21/12/19 Climate Change

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Winner:  Will O Toole, Second:  Ciara Lalor, Third:   Shauna Kearney 

Seen with Noel Heffernan, Maire George, Bernie Mullins of Ballon NS

24/11/19

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Congratulations to Helen Castle of Ballykealey, Ballon on recently graduating from Carlow College, St. Patrick’s after being awarded a degree in BA (Hons) in Social, Political and Community Studies. over a four year period.

 

 

 

 

 

 

21/8/19

TWO MEDALS AT NATIONAL COMMUNITY GAMES FINALS

Ballon/Rathoe has new sporting heroes following the performances of the U13 boys rounders team and sprinter Eimear Bolger at the national Aldi Community Games finals held at the University of Limerick on Saturday and Sunday 17/18 August.

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Team members were  Dylan Cunningham(c), James Dowling, Stephen Doyle, Eoin Doyle, Brian Maher, Eddie Hourihane, Keelan Reynolds, Kyle Abbey, Billy Flynn, Jamie Maher, Johnny Maher and James McDermott Walsh.

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Later on Saturday Eimear Bolger qualified for the semi-finals of the U10 200 metres. This race took place on Sunday morning and Eimear finished second to secure her place in the final in the afternoon and to the delight of a very large support from her home club and county she ran a fantastic race finishing in second place to secure a coveted national silver medal. 

15/8/19

CUCHULAINN ROUNDERS WIN TWO NATIONAL TITLES

Cuchulainn ladies minor team are the new All Ireland champions following their defeat of Athenry, the reigning champions, in the final played in Tymon Park, Dublin on Sunday 10 August. Leading from the first inning s they never allowed Athenry take the lead and the match finished on a score line of 21-10 in favour of the local side.

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Team- Hannah Curry, Melissa Nolan, Amy Kelly, Leann Carroll, Abbie Curry, Becky McGrath, Jade Whelan, Amy Moloney and Leah Mullins.

The club’s men’s team are also All-Ireland champions following their 14-4 win over Skryne in the junior final.  They defeated teams from Sporting Limerick, Skryne and Sean Connolly’s en route to the decider.

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Team- John Doyle, Stephen Kirwan, Daryl O’Mara, Garrett Nolan, John Michael Nolan, Matty Dowling, Shane Brennan, Billy Connors, John Brennan and Colm Brennan.

And there was further success as the mixed minor team came home with national silver medals having lost the final to Sporting Limerick on a scoreline of 19-3.

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Team – Amy Moloney, Amy Kelly, Leanne Carroll, Jade Whelan, Leah Mullins, Joshua Fernandez, Senan Kearney Jay Dundon and Pierce Ryan.

These are outstanding results for the club. Congratulations to the players, their trainers and officials on representing the area and having success at such a high level.

BALLON/RATHOE TEAM MEMBERS WHO WON THE SHIELD IN THE GAYNOR CUP

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Niamh Brophy, Aoife Kelly, Kate McDonald (Captain), Niamh Lalor, Aoife Smithers.

Played at UL representing Carlow Juveniles

PARISH GETS TWO COUNTY COUNCILLORS

John-Murphy-Fine-Gael-002-copyFor the first time in nearly forty years Ballon/Rathoe will have two sitting councillors following last week’s local elections. Sitting councillor John Murphy, Boggan (Fine Gael) will be joined by newcomer John Mc Donald, Graiguealug (Fianna Fail) in the county chamber when the council reconvenes in June. John Murphy polled 697  first preference votes  but had to wait until the seventh count  before being elected getting 145 transfers from the elimination of the area’s third candidate, Billy Nolan, Ballon who was running as an independent. John McDonald secured 430 first preference votes and he too benefited to the tune of 122 transfers from Billy Nolan and was elected on the ninth count receiving 51 votes from John Murphy’s surplus. Billy Nolan polled 399 first preference votes but did not benefit to any great extinct from transfers and was eliminated in the seventh count.

 

 

 

 

John-McDonald-3-002-copyJohn McDonald becomes only the 10th candidate to be elected to Carlow County Council from this parish and the last time we had two sitting councillors was in the late 1960s/early1970s when Brendan Brophy, Kellistown and Donie Nolan, Ballykealey held seats for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail respectively. Prior to that you have to go back to the 1930s when Jim Hughes (Fine Gael) and Ned Doyle (Labour) held two seats.

(by Michael Dawson)

 

 

 

 

GILLIAN PROOVES HER WORTH

Gillian copyCongratulations to Gillian Nolan who played on Sunday 31st March in the Interprovicinial Competition for Leinster, where Leinster were crowned Interprovincial Champions for 2019. Gillian played an integral part in this achievement with special mention in the Daily Express newspaper of her batting skills on the day being described as ‘finding space all over the field with a masterclass display of batting”. Well done Gillian you did both your Province and Club very proud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KATE WINS HISTORY PRIZE
Kate Somers (002) copyKate Somers from sixth class, Ballon NS, who won first prize in the Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Primary Schools History Competition. This was a great achievement as there were over 100 entries from schools all over the county. Kate’s project was on St. Columbanus and it was very well researched and presented. Kate is the latest in a long line of Ballon NS pupils to win this particular competition

 

 

 

 

WOMANS U16 CHALLENGE CUP

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Left to Right: Kate McDonald, Niamh Brophy, Niamh Lalor and Ruth Brennan all from Ballon Rathoe, runners up with Hanover Harps FC in the All Ireland FAI Women’s U16 Challenge Cup against Peamount United FC. The match was held in Tullamore on Sunday 31st March 2019

EVA’S RUGBY SUCCESS

Eva Kealy and Cup (002) copyThe fact that DCU Ladies defeated University of Limerick (UL) by 27 points to 22 in the final of the All-Ireland colleges rugby on Wednesday 20 March would probably go unnoticed in these quarters except that a young Ballon girl was central to the victory. Eva Kealy, Closh, Ballon  who is a second year B Ed student at DCU wore the number 2 jersey on the day and played her part, not only in the decider, but en route to the final for the Dublin College.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUTH PRIZE AWARD

Shauna Downy from Ballon and her Friend Rhiona Nolan are both in transition year and have an interest in politics – deciding to enter the European Parliament’s Charlamagne Youth Prize – open to those aged 16 to 30 to support EU integration they are some women !

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The jury agreed that the County Carlow secondary school @stleoscarlow would be an excellent and worthy winner, promoting and fostering the development of a shared sense of European identity. ????

They are invited to Aachen, Germany for the Youth Prize Award Ceremony on May 28.

— EPinIreland (@EPinIreland) 22 March 2019


 

THIRD GOLD MEDAL FOR JAMES

James Kinsella 2019 (002) copyThe Carlow Community Games handwriting finals were held in Ballon Community Centre on Sunday 10 March James Kinsella came up trumps again, winning his third county title and gold medal, this time in the U12 age group. James, from Closh, will now represent Carlow at the national finals on May in the University of Limerick.