Community Diary : August 2023

Athlone Community Radio‘s Community Diary will highlight local events and Community resources taking place throughout Athlone.

. The Athlone Sub-Aqua Club is delighted to announce that they will host a fundraising swim in aid of the club. The swim course will be a 2km circuit starting from the slipway at Coosan Point and extending eastwards out along the lakes of Lough Ree, covering swim distances of 2, 4 and 6km. The swim is a public event open to anyone who wishes to take part. It takes place on Saturday 12th August and registration forms are available on the Athlone Sub-Aqua Club website.

. The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is looking for volunteers in a number of areas including Athlone. Volunteer opportunities available include puppy raisers. This involves supporting pups in their initial stages of training, fostering from age 9 weeks until approximately 13-14 months. During this time, they learn structure and basic rules of obedience. See Communications@GuideDogs.ie for further information.

. The Luan Gallery in Athlone  opened a new group exhibition on Friday July 7th. Entitled: Athru, an Invocation; the exhibition is a multi-disciplinary show which responds to the many ways in which bio-systems, animal and plant lives have been affected by climate change across Ireland and beyond. All are welcome to attend and the exhibition continues until Sunday September 3rd.

. Next Tuesday, August 8th, will be an exciting and significant day in Athlone, with the official opening of the new Athlone Pedestrian and Cycleway Bridge over the River Shannon. The ceremony will take place on the bridge at 9.30am.

. Three days of events in Athlone to celebrate Irish music, song and dance will get underway this Sunday, August 6th. The first Feile na Sionainne Festival will feature a lively line-up of musical performances, many of which will be taking place under the canopy at Church Street, next to the Civic Square. Trad sessions will also be taking place on Tuesday on the Viking boat and on the deck at the Radisson Hotel. The complete schedule can be found on the Feile’s social media pages.

. National Heritage Week takes place this year from Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th August. For events taking place in in your area, visit heritageweek.ie.

. Food and drink producers from Athlone and the Midlands are invited to join the new food and drink directory which is being developed for the region. This directory will be a go-to guide for regional food and drink producers and will be used to promote the award-winning food and drink that is produced in the region. Visit midlandsireland.ie for further information.

. As part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for Coosan Church, the parish hopes to have on display in the church a collection of photographs, cuttings from newspapers and items of interest reflecting on the last 50 years of Coosan church. The public are invited to bring items of interest to the parish office.

. St Kieran’s Community Centre Active Age Group meets each Wednesday morning from 10am to 12pm. New members are always welcome.

. Athlone Midlands Samaritans need additional volunteers. No experience or qualifications are necessary, and training is provided. If you are interested, please  e-mail: athlone.branchrecruitment@samaritans.org

. Monksland Active Retirement group meets each Thursday at 10.30am in Monksland Community Centre. New members are always welcome. Enquiries to Margaret at 086-8069726

Athlone Toastmasters is an educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills. Meetings are held on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month at 8.15pm in the Creggan Court Hotel. Contact 086 – 0623519 for further information. New members are always welcome.

The Samaritans are available on free call 116123, 24 hours a day to provide emotional support for anyone who wishes to speak to someone in confidence.

. St Mary’s Active Retirement Club has reopened for meetings on Monday afternoon’s at 3pm, in the Clonmacnoise Room at St Mary’s Presbytery Athlone. New members are welcome.

. Athlone Indoor Bowls Club meets every Tuesday & Friday nights in St Peter’s School Hall from 7pm. New members are welcome. For more information contact 086-2525593.

. Bingo will take place in St Kieran’s Community Centre each Tuesday night at 8pm. All Welcome

. MABS (the money advice and budgeting service) is a free, confidential and independent service provided by the state guiding people with problem debt for more than 25 years. Money advisers are available by phone, email and live chat across the whole MABS network. You can contact MABS by calling 0818 07 2000.

. St Vincent de Paul: to reach out to the local branch in confidence please call 085-1094354.

. St Peter & Paul’s Parish is appealing for volunteers to help out in various ministries. Full training and support provided. Volunteers needed as Eucharistic Ministers, readers, collectors, altar society and altar servers.