Kilmovee lecture series lines up some engaging events

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

The spring lecture series continues in the Thatch Cottage, Kilmovee, with the next lecture taking place on Monday night, February 29. The title of the talk will be 'The Placenames of County Mayo' and it will be delivered by Dr Fiachra MacGabhann.

Dr Mac Gabhann, formerly of Queens University Belfast and NUIG and now working in Castlebar College of Further Education, has published widely on linguistic and folkloric matters, including his 10-volume Logainmneacha Mhaigh Eo work on Mayo placenames which was launched in 2014.

February Volunteer Corner

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Mayo Volunteer Centre works to promote and support volunteering in Mayo. The centre manages an online database of volunteering opportunities which you can visit at www.volunteermayo.ie. Each month, the Mayo Advertiser, in association with the Mayo Volunteer Centre, brings you volunteer news and highlights a sample of local volunteering options.

Mayo photographers take home awards at IPPA Awards

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Two Mayo photographers took home awards at the 2016 IPPA Awards which were held in Dublin last Sunday. Ballina based photographer David Farrell won the Best Press and Photojournalism Photographer 2016 award, and Westport based snapper Michael McLaughlin took home the Best Landscape Photographer 2016 gong. McLaughlin also won the Single Image Award on the night at the ceremony which was held in Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin.

Participants in Castlebar St Patrick's Day parade asked to register for event

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Anyone interested in entering a float, band, marching group in the upcoming Castlebar St Patrick's Day parade are asked to contact the organisers as soon as possible in order to register their interest and to guarantee their slot. Any schools that may not have a band but would like to march in the parade can do so too. Spaces are limited so all interested groups are asked to make contact immediately. This year's parade takes place on Sunday, March 20 at 2.30pm. Don’t forget, the theme this year is: Éire, 1916-2016 For more information email [email protected].

Spectacular mosaic to be unveiled at Knock on Sunday

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

One of the biggest mosaics of its kind in Europe is to be unveiled during the 12 noon Mass at Our Lady’s Basilica at Knock Shrine this Sunday (February 28). The impressive artwork, measuring 14 metres x 14 metres, is made up of more than 1.5 million individual pieces of mosaic and depicts in great detail the Apparition at Knock in 1879, as described by 15 ordinary villagers who witnessed the extraordinary vision.

Mayo lecturer awarded prestigious award to study biological stress reactions of military veterans

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Dr Siobhán Howard, from Breaffy, Castlebar, and lecturer in psychology in Mary Immaculate College (MIC) was recently awarded a 2016 Royal Irish Academy Charlemont Grant to fund a research project studying the biological stress reactions of military veterans.

Polling day has finally come

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Today's the day when the people of Mayo get their chance to have their say on the future direction of representation of the county in the Dáil. This is the time when you get to express your democratic right and have a say on who you think is best to represent the county's interests on a local, national, and international level.

Big battle for the last seat expected over the weekend

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

By the time the votes are all counted on Saturday and the people's verdict read out Mayo will be returning four deputies to the 32nd Dáil, one fewer than five years ago and two fewer than the county returned 24 years ago when the 27th Dáil was elected. From 1997 on Mayo was reduced to a single constituency as the old Mayo West and Mayo East constituencies were merged, and from 2016 on a large swathe of south Mayo has been subsumed into Galway West. With it in the region of 7,000 votes have gone south of the border and with them sitting Mayo TD John O'Mahony who is looking to take a seat in a battle royale that many observers expect to go on long into Sunday and maybe later before the final shake-out in that particular battle is decided.

Looking for your number one to make an impression

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

While all eyes are on the battle to take the four seats up for grabs, the money seems to be on a one, two, three of Enda Kenny, Michael Ring and Dara Calleary taking the first three seats, but the order of how that finishes up could differ from last time. With those three odds on to make it back to Leinster House, there looks to be a three-way battle between Michelle Mulherin, Rose Conway-Walsh and Lisa Chambers for the last seat. But that's only five candidates and there are 11 others looking to sway your vote to their side. We'll run down through the other 11 and give you a brief overview below.

Galway West expected to go down to the wire

Fri, Feb 26, 2016

Galway West stands on the brink of electing its first female TD in almost 20 years, but while the omens are good for Independent Left councillor Catherine Connolly, her route to the Dáil is by no means certain, as Sinn Féin and the Social Democrats are also eyeing that same seat.

Galway West has only once elected a female TD, has never elected more than one Left candidate, and has never returned two Independents, but the current volatility of the electorate means the constituency is the most unpredictable it has ever been, with the final two seats very difficult to call only 24 hours before polling stations open.

Shock in Castlebar as Welcome Inn shuts its doors

Fri, Feb 19, 2016

There was shock in Castlebar yesterday morning with the news that the Welcome Inn Hotel on New Antrim Street in the town had shut its doors and entered a voluntary liquidation process. The popular hotel was run by the McHugh family since it was first opened in the 1960s. There was a sign posted on the doors outside yesterday saying: "Hotel closed until further notice. We apologise to our loyal customers for any inconvenience caused". The hotel was a popular venue for events such as weddings, dinner dances, and meetings. The venue also hosted the only remaining nightclub in the county town.

Mayo branch of Arthritis Ireland wants your support

Fri, Feb 19, 2016

If you have arthritis and are suffering in pain waiting to be seen the Mayo branch of Arthritis Ireland would welcome your support in joining the www.whyarewewaiting.ie campaign. Have your say, tell the politicians what it's like to live your life. Ask them to make a difference for people with arthritis in the next government.

E-paper

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