán Mulkerrin, Liam Silke; Paul Conroy (0-3-1, 1 tpf), Seán Kelly (0-0-1); Cein Darcy, John Maher, Cillian McDaid (0-0-2); Matthew Tierney (1-0-1, 1-0 pen), Robert Finnerty (0-0-4, 3f), Matthew Thompson (0-0-1).
Subs: Cathal Sweeney for Maher (h-t); Kieran Molloy for Fitzgerald (41 mins); Cian Hernon for Mulkerrin (48); Peter Cooke for Sweeney (61); Liam Ó Conghaile (0-0-1) for Thompson (66).
AFTER a widely praised national and UK tour in 2022
Seven Letters will make its debut at the Linenhall Theatre in Castlebar this week
The play - which draws its power from honesty
memory and music - was met with full houses across Ireland and earned standing ovations in London venues including the Noel Coward Studio and the Tabard Theatre
Seven Letters centres on the lives of three women living in a care home
they revisit the joy and pain of their pasts
revealing stories that are rich with humour
“This play is a tribute to women whose stories don’t always get heard,” Ms
“They’re not the loudest voices in the room
but they’ve lived full lives - often quietly heroic ones
“Seven Letters is about what they’ve carried with them
And what they’re still trying to let go of.”
What sets the production apart is its intimate structure - a careful weave of monologue
Each of the characters brings something unique to the stage: the mischievous and unpredictable Faye
audiences are offered glimpses into long-buried secrets and unfulfilled dreams
Teresa Jennings gives a captivating performance as Faye
blending sharp wit with moments of deep pathos
One reviewer described her as “mercurial” and “commanding the stage with every line.” Clare Gollop brings warmth and texture to the role of Tempie
and Kate Winder’s Lena is rendered with great tenderness
Linny Bushey adds quiet resonance as the forgetful Hannah
a character who says little but whose presence is deeply felt
The music directed by Lindsay Bridgwater is integral to the story
sometimes lifting the audience and other times chilling it
The voice of Stacey Leigh on the soundtrack is exquisite and soulful
Her performances were described by Spectrum Irish Radio as “superb… holding the audience in thrall.”
Flatley acknowledges that while Seven Letters deals with ageing and mortality
“There’s a lot of laughter in it,” she says
“These women have been through things - but they’re still funny
The play also explores how we see older people or fail to
Rian Flatley is particularly pleased to bring the play to the west of Ireland again
Although living in London she refers to the west as her home
she said: “Mayo audiences are known for their love of language and music
As Seven Letters prepares to take to the stage once more it offers a powerful reminder of the resilience found in everyday life
Seven Letters plays at Linenhall Theatre, Castlebar, on this Friday, May 9. Early booking online is advised here
A young Mayo supporter pictured during the 2025 Connacht Senior Football Championship Final between Mayo and Galway Photo: Sportsfile
Castlebar was rarely ever as busy on Sunday. The Connacht final wasn’t until four o’clock, but the county town was rumbling from early morning.
At mid-day, mid-down Castlebar was bedecked in steady trickles of maroon, white, green and red.
Gaelic FootballFrank Roche: Historic four-in-a-row for Tribesmen and Mayo in microcosm as Kevin McStay’s men squander another Connacht finalFor Galway, four-in-a-row history. For Mayo, yet another way to squander a game that was there for the taking.
Action from the Elverys Sports Super League clash between Castlebar Celtic and Manulla. Pic: Oisín Bradley
P Walsh 2, L Kelly 30, D Edwards 49, J Hunt 57, J Cocozza 65 86
A brace from first-half substitute Johnnie Cocozza helped Castlebar Celtic return to the summit of Mayo soccer in a resounding rout of Manulla.
In truth, it seemed all too easy at times, and with key players getting a rest, the win sets Stevie Gavin's hoops in good stead ahead of the trip to Wexford for cup action.
Celtic may have been without last season’s top-scorer Jordan Loftus, but they were more than capable of finding the net in his absence, as evidenced by Paul Walsh’s sumptuous strike after two minutes.
Walsh’s effort had curl in abundance as it bent into the top left corner, following a delivery from Fionn Mahon on the right.
The hosts tried to repeat the trick of exposing Manulla on the right, as well as clipping balls over the top for Luke Kelly to chase, but couldn’t quite get their arrowed dinks inch-perfect.
Elsewhere, the men donned in blue were having difficulties making inroads themselves, with Alan Brennan’s shot which almost dented the left post 16 in the highlight.
With 30 gone, Celtic doubled their advantage, as Niall Brennan’s delicate touch took ‘keeper Jack Livingstone out of the equation.
There were some calls for offside as Brennan laid the ball off to Kelly for a tap-in, but Damien MacGraith pointed to the centre circle to leave the champions two to the good.
An intricate passing move was the springboard for Celtic’s third. The play was started by Johnnie Cocozza, and was finished when Brennan rolled across for Dylan Edwards to convert.
