‘I’m so excited’ to tell everyone who supported the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice 1980s Disco fundraiser in any way that we raised a total of €4,120.

I am also very proud to say I am a Rossie girl – having experienced so much generosity, kindness and helpfulness from my local Roscommon town community since I began organising the 1980s fancy dress disco in aid of Mayo/Roscommon Hospice.

This is a wonderful charity, close to all our hearts. I could not have organised the event without the help of local businesses and my old school pals from the 1980s who have encouraged and motivated me with great excitement and confidence from the outset.

I would like to thank the following businesses who donated spot prizes for the €5 raffle, best costumes and Name that Tune Competition: Satara Boutique, Hannon’s Hotel, The Curtain Centre, Abbey Hotel, The Hair-Port Hair Salon, Jackson’s Restaurant and Accommodation, Timothy’s Londis, Regan’s Gastro Pub, Rogue & Co Café, Abbey Meats, McGuinness Total Health Pharmacy, Molloy’s Pharmacy, Rosmed Pharmacy, the Skincare and Hair Spa, Assumpta’s Beauty Salon, The Cut Above Hair Salon, Burgoyne Hairdressing, Ardcarne Garden Centre, Future Flowers (Florist), Signature Flowers, Time Pieces, Ramone’s Hair Salon, Alter Ego Hair Salon, Sephora Boutique, Galaxy Hair and Beauty, Aphrodites Hair Studio, The Hair Boutique, Gleeson’s Hotel, The Pepper Mill Restaurant, The Comfy Café, Gerard McDermott wreath manufacturer, John Corcoran Menswear, Topline Ward’s Hardware store, McNeill’s Deli, Finn Electrical Expert.

Thanks also to the following businesses who bought tickets: The Pantry Café, Au Natural health and wellness store, the Lounge Barbers and Academy, Roscommon Sports (sportswear store), John Corcoran Menswear, Molloy’s Carry Out off-licence, Madden’s Meats, LTB Bathrooms, Rummage (Antiques, etc), Walsh’s of Castle Street, Gannon’s Furniture and Carpets, The Slaughter House discount store, Cycle Up Textiles, Shanagher Hearing, Kodak Express photo and Happy Scissors Hair Salon.

Thank you to Molloy’s Bakery, Abbeytown, Fleming’s SuperValu and Donnellan’s Lady & Co (both Main Street) and Hynes’ Pharmacy, Castle Street, who all offered to sell tickets for the event.

Thank you to everyone who made private donations to the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice charity both before and after the event.

I would like to thank sincerely thank the following people who also helped me make the Mayo/Roscommon fundraiser such a wonderful success: Larry O’Gara, who provided us with Nancy’s Nightclub to hold the charity event in and for allowing us access to the nightclub the evening before the event to enable my friends and I to  prepare for the disco.

Seamus Duke, who kindly gave up his time to be our DJ for the night. He ‘Pumped up the Jam’ to keep us swarming onto the dancefloor jumping, jiving, hopping and boogeying, singing and swaying to the sounds and hits of the ‘80s until the early hours of the morning. ‘Thank you for the music’ Seamus!

Claire Hussey, for her beautifully displayed basket of flowers which she donated for the raffle.

Niamh’s Party Palace, who provided us with colourful balloons to transform the nightclub into a bright and cheerful party setting.

Sean Doyle Windows who sponsored the advertising of the event on Shannonside Radio and Shannonside Radio for making numerous announcements about the event. Also Michael Commins from Midwest Radio who announced the event on his radio show.

Newsround bookstore and Cormican’s Office and Art Supplies who donated the envelopes for the €5 raffle.

To the caring shop assistant in Homesavers who insisted on paying for the tablecloth which was used to display all the spot prizes and flower displays on the stage, a big thank you.

Paul Healy, Editor of the Roscommon People and James Fogarty, journalist with the Roscommon Herald for kindly publicising the event over the past couple of months.

To the very obliging Kathy Andrewartha from the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation office in Knock who designed and printed the posters and tickets for fundraiser.

Eithne Merriman who took time to design a striking brightly coloured backdrop for the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice fundraiser which was displayed on the Nancy’s stage during the event.

To my wonderful, reliable school pals from yesteryear who have supported me since last February when the preparations for the event began. They helped me with great enthusiasm to prepare the nightclub the evening before and carried out numerous tasks on the night. I could not have done it without them.

Thank you to Claire Finneran, Berni Maher, Edel Lynch, Eithne Merriman, Grainne Merriman, Rachel Feeley, Anne Tully, Ann Hanly, Michael Hussey and Seamus Golden and to my sister Sandra Connelly and my husband Fergal McCrann who has supported me all the way.

Lastly, a huge thank you to the hundreds of people who attended the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice 1980s Disco on Friday, August 9th.

You all helped to create a wonderful atmosphere in Nancy’s, on a night filled with endless fun and laughter. No-one was ‘Too Shy’ to get out onto the dancefloor for we were all ‘In the mood for dancing’ and willing to dance ‘All night Long’. Some of us took the opportunity to relive our teenage years by dressing up in 1980s garb, showing off our neon-coloured tops, lycra trousers, psychedelic dresses and skirts, black fishnets, high-waisted ripped knee denims, legwarmers, etc. Also, we cannot forget the big hair: back-combed, side ponytails and curls plus the bright hair bows and bands. As the lyrics from an old Elvis song go ‘It was a night, oh what a night, it really was such a night’.

Thank you to everyone who purchased raffle tickets.  Congratulations to everyone who won a spot prize from the raffle and those who won a prize for best costume and to those who took part in the Name that Song competition.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works so diligently for Mayo/Roscommon Hospice foundation and wish them every success for the future. We are blessed to have Roscommon Hospice open in our town. It is such an excellent facility to have in our midst. May the charity continue to thrive and blossom as the years go on.

Forever thankful,

Evelyn Killeen-McCrann

The post ‘Thank you for the music’ (and the great support) – 1980s Disco raises €4,210 for Hospice appeared first on Roscommon People.

