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Ballinamore

Co. Leitrim • 45 stories • Since 03 May 2024 • Latest 16 Jul 2026

Community note

Around Ballinamore

Ballinamore's summer community diary is still built around the Island Theatre and Community Hall, but the hall is more than a show list. Ballinamore Camino is on Saturday 11 July 2026, starting and finishing at the Island Theatre, with 36.5km, 25.5km and 16.5km loops taking in the Shannon-Erne Waterway, Pol an Eas Waterfall, Sliabh an Iarainn, Bencroy Viewing Point and a hot-meal finish. Island Theatre listings add The Kings of the Kilburn High Road on 17 July, Stage One Summer Music Programme weeks from 20 and 27 July, later 2026 shows, and Solas Art Gallery in the same building. Island Theatre also carried a current Solas post for local artists Damien O'Rourke and Tony Lock. Ballinamore Family Festival is the town's big Main Street week, with the festival notices pushing its 60th birthday from 9 to 16 August 2026. The site describes free open-air concerts, packed children's days and one of the remaining week-long festivals in Ireland. The 2026 lineup has Patrick Feeney, Qween, The Wren Boys with Ballinamore Ukulele Group, Sean Magee, High Stool Prophets, Mike Denver, Derek Ryan, Rhythm & Sticks and Johnny Brady, alongside music, art, sports, water activities and family events. The ordinary town work sits around the theatre and the Den. Ballinamore Area Community Council CLG is based at the Den on Swanlinbar Road and the Town Team material records a Community Services Hub, Better Together work, playground and sports-complex plans, a MUGA, Den insulation, solar panels, EV charger, Felim's Pitch, enterprise units and biodiversity gardening. Ballinamore Tidy Towns gives the volunteer streetscape side, while the Biodiversity Gardening Group works on native planting, mowing, swifts, solitary bees and waterside birds. The Men's Shed, Hens' Shed, Community Arts and Crafts Group, walking group, Sean O'Heslin's GAA, Abbey Rovers, Scouts, golf, boxing, basketball, blueway and greenway material add weekday community life around the festival stage.

More community notes All town summaries

Latest by Date

16 Jul 2026 latest
  1. local-news€7m Ballinamore courthouse redevelopment clears key council vote
  2. deathsDeath notice: Seddie (Thomas Edward) McGovern (Ballinamore)
  3. deathsDeath notice: Sheelah Kieran (née Cribbin) (Ballinamore)
  4. planningPlanning application received: erect new dwelling house, domestic garage, entrance, boundary walls, piers...
  5. planning1) Change of use of former convent building
  6. deathsDeath notice: Seán McKeon (Ballinamore)
  7. deathsDeath notice: Teresa Wood (Ballinamore)
  8. planningPlanning application received: (a) change of use of development partly commenced and constructed under...
  9. planningPlanning application received: Retention Permission for (a) change of use of development partly commenced...
  10. planningRenovate existing house, convert garage to habitable room, add single-storey extension
  11. deathsDeath notice: Sheila Cumiskey (née McHugh) (Ballinamore)
  12. planningPlanning application received: construct a slatted/dry agricultural livestock shed and all ancillary works.

This Week

Last 7 days
local-news •

€7m Ballinamore courthouse redevelopment clears key council vote

Leitrim councillors have approved the next stage of a €7 million redevelopment of Ballinamore's historic courthouse. The plan is for a gallery and events venue, artist and writer residencies, and a local tourism and interpretation point. Councillor Brendan Barry told Shannonside he hopes the project can be delivered before 2030.

