News

The late Joe (HF) Curtin, RIP

Joe Curtin, a native of Ballinrobe, who passed away recently in Dublin, played a pivotal role in reviving Ballinrobe GAA Club in 1946. He was just a teenager when he took on a leadership role at a time when the club had not fielded a team for several years. Joe attended the formation meeting in Power’s Hotel, Bridge Street, Ballinrobe, where he was appointed club secretary. This was very much a player-driven initiative – most attendees, including Joe, were students at Ballinrobe CBS, united by a shared love for Gaelic football. Their dedication paid off, with the club winning the South Mayo Minor Championship in that very first year. Joe served as secretary for the first three years of the club, laying a strong foundation for its future.

The late Joe (HF) Curtin, RIP Read More »

Éilis Maloney, RIP

It is with deep sadness that we learned over the weekend of the sudden passing of a prominent and much-loved member of Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA Club, Éilis Maloney. Éilis represented the club with distinction as a player, first at underage level for many years and, over the last three years, as a leading adult player. Éilis started her football career with Ballinrobe and moved on to play for The Neale when ladies football in Ballinrobe went into abeyance for a number of years. In our neighbouring club, too, she was a valued and valuable member, as she was in Coláiste Muire in Tourmakeady, where she played her schools football.

Éilis Maloney, RIP Read More »

The late Seamus Langan, RIP

  Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA Club 14 December 2024 Seamus Langan, who passed away this week in Ennis, Co. Clare, was a distinguished footballer for Ballinrobe GAA Club and Ballinrobe CBS in the 1950s. He was a member of the club team that won the 1958 Mayo Junior Football Championship title. That year, he played in goal in the South Mayo final win over Kilmaine and in the county semi-final triumph over Achill. The county final versus Charlestown proved to be quite the saga – the first meeting was abandoned due to the sudden death of a Charlestown player’s father on the sideline; the second clash was a draw; and Ballinrobe finally won the third meeting in the month of December. Seamus played in the first two finals, but injury ruled him out of the decisive third game. That injury was to later put an end to his days as a footballer, but he retained a strong interest in the fortunes of our club and Mayo teams.

The late Seamus Langan, RIP Read More »

Lotto jackpot 25000

Monday night’s lotto jackpot is a massive €25,000, don’t forget to get your ticket Play online https://tinyurl.com/48ut6zxa Draw will be Live from Art O’Neills Bar Ballinrobe Thank you and Good luck! Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA #clannroba #clublotto

Lotto jackpot 25000 Read More »

Work set to commence on Clann Róba development as pledges pass €600,000 mark

Ballinrobe GAA and LGFA have announced significant progress in their ongoing Clann Róba fundraising campaign, with €621,964 pledged to date. These funds will support the development of much-needed facilities at Flanagan Park, marking a major step forward for the club and the local community. The Clann Róba Development Committee has expressed its appreciation to all who have contributed so far, noting the broad support from individuals and businesses locally and abroad. “We are grateful for the strong backing we have received. The funds raised will be carefully managed to deliver long-lasting facilities for Ballinrobe GAA and LGFA,” said club chairperson John Sweeney. Supporters who have pledged but not yet completed their payments are encouraged to do so as the campaign works towards its final goal. The committee also highlighted that the fundraising effort remains ongoing, with continued contributions critical to ensuring the successful delivery of the planned projects. The full payment process is available on https://www.ballinrobegaaclub.com/clann-roba-development/. The first phase of development is set to begin shortly. Work on a new gym to support player athletic development is scheduled to start by the end of October, with the construction of a 45m x 35m enclosed astroturf facility beginning in early 2025. These additions will enhance the training capacity of the club and provide improved facilities for athletes. In recognition of significant sponsorship support, the club’s main pitch has been renamed the Tim Kelly Group Pitch, Flanagan Park. Other facilities will also carry the names of local businesses, The Cummins Pitch, Flanagan Park; and Treacy’s Pharmacy Astro Pitch, Flanagan Park. The Credit Union in Ballinrobe are also delighted to come on board as the title sponsors of the new gym. Additionally, the club has successfully secured €166,106 in funding from the Sports Capital Programme, which will support the development of a second pitch at Flanagan Park. This grant is part of an effort to maximise available public funding to supplement the fundraising campaign. “We are looking forward to proceeding with the pitch development on finalisation of our grant award in the very near future,” said John. The committee emphasised the importance of ongoing support to ensure the project reaches its full potential. “While we are pleased with the progress made so far, continued engagement from the community is essential as we move forward with this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the club and our community,” added John. For further details on the campaign or to make a contribution, please contact the Clann Róba Development Committee or visit club’s website, www.BallinrobeGAAClub.com. Clann Róba Development Committee John Flannelly, Martin Murphy (joint chairpersons), Annette Conway, Gerry Donnelly, Sarah Gibbons, Denise Horan, Liam Horan, Des May, Paul McElarney, Elaine O’Brien, John Sweeney, Kevin Tuffy.

