Ballyhaunis Blog

Another non event today at Knock apparently. Expecting an apparition promised by a self proclaimed “visionary” - thousands of people turned up in Knock - many in camper vans and transit vans .
According to reports on the local radio station today - the main basilica was full with people and the doors were closed to prevent overcrowding. Joe Coleman and a couple of “followers” started off praying the Rosary around 2.30. At around 3.20 the reporter said he heard aloud noise (like thunder) - and everyone ran outside - some climbing over seats to get out. He said it was dangerous behaviour and it was lucky no one was hurt. Joe Coleman stayed inside while the people wer looking at the sun (again). The reporter said there were some “strange activities ” in the sky - cloud formations and sun . People were clapping and saying the sun was dancing (again) . Later this Joe Conman came out and the crowd of people followed him all round Knock by the sound of things - but then he just disappeared and the reporter said that people started to leave .
I was driving in Ballyhaunis at around 4pm to 4.30pm and the roads were busy with traffic coming from Knock. Plenty of transit vans .
No doubt we will hear some stories from Joe about messages from Mary in the coming days.

This is a video of what really happened in Knock on October 11th. Apparition , Sun Dancing , Visions ? Nothing happened. Expect more of the same today.

Nothing Happened

Great news for the local hotels and B&Bs - not a vacancy within 30 miles of Knock tonight.
I wonder if Joseph Coleman has any relatives in the B&B trade?
The stalls in Knock selling cheap “made in China” tat will do a roaring trade. Expect a few fireworks too .

Another crazy prediction by Joe Coleman that the Virgin Mary will show up in Knock on Halloween. What a day to choose? This story is going all over the world and making a laughing stock of Ireland.
This is a man who has previously predicted that the Lost city of Atlantis will rise in 2012.!
He trys to make out he is humble - but it sems he is more than media savvy and is used to getting publicity in the media - he even once had his own radio show in 2007 on Dublin’s 96FM. See Here

He also seems to have a website to do with some more alleged visions of the Virgin Mary in Donegal. There is a testimonial section on the site - but there is only one testimonial on it from a 10 year old boy ! Maybe we should give him a call on his mobile to see what else he has in store for us all.
Claiming to see the Virgin Mary is bad enough - but he makes it even worse by saying she turns into Padre Pio as well ! What the hell is going on there?

If someone stood up in O’Connell Street Dublin or in Ballyhaunis and say they’d seen the Virgin Mary - people would ignore them and think they were either drunk or crazy . But he is not being ignored. Why is that? . Maybe this article is making it worse - but the reports in the papers are just being too nice to him.

At least the Catholic church has made a statement about it now - Archbishop Michael Neary issued a statment which included lines like “It is not healthy, does not give glory to God and certainly is not good witness to the faith to be looking for extraordinary phenomena. For this reason such events are to be regretted rather than encouraged”
He also said - “Unfortunately, recent events at the shrine obscure this essential message - they risk misleading God’s people and undermining faith.”

The supposed picture evidence on YouTube mentioned by Joe Coleman is a joke - it is just badly taken pictures of the sun with glare.
On October 31st Knock will probably be busy - there will no doubt be plenty of Travellers (previously known as Gypsys or Tinkers) - who will flock to Knock. It’s a pity they don’t pay more attention to the teachings of Christ when they are fighting each other at weddings and funerals .

Maybe if people are so sure she will appear - they should have Have a Bet Here (The odds are pretty small - so someone must be betting on it!)

As someone said on Politics.ie “Now, do you think the mother of Jesus was going to appear in front of a bunch of assorted gobshytes, tinkers - with their tits and arses hanging out”

Why is anyone paying attention to this man? I blame RTE - apparently he first appeared on “the Afternoon Show ” - talking about this - why did they ask him to come on?

I see some other bloggers are a bit mad about Joe Coleman too.

Well - not a lot happening here in Ballyhaunis. The biggest news I suppose was the new disabled parking spots put down in recent weeks - big blue painted rectangles with wheelchairs painted on them and dropped kerbs too. They seem to be getting used - I never knew there were that many disabled people in the area - or maybe it’s just the same bloody people parking in these spots that park on the double yellow lines or double park on the main road at 4pm on a Friday evening? Ignorant imbeciles who think they are above the law. It doesn’t help that the Guards are fairly thin on the ground around here. You night see the odd one doing a bit of shopping or getting a takeaway - but I’ve never seen one giving a parking ticket here.

It’s Halloween coming up soon - a good excuse for the local kids to go begging and throwing eggs . I wouldn’t mind if some of them made an effort - but walking into a shop with a bucket shouting trick or treat in your normal clothes isn’t really trying is it. Mind you - there’s some ugly kids around - with faces that don’t need masks.
There will probably be a few fireworks - but as usual no one will do anything even though setting them off is illegal in Ireland
The legislation says ” If you ignite a firework or cause it to be ignited in any place, you are guilty of an offence. The offence of igniting a firework can take place anywhere and not just in a public place. It can include the garden of a private house.”
The Guards could have a busy night - if they could be bothered to do anything. I wonder how many people in Ireland will be arrested this week for igniting fireworks. Having laws is no good without enforcement.
There are lawbreakers everywhere - drunk drivers, cars with one headlight, learner drivers on their own, people driving with mobile phones , dog owners letting dogs crap in the street, …… no one gives a damn really. It’s probably the same in most of Ireland.