Coronavirus has brought me equal amounts of fear, loss, hope and excitement. Working from home in Roscommon for The Irish Times was a distant dream before the pandemic hit – an intangible concept, something which I was afraid to hope for because of the inevitable disappointment I felt I would face.

Now, I have hope. I have lived in Roscommon while working completely remotely for the last four months now. I have seen the trees which line The Avenue (*my avenue) in Ballaghaderreen go from bare to green, I’ve seen my family most days and my school friends when the lockdown lifted. I have had a break from extortionate rent, the buzz and hum of city life, the nighttime glow of streetlights. I go to the bread van (Dun Bakery) in Ballaghaderreen every Friday, I shop in Padraig Mulligan’s for paint and chat about potato blight remedies with Michael. The middle aisle in Lidl, Castlerea is my new Grafton Street, the post woman Mary is my weekly gift giver.

I’ve jumped into Lough Key on easy evenings after work, walked with my next-door neighbour and lifelong best friend on our lunchbreak. Before, we met at the CHQ in Dublin’s IFSC.

Recently my boyfriend and I moved into my Grandad’s old house in Redridge, Derrinacartha, and that has given me a whole new sense of perspective. Grandad has been in town now for a few years, but he has left the place immaculate. I painted the walls and put throws on the couches, aired out the wardrobes and lit the range, trying to give it a woman’s touch.

But as I sit here at the kitchen table looking out onto the road, I can’t help but think my Granny Kathleen was the real Queen of this castle, and I am a poor substitute for the woman we loved and miss so much. I think of her every day I am here and I feel closer to her now than I have in years.

The lockdown has given me these unexpected joys, but also an anxiety that can be hard to shake some days.

I worry about my job security, about the house we are buying in Dublin. I am nervous about my Grandad, and my parents; hoping they are being cautious but also that they don’t worry too much.

It upsets me to think about people who can’t be with those they love, and the ritual of grief which some people close to me have been robbed of.

I am sad for my siblings and the time they have lost with their friends in college; I miss my aunts and uncles and the mayhem their visits bring.

Mostly, though, I worry about whether I’ll ever see the beer garden in Gings in Carrick-on-Shannon again.

Although Roscommon has been a revelation these last few months, I am beginning to miss Dublin’s variety, its endless selection of restaurants, pubs, concerts and museums. I miss my work colleagues and the sanctuary the office gave us on hard days. I want to walk around the city’s streets and meet my friends there who inspire me and keep me ambitious.

Coronavirus has given me a lot of anxiety, worry for the future and upset over what has been lost to it. Equally, though, it has given me hope that my life might not have to be lived in one place – coronavirus might just have given me the best of both.

The post A sign of the Times: Niamh on working from home appeared first on Roscommon People.

Connacht Rangers mutiny 100 years ago

By the summer of 1920, the War of Independence had escalated at both local and national level, with ambushes and burnings. The unsavoury behaviour of Black and Tan/Crown forces in Ireland had repercussions that gained an international dimension when it sparked off a mutiny in India, while at home in Roscommon the RIC suffered their first casualty of the war in the county.

In the spring of 1920, the British government had introduced a new force to Ireland. This force was recruited to augment the Royal Irish Constabulary, which at that stage had come under severe pressure because of the retirements and resignations of many of its members and also due to a fall-off in recruitment.

The new force was officially called the RIC Special Reserve, but they were to become known in Ireland as the infamous ‘Black and Tans’. The unusual name for the hastily recruited special reserve came about because its members were attired in a hybrid outfit of dark police uniforms and army khaki.

The Black and Tans were mainly recruited from the thousands of soldiers that were demobilised after the Great War in Europe and were a battle-hardened and quite aggressive group, quickly making a name for themselves for their violence and brutality. For the duration of the troubles the Black and Tans were guilty of many cold-blooded murders in Ireland.

County Roscommon also suffered the wrath of the Black and Tans, as will be recounted in further articles of this series. In July 1920, the RIC was again bolstered by yet another new force known as the Auxiliary Division of the RIC. They were also recruited from ex-British army WW 1 veterans and they were made up of the officer corp. The Auxiliaries (or ‘Auxies’) were a feared force and were noted for their extreme brutality and violence.

Here we will digress a little from the local scene to illustrate how the actions of the Black and Tans had far-reaching effects in far-off places. By the summer of 1920, reports of Black and Tan atrocities in Ireland began to trickle to the outside world.

News of the violence even travelled as far as the Indian Punjab where a British army regiment, the Connacht Rangers, were stationed. The regiment’s members were mostly recruited from counties in the west of Ireland. When news of the brutality at home reached the ears of Irishmen serving in the British army in India, it propelled some of them to action. As a result of hearing of the atrocities back at home, a few members of the regiment organised a protest in India by refusing to obey orders from their superior officers.

On 28th of June 1920, five men from C Company of the first battalion based at Wellington Barracks Jalandhar in the Punjab instigated the protest against martial law in Ireland. The mutiny spread to the city of Solon where the rangers were also stationed. When the authorities at Solon learned of the mutiny they placed all rifles under lock and key in the armoury.

On 1st of July (just one hundred years ago last week) a group of fifty mutineers armed with bayonets attempted to break into the British army weapons store at Solon. The soldier who led the attack was a man called James Joseph Daly who was born in Ballymoe in the parish of St. Croan’s on the Roscommon/Galway border. His family later moved to Westmeath. British troops opened fire on the mutineers, killing two and wounding others. After a few days, outnumbered and overpowered, Daly and his men were forced to surrender.

The protest in India led to the arrest and court-martial of many of the mutineers and harsh sentences being carried out. Fourteen men were sentenced to death, but the only person executed was James Daly, who was considered to be the ringleader of the mutiny. James Daly was executed by firing squad in Dagshai Prison in northern India on the morning of 2nd of November 1920 and his body was buried in the prison yard. He was just a month short of his 21st birthday. Fifty years later, on November 1 1970, Daly’s remains were repatriated from India to Tyrellpass, Co. Westmeath, where his family had settled. Six thousand people attended the funeral and the Tricolour that draped his coffin was the same flag that had draped the coffin of Terence MacSwiney in 1920. After James Daly’s remains were laid to rest, an IRA firing party delivered a final salute by firing a volley of shots over his grave.

