Ballinasloe & District Youth Club
Next Meeting
8.00- 9.30 pm
Friday 12th April 2024,
Regular Meeting Activities
(resuming 12th April)
Welcome newcomers
Scripture Reflection & prayer time
Workshop with guest / educational activity
Game Time (most of the meeting)
Clonfert PTAA Youth Achievement Awards 2024
Reserved to PTAA Youth Club members as this is a pilot initiative.
Meeting Schedule January – July ’24
All club meetings on Fridays 8 – 9.15 pm
5th & 19th January
2nd, 16th & 29th* February
1st, 15th*, 21st* & 29th March
6th*, 12th & 26th April
10th & 24th May
7th*, 21st June
5th July
* denotes special events. See below.
Additional Information
Friday 19th January
Discussion and interview with Fr Eamonn O’Connor (Shannonside Radio)
Thursday 29th February, 8 – 9.30 pm
Drug Awareness Workshop (parents and children) with Darren Butler … This will be shared with young people preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation and their parents / guardians in the Greater Ballinasloe area.
Friday 1st March
Presentation on PTAA and Quiz Night with Niall Duddy
Friday 15th March, 7.30 – 10.30 pm
Bowling Night Out in Athlone followed by pizza / Supermacs
…Looking forward to this !
Thursday 21st March
PTAA Youth Quiz Night (Schools & Youth /GAA clubs)
Emerald Ballroom, Ballinasloe.
For more details visit: www.creideamh.ie/quiz
Saturday 6th April 10.30 – 3.45 pm
Retreat Day & Scavenger Hunt, Donamon Castle
with other Young Pioneers led by Sr Kathryn Press & PTAA Friends
Friday 26th April, 8 – 9 pm
Basic First Aid Workshop with Damien Farrell, Irish Red Cross.
Friday 7th June 7.30 – 10.00 pm
Feast of the Sacred Heart Celebrations
Welcoming of new members
Presentation of Youth Awards
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 both 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
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
Fundraising Officer
Ms Josephine Carroll
Parent Representatives
Auriene NaSumento
Angela Somers
Supervision Team Members
Ann Gately
Elizabeth Campbell
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.
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 Justin Harkin (Ballinasloe-Creagh).
Other Enquiries
Please contact Justin Harkin on 087 6171526 / pioneers@creideamh.ie
Photo Gallery
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: 15/2/2024