​The Annual Festival of Faith commences on Monday 1st May at the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Clonfert, Ballinasloe Co. Galway. For the next 31 days and nights thousands will make the annual Pilgrimage to this Shrine which is home to the 14th century hand carved figure of the Madonna and Child of Clonfert. For years now people come especially during the month of May to pray before this beautiful statue and join in daily prayers and Masses each evening at 8pm.
Speaking with Fr. Declan McInerney P.P., he says everything is set in place to welcome the thousands of people who will travel from near and far throughout the month to visit, pray, light candles and attend Masses each day. Fr. Declan says the Shrine holds a special place in the hearts of those who are troubled, sick, worried or in despair in any way. He says people leave the Shrine feeling very much at peace in mind, body and spirit.
This May at the Shrine there is something for everyone, a night for the Sick, Bereaved and Exam Students, those affected by depression, suicide & self-harm, uplifting testimonies on Faith in the modern world and the Blessing of Children and Parents and a special night to remember our dead.
Full details on the programme of events are on our Facebook page Parish of Eyrecourt, Meelick & Clonfert or contact Parish Office on 0909675113 or email [email protected]. Or on the Clonfert website clonfertdiocese.ie
Fr. Declan said he is very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to Clonfert this May and extends a warm invitation to those who may not have been before to come and experience first-hand this beautiful place of Serenity and Peace.

​Minister of State for Trade, Employment and Business, Pat Breen T.D. visited Ballinasloe on Friday last (April 20th) at the invitation of Fine Gael Senator Maura Hopkins.
 
Minister Breen first visited Ballinasloe Enterprise Centre where he met with members of Ballinasloe Area Community Development (BACD). This was followed by a visit to the IDA Business and Technology Park where he visited IDA Client Company, Aptar and viewed the site where BACD has recently secured planning permission for an advanced technology building. Finally, he visited the office space which has been developed above the new library on Society Street. 
 
Speaking in Ballinasloe, Senator Hopkins said, “I was delighted that Minister Breen visited the town to see at first hand the job creation potential which exists here. Increasing employment opportunities within Ballinasloe and across the wider region has been and continues to be one of my major priorities as a public representative.”
 
“Ballinasloe offers a great quality of life as a place for people to live, work and raise families. Ballinasloe is situated in an ideal location with great transport links, the opening of the new Gort to Tuam motorway has brought the journey to Shannon Airport with all of its international connections just an hour away.”
 
“I continue to work closely with the BACD to support them to progress plans for the development of the advanced technology building at the IDA site as well as working with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland to ensure that Ballinasloe is properly marketed as a town which is open for business and as a prime location for further investment.”
 
“The office space on Society Street which was developed as part of the new library project, provides excellent facilities for hot-desking and immediate use allowing for the growth of small businesses. The space has a strong potential for the development of a digital hub to replicate the very successful hubs which have been developed across the country and to support changing work practices."
 
Minister Breen stated, “As a town, Ballinasloe has fantastic potential for further development. BACD has a great vision for the town which I believe will create a bright future for the area. I continue to work closely with Senator Maura Hopkins and I will support greater collaboration between the Local Authority, third level institutions, the IDA, Enterprise Ireland, The Local Enterprise Office and the wider community.”
 
Senator Hopkins concluded, “Building on the recent success of Surmodics at the IDA Business and Technology Park, there is great scope for increased employment in Ballinasloe and across the region. I will continue to work closely with Minister Breen, Minister Humphries, BACD as well as the wider community to support job creation in Ballinasloe.”

​Farmyard in your Schoolyard is in the finals for best Agri-Business Ireland 2018 at the All-Ireland Business Summit in Croke Park this Thursday. #pitch4progress Wishing them lots of luck from everyone in Ballinasloe.

Garda Patrick McCormack of Ballinasloe, stationed in Ennis Co. Clare, is being praised for his heroics after he saved the life of a newborn baby.
Garda McCormack who is still only a probationary Garda graduated Templemore Training College four months ago.
The 25 year old officer was on-duty when the parents of a newborn girl knocked on the station window looking for help.
The little girl had stopped breathing, and Garda McCormack immediately began chest compressions and back slapping, reviving the newborn before the paramedics had arrived.
McCormacks Chief Superintendent John Kerin has told Clare’s Joint Policing Committee that Garda McCormack’s quick mind and actions saved the babies life.

Ballinasloe and surrounding areas could face a major water shortage in the event of an emergency or a big freeze – because there is not an adequate supply in local reservoirs.
During the recent cold snap and Storm Eleanor there was an unprecedented usage of water in the Ballinasloe area with a rise of 40%.
In turn that meant there were areas left without water for a week – and this has prompted calls for an increased supply to be made available.
The call was made by Cllr Aidan Donohue, Mayor of Ballinasloe, who said that there was ‘an accident waiting to happen’ because of the area’s lack of supply.
And he has now summoned Irish Water to attend a meeting in Ballinasloe to discuss the possibility of improving the supply in the town and surrounding areas in the event of a similar emergency.
While paying tribute to the staff of Galway County Council for their efforts in dealing with the recent snow and frost, he said that the usage of water was up by around 40% during this period.
Cllr Donohue said that a lot of this was down to the fact that a lot of households left taps running to prevent a freeze up. He added that this should also be discouraged.
The Fine Gael councillor is calling for the Ballinasloe Regional Water Scheme plant to be upgraded so that it can supply more water to householders in the event of an emergency.
“There were areas that are served by this scheme that were left without water for more than a week and this is unacceptable. Irish Water needs to look at this situation as a matter or urgency,” he said.
Cllr Michael Connolly (FF) said that the plant in Ballinasloe needed to be upgraded and he also mentioned areas served by the scheme that were left without water for days on end.
According to Cllr Michael Finnerty (FG) there were households leaving taps on for a night. The amount of water they would waste during this period would serve them a whole year.
“I know of a situation in which one house left the tap running and the owners met the water at their front gate. It is ridiculous what is going on,” he said.
Director of Services Jim Cullen said that Irish Water would have no problem in meeting the Ballinasloe councillors to discuss their concerns.
He said that the body was willing to meet all councillors as a group and that he always found it approachable in this regard.