Meanwhile, back in Roscommon, the summer months saw an upsurge in activities and the war was moving up a gear. RIC men had come under fire in Kilglass and Curraghroe, but there were no casualties. However, on 12th of July, the first police casualty in County Roscommon occurred when an ambush took place at Moneen Cross about three miles from Ballyleague on the road to Roscommon town. Men of the third Battalion South Roscommon Brigade lay in wait for the two-man bicycle patrol that was approaching from Lanesborough.

The volunteers thought the two police would surrender their weapons without a struggle, but after being called on to halt the RIC men pedalled faster to get away. The attackers fired on them and the result of the clash was one RIC man killed and the other escaping without injury. Rifles and revolvers were captured.

Also during July, volunteers from the third Battalion North Roscommon Brigade decided to burn the courthouse in Strokestown, using petrol and paraffin as combustibles. Petrol at that time was an uncommon substance and the men were not familiar with its use. It was even ordered by IRA headquarters that petrol, due to its highly explosive nature, was not to be used by volunteers in their operations. However, in the Strokestown operation, the floors of the courthouse were saturated with the stuff.

Then someone struck a match prematurely and the entire interior of the building became a fireball. The four men inside tried frantically to escape by exiting the ground floor and scaling the ladder to get to the street outside. They managed to escape the inferno but not without suffering severe burns to their hands and faces. Three of the injured were initially spirited to the Strokestown Infirmary where local doctors attended to them.

Later, two of the men had to be brought to Dublin for skin grafts and over a period of time and with special treatment all of the injured men fully recovered from their burns. Subsequently, one of the courthouse attackers was charged with the arson attack and received a ten-year jail sentence. He was released after the truce.

The month of August saw further attacks on the RIC. The barracks at Loughglynn, which had been occupied by British army and police, was evacuated when they moved to the Castlerea fortress.

An order for the destruction of the building was given to the local volunteers, and as was the common practice, the building was burned on the night after the evacuation. At the end of August volunteers from the fourth Battalion South Roscommon Brigade set up an ambush at Knockcroghery rail crossing. They opened fire on a two-man RIC bicycle patrol that was coming from the Athlone direction, killing one member. The other constable escaped without injury.

More articles later (An Staraí Áitiúil)

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Before his death in 1953, George N. Geraghty wrote extensively about his memories of life in Roscommon Town (and environs) in the early years of the 20th century…the Roscommon People is pleased to serialise these fascinating memories

School days

The Ballroom was used as a Boys School for a good many years. Prior to this the boys school was situated at the end of McDonnell’s Lane, (also known as Chapel Lane) in the ruins of the old Catholic Chapel. This was built in the Penal Days; it was built there because the people could not get any other site in the town.

The boys were removed from Chapel Lane to the Ballroom and from the Ballroom to the then new National Schools at the end of P.C. Mitchell’s yard.

I attended this school and my physical recollections of it are anything but cheerful. We had no steam-rolled roads in those days. The approach to the school from the Market Square in wintertime was covered with mud and the schoolroom inside was like a big barn. There were three open fireplaces along one side wall. Some days you might see a few sods of turf for a fire, and as for sanitary arrangements, they were as bad as could be – no water to flush and a rotten outlet to a filthy cesspool. Whoever was responsible for selecting the site had something to account for.

Mr Thomas Larkin was then principal teacher. He has long since retired. And those of us who knew what conditions he had to contend with often wonder how he managed to turn out so many brilliant students, who in after years occupied some of the best positions in the ecclesiastical, professional and commercial world. ‘Tom’ Larkin is still in good health, and good luck to him! I hope the boys attending the C.B. Schools will appreciate the comfort they are afforded in the present lovely schools.

Harrison

Memorial Hall

The Harrison Hall was formerly Roscommon’s Court House. When the present Court House was built the parish priest got possession of the old Court House and it became the parish church and so it remained a church, until the late Monsignor McLoughlin conceived the idea of building a new church. Those who knew Monsignor McLoughlin with his big heart and his big mind were not surprised when they heard that the plans for a splendid church were prepared. At first the people were asking why such a big church for Roscommon and where will the money come from to pay for the building? Well the Church was built and the money was found to pay for the building of it. But Roscommon people must never forget that the late Dean Cummins was responsible for collecting most of the money. He travelled North and South America, England, Wales and Scotland, and he never gave up this hard task until it could be said that he had accomplished what his former parish priest Monsignor McLoughlin set (out) to do for the people of Roscommon – that was to build and adorn a church which is one of the finest in Ireland. When the Blessed Sacrament was transferred to the new church the work of removing the remains of two priests (Rev. Fr. Madden, P.P. and Rev. Dr. Phillips, P.P.) was started. They were buried in front of the high altar and are now interred under the grotto at the back of the new church. The bell was then taken down from the old belfry and it now rings out the time from the clock in the tower of the new church. Some short time after, the stone cross that surmounted the dome of the old belfry fell on to the roof of the old church; it got held in the rafters and it is now set over the crown of the arch of the grotto at the entrance of the new church. The high altar, which was a timber structure, was taken to Ballyleague (Lanesboro) Church.

The older people of Roscommon will tell you what a difference there is in the town now compared with fifty years ago. Today the town is clean and bright looking. The new buildings are up to date and it can compare well with any other Irish town of its size. Now to my mind this change for the better was brought about through the building of the new church. The shadow of its splendid spire could no longer be cast down on lowly thatched cabins. Something had to be done to bring the streets into keeping with the lovely church and so we have today a very clean town reflecting a glorious House of God.

The same influence did its good work on the population of the town. As witness the congregations attending the devotions in the church, all well dressed and notice in the absence of crime in and around the town – all in strong contrast with the Roscommon of half a century ago.