Brendan Barry
The proposal includes a gallery, events space, creative residencies and a tourism point.
16 Jul 2026 · Shannonside FM

News

13 stories
ballinamore •

Family Festival returns to Leitrim town for 60th anniversary celebrations

Excitement is already building across the town and beyond for what promises to be another memorable week of celebrations from 9th–16th August. As preparations gather pace for the 60th Ballinamore Family Festival in Leitrim, excitement is already building across the town and beyond for what pr

12 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
leitrim •

1,000 Free Pints Up for Grabs at Cowboys and Heroes

Ireland’s biggest country music festival returns to Ballinamore Country music fans heading to Ballinamore for this year’s Cowboys and Heroes festival could be in for an extra treat — with organisers announcing they will give away 1,000 free pints over the June Bank Holiday weekend. The hugely

12 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
ballinamore •

Support grows for proposed aparthotel development in Leitrim

A planning application to redevelop the former Convent of Mercy in Ballinamore into tourist accommodation with 12 aparthotel units, café and restaurant has drawn support locally. There has been a strong show of support following the submission of a planning application which, if approved, wou

10 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
ballinamore •

Road closures announced for three-day major music festival in Leitrim

Temporary road closures have been proposed over the June bank holiday weekend to facilitate the Cowboys and Heroes festival in Drumcoura City. A road closure has been announced in South Leitrim for three days to facilitate a music festival. Leitrim County Council have proposed to make a decis

08 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
leitrim •

RTÉ Journalist behind famous Leitrim ‘No Comment’ report passes away

RTÉ journalist Brendan O'Brien has passed away at the age of 82 Former RTE journalist Brendan O’Brien, the reporter behind the famous ‘no comment’ RTE report in Ballinamore, passed away. O’Brien was an award-winning investigative journalist who worked for the public broadcaster between 1974 a

06 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
ballinamore •

Former convent in Leitrim could become aparthotel under new plans

A planning application has been submitted for the conversion of a former convent in Ballinamore into an aparthotel, including a café, restaurant and associated extensions. A planning application has been submitted which, if approved, would see a former convent transformed into an aparthotel.

06 May 2026 · Leitrim Observer
leitrim •

Significant fine issued as Gardaí warn of more checks in Leitrim areas

Leitrim Gardaí issue a heavy fine to the driver going 30KM/H over the speed limit in the Ballianamore area Gardaí in Leitrim have issued a €160 fine after a motorist was caught speeding last week. The driver of the vehicle was caught by a roadside Gardaí Speed Check, which was conducted in th

30 Apr 2026 · Leitrim Observer
leitrim •

'Major visitor attraction' for Leitrim town in the works

It is proposed that the former courthouse in Ballinamore will be developed into the John McGahern Gateway Centre as a hub for fans of the famous writer, and provide local tourism information for visitors. He is hailed as one of the important Irish writers of the latter half of the twentieth c

30 Apr 2026 · Leitrim Observer
ballinamore •

PICTURES: Stunning photography exhibition coming to Leitrim town

The exhibition brings together four photographers in a unique “joint solo” format, where each artist presents an individual body of work while contributing to a shared thematic vision. A new collaborative photography exhibition, Unity in Focus, will open on May 15, 2026, at 7:30 pm at Solas A

28 Apr 2026 · Leitrim Observer
leitrim •

Forest companies 'shrink' from their repsonsibilities, says Leitirm coiunicllor

Leitrim councillor Paddy O'Rourke is calling for greater responsibility to be taken by forestry companies who leave a mess behind them Leitrim county councillor Paddy O’Rourke has called for forestry companies in Leitrim to take greater responsibility for the condition that they leave public

27 Apr 2026 · Leitrim Observer

+1 older news story →

Crime & Courts

2 stories
courts •

Protestor who reversed truck into gates of Russian Embassy cleared of dangerous driving by jury

A man from Ballinamore, Co Leitrim has been acquitted of dangerous driving following an incident at the Russian Embassy in Dublin two years ago. Desmond Wisley, aged 51, faced trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges of dangerous driving and criminal damage after reversing a truck into the embassy gates on Orwell Road, Rathgar on 7 March 2022. The jury returned a unanimous not guilty verdict on the…

Courts News Ireland report
03 May 2024 · Courts News Ireland

Planning

15 stories
planning •

1) Change of use of former convent building

Hugh Murray is seeking permission 1) Change of use of former convent building, chapel and outbuildings to a) aparthotel use providing 12 no. rooms on first and second floor and b) cafe, restaurant and reception use on the ground floor. 2) To construct new lift and single-storey kitchen extension to the rear of the building. 3) To construct glass porch and covered outdoor seating area adjacent to…

