The Ruddy Report – 12/09/02


This Week….
Well Readers, I apologise for the lack of information on the Sports section of Currane.net. I spent the summer in the US and had no information on local sports at home and not really much time to do much, if you visit my website you will know this cause it has not been updated for sometime. However I am going to put in a big effort this term to keep this page as active as possible. I will try and bring as much local sport as possible to you where ever in the world you may be.

I will start off with a quick word on Achill GAA Club, firstly I would like to send my congratulations out to Colm Cafferkey who lined out for the Mayo U-21’s in this years Connaught Championship Campaign, Well Done Colm. Achill reached the West Mayo Semi-Finals this year only to be defeated by a goal to Division 2 side Balla. This was not a bad campaign for Achill and sets the way for a big effort next year. In the League Achill have their sights set on promotion, with only two games left Achill are in third place just 3 points behind the leaders which they still have to play. Achill have Ardnaree (the current leaders) and Islandeady yet to play and are well fancied to win both games. In other GAA news, The Senior Championship Semi Finals Kiltane and Knockmore played out a draw on Sunday last, the winners of that game will meet a rejuvenated Crossmolina in the Final. Intermediate Championship is at the Semi Final stage with Castlebar taking on Junior Champions Shrule/Glencorrib and Balinrobe facing Claremorris those games are to be played this weekend. The West Mayo Junior Final looks like this last years Champions Kilmeena taking on Balla.

Moving from GAA to Soccer where we have two local teams in action in the Mayo League this year, yearly campaigners and former Champions Achill Rovers and returnees Mulranny United. Mulranny United play their home games at the Currane Community Field and also have a few Currane members. As far as I am aware Achill Rovers have two games left to play and are challenging for promotion back to the Super League. Mulranny United in their first year are mid-table in one of the lower Divisions. I wish both Teams the very best!

So that’s all for now but I do promise I will keep you updated as frequent as possible, Any suggestions please feel free to e-mail me.

John Ruddy

Matthias Rübben – 1st September 2002

From: Matthias Rübben (irlmat@t-online.de) 1st September 2002
This year we stayed from August 10th until August 23rd at Frank Charlys in Currane. We had a good time and we were lucky to have more sun than rain.
I’d like to thank the Ryders who did everything to make our time so comfortable.
Thanks to everyone I met for the incomparable kindness, especially my friend Eoin Moran for a lot of good conversation and the great fresh fish.
Our children cried the whole way to Castlebar when we had to leave.
I look forward to come back as soon as possible.

Thanks Matthias, Elke & children

Dressing Rooms Fundraising Appeal

Please help us build a place to change!

Sponsor a Block!

In the mid 1990s, thanks to a generous donation from John Griffin, Muintir a’Chorráin were able to purchase the pitch in Bollinglanna on behalf of the community. The pitch provides a safe, well equipped place for anyone in the community to play a range of sports. As well as various Currane teams, it has also played host to Achill Rovers and Mulranny.

But one facility is missing…a place for players to change into their kit before an event, and to shower and change afterwards.

Muintir a’Chorráin, the Currane community development company, hopes to rectify this. Plans have been drawn up for a suitable facility, which will cost in the region of €190,000. We have approached Roinn na Gaeltachta for support in the form of grant aid, and there is a good chance that we will receive 50% of the required sum. Now we need to raise the other €95,000.

We are appealing to the people of Currane, people with roots in Currane and people with an interest in Currane to help.

Various fundraising events are in the planning stages, and details will be released as soon as they are finalised, but you can help us now!

We are asking you to “Sponsor A Block” of the new Dressing Rooms. For €100 you (or your family or group) can become the proud “owner” of one of the concrete blocks that will be used to construct the building.

You will receive a certificate showing your “block number” and your name will be included on a commemorative plaque and on the Appeal website. (If, however, you do not want anyone to know about your generosity, your donation will be treated as “anonymous”).

Please help provide a better facility for our young (and not so young!) sports men and women.

If you can help us, please download, print and complete a donation form (PDF document, requires Acrobat Reader) and return it along with your cheque for €100 (or the equivalent in US$ or UK£). Alternatively you may contact one of the committee members: Mary O’Malley 098-45265, John Joe McNamara 098-45638, Alistair Steger-Lewis 098-45858

Thank you for your help.

