Roscommon’s Age Friendly Christmas Festival 2024

12/12/2024 Age Friendly Ireland | National

Roscommon’s Age Friendly Christmas Festival occurred on Wednesday, 4^th December 2024 in Kilbride Community Centre, Roscommon. This was a wonderful event with a large number of groups and individuals from all over Roscommon in attendance. We would like to give a big shout out and thanks to Roscommon GAA and Roscommon’s Civil Defence for providing the transport, the ‘Rossie’ and Civil Defence buses were free of charge on the day.

^{Billy Hanmore from Boyle who sang at the Age Friendly Christmas Festival 2024 / Eric McGrath, Carrick-on-Shannon and Edward Quinn, Boyle}

The event was MC’d by Roscommon County Council’s affable Communications Officer, Darragh Kelly. He kicked off proceedings by welcoming everyone and letting us know of the many information stands available to visit, that there was a Croí nurse doing free health checks and also free eye health screening with Vision Express.

^{The organisers and speakers at the Age Friendly Christmas Festival 2024} – ^{Back row left to right: Linda Devine, Roscommon Leader Partnership, Darragh Kelly, Communications Officer, Roscommon County Council, Cathriona MacCarthy, Administrative Officer, Roscommon County Council, Sergeant Damien Bartley, Roscommon Longford Crime Prevention Officer, Kathleen Shanagher, Roscommon Lion’s Club, Sheila Coyle, Age Friendly Programme Manager, Roscommon County Council.} ^{Front Row left to right: Bernie Kearney, Chairperson, Roscommon’s Older People’s Council, Amanda Scanlon, Roscommon’s Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinator, Paddy Joe Burke, Roscommon’s Age Friendly Ambassador and Majella Dodd, Vice Chairperson, Roscommon’s Older People’s Council}

He introduced the excellent speakers, they were:-

Amanda Scanlon, Roscommon’s Healthy Age Friendly Homes Coordinator
Sergeant Damien Bartley, Safety & Security in the home
Kathleen Shanagher, Lion’s Club, Message in a Bottle
Paddy Joe Burke, Roscommon’s Age Friendly Ambassador

Following the speeches there was soup, sandwiches, tea/coffee and treats for everyone. The event finished with music and dancing and a few spot prizes were given out before the band ended proceedings by playing our national anthem.

It was a very enjoyable day full of information, nostalgia, chat and laughter. Thanks to Kilbride Community Centre for the use of their excellent venue and for having everything set up for us on the day. A big thank you to everyone who helped out on the day in particular the staff from Roscommon Leader Partnership, Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board and Roscommon County Council. Finally thank you to Jimmy Kearney and Terry McGowan for providing the wonderful music.

^{Mary Morris, Ballinlough; Rose Moran, Mary Cunnane and Madeline Egan, Ballintubber / Tony McLoughlin, Rooskey; Niamh Clinton, Vision Ireland; Susan Deery, Rooskey and Frances Coyle, Rooskey / Gertie McDermott, Carolyn Tunney, Age Friendly Ambassador, Boyle Library; Carmel Whyte and Margaret Mulligan, Boyle}