Computer studies - beginners, improvers, web design and digital photography, mobile phone training
Crafts - woodturning, flower arranging, art and painting, gardening, creative writing, drama, theatre, chair yoga
Education - guest speakers on subjects include Wills, household insurance, security in the home, health issues, nutrition, pensions, road safety, inheritance and gift tax.
Trips/Outings - we had holidays in Donegal, Derry, Fermanagh, Sligo, Kerry, Cork, Wicklow, Wexford and County Louth.
Day trips to Aras an Uachtarain, Farmleigh House, Belfast (Titanic Experience), Foynes, Nenagh, boat trip on Lough Derg (Killaloe), Kylemore Abbey, Killary Fiord and Arigna Mines, and ESB station in Ardnacrusha (2017).
Activities - Thai Chi, set dancing, fit for life exercises, bowling, chair yoga and most recently Irish (Gaeilge) which proved very popular.
To celebrate Bealtaine, in 2012, members organised an Art Exhibition in the local Community Centre, which was officially declared open by Luke Ming Flanagan, T.D., now MEP.
Crafts - woodturning, flower arranging, art and painting, gardening, creative writing, drama, theatre, chair yoga
Education - guest speakers on subjects include Wills, household insurance, security in the home, health issues, nutrition, pensions, road safety, inheritance and gift tax.
Trips/Outings - we had holidays in Donegal, Derry, Fermanagh, Sligo, Kerry, Cork, Wicklow, Wexford and County Louth.
Day trips to Aras an Uachtarain, Farmleigh House, Belfast (Titanic Experience), Foynes, Nenagh, boat trip on Lough Derg (Killaloe), Kylemore Abbey, Killary Fiord and Arigna Mines, and ESB station in Ardnacrusha (2017).
Activities - Thai Chi, set dancing, fit for life exercises, bowling, chair yoga and most recently Irish (Gaeilge) which proved very popular.
To celebrate Bealtaine, in 2012, members organised an Art Exhibition in the local Community Centre, which was officially declared open by Luke Ming Flanagan, T.D., now MEP.
Meetings rsumed in September.
2009- Donegal - based in Letterkenny. Visited Malin Head and Famine Village, Giants' Causeway and Bushmills Distillery, Derry City and Ballybofey.
2010 - Kerry - based in Killarney. Toured the Ring of Kerry and had a boat trip on one of the Lakes. Visited J.B. Keane's pub in Listowel, where some of our members (who are in our Writers Group) read some of their writings and were entertained by local poet, Gabriel Fitzmaurice. Took the car ferry from Tarbert to Killimer, and came home via the Burren.
2011 - Wicklow - based in Glen o'the Downs. Visited Glenadlough, Avoca, Avondale House & Gardens, Croke Park & Farmleigh House, Clonmacnoise and Locke's Distillery in Kilbeggan.
2012 - West Cork - based in Clonakilty. Visited Beal na mBlath, Goughane Barra & Garnish Island, Cobh, Blarney Castle and Cork city.
2013 - based in Wexford town. Visited New Ross to see Dunbriody Famine Ship, JFK Arbouretum, Waterford Crystal and Kilmore Quay.
2014 - Dublin - based in Enfield. Visited Belvedere House and Genesis/Pewter outlet near Mullingar, Dublin Castle & Guinness Storehouse, Newgrange, Ledgewidge Cottage (near Slane), Drogheda (to see St. Oliver Plunkett's head and cell door in St. Peter's Church), War Memorial Gardens and Garden of Remembrance, Japanese Gardens and National Stud.
2015 - Donegal - based in Letterkenny. Visited Donegal town and took a trip on Donegal Bay. North West Donegal, Glenveagh Castle and gardens, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Lissadell House & Gardens in Drumcliffe, Co. Sligo.
Activities - autumn 2015: Art classes and chair yoga. Day trip to Arigna Mines followed by a cruise on the Shannon at Carrick-on-Shannon. Guest speaker - a nutritionist. Christmas Dinner/Dance in Ard Ri Hotel Tuam, was a most enjoyable night.
Activities for 2016 commenced in mid-January, with art classes and chair yoga. There was an air of expectancy around the Community Cente, on Tuesday, 1st March, when the president of Active Retirement Ireland, Mrs.Mai Quaid, visited the group. Entertainment was provided by Kilvine Foroige group and Kilvine Folk Choir - a real inter generational effort. Two local ladies provided and served refreshments after which, the acting PRO, Bernie, presented the president with a copy of the book written by the Ballindine/Irishtown Writers Group (all of which are members of the activement retirement group).
