Sligo Credit Union recently celebrated their 50th anniversary with an open day in their offices in Stephen Street.

The event was attended by local councillors, Sligo County Council Cathaoirleach Rosaleen O’Grady and Mayor of Sligo Thomas Healy. as well as Sligo MEP Marian Harkin and local TD Tony McLoughlin.

Former and current members of staff from Sligo Credit Union were also present, including founding member Paschal Morrison, who was part of the original committee set up in 1965.

“Sligo Credit Union was formed in March 1965, and commenced business from a rented premises in John Street later that year,” explained Sligo CU Chariman Peter Tiernan at the open day.

“In 1969 a premises was purchased in Teeling Street, from where the Credit Union operated before moving to it’s present premises in Stephen street in the early 90’s.

“Over the past 50 years several hundred ordinary members have given substantial time and energy to bring the Credit Union from it’s humble beginnings with savings of £50 to it’s present level of over €46 million, and a membership of 16,000 people.

“About 7,000 members currently benefit from loans of more than €22 million, and all this activity contributes in a major way to the economy of our community.”
He continued: “Our members today owe a great debt of gratitude to our founders, and to our many Directors, Supervisors and Volunteers, who have given countless evenings and late nights to Sligo Credit Union over the past 50 years. Their prudent oversight and governance has ensured the healthy state of the Credit Union we have today, and I would like to sincerely thank them all.”

Outside the world of customer finances, Sligo Credit Union has had a very hands-on approach to Community initiatives, as Peter explained.

“Many local sporting groups, charities and various events are sponsored or helped in some way by the Credit Union. One of our objectives is to improve the well being of our members, and we look at that as a way to enhance the social fabric of where we live.

“We also believe that a personal caring manner is a distinctive trait of a Credit Union, and one that is appreciated and welcomed by our members. They feel a sense of belonging when they call in to us to transact their business.”

Mr Tiernan explained to the guests and members in attendance how the financial landscape has changed since the 2008 financial crisis. The end result was far more stringent regulations introduced for banks and for credit unions, despite the fact that less than one percent of credit unions needed any state support since the crisis.
“While we welcome strong appropriate regulation that protects both our members and the Credit Union, the additional work imposed by the 2012 Act to comply with regulatory legislation has put a severe strain on our resources, both for staff and Directors.
“Because of this new landscape in which we now operate, there is currently a strong pressure on Credit Unions to amalgamate, merge or transfer, in order to create larger, stronger and more efficient units
“Sligo, which is by far the largest Credit Union in this and surrounding areas, has therefore been identified as an anchor Credit Union, and a model of good practise by the Regulatory Authorities. We remain open to requests from other Credit Unions to discuss further possible mergers.”
He added “To date North Sligo Credit Union in Grange has transferred to Sligo, and we are currently finalising the transfer of Collooney and District Credit Union. In both cases a wider range of services is being made available to the additional members, who can be assured of a warm welcome.”

The Bishop of Elphin, Dr Kevin Doran, has spoken about about the viable options that the diocese has at its disposal to take and house refugees who are flooding into Europe in their thousands.

He was responding to a call from the Vatican for parishes throughout Europe to take in and house those displaced by the war in Syria.

Bishop Doran spoke of how Elphin, and Sligo, through his predecessor Bishop Dominic Conway, took in migrants from Vietnam and Cambodia in the 70’s and 80’s following the end of the Vietnam War.

“I know the building that he (Bishop Conway) housed them (the Vietnamese) in is actually in the backyard of my house. Unfortunately it has not worn well. It is not a suitable location at the moment,” the bishop said.

Despite this, he is adamant that there are alternative, suitable accommodations throughout the parishes of Elphin.

“Some of our parishes have spare houses arising from the fact that in parishes there used to be two priests and now there is only one. That is just one possibility.
“As well as that I am also looking at where in some parishes there may be an elderly relative who may have passed way which would leave a granny flat or a house next door that is not being used.”

The idea of camps or temporary accommodations which now house many of the migrants in countries such as Hungary and Germany, would not be ideal, according to Bishop Doran.

“In this case the hope would be for many of those migrants that in the future they would go back to living in their country at some point. Sometimes this can take a long time but in the meantime you do not want them to be living on a shelf in the meantime,” he said. The bishop feels that it is an issue which transcends religion or denomination.

“Denomination or religion should not come into to this. It is a human issue and it is the family of humanity. I think in that respect I would hope that Ireland has moved on and we can live next door to people and have people in our community while respecting one another’s differences,” he commented.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of today’s Sligo Weekender newspaper. In shops now.

A woman from Ballinacarrow has written a book about her brave battle with cancer.

Marie Monnelly received her first diagnosis in 2005 when she was writing about her memories of her mother, who passed away due to complications of breast cancer when Marie was just 11-years-old. Marie, a school teacher of 38 years, returned to work just a year after being first diagnosed, but was told that it had spread into her bones and bone marrow in 2013.