 

Dressing Rooms Fundraising Appeal

Muintir a’Chorráin, the Currane Community Development Company, has launched an appeal to raise funds to build dressing room facilities at Griffin Park, the community pitch in Bollinglanna. Various events will be organised but the main venture is to appeal for “sponsors” for each block of the building. Individuals or groups may sponsor one or more blocks for a minimum donation of €100 per block. Click here for further details.

Mary Deighan Fraser – 19th July 2002

From: Mary Deighan Fraser (Grnwitgold@cs.com) 19th July 2002
Hi to everyone in Currane,

My mother’s first cousin, Mary Ann Moran Mc Cafferty (Mrs. Thomas Mc Cafferty) of Currane and living in Cleveland, just told me about this wonderful website yesterday. I have been searching through it and found great photos to remind me of one of the best places in the world to live! I was especially pleased to see the photo of my Great-aunt Biddie Gallagher (my grandfather’s sister-in-law) who be will celebrating her 100th birthday in September!

My first trip to Ireland was in 1967. It has been six years since I last visited Currane with my husband and three daughters. At that time, one daughter was enrolled at University College Dublin. My memories of both trips to Currane are filled with the precious moments spent at the Post Office which was the family home of my grandfather, John (the Tailor) Gallagher who left Currane and came to Cleveland in 1902. Aunt Biddie recalled stories of my relatives who once lived in Currane or visited her. I always intrigued and loved to listen for it kept alive the bonds of a family separated by miles and years.

In tribute to Aunt Biddie, I have a story about her which I would like to tell as she marks her centennial birthday. After a 34 year absence, my grandfather made his first trip back home to Currane in 1936 to see his mother before she died. While raising her own young family at the time, Aunt Biddie took great care of her mother-in-law and unselfishly welcomed my grandfather “home”. My grandfather only planned to stay a few weeks but shortly after arriving in Ireland, he developed a severe case of pleurisy which almost cost him his life. His illness delayed his return to Cleveland by nearly one year. Credit goes to Aunt Biddie for she not only warmly opened her home and her heart to care for her husband’s mother but to her brother-in-law as well! For her unending patience and love to my great-grandmother Ann Gallagher, to my grandfather and especially to us, “the Yanks”, who have dropped in on her whenever we found the time to make it “home”, Aunt Biddie (Bridget Gallagher) deserves to be named The Currane Person of the Century!

My husband and I want to send special greetings to the Post Office gang: John, Mick, Breege and Family and to Martha O’Malley (Mrs. Walter O’Malley) and her family. We also send our best wishes to my grandfather’s other nephew John Moran and his wife. John is Mary Ann Moran Mc Cafferty’s brother.

We wish we could make the trip and join in singing birthday wishes to you, Aunt Biddie, but our daughter Megan is getting married the week after the big day. Once again, the pond separates us all on the days that mark family milestones.

We do pray that God will continue to bless you and your family.

Love to all,
Mary Deighan Fraser

The Ruddy Report – 07/05/02


This Week….
Achill Vs Kilmeena

This was a challenge game which was held just before the Mayo and Dublin game at Davitt Park, Polranny. The crowd had just watched the Mchale College, Achill team defeat St Brendans, Belmullet in the Mayo Vocational Schools U-16 A Football Championship Final. Congratulations Lads! So the crowd was gathering for the big one which was the County game to be played later in the evening. The Kilmeena team arrived on to the pitch first, followed by the Achill Junior team who had just given the Mchale College team a guard of honour coming off the field.

So after all the the team photos were taken, it was down to business. Achill declared their intentions early on with a number of good scores, although the game lacked any real edge in the first half showing it was just typical Challenge match. The Achill team played a lot of their players out of position to see how they would cope for future knowledge. Players were changing positions at regular intervals. At half time Achill were edging the lead by about 2 points.

It was well known also that Kilmeena were fielding a second team. With an important match in the league the following day, a lot of Kilmeena’s players stayed at home. In the second half, Achill began to take advantage of Kilmeena’s second team and Achill’s fitness also showed. The Achill forward line ran Kilmeena ragged at stages and showed it on the score board with a number of points and goals. The game finished with Achill on top and we ended up winning by at least 6 points. But at the end of the day it was all about the depth of the Achill squad and with a number of key first team players missing, Achill still had the quality to play an outstanding match on such an occasion.