23-08-2003

Open Clay Shoot

Mountmellick & District Game Preservation Association & Gun Club are holding an open clay shoot on Sunday, August 24 at Gorman's Bog, Garrymore. 50 birds sporting.

Cash prizes. Also single 10 bird available. There will be cash prizes. Shooting from 12 noon to 5 pm.

Juvenile Soccer Club

Training begins back this week. Players please contact your manager/coach for time and place or call Eamon.

Cabaret

Mountmellick United Football Club are holding a cabaret night in aid of the Connor Davis Park development on Friday night, September 5 in The Mellick Inn. Music by After Hours. All past and present players please support. Everyone welcome. Admission - e5. There will be a raffle on the night. Music from 9.30 pm.

Community Care Whist

Top score, Angela Walshe; ladies, 1, Violet Bryan; 2, Jane Brennan; gents, 1, Donal Conroy; 2, B O'Brien; halves, ladies, 1, Breda Cooley; 2, Teresa Conroy; gents, Paddy Dolan; 2, Mick Buggie.

Computer Courses

Evening courses start at MDA from September. They will include absolute beginners, equal skills, Microsoft Office, ECDL Level 1, computerised accounts, ECDL AM3, farm accounts, managing and maintaining your PC and one to one tuition. For further inquiries please contact Imelda Burke.

Knock

The Legion of Mary will have a bus travelling to Knock on Sunday, September 14.

Names are being taken for those wishing to travel, all are welcome to come along.

Grow Group

A Grow Group has begun in Mountmellick. If you are someone who experiences depression, anxiety attacks or who is simply in need of company do come along.

You will have an opportunity to meet others, share your problems in confidence, get support and make new friends. All are welcome.

Meetings will take place in the MDA, Irishtown at 3 pm every Monday. For further information please contact Harriet.

Slieve Bloom Annual Picnic Day

This Sunday, August 24 is the annual family picnic day for the Slieve Bloom Walking Club. This day includes a short walk (2 miles) led by Richard Jack and all are invited along with their own picnic.

Registration takes place at the cattle mart in Mountrath at 12 noon, €5 per person for non-members.

Ladies Football

Claire O'Loughlin, Rachel Mullen, Laura Quigley, Jenny McEvoy and Rosemary Bermingham all featured on the Laois U-14 squad that took part in the Leinster U-14 Blitz in Carlow on Saturday. Laois lost out to Westmeath in the playoff game and so missed out on a place in the final against Dublin.

The previous evening the same players were involved with the Sarsfields U-14 team which went down to Portlaoise in the U-I 4 League in Portlaoise. Sarsfields lost by 3-4 to 1-5 in an excellent game.

Training for all grades resumes on Friday evening at 6.30pm.

Refund of Drug Overcharges

During the period July 99 to Feb 2001. (20 months) the Health Boards overcharged patients and families, up to €12.70 each month under the Drug Payments Scheme. Anyone who paid the DPS limit of €40.60 for any of these months, is crititied to a refund from the Health Board. The latest date for making a claim is 30th Sept 2003. Documentation necessary to make a claim is available from your Pharmacy.

Training Resumes

Mountmellick Juvenile Soccer club will start back training this Wednesday August 20 for the following teams: U-11 and U-13 Girls, 6.30 – 7.30pm. U-9 and U-10 Boys 6.30-7.30pm. U-16 Boys from 6.30-8pm.

Mandy wins Silver

Mandy Bloomer continued her great form this season to win a silver medal in the National Senior Women 400m hurdles Championships of Ireland. This performance by Mandy was excellent and her time of 61.7s is an improvement on her first 400m hurdle race of the season (61.9s). Mandy had to deal with a controversal semi-final. From lane one she was running comfortable for 2nd place when coming over the final hurdle of the race (hurdle 10), the lane 1 box had been left on the track in her lane. This has never occurred at a National Championships, but Mandy just sprinted by it and still finished 2nd to qualify for her final. Mandy’s determination and talent showed in the final when she ran smoothly down the final 150m to take a comfortable second in a season’s best of 61.7s, to Michelle Carey, a Meath girl who runs with Loughbourgh University and Dublin Strides.

Mandy felt satisfied with her performance. Eager to improve further in the National Mazda League Final which took place on Sunday Aug. 17. Mandy competed for Tullamore in the league final as Mountmellick does not have a senior squad. Mandy competed in 3 individual events – 400m hurldes, 200m sprint, and high jump. She also is in the 2 relays 4x100m relay and the tough 4x400m relay.

Mandy showed her class from the start when winning the 400m hurdles in dramatic fashion from lane 8 in strong windy conditions in a good time 61.9s.From this she jumped 1500m in the high jump which she did on pure technique and fitness as Mandy does not train or compete any more for this discipline. In the 4x100m relay the Tullamore team performed well, finishing 4th in an exciting race.

Later that afternoon the 200m race was run by Mandy. she had a very strong run and came home in 2nd position in 26.04s. Mandy was pleased with this considering all the events she had competed in earlier. Her final event was the tough replay leg of a 400m.