The final of the skittles competition was held in May, followed by a cruise on Lough Corrib and a visit to Inchagoil Island. Members spent a very interesting and educational afternoon at the 1916 Commemoration Heritage day in June, held in The Teagasc Centre, in Athenry.
Autumn session in art and chair yoga are underway presently. An executive from HSE West visited the group and delivered a detailed talk on the Fair Deal Nursing Home Scheme last month. A recent guest speaker spoke on Alzheimers disease, very appropriate as The Western Alzheimers Foundation is located in the village of Ballindine.
On 23rd November, some members visited Dail Eireann and met with some local T.D.s from Mayo and East Galway.
2017 - meetings resumed on Tuesday, 24th January.
March 2017 - a guest speaker from Diabetes Ireland addressed the members and this was followed by a question/answer session. This event was co-sponsored by Healthwest Pharmacy in Ballindine and our ARA.
June 2017 - a day trip to Westport, Kylemore Abbey & Clifden.
July 2017 - a day trip to Ireland's first electricity generating station in Ardnacrusha, Co. Clare, to celebrate the ESB's 90th anniversary. This educational tour was followed by a visit to Tuamgraaney, to Nuala's Bar/Restaurant for a most delicious meal. Members were welcomed by the owners, Nuala & Paul Kilkenny. Paul, who lived in Ballindine, for a number of years, spent some time with his old neighbours and friends from Cloonrane, Ballindine.
September 2017 - activities/regular meetings resumed after the All Ireland final.
October - Fourteen members undertook classes in Irish (ranganna Gaeilge). This venture was grant aided by MSLETB, and was a great success.
December - A very entertaining night with lots of music and singing.
Activities suspended until January 2018.
2018: Annual General meeting on 20 February ... all outgoing officers were re-elected.
Chair Yoga - 5 week session March/April, grant aided by MSLETB.
Tuesday, 3 April : Talk on stress management by Siobhan Mullee, physiotherapist.
Sunday, 15 April- Easter Dinner & Dance in Ard Ri House Hotel, Tuam.
Tuesday, 1st May - Short talk on the Warmer Home Scheme.
Tuesday, 22 May - Day trip to Strokestown House/Museum/Gardens, followed by a visit to St. Mel's Cathedral in Longford. Dinner in Roscommon en route home.
22 September - members enjoyed this exceptional day trip. Midmorning refreshments in Glenfarne following a visit to Glencar Water Fall. In the afternoon, a very relaxing cruise on Lough Erne, which included a stop off in Devenish Island, was followed by some retail therapy in Erneside shopping centre. From Enniskillen, our coach driver took the scenic route north to Belleek along the river Erne. A wonderful dinner was pre-booked at Davis Restaurant in Drumcliffe.
Chair yoga: five week course just concluded. Grant aided by MSL ETB.
Ballindine Tidy Town members joined us for a talk on the environment and made us aware of the community garden just at the edge of the town.
Visit to the Galway Greyhound Track on Friday, 16th November.... excellent; really enjoyable, brilliant meal. Already planning go back again in 2019.
Refresher course in First Aid by Irish Red Cross personnel on 27 November and 11th December.
Community/Parish Christmas Dinner on Sunday, 16 December.
2019
22 January .... meeting to discus plans for the new year ahead.
29 January ..... Annual General Meeting.
Chair Yoga sessions (grant aided by HSE National Lottery) held in February/March for 5 weeks.
April 9th - our group was addressed by Laura Glennon, solicitor, Maguire & Brennan, Claremorris, on the subject of wills/inheritance, etc.
May 14th - gardening tips with Emmet, Murphy's Garden Centre, Milltown Road, Tuam.
Day trip to Dublin - EPIC MUSEUM OF IRISH EMIGRATION and Collins Barracks Museum, breakfast and dinner in Bracken's Kinnegad, took place on Wednesday, 22 May. A Very educational and enjoyable day !
Day trip to Sligo on Wednesday, 26 June .... boat trip on Lough Gill, followed by a visit to Mullaghmore, Yeat's grave and churchyard in Drumcliffe, and ending with dinner in Davis' Restaurant also in Drumcliffe.