It was four before long. Jason Hunt’s strike was initially blocked, but his daisy cutter on the rebound found the onion bag.
The crowd then saw a rarity, as Stefan Hester’s net was breached. A defensive lapse in concentration when playing around the back was seized upon by Cian Benson, who punished Celtic as they conceded their first league goal of 2025.
It was a brief respite from the pain, as Cocozza netted his fourth of the season 65 minutes in, gobbling up Livingstone’s rebound.
With four to go, Cocozza had his second, holding off George Boyd to find the far corner and round off a resounding victory to go to the summit again.
A full match report, plus reaction, will be included in Tuesday’s edition of The Mayo News
The practice of Mayo County Council to purchase derelict buildings and leave them lying vacant for years is clearly not the template to address urban decay.
It shows that while the initial intention was good, the follow-through was anything but impressive.
Progress in dealing with sections of streets across the county falling into decay has been dismal, to say the very least.
And while one can accepts there can and are legal issues in regard to privately owned sites, there can be no such excuses when it comes to local government-owned properties.
The mere sight of vacant and rundown buildings undermines the morale of communities.
People are seeing parts of their towns and villages in unsightly and decaying conditions.
It is adverse to the image of a place when it looks rundown and visitors are left with a lasting impression that is far from positive.
Potential investors are also inclined to shy away from streets that look like eyesores due to years and decades of neglect.
In fairness, there are some good examples for urban renewal projects in this county.
But the reality is they are few and far between.
And this failure is happening during an era when society is crying out for new housing units.
There are currently 252 sites on the Derelict Sites Register in Mayo, down from 290 in previous years.
If the government is throwing millions of euro at the problem - as it consistently insists it is - then where is this money going.
It is abundantly obvious this money is not coming to towns like Ballina, Ballinrobe, Castlebar, Claremorris and Swinford and the question needs to be asked why.
We can't, on this occasion, blame our elected representatives, both local and national, because they have been raising these issues ad nauseum for years.
Nobody, sadly, is listening - and that's another debate entirely.
ALL SMILES: Refeee Phillip O'Brien Gleeson, and both team captain meet in the middle ahead of Friday's Mayo Women's Premier Division game in Moneen. Pic: Oisin Bradley
With two minutes to go and tension at its peak, Castlebar Town’s Róisín Kelly was primed to capitalise with the goal at her mercy when ‘keeper Ailbhe Medlar missed her clearance.
However, the ball came at her too quickly, and when she lashed wide, Conn Rangers were able to breathe again and escape with a share of the spoils on Friday evening.
The visitors put the squeeze on the Castlebar side in the first half, and a lot of their best work came via their number nine, Clíodhna Flynn.
Flynn was the first to carve out an opportunity when she surged down the right flank after eight minutes, and Kira Bright got down well to make the save.
Town, in contrast, were struggling to make any inroads against the breeze, with the best effort of the opening innings on their behalf coming when striker Saoirse Mahon had a speculative long-range attempt.
Ailbhe Medlar had no issue getting her hands to that one.
While Rangers were the ones asking the majority of the questions, they were struggling to make any of their probing balls stick. In fact, one of Conn Rangers major difficulties was the form or Town's talismanic captain Amy Dowling who was hoovering up any ball that came her way.
With 15 minutes gone, Aine McClean played a clinical Conn ball over the top to Niamh Connolly wide out left, and Castlebar Town did well to clear.
Half an hour into the tie, Town the reigning Women’s Cup champions, showed why they're so highly revered, and they made one of their few opportunities count when Saoirse Mahon got on the end of a long throw-in to rattle the net.
Conn tried to put the squeeze on after half time, and it looked for all the world like Flynn was about to get them off the mark, but Bright did enough to tip the rasping effort over the top.
As the game progressed Castlebar looked to be putting their footprint on the second 45 and were causing serious headaches at times.
However, Conn weren’t to be denied on the hour mark, when Aine McClean’s through ball set up a footrace between Natasha Garrett and Bright. The midfielder outran the Town net-minder to get a toe to it and level proceedings.
The game opened up near the end, and it looked for all the world like one side would get that all-important winner as defensive legs tired.
However, it wasn’t to be, and both sides walked away pining for what could’ve been a euphoric win to kick-start the Bank Holiday weekend.
A full report, plus reaction from both sides, will be included in Tuesday’s edition of The Mayo News.
There will be temporary ‘rolling’ road closures.
In order to maximise your enjoyment of either or both of the events, An Garda Síochána offer the following information in relation to traffic management and safety.
Their advice is to plan your journey and to arrive to Castlebar early, and to follow guidance from Gardaí, event marshals and road signage.
In order to ensure the safety of more than 2,000 participants in the Mini Marathon, and the public generally, there will be temporary ‘rolling’ road closures. The event commences at noon, and traffic delays can be expected.