She was informed that she will always have cancer but is living on maintenance treatment which includes chemotherapy.

Marie, who grew up in Sligo, reflected on her life in the area and coping with the loss of her mother.

“I lived in Sligo until I was 17, until I left to attend Carysfort College,” she said in an interview with the Irish Daily Mirror.

“I love Sligo and as I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to appreciate Sligo an awful lot more.”

“My mum got breast cancer when she was 38. For four years, she was ill. She died when she was 42. I was 11, my brothers were ten and eight and my sister was four.”

Following their devastating loss, Marie fondly remembers the defiance of her father who was determined to raise four kids on his own.

“My father was tremendous. I understand now how big a challenge it was for him. He was fantastic. He became both my mother and father. As I grew older, I realised there was an emotional hole left by my mother’s departure. At that time, people said to get on with it, you weren’t encouraged to talk about your sense of loss. When I had my own children, I thought about her and when I got breast cancer, needless to say I thought about her an awful lot.”

In the years following her death, Marie felt compelled to write about her mother in order to paint an image of her mother for her siblings and grandchildren.

“Even before I got cancer, I felt a need to write about my mother. My brothers and sisters had few memories of her, probably because she was ill. I wrote my memories for them and for my own children so they would know something about the wonderful grandmother that they never met,” she explained.

“Writing about her helped me come to terms with my own challenge.”

Marie, who celebrates her 60th birthday this month, has chosen to mark the occasion by releasing her book ‘From Breast to Marrow-Bone’, which features a selection of her own journals and poems.

“The poems go hand in hand with the journals and explain some ideas I had. It was an outlet and a way of coping. The reaction from the children, family and friends has been so supportive.They felt I was taking a step out of my comfort zone, it’s been a big adventure. I call it the adventure of life because that’s the way I feel life is.”

‘From Breast to Bone-Marrow’ will be officially released on Sunday, September 13.

The book will be available to purchase by e-mailing frombreasttomarrowbone@gmail.com. A number of shops in Sligo will also be stocking it.

The book costs €15 with all proceeds going to The Irish Cancer Society.

Harrison’s Bar & Restaurant in Cliffoney has been named Country Bar of the Year.

They picked up the award at the ‘Oscars’ of the Irish licensing industry held in Dublin on Monday, to celebrate the best of Irish hospitality at the Sky Bar of the Year Awards.

Celebrating their 10th birthday, the Sky Bar of the Year Awards honour licensed trade professionals from across the country.

400 publicans representing highly reputable bars, hotels, music venues and nightclubs gathered at Dublin’s Mansion House to celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of their colleagues and peers.

A group who organise an annual fundraising week which helps struggling individuals and families in the North West is hoping to raise awareness of a new, growing problem.

The housing crisis has seen an increase in people seeking the help of the North West Simon Community who currently assist up to 30 families in Sligo.

Simon Week, which is being held from Monday, September 28 to Sunday, October 4, plays a big role every year for North West Simon which reaches out to people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness or experiencing housing difficulties in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

The majority of those in the region who are struggling have found themselves relying on the kindness of friends and families who give them a place to sleep at night.

This issue has been described as “invisible homelessness” by Mary McKeon, Development Officer for North West Simon Community.

“While rough sleeping represents the severest form of homelessness, the majority of people who are homeless in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal are not immediately identifiable as homeless. They are living in emergency or temporary accommodation, on social housing lists or waiting in vain for affordable private rental accommodation to become available,” she explained.

“They are the unofficial ‘hidden homeless’ – people with no fixed abode, who are ‘sofa-surfing’ or relying on the good will of friends to survive. They are those who remain in accommodation that is unsafe or unfit for purpose because they see no other option”.

A six week campaign begins this week and as part of it people are urged to sign a letter to government demanding action to address the growing homeless and housing crisis. Visit www.simonhomelessforecast.ie and scroll down to sign the letter.

The Annual Street Sleep also takes place on Friday, October 2 as part of Simon Week in Sligo and the charity are urging business people and individuals from all walks of life to sign up today.

The event, held by the Northwest Simon Community, aims to support people who are struggling in Sligo.

You must be over 18 years to take part in the street sleep which has seen a growing number of participants join the cause every year. Each participant will get a certificate and go home with the satisfaction that they have helped a local cause who are assisting and supporting people who are struggling.

Participants must be willing to collect sponsorship as the charity does not currently receive any government funding.

The Northwest Simon Community are also appealing to various cafés, restaurants and pubs in Sligo to take part in “Soup for Simon”, where, for one week, they will be donating €1 from every bowl of soup sold to the North West Simon Community. A number of businesses have already signed up including Osta Café & Wine Bar, Lyons Café, Grappa, O Brien’s Sandwich Bar, Shells Café and Ait Eile.

Anyone who wishes to take part in The Annual Street Sleep, Soup for Simon or become volunteers during Simon Week are also asked contact Mary on 087-7708865 or e mail the above address.