A full house in Roundfort

A full house for Roundfort


News Feature
Mike Finnerty

PICTURE the scene. A dark, cold, windswept night in rural Ireland and nothing to keep the country entertained but the latest twist in the tale of Fair City.
However, in one corner of South Mayo there is no need for ‘the soaps’ as 300 people flock to Roundfort Community Centre for Wednesday night bingo. There is over €2,000 up for grabs between ‘lines’, ‘corners’, ‘goalposts’ and ‘houses’ and the hall is buzzing with anticipation.
The car-park is packed with mini-buses from all across the county and most of the regulars are in their usual seats half-an-hour before the fun starts. And, make no mistake, while it’s serious business once Michael Heneghan and Ger Delaney start ‘calling’, the craic is ninety in between.
Mary Gill from Claremorris is sitting in the farthest corner of the room, in her ‘usual spot’, alongside Tom Clarke from Manulla, and a handful of friends.
Mary, who is in the middle of a ‘winning streak’ lists out her typical week breathlessly. “I’m in Hollymount on Sunday, then Tuam, Castlebar, Roundfort, Claremorris, Foxford and Brickens. It’s seven nights a week,” she laughs. “It would be want to be something fairly serious for me to miss bingo.”
“I take the Saturday night off,” smiles Tom Clarke. “To go for a few pints! But I love coming to Roundfort. The committee here are great, very friendly, and they appreciate their patrons.”
“I’ve been coming here for fifteen years,” adds Mary. “I love the little touches, like the little presents they give us at Christmas and Halloween.”
Patrick Ward has been coming from Tuam since “the very start”, back in 1990. “I don’t think I’ve missed three nights,” he admitted. “And I’ll be home in time for Vincent Browne!”
Other familiar faces include 89 years-old Katie Joyce (of Mid West Radio fame) who has been visiting since the very first night “for the craic and camraderie”, Maureen Maloney, Mary and Phil Mongan from Cornfield, Hollymount, Mrs Glynn (94) from Garrymore, Maureen O’Malley, originally from The Quay in Westport, Marty Holian from Cross, and Agnes O’Connor, Margaret O’Connor, Mary Gibbons and Madeleine Malone, all from Ballinrobe.
Eventually, everyone has found their usual seats, and the tables are covered with bingo books, coloured markers, pool sheets, and refreshments. Up on stage Michael Heneghan gets the balls rolling (literally) and the show is on the road.
THE story of Roundfort Community Centre is a remarkable one. It grew from an idea that was conceived by the local Macra na Feirme group, took three years to construct (mostly through voluntary labour), and opened its doors in 1985.
Now the Centre is home to everything from yoga to keep fit classes to indoor soccer and the local Active Retirement Association. Not to mention ceilís and the local Foróige club.
They have also facilitated funerals for local families since converting a room into a ‘community funeral parlour’ four years ago, and provide after-funeral catering if required.
At this stage, the Community Centre is at the centre of life in the Roundfort area and, almost every night of the week, one of the hard-working committee is on site to keep everything running like clockwork.
“My wife often calls this place my second home,” said Paraic Nolan, who was on the original committee, on a break from checking numbers on the floor.
“I’m here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I do a sports club with over 40 national school kids every week and I’m involved with the Foroige club too.
“My wife, Rosaleen, set up the Active Retirement here a few years ago and we’re both involved now. We really enjoy that.
“Skittles are a big thing for our group,” he adds mischievously. “I think it’s because there’s an element of destruction in it.
“Even at our age we still want to knock something down!”
Breda O’Malley, the current committee chairperson, is a relative newcomer to the ‘top table’ but she knows all about the Community Centre’s journey. Her late father, Jack Tierney, was one of the driving forces behind the project back in the 1980s and she played her part in those early days too.
“I was part of the original teenage group that helped to fund-raise,” she explained. “We sang in pubs, did anything we could to raise money, and then we lined up to sand and seal that floor out there,” she smiled.
“We had nowhere to go in the village back then, there was nothing for us to do. They promised us a Youth Club and lots of different activities. Now my kids are down here using it and it’s great to have a nice venue for the school concerts. The community would be very empty without it.”
Geraldine Heneghan is the committee treasurer and, along with her husband, Michael, has given most of her life to local initiatives. She moves around the Centre doing what needs to be done, having a quick word with the patrons, checking numbers, and talking about what makes nights like this so special for all concerned.
“We like to give our time to the community and we get a lot out of it,” she said. “Bingo is not as lucrative as it used to be but it’s more of a social thing and a service we provide. Everybody really seems to enjoy coming here.
“It’s turned full circle. When we opened the Community Centre things weren’t great, and now there is a recession again.”

THE half-time break is signalled with some good news from Michael Heneghan. “We have a treat for everybody in the audience,” he tells the large crowd. “And it’s calorie-free!”
As the sweets are passed around from table to table, and some hardy souls brave the bad weather for a quick cigarette outside, Michael hands the microphone over to Ger Delaney for the second half.
Then he stands in the ‘tea room’, surveying the scene, and recalls how the Centre was built back in the 80s.
How the floor was bought and transported from the Star dancehall in Cahir, Co Tipperary, how the likes of Mike Jennings and the McGovern brothers, Pat and Tommy, helped to get it off the ground, and how so many locals have given so much time to keeping Roundfort’s doors open.
“There was Thomas Lyons (RIP), a massive caller, a great voice, Jack Tierney (RIP), Fr Concannon, Michael Joe Sullivan (RIP), Tom Canny(RIP). All the present committee, the Rural Social Scheme, the Leader group. Without them it wouldn’t be here.
“It takes so much effort. There are 12 people on duty tonight, and eight or nine of us on the committee rota. If there’s a funeral, a meeting, we gel together. We make it a policy to thank people, we take nothing for granted, and it works for us.
“I was always a community man and like giving something back to the community. I’m in good health, and as long as you’re not looking out the hospital window, and you’ve enough money to keep going, you have everything you need. A lot more people should give something back to their communities.”
“We’re a small village with very little amenities but a great community,” agreed Breda O’Malley. “My father put that ‘pride in the community’ in all of us in our family.”
“There’s very few places you can go nowadays with a €10 note in your pocket, have a good night out, and possibly go home with more money in your pocket,” added Paraic Nolan.
Soon after, someone called ‘check’ and everyone was back at their stations.
Twenty years and counting. Long may it continue.

Upcoming Ceilí
THE very popular Roundfort Ceilí will be held on Saturday, December 11 in the Community Centre.