- Lower Spencer Street: 10:30am – 12:30pm
- Duke Street, Newport Road to Pound Road, Pound Roasd, Gallows Hill, Newline: Noon – 1:00pm
- Pontoon Rd to Ballinvilla and Ballinavilla Road to Mountgregory: Noon – 2:00pm
- Mountgregory/Turlough Road: Noon – 2:30pm
- Staball Hill/Thomas Street, Bridge Street and Main Street: 12:15pm – 2:30pm
Later that day, the Connacht Senior Football Championship will take place, and an attendance of up to 20,000 people is expected.
Large volumes of traffic can be expected in the general Castlebar area throughout the day, particularly in the vicinity of MacHale Park in the build up to the 4:00pm throw-in and immediately afterwards. Turnstiles will open at 2.30pm
- N60 Claremorris Road into Kilkenny Cross
- N84 Ballinrobe Road into Cathal Duffy Roundabout
Traffic can use the Castlebar Bypass dual carriageway and can exit at various junctions to enter Castlebar.
There may be traffic diversions on the day, depending on traffic volumes, and Gardaí will be on duty to provide information.
Parking restrictions will be in place from 9am in the vicinity of the stadium and on approaches.
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Castlebar councillors agree not to send homeless families in the county town to Charlestown hub
Castlebar councillors have agreed not to send homeless families living in the county town to an emergency accommodation shelter 40km away in east Mayo
Mayo County Council are phasing out the use of hotels and B&Bs to meet emergency accommodation needs and recently set up an emergency accommodation hub in Charlestown which can accommodate up to 100 people
councillors in the Castlebar Municipal District agreed to make it a policy of the local housing office not to send families in the municipal district to the Charlestown hub as it was deemed too far away
READ: TF Royal Theatre named as the Connacht Live Music Venue of the Year
The issue was raised by Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne who said it was not acceptable that young children were being sent to Charlestown when they had to go to school in Castlebar
He proposed that the Castlebar Municipal District discontinue its association with the emergency accommodation in Charlestown
“It is not reasonable to be sending people over to Charlestown,” he said and his motion was seconded by Fianna Fáil councillor Blackie Gavin
When asked by Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District
Cllr Donna Sheridan where families were to go if there was no accommodation in Castlebar
Cllr Kilcoyne responded there is accommodation and it was the local authorities responsibility to house people
There are a lot of houses around the place that are vacant and available,” he said
Fine Gael councillor Ger Deere agreed that there were houses which were CPO’d for the N5 road project which are available and believed that it would not take long for them to be made available to live in
Independent councillor Harry Barrett feared that people in Castlebar would soon be facing destitution because of the lack of availability of affordable rent and felt something radical was needed
“I am getting call after call from working families who cannot afford their rent and are getting a notice to quit and have nowhere to go
I am very scared where we are going and unless we take radical action along the lines of what Clr Kilcoyne is saying we will be left in a precarious situation when it comes to affordable accommodation in this area,” he said
Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke said he agreed with the thrust of what Cllr Kilcoyne said but proposed that instead of discontinuing all association with the Charlestown hub
families should be prioritised and not allowed to move to Charlestown
“Where we have a family and kids are going to school that has to be prioritised locally and in that instance I will tell the officials you cannot move families when kids are in school in Castlebar,” he said
Cllr Kilcoyne said he agreed with what he proposed and there was agreement among all the councillors that families should not be taken out of their local area and sent to Charlestown
The Castlebar Municipal District sign which was removed and replace by one from Mayo County Council
Councillors in the Castlebar Municipal District have gone to war with their colleagues in Mayo County Council over a sign welcoming Connacht and Munster teams to the county town
Members of Castlebar Municipal District expressed their anger at the monthly municipal district meeting after hearing that a sign they erected ahead of the historic URC rugby clash in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park was removed and replaced
The original sign placed on The Mall in Castlebar stated 'Castlebar Municipal District welcomes Connacht and Munster Rugby to Castlebar' but it was subsequently removed and removed with a similar sign saying Mayo County Council welcomes Connacht and Munster Rugby to Castlebar
READ: Mayo cousins relish historic Connacht match in MacHale Park
Castlebar councillor Blackie Gavin raised the matter and demanded what happened to the original sign and who moved it.
“I want to compliment the work being done by the Castlebar Municipal District but I am after seeing that the sign has been changed to Mayo County Council welcomes. Why has the sign been changed? What is going on? It was up for the last couple of days but our sign is gone. Someone has taken our sign,” he said.
Catahoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Cllr Donna Sheridan commented that they were all in agreement that they should instruct whoever took their sign down to immediately put it back up.
“It is very unfair given the amount of work the outdoor staff have done to tidy up the town. They have done amazing work as have the staff in the office ahead of this weekend's rugby. I want to thank them so much and I want to ask who took down the old sign and who put down the new sign. What has Mayo County Council other than the municipal district done for the rugby at the weekend for them to remove the sign. We want our sign back,” she said.
An estimated crowd of 25,000 is expected to be in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park in Castlebar on Saturday afternoon for the first professional rugby game to be played in the home of Mayo GAA.
