News Archive
November 2000

Ardara will be buzzing this Christmas and not alone because of their brilliant double in the County Championship and league in recent months.
The success of local GAA team is reflected in every aspect of local life here. There is a greater air of confidence that permeates through the streets and this is also reflected in the business community of the town.
The popular annual pre-Christmas Ardara shopping spree, which traditionally heralds the start of the Christmas shopping rush in the area begins this Friday, December 1st and continues to Saturday December 9th.
The spree has become the premier shopping event of the year in this most popular of south west Donegal towns.
As the town enjoys a very busy tourist trade annually, people from all over the north west are only too well aware of the quality of the area.
Ardara businesses believe that they can match the bigger towns when it comes to value for money and in many cases they feel that they can beat many prices elsewhere.
The spree is the result of many more people in the south west of the county looking towards their own community for getting value for money and bargins.

Christmas Lights
The Christmas lights will be switched on, on Sunday December 10th and another expected guest on the day will be dressed in his traditional suit of red and white, although rumours abound that he may be persuaded to change this year to green and gold as captain of the jubilant Ardara team, Eamon Doherty and some of his team mates, are expected to be there for the big switching on ceremony.
Santa will be in toen that Sunday from 3 - 5pm while the 'switching on' will take place at 5:15pm. And just to get you in the right mood, carol singers will serenade you into the Christmas mood with a host of festive favourites.

Santa comes to town
Santa is coming to town on Sunday 10th December at the Nesbitt Arms Hotel. An afternoon disco, aimed at the young children of the area, which is being organised by the town traders association, will run from 3pm to 5pm. There will be face painting, dancing and Christmas gifts (from Santa) for the children. The switching on of the Christmas lights will be held afterwards at 5:15pm. The event will cost £3 per child.

Party
The annual Christmas party for People with Special Needs takes place in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel on Friday 8th December at 7:30pm. All welcome.

Sharkey's Waste
We ask customers to leave refuse out on Sunday night for collection early on Monday morning. This request comes as a result of new landfill regulations.

Féile Siuloide Árd a'Ratha / Ardara Walking Festival
A meeting of the committe will be held in the Community Centre on Monday 27th November at 9:00pm. Your help and co-operation is required so that next year's festival is a success. The committe needs people to help out. Traders and accommodation providers especially welcome.

Senior Citizens Christmas Party
The party will be on December 13th at 12 o'clock in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel. There will be a special Mass on that day at 11:30am with a blessing of the sick. The committee needs names and also to know if you need transport so you are asked to put your name on the sheet in the Post Office or phone Peggy at 41398 or Breege at 41343 or Breda at 41246. Please help by getting your name in as soon as possible.

Ardara Show
The Ardara Show Presentation Dance and Buffet will be in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel on Saturday 2nd December at 9:30pm - 1:00am. Tickets £5 are now available from committe members and Diver's Newsagents.

Pioneer Council
Monthly meeting of the Pioneer Council after the evening Mass on Friday evening.

Doras Award
This site has recently received a Four Shamrock award from Doras, the Irish websites directory. Here is the review.
The Ardara Town homepage provides local news and information about the town of Ardara and the local community. There are links to news, local information (including accommodation listings, bus timetables and church services) and a full directory of residents' phone numbers and homepages. There is even a free Ardara email address.
This is an excellent community focused site that puts the connectivity of the Net to good use. The site is clear and well laid out and eminently user friendly - a great local resource.

See the full report in the Sports section.

Arts exhibition opens in Ardara

The official opening of the "In Tandem" arts exhibition in the Ardara Artists Resource Centre at the weekend was preformed by Seamus Rodgers, Chairman of the Donegal County Council's Cultural committee.
The exhibition features the work of Gerry Hogg, a painter from Limerick, Philip McFadden, an Inishowen based sculptor, and Glenties based painter Philip Moss.
In his address Seamus Rodgers praised the work being undertaken in the field of arts by John M. Cunningham and the Cunningham family. "The Artists Resource Centre is providing facilities for budding artists to exhibit their works and talents. Just as their footballers turned the spotlight on Ardara by capturing the County Championship this year, John Cunningham is making Ardara the mecca for artists", he said. In a brief address Sean Hannigan from the Arts Centre in Letterkenny expressed his delight and optimism for the furture works of Art in the county, stating that the promotion of the arts in the last few years has met with unqualified success.
The exhibition is open until December 6th.