Water Supply

The laying of water supply to the town fulfilled a great need. Heretofore the people had to depend on the town pumps. There were several pumps, one before and one behind the Harrison Hall; one at the end of Henry St., one in J. Caulfield’s yard, one in Luke Hayden’s yard, one in each of the old jails, one at the back of Jack Naughton’s and several others. Most of them went dry in summer, so donkey carts and barrels were used to bring the water from Carrowroe well and ‘Mike’ Monahan’s well. The members of the Old ‘Board of Guardians’ had many heated debates at their meetings before it was decided to proceed with the lying of the water supply and some very hard-fought elections took place over the same work.

(Series continues in coming weeks

The post Roscommon As It Was appeared first on Roscommon People.

Ten years ago…

 Ten years ago this summer, they lined the streets of Belfast to say farewell to the man they called Sandy. Sandy to his own people, Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins to those of us who borrowed him for a few unforgettable, chaotic decades.

Bereft at their loss – anguished that persistent demons had finally trumped genius – they stood in silence for their Sandy. Every so often, another veteran of the professional snooker circuit – most of them lost in memories of the past – came into view, their presence greeted with heartfelt ripples of grateful applause. The eclectic members of the Hurricane’s supporting cast were here to pay their respects.

Belfast paused for its fallen tormented genius…and many of my generation stopped too. We said goodbye to an astonishing man, a Nureyev of the green baize who was also a tempestuous force of nature. He wasn’t the most successful snooker player of all time, but he was certainly the most compelling, and perhaps the one who was most touched by genius.

More than that, he had charisma, volatility, showmanship, charm – rebelliousness too – of such magnitude that it is to him we must give most credit for the extraordinary elevation of snooker from the nondescript smoke-filled halls of grim city side streets to mainstream acclaim as a televised sport watched by millions.

The advent of colour TV, the popularity of the quaint ‘Pot Black’ show, and the resulting profile of dapper gents like Ray Reardon and John Spencer did much to bring snooker to the masses, but it was the irrepressible, flamboyant and mesmerising Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins who almost single-handedly made snooker the riveting sporting soap opera which came to be adored by millions of people.

Alex Higgins was probably the ultimate sporting hero of my youth. Well, that’s a big call – I loved Best and Ali and many of the Leeds United legends – but Alex takes some beating!

I began watching him in the late 1970s – and never stopped. He was sensational. Mind you, watching him was incredibly nerve-racking. He played without fear, living on the edge. We willed every ball in. I wrote some weeks ago (in this series) how I used to dread the great Ille Nastase’s exit from a tennis tournament. I’m sure that’s because we saw so little tennis, and the departure of the eccentric entertainer meant much of the promise and magic of the tournament went with him. It was the exact same with Alex. Although I loved snooker, when Alex bowed out, the tournament lost a significant amount of its appeal.

This brings us to Alex’s impact, and legacy. You might argue that he wasn’t amongst the top four or five of all time (which is debatable), and you might frown at his frequent bad behaviour, but many observers will always contend that he was the most influential figure in the game. I know that legends like Joe Davis, John Spencer, Ray Reardon and Steve Davis certainly did their bit, but it was Higgins who lifted snooker from the dimly-lit halls and plonked it in front of an enthralled audience of millions.

What was it about Higgins, just how did he revolutionise snooker? As Eamon Dunphy might say, it’s called style, baby!

Enigmatic entertainer

Fred Davis: “Alex has one of the sharpest brains in the game”. John Pulman: “The quickest brain the game has ever seen”. Steve Davis on the importance of the crowd to Alex: “It makes him feel like God. When Alex is playing at his best, he’s the best player in the world”. Terry Griffiths: “I love watching him play. He’s so exciting”. Doug Mountjoy: “Sometimes he will do something just for the crowd. He might have an easy positional shot on, but he’ll do the outrageous”. Ray Reardon: “It’s not all bang, crash, all that business. He knows where the ball’s going. He reads the table as quick as a flash”. Jimmy White: “He’s the only player that other snooker players will actually go and watch – including me”.

– From ‘Snookered’ by Donald Trelford (1986)

Alex Higgins changed snooker forever because snooker – sport arguably – had never quite seen anything like him.

Before Higgins came along, professional snooker had little or no mainstream media profile. At the top level, the game was played by middle-aged men who behaved impeccably, slowly circling the table and studiously (and slowly) choosing their shots. Invariably, they played with safety in mind; snooker as chess with balls.

Higgins, meanwhile, was a cheeky young kid growing up in Belfast. In the time-honoured tradition of future snooker stars, he began spending more time in the local snooker hall than in school. He quickly excelled at the game, learning and honing his skills in the Jampot club (often practising for up to ten hour a day). Legend has it that he moved around the table with speed for fear of getting a belt over the head from the hardened adult players who were being humiliated by this upstart!

Higgins was Northern Ireland amateur champion at age 18, Irish champion shortly afterwards, and played in the World Professional Championships for the first time in 1972, aged 22. Sensationally, Higgins won the title, defeating Rex Williams 31-30 in a classic semi-final, before beating hot favourite John Spencer in the final (37-32). The Hurricane had announced his arrival to the world.

Young Alex was playing a style of snooker that nobody had ever seen. His attacking play stunned the game’s elders, turning everything they knew about their sport on its head. His audacious long putting, rapid-fire play and inventive shot-making had audiences – and opponents – gasping. Higgins was taking a once-sedate sport and Hurricanising it! His emergence led to a massive increase in the game’s popularity. He was supremely entertaining, his style of play making him box office!

Snooker’s wild man

‘The TIMES headline read ‘Snooker star Alex Higgins plunges 25 feet to break his ankle after mistaking a window for a door’. Pat Hammond remembers the incident: ‘My sister rang me from London…and I said: ‘Just a moment, I’ll have to leave the call, Alex Higgins has just gone past my window’. The eyewitness continued: ‘As luck would have it, the forces of law and order were in the vicinity. There was a policeman there, and a sergeant. And the policeman said to the sergeant, ‘Oh God, do you think he’s dead?’ Higgins looked up and said, ‘No, but I bet you wish I was’. It was the funniest thing’’

– From ‘The Hurricane’ by Bill Borrows (2002)

What also made Higgins box office was the whiff of danger around him. His behaviour, at the best of times erratic, was often unacceptable; he became the ‘wild man’ of sport. His off-table exploits were on the front pages of the tabloids as much as his snooker brilliance was featured in the sports pages.