Fine Gael councillor Cyril Burke said it was great to see the historic rugby match coming to Castlebar and praised President of Connacht Rugby, Castlebar man Jimmy Staunton for the foresight of bringing it to Castlebar.
“There is a great buzz around the town and it is great to see. It will be good for business with a lot of them with increased bookings for the weekend and it is a fantastic opportunity for Castlebar to showcase the town,” he said.
The Castlebar Comets Under 16 boys team were crowned All-Ireland champions as they powered their way to the Under 16 C championships in Co. Meath last Sunday.
Gormanston was the venue for the All-Ireland Club Championships (AICCs), with the 25 best teams in Ireland fighting it out over two days of intense competition.
Expectations were high given the standards this Under 16 team had set for themselves in winning both the Mayo league and cup double, but the bar keeps on rising when you when you have to compete against the best of the rest around the country. Yet it was the ability of Castlebar Comets to reach that bar which saw them bring home a national title – the first by any club team in Mayo in this particular competition.
The achievement reflects the standard of basketball at this level in Castlebar, where the Comets club are putting in tremendous work at all levels with both boys and girls.
The success of this bunch of players, who have been together for a number of years at school and club level, is also a tribute to the two coaches involved. Stephen Collum has been involved with this team from Under 14 up, ably assisted by Mayo Meteors player Daniel Nyland. Both have worked very hard in developing this team and bringing them up to a new level each season.
Over six games played on Saturday and Sunday in Gormanstown, the Castlebar club faced competition from Belfast, Limerick, Kerry, Longford and Tipperary.
Saturday’s games against Limerick Lions, St. Brendan’s of Tralee and Belfast Phoenix saw them qualify for a quarterfinal on Sunday morning against South Tipp Titans.
Comets raced out of the blocks, with their full-court press proving dominant, and they built up a first quarter lead that they would never relinquish.
Next up was a semi-final against Longford Phoenix, where a balanced performance with strong bench contributions led to a comfortable victory.
The final was a rematch with Belfast Phoenix, who the Comets narrowly beat by six points on Saturday.
There were no traces of nerves as the team served up a fast-paced and controlled performance, and when the buzzer went, the scoreboard showed that Comets were All-Ireland champions on a scoreline of 58-35.
Team captain David Collins received the cup on behalf of his team-mates and the Comets parents and supporters raised the roof as the team celebrated their amazing victory.
The team have now completed the treble for the season, winning the league and cup in Mayo, and now being crowned All-Ireland champions.
Coach Stephen Collum shared his pride in the team. He said: “This is an amazingly talented and hard-working bunch of lads, and we are very proud of them. It’s a great day for them, for their families and for the Castlebar Comets club. They have worked hard to get to where they are now.”
This is a first national title for Castlebar Comets but the signs are positive for the future. The Under 16 girls learned a lot from their journey to the AICCs a few weeks ago, and the club is hungry to continue to compete at a national level.
Stephen Gallagher (left), dancer, and Shane Moran (right), musical director — Rhythm of the Dance.
On Saturday, June 14, the TF Royal Theatre in Castlebar will host a two-hour spectacle of explosive rhythm, rich Irish culture, and heart-thumping live music.
This marks the first time the show will be performed in Connacht, and for two talented performers, it’s a long-awaited homecoming. Shane Moran, Musical Director of the show and a Castlebar native, and Stephen Gallagher, a lead dancer in the show from Foxford, are bringing their world-touring magic to Connacht audiences for the first time.
What makes Rhythm of the Dance different from other shows is the fact that it's performed with all live musicians on stage. This is the show’s premiere with a brand-new set, new music, new costumes, and a captivating storyline of an Irish hurler turned Irish dancer.
As the show’s Musical Director, Shane couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming performance in his hometown:
“I live two minutes up the road from TF,” laughs Shane. “I’ve been in this business 14 years – my family and friends have heard the stories, but now they get to see it live!”
Stephen Gallagher, who started dancing at just seven years old with the Moffatt School of Irish Dancing, has performed in over 15 countries this year alone. But nothing beats home turf: “There’s something magic about dancing for your own,” Stephen adds. “I’ve been in Attymass, Foxford my whole life – you don’t forget your roots. Performing for people who know your journey… it just hits different.”
A Dazzling New Era of Irish Dance Rhythm of the Dance fuses tradition with innovation, blending tap, contemporary, tango and even hip-hop into its high-energy performances. The new production features 15 elite dancers, each with their own solo spotlight, with every instrument on stage being played live, including a very special lineup of local musicians joining for the Castlebar show.
“Every instrument is played live on stage - banjo, fiddle, you name it,” says Shane.
“We want the musicians to have the floor, to show off, to feed off the crowd. This isn’t about playing quietly in the corner of a pub, it’s about letting rip. I encourage the craic!”
And it’s not just the sound that’s evolved; there’s the new set, new costumes, and a powerful storyline woven throughout. As Shane describes it: “It’s about a hurler with the heart of a dancer. It starts off soft and builds into a crescendo – often the crowd is on its feet after the very first number.”
