Local Notes: Hurling news, Mass times, annual swim from Ballyhack and theatre news
The Beat the Ferryman charity swim will take place on Saturday, July 11
Mass times in Crooke and Faithlegg Churches this week are: Wednesday, July 8: Faithlegg 11.30am; Thursday, July 9: Crooke 10am ; Saturday, July 11: Faithlegg 6.30pm (Vigil Mass); Sunday, July 12, Crooke 11.30am .
A special bench in memory of the late Conor Cleare, who died on January 5, 2025, will be unveiled on the grass area near the Men’s Walk in Passage East on Sunday, July 5. The bench is the first of its kind in Ireland to be dedicated to one person. Conor’s family, friends and neighbours, along with representatives of the charity Legend of the Bench, were present for the unveiling.
The bench was funded through the charity ‘Legend of the Bench’ and the Cleare family sincerely thank all those who donated to make this possible. This is a suicide prevention bench in Conor’s memory, a light in the darkness for those in crisis. At night, built-in lighting transforms the bench into a beacon of hope visible from a distance. Accessible contact numbers via QR codes on the bench connect directly to crisis support services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
On Saturday, July 11, the Greenvolt 600 metres sponsored Beat the Ferryman Swim, an annual event promoted by Passage Hurling Club, will start in Ballyhack at 2.45pm and finish in Passage East at the strand beside the South Quay. The event is open to all competent swimmers over 15 years. Prizes will be awarded to the first three male and first three female swimmers, along with the first Passage hurler and several merit awards. The entry limit is 170 swimmers. Entries are being taken on the Passage Hurling Club website via ClubZap. Registration closes at 6pm on Friday, July 10, 2026. All swimmers must sign on Saturday at the Passage East Community Centre (X91 FD85), which is the headquarters for the swim. The last ferry crosses from Passage to Ballyhack at 2.30pm, though earlier ferries will cater for swimmers arriving ahead of time.
Do you have a story to tell? Why not try putting it into a 15-minute play and submit it to the Minaun Community Theatre Group for their production of Tall Tales 2 in 2027. All plays submitted will be independently assessed and three will be chosen for performance. The closing date for submissions is August 20. There will be a writers’ workshop in July for those interested in attending. To express interest or to get more information, email glyniscurrie013@gmail.com.
Winners of the Passage Hurling Club draw for June were as follows: 1st – Ger Flood (€200); 2nd – Shannon Geraghty (€150); 3rd – Miriam Walsh (€100); 4th – Nancy Doherty (€50). Adult fixtures: Junior C v Ferrybank in Passage v Clonea, Thursday, July 9 at 7pm. Senior Division A, Passage v Clonea in Azzurri Walsh Park, Friday, July 10 at 7.30pm. Junior A, Passage v Clonea in Azzurri Walsh Park, Saturday, July 11 at 4.45pm. Juvenile results: U16 Div 1B, Passage 3-17 De La Salle 2-13. U12 Div 1, Passage 1-6 De La Salle 1-11. U14 Div 1, Passage 1-13 De La Salle 3-8. Juvenile fixtures: U16 Div 1B, Passage v Roanmore, Saturday, July 11 at 11am away. U16 Div 1B, Passage v St Mollerans, Monday, July 13 at 6.30pm away. U14 Div 1, Passage v Abbeyside-Ballinacourty, Thursday, July 16 at 6.30pm away.