Higgins thrilled fans with his showmanship and attacking snooker, while also leading a chaotic private life…involving marital problems, gambling, heavy drinking, fights, clashes with authority. He was found guilty of head-butting a tournament official, and of urinating in a flower pot at the Crucible Theatre. Joe Davis, he was not!

In 1988, he played a couple of tournaments while on crutches! After a three-hour row with his girlfriend (detailed above), Higgins tried to ‘escape’ through a window – but forget that her flat was on the third floor. By the time the Benson & Hedges tournament started in Goffs in Kildare, Higgins was still injured. He got to the final, defeating Stephen Hendry 9-8, while limping around the table!

1982…and THAT break

His was such a chaotic journey through life, perhaps the wonder is that he achieved all that he did as a player.

Those of us of the proverbial ‘certain age’ will never forget his second world title triumph, which came in 1982, culminating in those iconic scenes of Higgins crying as he pleaded with his then wife Lynn to join him with their baby, Lauren.

Higgins had sealed that comeback win with a great 135 break against Ray Reardon. In the semi-final, he made arguably the greatest pressure break ever seen in snooker, a magical 69 which broke his great friend, Jimmy White. Now that is worth watching on YouTube, particularly for a pot on the blue which (as a positional shot) still defies all logic. It is often described as the single greatest snooker shot in history.

In 1983, Higgins had another never-to-be-forgotten triumph, coming from 7-0 behind to defeat his great rival Steve Davis (16-15) in the UK Final. In Rooskey, I watched, spellbound.

The gripping Higgins soap opera had attracted millions of people to the game. In the early 1980s, as Alex-mania took over the UK and Ireland, publican Andy Byrne put seven or eight full-sized snooker tables into the spacious lounge of his pub in Dublin Street in Longford. A friend and I thumbed in most Wednesdays, for a couple of hours of weekly snooker. And Alex was our hero!

It’s a sad year for snooker fans, with the passing of Willie Thorne. The cast of the 1980s (and ‘90s) were wonderful. Higgins was the irrepressible hero-villain of that era. I love how graciously people like Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan still speak of the troubled but mesmerising Alex.

Ten years ago this summer, Belfast paused for its fallen tormented genius…and we watched, our sadness offset by happy memories of Alex in his utterly captivating prime. And his peers, the men who graced the Crucible on our TV screens, solemnly stood amongst Sandy’s people. The worst of the past was forgotten. Alex was Alex. The memory of his genius prevailed now. The downcast snooker greats gathered with dignity, to remember, and celebrate, the man who had infuriated and thrilled them, the man who paved their paths with some glory and gold. “He is a legend of snooker” Ronnie O’Sullivan said, “and should forever be remembered as the finest ever snooker player”.

Alex Higgins. Probably my greatest sporting hero. Wild and wonderful. I loved him.

The post Alex Higgins appeared first on Roscommon People.

Having won the title for the first time in their history in 2019, Padraig Pearses will face Boyle, Michael Glavey’s and intermediate champions Tulsk in Group C of the Hodson Bay SFC.

The champions, and last year’s semi-finalists Boyle will be strong favourites to emerge from the group when the championships begin on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of July.

As usual there are some interesting sub-plots ahead. For example, new Western Gaels manager Fergal O’Donnell will come up against his former club teammate and good friend Liam McNeill as his new charges and last year’s beaten finalists Roscommon Gaels will meet in Group B. St. Croan’s and Fuerty will complete that group.

There will be two big local derbies in Group A as St. Brigid’s will meet old rivals Clann na nGael and Elphin will play Strokestown.

In the Mulryan Construction IFC, Group A is a real ‘Group of death’, as last year’s beaten finalists Oran, Kilmore, Castlerea St. Kevin’s and Conor Cox’s new club, Eire Og, will all fight it out for the quarter-final spots.

Championship favourites St. Faithleach’s will face Creggs, Kilbride and St. Aidan’s in Group B. Group C looks very evenly matched with St. Dominic’s, Shannon Gaels, St. Barry’s and last year’s junior champions Ballinameen ready to do battle.

In the King & Moffatt JF ‘A’ Championship there is a real local feel to Group A with three neighbours in the five-team section. Roscommon Gaels, St. Joseph’s and St. Dominic’s are alongside Western Gaels and Castlerea St. Kevin’s.

St. Brigid’s will fancy their chances in Group B (alongside St. Ronan’s, Boyle and St. Michael’s) while Kilglass Gaels will be hoping to bounce back to the intermediate ranks immediately. They are in a group with Padraig Pearses, Elphin and Clann na nGael.

The football championships will see the top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals with the third-placed teams in the respective groups playing off for the final two spots in the last eight. The bottom team in each group will be involved in a relegation play-off. The championships will start on the weekend of the 25th and 26th of July and the fixtures will be published later this week.

In the Kepak SHC holders Four Roads are in a tough group alongside Padraig Pearses, Oran and St. Dominic’s. Tremane, Roscommon Gaels and Athleague will compete in Group B. The hurling championship will start on the weekend of the 17th of July.

The full draw:

Hodson Bay Hotel Roscommon SFC

Group A: Strokestown, St. Brigid’s, Elphin, Clann na nGael. Group B: Roscommon Gaels, St. Croan’s, Western Gaels, Fuerty. Group C: Padraig Pearses, Boyle, Michael Glavey’s, Tulsk Lord Edward’s.

Mulryan Construction Roscommon IFC

Group A: Oran, Kilmore, Castlerea St. Kevin’s, Eire Og. Group B: St. Faithleach’s, Creggs, Kilbride, St. Aidan’s. Group C: St. Dominic’s, Shannon Gaels, St. Barry’s, Ballinameen.