“I love being able to give young Irish musicians their break,” Shane adds. “There’s so much talent here in the West – sometimes all they need is a phone call. And if two lads from Castlebar and Foxford can do it… why not you?”
SATURDAY next marks the beginning of the celebrations to mark the 140th anniversary of Castlebar Rugby Club
The club will mark the occasion with the official opening of their new spectator stand
while later in the day it will host the meeting of the Connacht juniors who will play their Ulster counterparts in the IRFU Interprovincial Series at Cloondeash (2 p.m.)
It has been a busy couple of weeks for the Castlebar club
who have left no stone unturned in their efforts to ensure the venue is in top order
But Saturday is just the beginning of planned celebrations to mark the club's anniversary
Other highlights include an anniversary golf event Castlebar Golf Club in June while later in the year
a prominent Irish rugby international and special guests will attend a club function in Castlebar
an exhibition spanning many decades of Castlebar Rugby Club’s history will be on display in the Linenhall Arts Centre during September and October
Anyone who has old photographs of club members or activities is asked to contact club secretary Noel Campbell at rfccastlebar@gmail.com
The anniversary events will draw to a close in November with an illustrated talk on the history of rugby in Castlebar in Mayo County Library
president of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU)
will be the distinguished guest at the event on Saturday
where he will be joined by Connacht IRFU president Jimmy Staunton
who sits on Connacht Rugby’s competitions committee
The club has been busy putting the final details in place for what promises to be a very enjoyable day
Rugby fans will then be treated to a quality contest when the Connacht juniors take on their Ulster counterparts in the second round of the IRFU’s Junior Men’s Interprovincial Series at 2 p.m
The hosting of the event at Cloondeash is seen as a deserved vote of confidence in the top-class facilities available at the Castlebar club and follows up on the successful hosting of the historic first ever rugby game to be played in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park
where Munster and Connacht clashed in sell-out game last month
The event provided a major financial boost to Castlebar and was applauded for the professional manner in which it was organised
and tributes were paid to the MacHale Park committee for the high standard of the pitch and the venue in general
Madden will be the main speaker at an evening meal at 8 p.m
which will be followed by the club’s annual awards night and live music
Castlebar Rugby Club president Kevin McGing believes the full day of events will showcase the club and its proud history
He said: “It will be an honour to welcome Declan Madden to Castlebar
"Our town has a thriving sporting scene and we in Castlebar Rugby Club are delighted to be able to advertise that fact and to celebrate our club’s achievements this Saturday with the opening of our new stand followed by the junior inter-pro game and the social event and presentation of awards to club players after a very busy season at all levels in the club.”
Tickets for the evening event are available from club members and by emailing rfccastlebar@gmail.com
or by contacting club secretary Noel Campbell on (087) 9857892
Tributes have been paid to Castlebar woman Chris O'Donnell following her death
Tributes have been paid to a Mayo woman who was killed after she was hit by a truck while walking along a road in Castlebar yesterday morning
The woman named locally as Chris (Christina) O'Donnell of Rathbaun Drive, Castlebar and formerly of Clogher, Ballyvary was killed following a collision between herself and a truck along the Rathbaun Road in Castlebar shortly before 10am on Thursday morning
Local councillor Michael Kilcoyne said that Ms O'Donnell
always had a smile on her face and her death had shocked the community along the Rathbaun Road
READ: 'Heartbreak' - Mayo people react after popular eatery is forced to close
“It was a terrible tragedy to occur and what happened has shocked the local community where Chris lived,” Cllr Kilcoyne told The Mayo News
“She used to work in reception in the Welcome Inn and she was the soundest person you could meet
She was always very helpful and willing to help and always had a smile on her face
She later worked in the reception at the X-ray and scan department of Mayo University Hospital and she was very helpful there too
Everyone knew her and she looked after people when they came to the reception and sorted out their problems,” he said
Cllr Kilcoyne offered his condolences to her husband Vinny who is well known through his work in the Travellers Friend Hotel and to their family
The Rathbaun Road was closed for a number of hours on Thursday morning while Gardaí carried out an examination of the scene
It is understood that Ms O'Donnell was struck by a truck which was drawing soil from a nearby construction site
Gardaí in Castlebar are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to contact Castlebar Garda Station on 094 9038200
the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station
Castlebar councillors want action to put an end to anti-social behaviour in a local estate
RESIDENTS in a large housing estate in Castlebar who are 'destroying the lives' of other residents should be 'shown the door' according to local councillors
Anti-social behaviour caused by a small number of residents in a large social housing estate in Castlebar was brought to the attention of local councillors by other residents who expressed concern for their safety
They informed councillors that the anti-social behaviour which included fighting on the street
domestic abuse and threatening behaviour was getting out of hand and needs to be dealt with immediately
The matter was raised by local councillors at the monthly meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District where they called for swift action to be taken by Mayo County Council and An Garda Síochana to put a stop to it
Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne said that as well as anti-social behaviour there was an incident of violence in the estate and matters were getting out of hand while Cllr Cyril Bourke commented that the estate did not sound like a nice place to live at the moment
Independent councillor Harry Barrett called for a dedicated unit within the housing department of Mayo County Council to deal with incidents of anti-social behaviour
READ: Mayo driver has car seized after arrest on suspicion of drink-driving
“To get ahead of this we need the administrative staff along with the legal staff to start putting a case together on these people who are destroying lives in that estate.
