Ballinasloe & District Youth Club

Next Meeting

7.15- 10.30 pm
Friday 25th October 2024
Incorporating Young Pioneer Witness Workshop with PTAA President, Ms Frances Egan.
Clonfert Family Centre,
Ballinasloe.
H53NX59.

Interested in Joining?

This club is open to all young people between the ages of eleven and sixteen years in the greater Ballinasloe area who are open to becoming Young Pioneers.

We meet fortnightly, usually on a Friday evening in The Clonfert Family Centre, Brackernagh, Ballinasloe. Sometimes our fortnightly time and /or venue changes owing to a special event, e.g. Cinema Outing, Drumming Workshop etc.

Adult Leaders request that new members be accompanied by an adult family member for their first two meetings .

For contact details for adult leaders please see end of this page.

Regular Meeting Activities

Welcome newcomers
Scripture Reflection & prayer time
Workshop with guest / educational activity / planning of event, e.g. next outing
Game Time (most of the meeting)

Meeting Schedule August ’24 – June ’25

All club meetings on Fridays (fortnightly) 8 – 9.30 pm

23rd August
– 2024/2025 Planning Workshop

30th August
– 2023/2024 Pioneer Youth Achievement Awards Celebration

13th September
– Appointment of Club Officers

27th September
– Introduction to 2024/2025 Youth Achievement Awards (see below)
&
making of Rosary Beads for Legion of Mary

11th October (Outing)
– Cinema Outing.

We went to see Transformers One, after a trip to Supermacs!

Our adult leaders and some of our parents enjoyed the outing too!

25th October
– Pioneer Witness Workshop with Mrs Frances Egan, PTAA President.

8th November
– Bring a Friend Drumming Night with Drumadore Drum School

22nd November
– Creative Arts Workshop with Maryrose Finlan Heavey

6th December
– Singing and Public Speaking Workshop

20th December
– Christmas Mass & Party

10th January
–

24th January
– Making St Brigid Crosses with Sean Kelly

7th February
–

15th February (Retreat)
– Connaught Young Pioneer Retreat Day

21st February
– Bowling Night Out

7th March
– Drug & Alcohol Awareness Initiative

21st March
–

4th April
–

11tth April (Thursday)
– Clubs & Schools’ Quiz Night

18th April
–

2nd May
–

16th May
–

30th May
–

13th June
–

27th June
– Pioneer Feast of Sacred Heart Celebrations

* denotes special events. See below.

Additional Information (Forthcoming Meetings)

Contact Justin on 087 6171526

Pioneer Youth Achievement Awards 2024/2025

Pioneer Youth Achievement Awards 2024-2025 Download

OUR PHOTO GALLERY

Club’s Summer Outing 13th August 2024

Our first Summer outing took place incorporated a visit to St. Peter & Paul’s Church, Athlone, a trip on a Viking Boat from Athlone to Clonmacnois, a visit to the monastic ruins of Clonmacnois and related audio-visual presentation, visits to Eddie Rockets and Athlone Castle. We are grateful to everyone who assisted and supported us.

Irish Red Cross Basic First Aid Training, Friday 26th April 2024

We are most grateful to Damien Farrell, Irish Red Cross, for providing a wonderful Basic First Aid course to Youth Club members.

2024 Retreat Day with Young Pioneers of Clonfert and Elphin Dioceses
Saturday 6th April 2024

We had a wonderful retreat day in Donamon Castle, Donamon, Co. Roscommon. Our thanks to Sr Kathryn Press ASCJ, Bishop Kevin Doran (Elphin Diocese) and Fr. George Agger SVD and confreres, Divine Word Missionary Community, Donamon Castle, for giving of their time and expertise.
This was a very new experience for many of us … our first experience of a retreat day. We enjoyed Sr. Kathryn’s games, scavenger hunt, inputs and discussion questions. The retreat offered us lovely opportunities to speak to God and to listen to God and also to grow in friendship with one another.
We also enjoyed sharing our lunch and break times and celebrating Mass with Bishop Kevin and Fr. George.
Here are some pictures from our time together.

PTAA (Clonfert Diocese) Schools’ and Clubs’ Quiz Competitions 21st March 2024

After a break of many years the PTAA Clonfert Diocesan Council hosted diocesan-wide quiz competitions that were open to all Primary Schools, Youth and Sporting Clubs, including Pioneers, GAA, Camogie and Foroige in The Emerald Ballroom, Ballinasloe, on Thursday 21st March. Our club was delighted to take part and enjoyed participating with teams representing schools and other clubs from around the diocese.