King & Moffat Roscommon JFC

Group A: Roscommon Gaels, St. Joseph’s, Western Gaels, St. Dominic’s, Castlerea St. Kevin’s. Group B: St. Brigid’s, St. Ronan’s, Boyle, St. Michael’s. Group C: Kilglass Gaels, Padraig Pearses, Elphin, Clann na nGael.

Kepak Roscommon SHC

Group A: Padraig Pearses, Oran, Four Roads, St. Dominic’s. Group B: Tremane, Roscommon Gaels, Athleague.

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By Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan

A minister without a mandate is currently pushing for an end to convergence of farm payments. So even before the respective parties have voted on the programme for government it has already been reneged upon. Their promise to protect the small family farm will mean nothing.

So who is directing agricultural policy in Ireland? In whose interests are decisions being taken? Which priorities are regarded as paramount – protecting an elite, or serving the majority with fairness and equity?

These are pertinent questions that deserve answers, that arise from the Minister’s actions during the negotiations on the transitional regulation, a regulation designed to act as a bridge between the current CAP reform due to expire at the end of this year and the new reform not ready yet for implementation.

In this process, the Parliament having adopted amendments that I had tabled, called for continued convergence of Pillar one payment during the transition period. At the ongoing trilogue negotiations, Minister Creed and others are blocking this proposal, insisting that convergence remains optional during the transitional period.

The Green Party must explain why they are letting this happen. Convergence of payments would benefit the majority of farmers in Ireland with the knock-on beneficial effects on the wider rural economy. We have heard many fine words recently in the wake of the publication of the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Biodiversity Strategy about the need to support sustainable farming practices, but unfortunately it appears that these are empty, hollow words.

Actions speak louder than words and it is blatant hypocrisy to be publically extolling the virtues of the family farm system at home, while simultaneously opposing any change to a discredited outdated system in Brussels that would benefit and support these same farmers in Ireland.

Can the Green Party please explain how we can take the programme for government seriously when their proposed coalition partner (Fine Gael) is busying away in the backward making sure that when it comes to agriculture, nothing will change?

* Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan is an MEP for the Midlands-North-West constituency

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My brother Gerard put the newspaper in front of his siblings. We were about to be introduced to the wonderful world of English soccer.

He drew our attention to the First Division League table…and revealed his plan. Each of us were to take it in turns to put on a blindfold, then randomly ‘pick’ a team by scrolling a pin over the league table. Gerard got West Ham. I got Leeds…

Heading for half a century on, I’ve still got Leeds. Still got Leeds. Back then, Gerard and I had three or four great years, the usual teenage brotherly silences punctuated by the teasing and taunting of our developing Leeds United-West Ham rivalry.

He was four years older than me. We were typical teenage brothers. Didn’t talk that much…quite a bit of grunting! We absolutely got on, it’s just that communication was minimal enough. Four years is a significant enough age gap when you’re in your teens, isn’t it? All that changed after that spontaneous blindfolded shaping of our football-supporting destinies.

There were no mobile phones, no social media, the video recorder hadn’t been invented. Looking back, I recall playing marbles on the carpet in our long, narrow hallway in Rooskey; regular kickarounds in the garden, and a mutual obsession with any televised sport.

Once we’d signed up to West Ham and Leeds, there was a new dynamic…for those three or four years. Gerard, being older, was way ahead of me in terms of football knowledge, and was just more into it than I was. When he got some work in Hanley’s factory, he even sent off a subscription to Upton Park to get the match programme from every West Ham home game posted to Rooskey.

Those glossy programmes made our soccer daydreams come to life. The tantalising covers and inside content were savoured…by both of us.

Billy Bonds, Frank Lampard (Senior), Alan Devonshire…and, most of all, Trevor Brooking. Suddenly the exotic world of the English First Division had arrived in Rooskey.

Our relationship, in some strange way, came to be defined by two men: Trevor Brooking and Tony Currie. Brooking was West Ham’s suave, stylish midfielder. Ever-graceful, he moved slowly across the pitch with the superior air of a prince who had reluctantly agreed to mingle with commoners.

At Leeds meanwhile, the fans’ hero was Tony Currie. Slightly paunchy, undoubtedly moody and lazy, he was a gifted, mercurial player…wonderfully enigmatic.

Smitten by our respective superstars, Gerard and I began to live our lives through a Trevor Brooking/Tony Currie narrative. Gerard marvelled at the brilliance of Brooking, I at the class of Currie. We teased one another about their respective merits. We all need heroes.

Leeds, then in transition/decline after the great Don Revie years, plodded along now, mostly in mid-table. West Ham were relegated in 1978. Humiliation for Brooking, but he remained loyal. In those days, West Ham’s team was almost entirely made up of Englishmen, all quaintly devoted to the London club’s tradition of playing with style and flair, usually to their cost.

With an entire division between him and the idealistic but now downgraded Brooking, Tony Currie kept rescuing Leeds, spraying fabulous passes around, while (slowly) joining the attack to guide wonder goals past the opposing ‘keeper. Presumably at full-time he then headed off to the bookies/pub, cigar in hand and admirers in pursuit!

Nothing really stays the same. In August of 1979, to my absolute dismay, Leeds sold Currie to Sheffield United. Meanwhile, the stylists with the brittle backbone – West Ham – were adapting to life in Division Two. Things were changing.

When my brother Gerard co-founded Dynamo Rooskey (while still a teenager) and began playing for them, it turned out that he could spray a tidy pass around too. Happy days. Shortlived days.

When he died in a drowning accident in December 1979, aged 19, time seemed to stop with a crushing suddeness, before callously then stuttering on without us.

The early months of 1980 were a blur. Then, in May, West Ham, playing their ‘Enigmatic stylists’ card from down in Division 2, reached the FA Cup final against mighty Arsenal. Five months after Gerard passed away, his Hammers stunned the overwhelming favourites, winning the FA Cup. Trevor Brooking – my late brother’s hero – produced the winner, probably the only time he ever scored with a header. I cheered him on.

For many years, Dynamo Rooskey held an annual tournament for the Gerard Healy Memorial Cup. We won it one year. I played in the final, grasping the cup and something of the past.