“We need a unit in place to put pressure on these people. If they cannot act civilly in a housing estate they should be shown the road because it is not good enough. If they are blaggarding people in this estate they should be moved on immediately. Lets get ahead of it and put the pressure on and make files on these people,” he said.
While not disagreeing with his proposal, Cathaoirleach of Castlebar Municipal District, Cllr Donna Sheridan said that there was not enough staff to deploy to the new unit and also questioned how legal it would be.
Fianna Fáil councillor Al McDonnell agreed saying that the staff in the housing department was already 'run off their feet' and they could not be asked to carry out additional duties.
His fellow Fianna Fáil councillor Blackie Gavin lamented the disbanding of the local Joint Policing Committees saying that these issues of anti-social behaviour should be dealt with.
“We had a great relationship with the Garda Siochana down through the years and any problem was sorted out there and then. We need to meet with the Superintendent to see what is going on,” he said.
Mayo County Council's anti-social behaviour policy for housing estates was adopted in 2019 and David Mellett, Head of the Castlebar Municipal District said that all steps of the policy had to be followed before tenants can be evicted.
“We cannot jump to repossession without going through the full policy in all its steps. At the minute we have five anti-social cases [in Castlebar] and three have come in the last week. We have a good relationship with the Gardaí and have good conversations around these issues but certainly there could potentially be more done,” he said.
Regarding the issue raised by the councillors, he said that there are 81 houses in that particular estate and two residents seemed to be at the root of the problems.
“They are having an impact on everyone and we are dealing with it through policy,” he said.
Cllr Kilcoyne questioned why good tenants have been placed in emergency accommodation while houses have been given to 'thugs'.
Cllr Sheridan praised the council staff in how they have dealt with previous incidents of anti-social behaviour in the town and proposed they have a workshop with the Garda Community Engagement Officer on how to best deal with issues into the future.
Castlebar councillors are prepared to issue a vote of no confidence in Mayo County Council Chief Executive Kevin Kelly unless staffing issues are addressed.
Independent Cllr Harry Barrett revealed to colleagues the vast difference between staff numbers in Castlebar Municipal District and other areas in Mayo. He told last week's municipal district meeting that there are 57 staff members in the Castlebar are compared to 87 in Ballina, 102 in Claremorris/Swinford and 105 in Westport/Belmullet.
“Workers are stretched to capacity,” said Cllr Barrett, adding that the Castlebar housing department is under particular pressure.
“It’s like the loaves and the fishes trying to accommodate people."
He said Castlebar Municipal District is currently short of 12 outdoor staff.
“The panel isn’t in place like it used to be to hire them.
“I want it to go back to senior management that we are not happy. We are not getting our jobs done,” he added.
Fianna Fáil Cllr Al McDonnell remarked that he had a long list of incomplete projects that are down to staffing issues.
Cllr Barrett called on council chief executive Kevin Kelly to address the next meeting of the Castlebar Municipal District and explain the staffing deficit.
“Senior management has decimated staffing numbers in Castlebar over the last 10 years,” Cllr Barrett remarked. "Castlebar is the county town, yet we have been shortchanged on staff numbers, leaving our roads, housing, and vital infrastructure struggling due to chronic under-resourcing. How can we expect to deliver quality services when we have nearly half the workforce of other districts?"
Cathaoirleach of the municipal district Cllr Donna Sheridan said the staffing levels in Castlebar are “absolutely disgraceful”, adding that the situation is “unforgivable". The Fine Gael councillor was backed by her fellow councillors when she proposed tabling a motion that Castlebar elected representatives will issue a vote of no confidence in the chief executive unless immediate action is taken.
“I don’t want to hear about work plans. I want action,” Cllr Sheridan stated.
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0.26);}PrintShareSaveThe death has occurred of
Predeceased by her parents Michael and Margaret
sisters-in-law Maureen and Ruth and Nephew Darren (Gallagher)
Deeply regretted by her heartbroken husband Vinny
F23 XY63 on Tuesday (29th April) from 4pm with removal at 7pm to her residence
Removal from her residence on Wednesday morning at 10am for Requiem Mass at 11.30am in the Church of the Holy Rosary
Chris will be laid to rest afterwards in Castlebar New Cemetery
The Mass will be streamed live https://www.churchtv.ie/castlebar.ie
donations if desired to any of the following charities;
https://www.svp.ie/
https://www.mwss.ie/
https://www.hospice.ie/donations/donate-online/
Anyone wishing to offer their sympathies to the family can leave a message by clicking on the “Condolences” link below.