Winners 2024

Club Winners 2024

School Winners 2024

Results:
Diocesan Schools’ Competition
First – Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh, Bháel Átha Na Slua Foireann 1
Second – St. Kerrill’s NS, Gurteen
Third – Creagh NS, Ballinasloe Team 1
Fourth – Newtown NS, Ballinasloe

Ballinasloe Faith Area Competition
First – Creagh NS, Ballinasloe Team 2
Second – Scoil Uí Cheithearnaigh, Bháel Átha Na Slua Foireann 2
Third- First – St Catherine’s NS Aughrim

Clubs’ Competition
First – Ballinasloe & District Pioneer Club Team 1
Second – Padraig Pearses GAA Club, Woodmount, Ballinasloe
Third – Ballinasloe & District Pioneer Club Team 2

Club Bowling Night Out 15th March 2024

Christmas Celebration Dec. 15th 2023

Fr John Naughton Clonfert Diocese’s PTAA Spiritual Director, Fr. John Garvey PP, Ballinasloe-Creagh parish, Niall Duddy, PTAA Clonfert Diocesan Council and Josephine Carroll (new PTAA Adult member) pictured with new and existing members of Ballinasloe & District PTAA Youth Club after the Association’s Clonfert Christmas Mass and Social Get Together in The Emerald Ballroom, Ballinasloe, on Friday 15th December 2023

October 2023 Outing

On Saturday 21st October we went to Galway to see the play ‘The Boy who lived with Dogs in the Blackbox Theatre, visited Galway Cathedral and dropped into the Galway Arts Centre to see an exhibition called ‘I see you like this.’ We are delighted to share the following photos from our outing.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to our day, especially the volunteers and artists of the Babaro Arts Festival.

Frequency of Meetings / Other Activities

Our club normally meets every second Friday evening, usally 8 – 9.15 pm, with extended break at Christmas and during July and August.

there are also occasions when we undertake special workshops etc. and the timing of these are determined by the availability of the person who is helping us.

Young Pioneer Daily Prayer & Pledge

Lord, for your sake,
for the recovery of problem drinkers
and victims of substance abuse,
to make amends to your Sacred Heart
for the intemperance in all our lives,
I promise not to take alcoholic drink
until I am at least 18 and
to keep off drugs for life. Amen.

Club Membership

Reserved to Young Pioneers between the ages of eleven and fifteen years who reside in the Clonfert Diocese and / or Greater Ballinasloe area (30 kilometre radius).

The club can facilitate sixteen members. Currently (6th January 2024) there are ten.

Young Pioneers are welcome on a come-and-see basis. Parents /guardians must have a brief in-person meeting / telephone conversation with a Club Leader / Member of Supervision Team and complete a temporary membership form in advance of their child participating in any activity/ meeting. Please contact Justin if no Team member is known to you.

Adult Leaders

Activities & Membership Co-ordinator
Justin Harkin
087 6171526
/ pioneers@creideamh.ie

Safeguarding Officer
Sean Kelly
086 1647970

Parent Representatives

Auriene Nascemento
Angela Somers

Supervision & Care

Ms Josephine Carroll
Ms Elizabeth Campbell
Ms Ann Gately

Important Documents

The following documents are available via email or WhatsApp in Word and PDF format. They can also be acquired before or after any club meeting.

Application Form
Club Members’ Code of Behaviour
Adult Leaders’ and Supervisors’ Code of Behaviour
Safeguarding Statement

Young Pioneer Registration

Young Pioneers between the ages of ten and seventeen years who are living in a parish of the Clonfert diocese who are not already registered with the PTAA, subject to the consent of a parent / guardian, are welcome to register.

Registration allows for participation in Pioneer competitions and special events and inclusion in a texting service that shares details of such activities.

PTAA Diocesan Registration & Consent Form – Young Members Download

Completed forms should be forwarded to:

Registration
PTAA Clonfert Diocesan Council
c/o Justin Harkin
Clonfert Family Centre
Brakernagh,
Ballinasloe,
Galway.
H53 NX59
pioneers@creideamh.ie
087 6171526

Oversight

The PTAA Clonfert Diocesan Council seek to support and are charged with the oversight of the Ballinasloe & District PTAA Youth Club and of other Young Pioneer Activities on behalf of the PTAA.

The current members of the Council are Sean Kelly (Clontuskert), Niall Duddy (Killimordaly-Clooncagh), Ann Gately (Laurencetown-Kiltormer), Francis Donohue (Duniry-Abbey) and Fr. John Naughton (Portumna).

Other Enquiries

Please contact Justin Harkin on 087 6171526 / pioneers@creideamh.ie

Photo Gallery

Fr. Robert McCabe, PTAA Central Spiritual Director (left), Bishop Michael Duignan (Clonfert & Galway dioceses) and Mr. Francis Donohue (Abbey-Duniry & PTAA Clonfert Diocesan Council ) pictured with members of Ballinasloe Pioneer Centre during a social gathering in Gullane’s Hotel, Ballinasloe, to formally welcome the forty-two young people of parishes of the Clonfert diocese who enrolled in the Pioneer Assocation during a special Mass in St. Michael’s Church, Ballinasloe, on 16th June (Feast of the Sacred Heart) 2023. Adults seated (left to right): Ms Sheila Walsh (Ballinasloe PTAA Secretary), Justin Harkin (Youth Co-ordinator), Ms Agnes Duignan (Ballinasloe PTAA Chairperson), Ms Ann Downey and Elizabeth Campbell (Ballinasloe Centre members).

Expression of thanks

Our thanks to St. Grellan’s (Ballinasloe & District) Council of The Knights of St. Columbanus for a financial contribution towards the establishment of our club and to Ballinasloe-Creagh parish and the Clonfert diocese for access to parish and diocesan facilities at less than commercial rates.

Updated: 08/10/2024