Work set to commence on Clann Róba development as pledges pass €600,000 mark Read More »

Summer BBQ

🌭🍔It’s summer barbecue time and everyone’s invited! 🌭🍔 To celebrate another great summer of football for our boys’ and girls’ teams, made possible by our coaches and a wider group of dedicated volunteers, Ballinrobe GAA & LGFA are hosting a fun summer barbecue social event on the evening of Saturday, August 31st. Tickets €5, which includes entry into the raffle . Food and entertainment provided and all are welcome. More details to follow, but for now one to get in the diary!

Summer BBQ Read More »

The late Anna O’Loughlin, RIP

  It is with great sadness that Ballinrobe GAA Club announces the passing of one of our greatest supporters, Anna O’Loughlin. A native of Kilnaboy, Co. Clare, Anna (87) became an integral part of life in this town after moving here in 1970. If there was a match, you could rely on Anna being there, along with her husband, Christy, who passed away 12 years ago. A quietly spoken woman, Anna often sat in the car up on ‘the embankment’ at Flanagan Park where she studied football and hurling encounters with an astute eye. Afterwards, she would share with players and mentors a thoughtful word of commendation or encouragement, as befitted the outcome. Her loyalty to the club was undiluted in every circumstance. Long journeys to remote venues never cost her a thought, either. Wherever the maroon and yellow of the club – or the blue and white of Ballinrobe CBS and later Ballinrobe Community School – fielded teams in pursuit of victory, Anna and Christy made it their business to be there, an inseparable couple who wanted only the best for the people they knew and loved. Multiple generations of Ballinrobe players regarded Anna with great warmth and respect, and her passing has occasioned much sadness locally. Anna and Christy moved here in 1970, when Christy was appointed to work as farm manager at the agricultural research station at Creagh, Ballinrobe. He served for a period as vice chairman of our club and was also heavily involved in the physical developments of our facilities at Flanagan Park. He played an active part in Ballinrobe hurling club during the 1970s and 1980s. Their sons contributed to some of the best days our club has ever had – a teenage PJ featured on the team that captured our first Mayo Intermediate Championship title in 1979; Brendan played on the 1990 side that won the Mayo Junior Championship; and Fergal was a leading light when we won our second Intermediate Championship title in 2000. Fergal figured on the Ballinrobe Community School team that won the historic first All-Ireland Senior B title in 1991. Brendan was a substitute on the Mayo team that won the 1983 All-Ireland U21 Championship. The family involvement is as strong as ever and is highly valued by all of our members. Anna and Christy’s son, Declan, who also played at under-age level with the club, is a key figure in the club’s ever-expanding ladies football wing. The emergence of a strong ladies football sector in the club dictated that after many years watching her sons star in the Ballinrobe colours, Anna had the great joy of watching her grand-daughter, Ailbhe, shine for the club. Grandson Fionn, who is also an accomplished basketballer, has worn the club jersey from an early age. Declan’s wife, Katherine (Butler), is a former club secretary. The Christy O’Loughlin Cup was inaugurated in 2012 and Anna presented the cup to winning captains on a number of occasions, including to Fionn in 2018. We extend our deepest sympathy to Anna’s sons James, PJ, Brendan, Declan and Fergal; daughter Evelyn; daughters-in-law; son-in-law; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and extended family members on their loss. As a club, we feel acutely the pain of Anna’s passing, and are mindful of the fact that the family have lost a dearly loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Funeral details are available HERE. The club will form a guard of honour at the removal of her remains from St Joseph’s Funeral Home to St Mary’s Church on Sunday.   John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club.      

