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Ballinasloe Public Speakers’ Club held its second meeting in the Business Hub on Society Street recently. It was wonderful to welcome some more new faces and voices to the club.

Having retired from AIB as Branch Manager in Ballinasloe with 35 years’ service done, Seamus moved into the role of a self-employed Financial Advisor with New Ireland Assurance in July 2015. He provides free consultations on matters relating to life cover, savings and investments, as well as pensions. Everyone’s circumstances are different, so unique solutions are required. “Starting out with life cover, everyone’s priority should be to have enough lump sum on death cover to clear all debts.

The pharmacy in Tesco has been run by Marion Hendrick for some 32 years since she opened on the 2nd of July 1993 as a stand-alone store in the Crazy Prices Shopping Centre and moved to Tesco in 2011.

This January marked another important milestone for Ballinasloe as one group of student paramedics celebrated their graduation while a new cohort began their training at the National Ambulance Service College. It also signals the 18th consecutive academic year of paramedic education in the town. The National Ambulance Service College (NASC) has been based at the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre since 2008, when it became the second NASC campus to open outside of its original base at St Mary’s Hospital in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Since then, the Ballinasloe campus has played a key role in expanding national paramedic training while becoming firmly embedded in the local community.

It was a momentous morning in Brackernagh, in the grounds of Quarry House, where 40 years since the opening of the custom build (designed by the late Larry Duffy) Day Care Centre, the team at Ballinasloe Social Services commemorated their past and showcased their new future. The attendees were brought full circle to a giant of Christian generosity and practical hope, Sr. Stan, whose requiem mass was being prayed in Dublin at the very same time.

Ballinasloe came together to honour its remarkable volunteers, community groups, sports leaders, creative champions and local businesses at the People of the Year Awards, hosted by BACD and supported by Ballinasloe Credit Union, the Shearwater Hotel, and KPW Design & Print. Held in the Shearwater Hotel on Friday 21st of November, the event celebrated dozens of individuals and groups whose work, talent and commitment continue to enrich the town.

Scoil an Chroí Naofa has recently launched an online petition via www.change.org, to give impetus to their campaign for a new, modern and energy-efficient building. When the boys’ and girls’ schools in town amalgamated 30 years ago, the Department of Education promised a new school building, and staff and pupils have been waiting since. “Our 300 pupils are learning in outdated classrooms,” says School Principal, Christine Connor. At present, the school operates from two buildings divided by the busy Society Street, requiring pupils to cross multiple times per day and putting them at risk of accidents. One building was constructed in 1937, and the other is a “temporary” prefab that was constructed in 1972.

Ballinasloe Area Community Development (BACD) held its 26th Annual General Meeting on 30th October 2025 in the Ballinasloe Enterprise Hub, where members, directors, and stakeholders gathered to reflect on a year of continued progress, strong organisational performance, and deepening community engagement. Chairperson Seamus Duffy opened the meeting by welcoming attendees and emphasising the positive position of BACD’s core projects. Both the Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre (BEC) and Enterprise Hub (BEH) remain close to full occupancy, demonstrating continued demand for enterprise space and supports.