Activities will resume in September with Irish classes (grant aided by MSLETB), Chair Yoga (grant aided by HSE Lottery). Irish classes are currently underway every Monday evening in Ballindine Community centre. A short course in Mindfulness will commence mid November and due to a very busy schedule, Chair Yoga will start early in 2010.
Day trip visiting Knock Museum, Michael Davitt Museum in Straide and The Museum of Country Life in Castlebar, took place on Saturday, 12 October, 2019, concluding with dinner in The Bay Leaf Restaurant, in Horkans Garden Centre, Castlebar.
10th Birthday celebrations... our group will celebrate this milestone with a dinner/dance in the Ard Ri House Hotel, Tuam, on Sunday, 10th November.
2020 ...... AGM on Tuesday, 21 January. All of the outgoing officers agreed to serve another year.
18 February ... Talk on Fair Deal Nursing Home scheme by officer from HSE West, at 8pm in Ballindine Community Centre.
3 March ..... Mass for deceased members, relatives and friends, at 7pm in Ballindine Church, followed by light refreshments in Community centre. A general meeting afterwards, to arrange hotel break in County Tipperary,
Chair Yoga to commence on Tuesday, 31 March, for five consecutive weeks.
Floral arrangement demonstration to be arranged.
All activities/meetings postponed until further notice, due to coronavirus. Stay safe and well; stay in contact with
your fellow members by phone/text.
We are all saddened to hear the news that two of our founder members, Matthew Moran and Michael Coyne, have passed away. Also, Mary O'Connor, (Milltown) passed away. We offer our condolences to their families. May they rest in peace.
2022 : Resumed meetings and activities....
1st March 2022 : Our first meeting after a break of two years, due to covid 19. A member of the local gardai from Claremorris, addressed our members on personal safety and home security, after several break-ins in south Mayo.
26 April: Members enjoyed a guided tour of Limerick city followed by a visit to Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum. Foynes being the place where the first Irish coffee was made, of course, a demonstration was given on how to make one ! Breakfast en route was superb in The Lady Gregory Hotel in Gort, and dinner on the way home was also in that hotel.
31 May : Day trip the Connemara - wonderful scenery as we visited Leenane, Clifden and the Dan O'Hara Heritage centre, had some retail therapy in Clifden, and ended our journey with dinner in Burke's restaurant in Clonbut.
7 June : Road Safety Authority : a very informative and educational presentation by a guest speaker.
12 July : Visited Guinness Storehouse in Dublin and had drinks in the Gravity Rooftop Bar where there are unparalled panoramic view of Dublin city. Our group enjoyed breakfast and evening dinner in Bracken's Bar/Restaurant in Kinnegad.
Meetings & activities will resume in September.
Meetings resumed in September.
A speaker addressed our meeting on "hearing difficulties" and "hearing aids". It was a very informative presentation.
November 2022 : 25 members visited Aras an Uachtarain and had an enjoyable and memorable day, despite a wind/rain storm.
November 8 : guest speaker from Clar IRD ... Warmer homes.
Remembrance Mass for deceased in the parish will take place in Ballindine Church, on Tuesday, 22 November, at 8.p.m. There will not be any meeting on this date.
13 December, 2022 : Christmas dinner in Ellie McGuires in Ballindine at 4pm. postponed due to icy roads.
2023
7 February : Annual General Meeting, all outgoing officers were re-elected.
7th March : post-postponed Christmas was held in Ellie Maguire's in Ballindine and was very well attended.
11th April : Day trip to Strokestown House/Gardens, followed by a self-guided tour of the National Famine museum. Some retail therapy in Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone, and a tasty dinner in Hannon's Hotel in Roscommon.
25th April : Rose from the Irish Red Cross gave us lots of advice on Safety in the Home
9th May : A presentation by Western Alzheimers Foundation, Ballindine
April/May : Ten members undertook a six week course in Computer Studies, grant aided by MSLETB.
30th May: A brilliant day trip, in glorious sunshine : A cruise on Lough Derg from Killaloe. Breakfast & Dinner in The Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort and a
visit to The Crescent Shopping Centre, Dooradoyle, Limerick. Had a stop in Dirty Nellies en route back to Ballindine.
27th June : Before taking a break from activities/meetings, we visited The Japanese Gardens & National Stud, Newbridge Silverware and had a delicious dinner in the Athlone Springs hotel.
September : regular meetings and activities will resume.