The late Anna O’Loughlin, RIP Read More »

The late Fr Tommy Leyden, RIP

  Ballinrobe GAA club regrets to announce the death in Nairobi, Kenya, of Fr Tommy Leyden, who was a distinguished wearer of the Ballinrobe and Mayo jerseys in the 1950s. Fr Tommy came through the Ballinrobe CBS football nursery and was a member of the team which won the school’s first Flanagan Cup title in 1951. He figured on the Mayo minor football panel in 1952 and lined out with Ballinrobe throughout the 1950s, including as a member of the squad which won the 1958 divisional and county junior titles. A year later, he played for Ballinrobe in the Mayo senior league final defeat to Ballina Stephenites. Club historian Michael Coyne, who also played in that 1959 final, recalled that the team and supporters travelled by special train to Ballina to take on the famed locals. Just a few short months later, on 31 December 1959, the Ballinrobe to Claremorris railway line closed. “Fr Tommy was a lovely fellow,” said Michael, “and a very good forward, a sweet footballer. He was a late vocation to the priesthood, having earlier worked as a civil engineer. He was compassionate and caring.” A member of the Divine Word Missionaries who had their west of Ireland base in Donamon, Co. Roscommon, Fr Tommy’s first ministry was in Flores, Indonesia. There he served the poor in districts with no electricity, running water or other basic facilities. He later moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where he spent the remainder of his life helping disadvantaged people living in challenging conditions. Geraldine May, Ballinrobe, explained that Fr Tommy was a first cousin of her late husband, Des, who also played with Ballinrobe. “They were best friends. He was Best Man at our wedding. He was a deeply spiritual man, a mystic almost. He believed in giving people time, regardless of what religion they were – he was all about helping others,” said Geraldine. “He lived a simple life. He never got into emailing or texting. He never wore a watch. His mother Nell was dead three weeks before word even reached him. But he wrote an average of 500 letters per year, in beautiful handwriting that he retained right up to his final years even though he suffered badly with arthritis. He kept in touch with so many people. “He had a wonderful sense of humour too.” The Leyden family lived on Abbey Street, Ballinrobe. Fr Tommy’s father John Joe was a secondary school teacher in Ballinrobe CBS. His mother was Nell, and he had one sister, Maura (O’Connell), who passed away many years ago. He is survived by his nephew Tom and nieces Sharon and Helena.   He quietly slipped away last weekend and will be laid to rest in Nairobi. John Sweeney, Chairman, Ballinrobe GAA Club

The late Fr Tommy Leyden, RIP Read More »

Martin Flannery Memorial Cup 2023

The Martin Flannery Memorial Cup got underway this week, with the Ballinrobe Under 10 Boys playing in a winter Pella tournament under lights, on the Astro Turf pitch, in the Green. The tournament sees 40 U0 boys playing in a league format and there was nothing between the four teams who played this week, all trying to emulate the winning team from last year (see team members above with members of the Flannery family). This is the third year of the Martin Flannery Memorial Cup, an event which remembers Martin, a lifetime volunteer and coach at all levels for Ballinrobe GAA, a recipient of the Ballinrobe GAA Hall of Fame award, and a former winner of the Club Person of the Year accolade. Indeed, the Flannery family are still heavily involved in Ballinrobe GAA and Martin would be very proud to see his grandson Daniel playing in this tournament, alongside his peers. Throw in for Round 2 of the tournament is next Wednesday 11th of October at 6.15pm. Please come along and support the boys while also remembering a great man who gave so much to help develop our club over the years.

Martin Flannery Memorial Cup 2023 Read More »