Last Monday night, 16th July, a fire destroyed boats and equipment with a value of up to €150,000 at the Lough Ree Sub-Aqua clubhouse in Lanesborough. The club members have been devastated by their loss and while they come to terms with the damage, many many people have offered assistance and support.

On Monday 23rd July, the people of Longford, Roscommon and the midlands region have an opportunity to show their support for this wonderful club at their time of distress. A bucket collection will be held outside the grounds of Longford Town at Flancare Park (Strokestown road, Longford) when the locals play Manchester United Reserves in a big friendly – kick off at 7:30pm. If you would like to support this initiative then please go along and put whatever you can afford into the bucket – or better still – help out with the bucket collection on the night. Donations can also be made at the Lough Ree Development Co-Op, Main Street, Lanesborough.

The Lough Ree Sub Aqua Club was formed in 1983 in order to promote sports diving and to partake in search and rescue missions, helping to recover persons missing from lakes and rivers in the Midlands and West. In the last 29 years the voluntary members of the club have spent thousands of hours coming to the assistance of those in distress all over this island. Surely now is the time to help them?

Meet Therese Tierney – the Ballyleague artist who has literally changed the face of one of the greatest eyesores on the face of the tidy Shannonside village.

For years now the ‘annex’ of the old Sliabh Ban Hotel and Anchor Hotel has been in a state of disrepair so recently the local Ballyleague Village Renewal and Tidy Towns committee invited Therese Tierney – an artist living in the area – to take on the job of repainting an appropriate mural on its walls.

The result, as you can see from these pictures (attached) is a beautiful colour cottage country scene – complete with flowers, lamp shades, the oil lamp, the lady of the house looking over the half door and even some local poultry!!!

This week the chairman of Ballyleague Tidy Towns Gerry Thompson gathered with members of the local voluntary committee to pay tribute and thanks to Therese for her voluntary work.

“We are delighted with the beautiful work Therese did” Gerry says, “it is the talk of the village – and has attracted the attention of hundreds of passing motorists too – she did a superb job. It very much enhances the voluntary work we are doing to make Ballyleague tidy and we are really pleased with the result.”

The Ballyleague Tidy Towns committee will stage their annual church gate collection at the Church of the Holy Rosary, Ballyleague on Saturday July 14th and Sunday July 15th. A special appeal is now being made to local residents and the business community to help the committee’s ongoing work.

For more info contact Gerry Thompson directly at 085-1740819

The Ballyleague Village Renewal and Tidy Towns committee would like to invite you out to the area to see the finished painting for yourself!!!