The big news for many drivers in Ireland is the proposal to reduce the drink driving blood/alcohol limit to 50mg per litre. Many people - Td’s , publicans and others are up in arms about it - saying it will ruin the rural pub and the night out for the “poor auld fellas”. More TDs spoke up about this than the withdrawal of the cervical cancer vaccine.

There will be a bit of panic over the Swine Flu vaccine around here in the next few weeks. I know one thing for sure - the drug companies must be loving this swine flu with all the Tamiflu and vaccines. It would make you wonder why it’s been hyped up out of all proportion - it must be making billions for some companies.

Some Irish GPs are very concerned about the fact that they would be legally responsible for the call and recall of patients under terms dictated by the HSE.
The GPs must identify their most at-risk patients but they are worried that if they deny certain patients the vaccine they may be open to future litigation.

Kieran Folliard - who was born in Ballyhaunis - expands his pub empire with “Cooper” in St. Louis Park Minnesota.

Folliard, 54, grew up in Ballyhaunis where his father drove a hackney cab.

When he left Ireland, Folliard found himself working in the corporate world, eventually landing in the Twin Cities in 1987. In Minnesota, he realized that his passion lay elsewhere.

“I decided I would open an Irish pub — and that was the amount of strategy that went into the decision,” Folliard said.

Read More in the Star Tribune

Ballyhaunis based company Homecare Medical Supplies has won the ” Best Family Run Business” in the Connacht Finals of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards.
Homecare Medical Supplies is a supplier of medical consumables and equipment to the healthcare market, with its main office and distribution centre located in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo and retail outlets in Ballyhaunis and Terryland Retail Park.

Receiving his prize of a specially commissioned award created by Irish artist Grainne Breslin, Homecare Medical Supplies founder Peter McGuinness expressed his delight at winning the Connacht title.

Employing 60 staff in sales, telemarketing, service and distribution roles, Homecare Medical Supplies was selected from a shortlist of three companies in their category and judged on a variety of merits including sales performance, market share growth, company milestones, innovative new products or services and successful achievements.

The bookmaker Paddy Power is taking bets on where Our Lady will appear next in Ireland. Because of the forecast by Joe Coleman last week - Knock Shrine is the clear favourite. Hopefully Joe has a good big bet on - he seems pretty sure it will happen.
You Can Bet Here Odds below were at 7pm Friday 9th Oct
(It’s under the Novelty Bets Menu - )

Sunday, October 11, is the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the opening of St. Patrick’s church in Ballyhaunis.

The Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, will be joined by priests and nuns who have served in the parish. Ballyhaunis musician Noel Henry has composed music especially for the occasion and it will get its first performance at the Mass which commences at 3pm.

The three choirs of the parish will be performing together at the Mass - the Scoil Iosa Choir, Abbey Male Choir and the church choir. The prayers of the faithful will be read by students from Ballyhaunis Community School. Lecturer Dr Enda Lyons will give the homily on the day.

Afterwards, all are invited to enjoy refreshments in the Parochial Hall.

There will not be the usual Mass at 12 noon on Sunday next. However, there will be a 10am Mass.

It could be busy on the roads on Sunday if there are people heading for Knock too for the predicted apparition by some clairvoyant from Ballyfermot.

A man who claims to be a clairvoyant and healer (apparently charging €60 a sitting) has forecast that the Virgin Mary will appear in Knock this Sunday at 3pm. Ballyfermot man - Joe Coleman is also linked to alleged visionsof the Virgin Mary in Donegal (latest one supposedly on the eve of the Lisbon referendum) He has a website that lists testimonials about these Dungloe visions - at the moment there is a grand total of 1 testimonial from a 10 year old boy! . (Hardly a reliable source?)
The only named witness to the latest Dungloe vision is this boys father (quoted in the Irish Independent) . On local Midwest Radio - Joe Coleman said that he didn’t know the people who witnessed the latest apparition !
The Dungloe parish priest, Father Seamus Meehan, was quoted as saying “ I would be kind of sceptical about it myself”

Many people will probably flock to Knock when they hear this rumour - the shops and cafes will love this Joe Coleman man. They will be able to sell more overpriced tat and bad food to gullible “pilgrims”. The Church will let it happen - because a few more donations will be more than welcome. There will probably be a few people who will think they saw something. If someone is in the frame of mind to see a vision then they are more likely to think they have seen one.

Paddy Power are even taking bets on it - I wonder if Joe Coleman has a few Euro on Knock?
Click below to see the latest odds ( When you get to Paddy Power click “Novelty Bets” on the left Menu)

It seems that teachers in the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), have imposed a ban on out-of-school-hours meetings with parents as part of a protest against education cuts.
Apparently - for the past 5 years - 3 parent teacher meetings a year were supposed to be held during out-of-school-hours. The teachers got a pay rise for this !

I am sure all this comes as a surprise to most parents in Ballyhaunis - where I don’t think there have been any parent teacher meetings that didn’t involve a half day closing of the school. So this work to rule will have little effect in Ballyhaunis.
The question though - is why were meetings not held after school as agreed with the Dept of education? They probably get around it by only having 3 parent teacher meetings a year - because they are allowed to have 3 a year during school time. (But did they still accept the extra money for doing meetings out of school hours?)

The out-of-school-hours meetings were introduced to make life easier for working parents and to maximise teaching time for students.
It means children don’t have to be sent home while the meetings take place, and working parents have a greater chance of getting home in time to attend.

These are things that the Principal and board of management in Ballyhaunis Community School must not think are that important.