Craft Workshop
A workshop is being held this weekend on Saturday and Sunday 25/26th November in the Heritage Centre from 11am to 6pm. The purpose is to demonstrate and record the making of our local hand woven tweed from dyeing, carding and spinning to weaving on double and single looms. Craft workers will be knitting, crocheting and sprigging and tapestry weaving. Anyone can take part as a craft worker or to learn a little of the skills involved.

Senior Citizens Christmas Party
December 13th will be a special day for all the senior citizens of the parish. There will be a special Mass and blessing of the sick in the Church of The Holy Family at 11:30am followed by lunch in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel and then an afternoon of entertainment.
Transport will be arranged for anybody who needs it. We must have the numbers soon for the Hotel so please put your names on the list at the Post Office.

Wedding

Pictured at their wedding in the Holy Faith Church, Ardara, are Danny Maguire, Belleek and Eileen Maguire, Ardara.

The reception was held in the Abbey Hotel, Donegal Town, and the honeymoon was spent in Gran Canaria.

Peter Breslin, formerly of Drimaha, who was awarded a first class honours degree in Computer Science at the University of Lincoin recently. A past pupil of Glenties Comprehensive School, Peter is currently working as a computer science engineer at Synage Software.

Mass and Healing Service
Bus to Rossnowlagh on Sunday 3rd December leaving Diver's at 1:30pm.
Book at Diver's

Ardara Women's Group
Monthly meeting in the Community Centre on Monday 20th November at 8:30pm. Thinking of Christmas? All welcome.

Heritage Centre Café
The café is open again, serving teas, homemade soup etc. You are invited to call in and sample.

Ardara Show
The committe are holding a special Presentation Dance and Buffet on Saturday 2nd December in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel from 9:30pm - 1:00am. Music by Peter Oliver Trio. Tickets £5, available from committe members or Diver's Newsagents.

Thanks
The Friends of Letterkenny Hospital Church Gate Collection recently taken up in Ardara amounted to £386. The Friends of the Hospital wish to thank all those who contributed and collected.

Ardara Graduates

Finbar Boyle, son of Paddy and Anne Boyle, Tullycleeve, who graduated from N.U.I. Maynooth with a B.A. Honours degree in Irish and Geography. He is a past pupil of Meentnaedea N.S. and the Comprehensive School, Glenties. He is currently teaching in Kilcock, Co Kildare.

Patricia Porter, Monargan, who recently graduated from Leeds University with a BA degree in Media, Communications and Cultural Studies. Daughter of Tommy and Margaret Porter, Ardara. Patricia is currently undertaking postgraduate teacher training in Huddersfield.

The annual Bridge Congress was held in Donegal Town last weekend and congratulations go to Columba Diver, who won Best Donegal Pair along with Peter McLoone, Letterkenny.

EMPLOYMENT
17/11/00

Central Bar

Full-Time
Bar Person required

Further enquiries
Tel: 073-38470 between 9am-5pm

GAA
The monthly meeting of the club takes place this Monday, 13th November at 9:00pm, in Doherty's Bar.

Flotto Sellers
Next week's Flotto sellers are Paddy J. Breslin, Michael Kennedy, Malachy Gallagher, Damien Diver and Tony Breslin.

Donegal Business Person of the Year
The Ardara Parish Council, The GAA Club and The Town Traders would like to congratulate Frank Gallagher on his selection as "Donegal Business Person of the Year". Anyone interested in attending the Presentation Dinner in Letterkenny on Friday 17th November may purchase their ticket from A.I.B., Killybegs.

Ardara Artists Resource Centre
The Ardara Artists Resource Centre invites you to a wine reception to celebrate the opening of "In Tandem II", an exhibition of paintings from Limerick based painter Gavin Hogg, Inishowen sculptor Phillip McFadden and Glenties painter Phillip Moss.
The exhibition opens 8:30pm - 10:00pm on Saturday 18th November and continues until Wednesday 29th November 2000.
The Ardara Artists Resource Centre is located at the site of the old workshop of P.J. McGill on the Wood Road, Ardara.
Open 10:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday - Sunday. Admission Free.

McGeehan Coaches
A special service to the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre will run every Saturday from 11th November until Christmas. The bus departs Ardara at 7:10am.

Congrats
Congratulations are extended to Yvonne McNelis and Orla Henna who competed successfully at the Ulster Dance Championships. Orla won solo medal in the U9 section and Yvonne took the Championship Cup and two medals in the under 16 Solos. She also qualified for the World Championships.

Best wishes also to Isobel Cunningham. She joined Riverdance for a six week tour of Asia starting at Singapore.