For some time after Gerard’s passing, the West Ham United match programmes kept arriving in the post, with Billy Bonds proud and strong on the cover, and all that magical content inside, that scent of this wonderful, hypnotic world of English soccer. A world that could bond in many ways.   (Series continues next week).

Farewell Mick (again)…you did the state some service!

There are rumours that the term ‘no nonsense’ was in use before Mick McCarthy emerged from a maternity ward in Barnsley all those years ago – but they’re unconfirmed.

He’s not a man to mess with, well, not unless your name is Roy Keane. Certainly if I was in a lift and the door was closing and I saw ‘Big Mick’ even ten paces away, I’d be holding that door open.

Mind you, age appears to have mellowed him. In his second term as Republic of Ireland manager, Mick always seemed to be in good form – philosophical and relaxed too – very much like a man who had learnt how to appreciate good times when you’re living through them.

He’s a quirky chap, is our Mick. The ‘blunt Yorkshireman’ has a quick and irreverent wit. Sometimes his comments at press conferences/in media interviews were downright odd, and he could certainly be belligerent from time to time. But often they were very funny. And he was certainly a lot more relaxed this time around.

The no nonsense/gruff/blunt (take your pick) Barnsley lad turned out to be a great Irishman. Like us all, he had his faults, but he certainly did the state some service. I won’t mention Saipan, not this time (other than to say I don’t think it was Mick’s finest moment, though I’d certainly have some sympathy for him).

His second term as Ireland manager has been cut short, due to the chaos visited on us by Covid-19 (Mick led us to the Euro 2020 play-offs, but due to scheduling issues arising from the pandemic, he’s stepped down early and his successor, Stephen Kenny, is now in the hot seat).

The Barnsley lad’s done good. Mick owes us nothing. In fact we owe him our thanks, and best wishes. So all the best Mick, again. Thanks for the memories. And good luck to Stephen.

Screen and heard…

On Newstalk (Off The Ball) John Giles picked his best ever Manchester United X1. Unlike with his Liverpool selection the previous week, there was an abundance of Irish men: Tony Dunne, Denis Irwin, Roy Keane and George Best.

The full line-up was: Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Nemanja Vidić, Jaap Stam, Tony Dunne, Roy Keane, Peter Scholes, Bobby Charlton, Cristiano Ronaldo, Denis Law, George Best.

I was pleased that Eric Cantona didn’t get a look in. Understandably, Giles gave honourable mention to Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs. No place for Beckham either (which I agree with). Bryan Robson was squeezed out too, likewise van Nistelrooy.

I would agree with every single selection from midfield up – Keane, Scholes and Charlton in the middle, Ronaldo and Best out wide, Law at centre-forward. Giles was selecting players from his era – early 1960s onwards – so Duncan Edwards and other ‘Busby Babes’ weren’t considered.

It’s quite a team, but they may have needed three balls: one for Best, one for Ronaldo, and one between the other nine!

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Flights and hotel rooms in London have been cancelled, dressing rooms around the county remain locked, pitches lie empty in spring sunshine…that’s the reality of the GAA landscape in Roscommon in early April 2020.

The postponement of the Connacht Championship game between London and Roscommon – which was due to take place on May 3rd – was inevitable, and thankfully announced in good time. The postponement follows the suspension of all GAA activities until further notice, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

There may be no GAA action of any kind nationwide, but many GAA personnel throughout the country are actively involved in helping others at this very challenging time.

I contacted  Roscommon County Board vice-chairperson Brian Carroll on Monday to get an update on what’s happening – or not happening – in the Roscommon GAA world.

London v Roscommon

The Connacht Championship opener was to take place on Sunday, 3rd of May next. While the Covid-19 lockdowns currently in place in the UK and Ireland may be over by then, the GAA took the decision to postpone the London-Roscommon game last week, being cognisant of the fact that thousands of supporters had made, or were making, travel plans.

County Board vice-chairperson Brian Carroll, who had been organising the logistics, told the Roscommon People on Monday that all team-related flights, hotel bookings, etc. had been cancelled. “Flights and hotel rooms, etc. were all booked in November and have now been cancelled. The hotels were very understanding and cooperative” he said.

Future of this season’s competitions

The cancellation of all GAA activity has led to speculation about the implications for the remaining rounds of the National Football League, and perhaps more so for the 2020 All-Ireland Championship.

Brian Carroll: “I know there has been speculation about a shorter All-Ireland campaign, different formats, etc. Realistically, it’s just too early to say what will happen. We do not know for how long the restrictions will be in place. That is not a priority; the priority now is everybody’s health. Let’s get through this safely and then we can think about (the games)…”

The GAA response on the ground

Brian Carroll said there has been a massive response by GAA clubs in County Roscommon in relation to assisting people at this difficult time.

“The response has been fantastic. Our GAA clubs have put plans in place to help people in their parishes…in our towns and villages. The response has been terrific, and has placed the GAA at the bedrock of our communities. Many other organisations are also putting their shoulders to the wheel.

“What is important now is that people get through this crisis, that we look out for the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community. The GAA is there to help. On behalf of the GAA, I want to wish everyone well. We appeal to everyone to adhere to the HSE guidelines and do not hesitate to contact your local GAA club if you need assistance”.

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Gallant St Croan’s fought to end against classy Kerry side

AIB All-Ireland IFC Club Final: Ardfert (Kerry) 1-14 St Croan’s (Roscommon) 0-9

St Croan’s dreams of All-Ireland glory were dashed by a very impressive Ardfert side in this entertaining and well-contested All-Ireland intermediate club final played in perfect weather conditions in Croke Park on Saturday evening last.

Croan’s were heroic to the final whistle but when they reflect on the game this week they will realise that they could have no complaints and were beaten by a better team on the day.

There was great hope after the opening 10 minutes when St Croan’s more than matched their opponents, but once Shane Smyth was denied what looked like a certain penalty in the 12th minute, the wind seemed to go out of the sails of the Roscommon men and Ardfert marched on to establish a winning position for themselves.