Enquiries to Thomas Moran & Sons, Castlebar 087 2364598 / 094 90 21231
memorial mass or anniversary for a Loved One?You can now create a family notice on RIP.ie to remember your loved one
A woman has been killed in an incident involving a truck on the Rathbawn Road in Castlebar this morning
was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 9.55am
The driver of the lorry has been taken to hospital for treatment
The road was closed for technical examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators which is now completed
Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses to the incident to come forward
Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling in the area between 9:30am and 10:00am are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Castlebar Garda Station on 094 9038200
the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111
Chris (Christina) O'Donnell (née Walsh)
The sons of a woman who died following a road tragedy in Co Mayo have paid a touching tribute to their mother who they remembered as a “wonderful mother” and an “adoring granny.”
Chris (Christina) O'Donnell (née Walsh) died after she was struck by a lorry while she was walking on the Rathbaun Road in Castlebar on Thursday morning, April 24, 2025 at approximately 9:55am.
Ms O’Donnell was aged in her 60s and lived in Rathbawn Drive, Castlebar and was formerly of Clogher, Bohola.
The driver of the lorry was taken to hospital for treatment.
A large crowd of mourners packed into the Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar for Ms O’Donnell’s funeral mass on Wednesday morning.
Among the mourners were Ms O’Donnell’s husband Vinny, sons Neil and Ronan and daughter Mairead.
At the beginning of the mass, a number of symbols were brought forward to the alter representing Ms O’Donnell’s life. Among the symbols was a photograph of her grandchildren, whom she loved dearly.
In a touching tribute, Ms O’Donnell’s son Neil thanked the large congregation for coming to the mass and said he hoped what he was about to say would do justice to their “caring mam."
Ms O’Donnell finished school in the mid 1970s and went to the UK for a short time before returning to Co Mayo and taking up a job in the Welcome Inn Hotel.
"A job she loved,” said Neil. “It was there she fell in love with our Dad and they got married shortly after.
"Mam spent 20 years working in the Welcome Inn where she spoke glowingly of the great times she had there with great friends, all of whom are still great friends to this day,” said Neil.
After working in the Welcome Inn, Ms O’Donnell spent over 20 years working for the HSE as a receptionist in the Radiography Department of Mayo University Hospital.
"Numerous people have commented on how helpful she was while working there,” said Neil.
The congregation heard Ms O’Donnell was a diligent and a respected member of staff.
On Friday afternoon, staff at the hospital formed a large guard of honour while Ms O’Donnell’s remains were removed from the hospital.
Neil said his mother was a wonderful mother who was always encouraging and good craic.
"When she wanted to lay down the law, we all knew where we would stood,” said Neil.
Neil explained her caring nature was demonstrated as she looked after her own mother for a period of time.
“Mam was always recognised as a person with boundless energy which left her able to run two households – one in Rathbawn and one in Knights Park. We relied on her for everything,” said Neil.
Ronan spoke of how Ms O’Donnell loved and adored her grandchildren and was always “eager and willing” to do everything she could to support her family.
"I wish to sincerely thank everyone for their help, support, encouragement and kind words during this difficult time.
"Nothing prepared us for what we have been faced with over this past week and we know she will be there to give us the strength to carry on.
"Rest in peace Mam, we love you dearly,” said Ronan.
The mass was celebrated by Parish Priest Fr Conal Eustace who said Ms O’Donnell’s death is a reminder of the fragility of life.
He said the sun shinning outside was the “exact opposite” of how Ms O’Donnell’s family are feeling but it was a symbolisation of Ms O’Donnell’s life and what that life meant to her family, friends and work colleagues.
"What is outside that door there – warmth, sunshine and brightness – aren’t they the words that keep coming up in all the condolences that have been expressed.
"Of Chris’ warmth and her sunny disposition. Everyone says you always felt better for having spoken to her and more so, for having listened to her,” said Fr Eustace.
Speaking of her work, Fr Eustace said Ms O’Donnell would have been responsible for the first impression people would have received of the Welcome Inn and also the Radiography Department at MUH.
“To be able to meet someone as reassuring, as welcoming and as full of all that is positive in life – what a difference that must have made to all the people who out of necessity had to go for an X-Ray.
"What a great position to be in where you meet so many people and what an influence you can have on them,” said Fr Eustace.
The congregation heard that family was very important to Ms O’Donnell – both the generations ahead of her and the generations after her.
Following the mass, Ms O’Donnell’s remains were taken from the church for burial at Castlebar New Cemetery.
Ms O’Donnell is predeceased by her parents Michael and Margaret, brothers-in-law Seamus, Johnny and Glen, sisters-in-law Maureen and Ruth and Nephew Darren (Gallagher).