Ancient Order of Hibernians
Congratulations to Declan Gallagher who has been nominated for President in The Ancient Order of Hibernians Commodore John Barry Division, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Viist their web site. or E-mail Declan

Ardara on course for Double
Ardara ......................... 2-10
Aodh Ruadh ................. 0-10

With an early and late goal, Ardara kept themselves on course for a Championship and League double when overcoming Aodh Ruadh in a good contest at Fintra on Sunday.
The county champions got off to the best possible start with a goal after 34 seconds and they held that advantage right until five minutes from the end when their final score, a second goal, killed Aodh Ruadh challenge.
The opening quarter saw Ardara race into a 1-3 to no score lead, the goal after 34 seconds when a Jonathan Boyle effort for a point came back of the upright and crossbar into the path of Conal Doherty who had the time and space to easily find the net.
On the half-time whistle Micheal Doherty pointed for Ardara to leave them ahead by 1-6 to 0-3 at the break.
Just before half-time, Ardara lost Damien Diver with a back injury, but his replacement made his mark early in the second half, Jimmy Brennan pointing.
The game was very well contested with the Dohertys once again key players for Ardara with Peter McHugh, Jonathan Boyle and Sean Whyte also very much to the fore.
Five yellow cards were produced, although most were for dissent. Two of them were shown to Ardara's Jonathan Boyle, and Ardara wisely substituted Boyle immediately.

Ardara Team
Conor Curran, Sean Whyte, Eamon Doherty, Kevin Byrne, Martin McShane, Brendan Boyle, Michael Doherty (1-2), Damien Diver, Francis Diver, Fergal Heena (0-3), Peter McHugh, Conal Doherty (1-3), Don Early, Jonathan Boyle, Stephen Gildea (0-1). Subs. Jimmy Brennan (0-1) for D. Diver (28 mins), Patrick Gallagher for Gildea (48 mins), Darren Maguire for J. Boyle (57 mins)

Care of the Aged
Committee meeting on Thursday next at 7:30pm in Homeward Bound.

Senior Citizens
Christmas Party in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel on Wednesday 13th December.

Workshop
A two day workshop on spinning and weaving craft work will be held in the Heritage Centre on November 25th and 26th. Any craft workers who could give a little of their time to help out would be appreciated. All are welcome.

Pipe TV
Subscriptions are now overdue. Please pay to the Ulster Bank or any committee member.

Dearcadh
If you intend submitting any articles, stories etc. for this years issue. The deadline is Saturday November 18th.

Foroige
More leaders are needed. Fifty to sixty young people attend every week. Can you give 1½ hours of your time on Wednesdays? If you can, please come to the Community Centre at 7:00pm on Wednesday. For Foroige to continue to provide a safe enviornment for the young people of the parish, more adult leaders are needed. Its a question of the continuing existance of a very good service to the youth of the community.

Flotto
This weeks Flotto is £2,100. Sellers are John M. Byrne, Patrick Gallagher, Don Early and John D. Early.

Ardara Parish Council
Meeting in the Community Centre on Wednesday 8th November at 9:00pm.
All area reps. should attend.

24th Annual Donegal Sports Star Awards

Those in the County who excel in their chosen sport through sheer hard work and dedication were commended by Donegal Sports Star Committee Chairman, Harry Blaney, at the 24th annual presentation ceremony in the Silver Tassie, Letterkenny, last Sunday.

Damien Diver

Winner of the
Gaelic Football category

At county level Damien is a regular member of the team in the highest division in the country.

Damien Diver pictured with family and friends
at the Silver Tassie.

Show
The AGM of the Show Society will be held in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel this Friday, 3rd Novemberat 9pm.

Workshop
A two day workshop is being set up in the Heritage Centre on November 25th and 26th to bring together the skills of the local handloom weavers and spinners and to record the details of the work that goes into producing the tweed locally and get a sample of the songs and stories of the times.

Benefit Dance
A benefit dance in aid of a local family will be held in the Nesbitt Arms Hotel this Saturday night, 4th October, music by Peter Oliver Trio.

Parish Council
Ardara Parish Council meeting in Community Centre on Wednesday 8th November, at 9pm. All area reps should attend.

Dearcadh
It's that time of year again when the editorial committee of the popular annual based around Ardara, Dearcadh are putting together their magazine.
All submissions for the annual should be with the editorial committe by Saturday, 18th November.

EMPLOYMENT
2/11/00

Chef de Partie/2nd Chef
(Male/Female)
Required by The Nesbitt Arms Hotel.
For interview please telephone
General Manager, Nessa Molloy
075-41103