Croan’s did come with a late burst of scoring but the game was over as a contest by the end of the third quarter.

(From 20 February 2015)

Johnny Kiernan scores ‘greatest ever goal in league’

Roscommon & District League Premier Division leaders Ballinasloe Town were beaten 2-1 at home by Castlerea Celtic. The home side were on top in the first half but failed to score. With fifteen minutes played in the second half Darragh Concannon converted a free-kick to give Ballinasloe Town the advantage.

The lead only lasted for seven minutes before Ronan Curran replied for Castlerea with a left-footed volley. For the remainder of the game Castlerea Celtic were the better side and Shane Heneghan scored their winner following a free-kick.

Ballaghaderreen are the new leaders after a 5-1 win over bottom side Fohenagh. Cloonfad United and Dysart drew 3-3 at Cloonfad United. This game will forever be remembered by the people present for the best-ever goal scored in the Roscommon & District League, if not in the country.

The Dysart player Johnny Kiernan was the player who scored the goal. With his back to goal he flicked the ball over his own head and his marker, before volleying to the Cloonfad net.

(From 20 February 2015)

Mark’s maestros win a Connacht classic

Eirgrid Connacht U-21 FC Final: Roscommon 3-14 Galway 3-11

The statistics will show that Roscommon won their 9th Connacht title at this grade after beating Galway in Tuam last Saturday night. Indeed a fourth provincial title at this grade in six years is a tremendous achievement, but long after the scoreline is forgotten the memory of this game will live on for those of us who were lucky enough to be there to see one of the finest exhibitions of Gaelic Football seen at this or any other grade for many years past. Put simply, this was spellbinding entertainment.

The soothsayers who have been signalling the end of the game of Gaelic Football in recent weeks forgot to tell these two wonderful teams who provided the spectators with a breathtaking spectacle of scintillating football, supreme skill, huge will to win and desire, bravery, incredible tension and crackling excitement from the first whistle to the last. When football is played like this there is truly no other game to touch it. What a pity it doesn’t happen often enough.

At the end of it all Roscommon deservedly emerged victorious. But they were tested to the limit by a superb Galway team who came to Tuam to continue their good record against The Rossies at this grade. But at the end of the day Roscommon had the firepower to get them over the line.

Roscommon: Shane Mannion; Niall McInerney, Sean Mullooly, Denis Barron; Conor Hussey, Cathal Kenny, Ronan Daly; Cathal Compton (1-0), Tadhg O’Rourke; Shane Killoran (0-2), Ultan Harney (0-3), Jack Earley (0-1); Diarmuid Murtagh (1-7, 6 frees), Enda Smith, Paul Kenny (1-0). Subs: Evan McGrath for Hussey (25), Kieran Kilcline (0-1) for Killoran (36), Noel Gately for Earley (41), Kevin Finn for Harney (50), Thomas Corcoran for O’Rourke (54), Diarmuid McGann for P Kenny (58).

(From 10 April 2015)

10 YEARS AGO

‘Old enemy’ win but plenty of positives for Roscommon

FBD Connacht League: Mayo 1-9 Roscommon 0-8

This four-point defeat at Ballinlough ended any lingering hopes that Roscommon had of reaching the FBD league final this year, but there were plenty of positives for the team management and fans to take from this display as they prepare for the national league campaign which starts against Cavan in Hyde Park on Sunday next.

Roscommon looked very solid at the back where Michael Kilillea and Ian Kilbride played very well at full-back and centre half-back respectively. Stephen Ormsby and Niall Carty also played very well in defence, as did goalkeeper Geoffrey Claffey (as usual). Mark O’Carroll worked very hard at midfield alongside Michael Finneran.

Up front Roscommon were less than impressive and are struggling to score, given the possession that they are getting in recent games. Enda Kenny was the pick of the attack and sub Kevin Higgins also did well…

However, it must be remembered that there are a number of players that will be back in contention for the game against Cavan, including Donie Shine, Peter Domican, Cathal Cregg and David O’Gara, while Senan Kilbride and Karol Mannion are still on the injured list.

(From 5 February 2010)

12 YEARS AGO

The other Enda Kenny outpolls his Roscommon colleagues!

FBD League: Sligo IT 1-15 Roscommon 0-13

John Maughan’s Roscommon team made a losing start to 2008 when they went down by five points to a lively Sligo IT outfit (who are the defending champions) in this opening round FBD League game played in bitterly cold weather conditions at Ballinode last Sunday.

Despite the defeat there is nothing to be too alarmed about for the blue and gold supporters because of the huge amount of Roscommon players that were on duty for Third Level colleges in the various competitions, not alone in Connacht but also in Leinster and other provinces.

Last week we alluded to at least 15 players on the Roscommon panel who would not be available to play for John Maughan in the FBD League and when you add in the fact that Seamus O’Neill, Frankie Dolan and Paddy O’Connor all had to cry off the Roscommon panel for this game because of sickness or flu, it wasn’t a bad effort from those who did play.

The Roscommon full-back line looked porous throughout, which is a worry – however the good news is that the man who did most damage for Sligo IT was Castlerea St. Kevin’s’ own Enda Kenny, who was the best player on view and who laid down a marker to the selectors. Doing well for Roscommon were David Hoey, who had a great game at centre half-back, Martin Reynolds of St. Faithleach’s, who made some very good catches in the middle of the field on his debut, Mark O’Carroll, who came on as sub and played well, and Conor Devanney, who kicked a couple of fine points.

Roscommon: Mark Miley; Stephen Ormsby, Anthony McDermott, Robbie Kelly; John Tiernan (0-1), David Hoey, Richard Dooner; Michael Finneran, Martin Reynolds; David O’ Gara, Karol Mannion (0-3), Ross Nolan; Conor Devanney (0-3, 1 free), Senan Kilbride, Johnny Dunning (0-3, 1 free). Subs: Mark O’Carroll for Nolan, John Collins (0-3, all frees) for O’Gara, John Rogers for Ormsby.

(From 11 January 2008)

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