Gaelic FootballGalway grit prevails as killer touch fails Mayo once againIf the handbrakes were being applied because of a qualifier draw made a few days earlier that sent the winners into the most difficult group that three years of round-robin has produced, Connor Gleeson didn’t hear the instruction. Neither did …
Connacht's Shayne Bolton, Jack Carty and Shamus Hurley-Langton visit Hastings Insurance MacHale Park ahead of the BKT United Rugby Championship game versus Munster Rugby on Saturday, March 29th. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie
The sign on behalf of the Castlebar Municipal District was erected on the Mall. However, on Wednesday afternoon it was usurped for one bearing Mayo Co Council’s name. Cllr Blackie Gavin pointed out the switch at a meeting of Castlebar Municipal District.
“Someone has taken our sign,” said Cllr Gavin while Cllr Donna Sheridan said the original sign should go “straight back up".
Cllr Al McDonnell said a sign for a bar on the way to Balla was recently removed by the council and has since gone missing.
“I would be surprised if they don’t put up a Mayo.ie sign instead,” quipped Cllr Sheridan.
Vincent Irwin, 13th April 2025, Blackfort, Castlebar, peacefully in the loving care of the staff of Cuan Chaitriona Nursing Home, Castlebar, surrounded by his loving family.
Predeceased by his parents Stephen and Margaret and his brother Seán.
Deeply regretted by his heartbroken wife Angela, daughters Lorraine and Hilary, son Ken, brother Padraic, sisters Mary (Granville) and Ann (Crofton), sons-in-law David and Con, daughter-in-law Lorna, grandchildren Leah and Emily, sister-in-law Josie, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends.
May he rest in peace
Vincent will repose in St. Aidan Room, Islandeady on Tuesday (April 15th) from 5.30 -7pm.
Funeral cortege will arrive to St. Patrick’s Church, Islandeady on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m for Requiem Mass at 11.30 a.m.
Vincent will be laid to rest afterwards in Islandeady Cemetery.
Enquiries to Thomas Moran & Sons, Castlebar 087 2364598 / 094 90 21231
Rip.ie, The Irish Times Building, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2, Ireland
Mayo Sports Partnership are delighted to launch their May Adult Swimming Lessons Schedule for Castlebar
These are all 6 week programmes taking place in Lough Lannagh Leisure Centre Castlebar
Castlebar Celtic's Jason Hunt is tackled by Salthill Devon players during their FAI Junior Cup quarter-final clash in Celtic Park, Castelbar. Pic: The Mayo News
Kevin Beirne Auctioneer celebrates 20 years in business in Castlebar. Photo: Alison Laredo
The business said: "We’d like to sincerely thank all our clients, partners, and staff — both past and present — for your continued support over the years.
"Here’s to many more successful years in Castlebar!"
Castlebar's Sean Tonra is named to start for the Connacht juniors against Ulster. Picture: Castlebar Rugby Club
After a tough first match against Munster, the Connacht Juniors are back and ready to face their Ulster counterparts in the Junior Interprovincial Series.
It is set to be a special day for Castlebar clubman Sean Tonra, who will don the provincial jersey on his home turf while clubmate Sean Connolly is among the replacements.
Tonra comes in as hooker while Tuam’s Conor O'Shaughnessy and Creggs’ Mark Purcell swap positions from the first match squad. Monivea’s Dean O'Reilly moves from the bench to the starting pack as a wing.
Along with Connolly, there is also a place on the bench for Michael Jordan of Ballyhaunis RFC, as well as Ballina’s Liam Jones.
It is set to be a bumper day in Cloondeash, with the official opening of their new stand for spectator at 1pm by IRFU president Declan Madden marking the beginning of their celebrations for the club’s 140th anniversary.
Mr Madden is also special guest for a night of entertainment later that evening, which takes place in the clubhouse at 8pm.
Oran Groarke in possession for Castlebar Celtic during their 1-0 win over Salthill Devon in the 2024 Connacht Junior Cup semi-final (Pic: John Corless)
After their second appeal-counter-appeal saga in the space of a year
Castlebar Celtic’s golden generation have been reinstated in the only cup they have yet to win
With back-to-back Mayo Super Leagues and the Connacht Junior Cup titles adorning their 100-year-old mantle
Celtic have their sights set once again on a competition which they exited and re-entered in bizarre circumstances
It began on February 16, when The Hoops travelled to Waterford for a last-sixteen meeting with Villa FC. The hosts beat them 3-0, and Celtic’s halo-like aura of invincibility evaporated
Then it emerged that Villa had fielded an ineligible player in the tie. Celtic lodged a success appeal, Villa were out
Ironically, only last year, their next opponents, Sathill Devon, were at the centre of a well-documented furore over the appointment of Mayo officials to Celtic’s Connacht Cup semi-final victory.
Castlebar Celtic manager Stevie Gavin is already looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the Galway city junior soccer heavyweights
We brought Johnny Cocozza and Niall Brennan into the group
so we’re looking forward to it,” Gavin told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday)
While Celtic have lost attacker Basho Hay to emigration
they have been boosted by the return to training of striker Eoghan Hughes
Their only major concern is defender Brian Walsh
who is ‘touch and go’ for Sunday’s fixture
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