Hugh Murray
File ref: 2660123 · Leitrim County Council
06 Jul 2026 · Leitrim County Council (Planning)
planning •

Renovate existing house, convert garage to habitable room, add single-storey extension

Rob and Dee Lane are seeking planning permission to renovate an existing dwelling house at Aghaleague, Ballinamore, with alterations to elevations and internal fit-out works. The application also proposes converting an attached domestic garage into habitable accommodation and building a new single-storey extension to the front and side of the existing house. The site covers 0.493 hectares. The…

Rob & Dee Lane
File ref: 2660121 · Leitrim County Council
22 Jun 2026 · Leitrim County Council (Planning)
planning •

Retention of house extension built at variance to original approved design

John Gildea is seeking permission to keep an extension to his house at Kiltymoodan that was built differently from what was originally approved. The extension doesn't match the design that was granted under a previous permission, and he's now asking the council to regularise it as it stands.

John Gildea
File ref: 2660095 · Leitrim County Council
29 May 2026 · Leitrim County Council (Planning)
planning •

House extension with new front elevation and boundary retention

Philip P Farrelly is applying to extend his house at Ardrum in Ballinamore and make changes to how the front of the building looks. He's also seeking to keep a boundary change that was approved in a previous planning permission, along with related site works.

Philip P Farrelly
File ref: 2660091 · Leitrim County Council
25 May 2026 · Leitrim County Council (Planning)
planning •

Septic tank decommissioned; new wastewater treatment system and percolation area installed

Morgan McCaffrey and Lisa Duignan are seeking retention permission for wastewater system upgrades at their 4-bedroom house at Knockanroe, Ballinamore. The work involves decommissioning an existing septic tank and installing a new wastewater treatment system with a percolation area, along with alterations to the site layout previously approved under planning reference 21/218. A site assessment…

Morgan McCaffrey & Lisa Duignan
File ref: 2660128 · Leitrim County Council
19 May 2026 · Leitrim County Council (Planning)

+3 older planning stories →

Deaths

13 stories

+1 older deaths story →

Court Reports

Cases and rulings mentioning Ballinamore from local newspapers and Courts News Ireland.

Council Decisions

Motions, planning and decisions from Leitrim County Council and Municipal District meetings mentioning Ballinamore.

Ballinamore Municipal District appointment 2025-06-23

Election of Cathaoirleach of Ballinamore Municipal District 2025/2026

Councillor Gary Prior was nominated and elected as Cathaoirleach (Chair) of Ballinamore Municipal District for the term 2025/2026. The nomination was proposed by Councillor Paddy O'Rourke and seconded by Councillor Enda McGloin, with no other nominations received. Prior thanked his colleagues and outgoing Cathaoirleach Ita Reynolds Flynn for her work during the past year.

Decision: Councillor Gary Prior elected Cathaoirleach of Ballinamore Municipal District for 2025/2026

Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn, Cllr Gary Prior, Cllr Paddy O'Rourke, Cllr Enda McGloin

Ballinamore Municipal District appointment 2025-06-23

Election of Leas Cathaoirleach of Ballinamore Municipal District 2025/2026

Councillor Paddy O'Rourke was nominated and elected as Leas Cathaoirleach (Vice-Chair) of Ballinamore Municipal District for the term 2025/2026. The nomination was proposed by Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn and seconded by Councillor Enda McGloin, with no other nominations received.

Decision: Councillor Paddy O'Rourke elected Leas Cathaoirleach of Ballinamore Municipal District for 2025/2026

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke, Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn, Cllr Enda McGloin

Ballinamore Municipal District procedural 2025-06-23

Schedule of meetings for Ballinamore Municipal District

The council agreed to continue holding Ballinamore Municipal District meetings at 10:00 am for each meeting in the 2025/2026 term.

Decision: Meetings to be held at 10:00 am

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke, Cllr Brendan Barry

Ballinamore Municipal District procedural 2025-06-23

Rescheduling of July and September meetings

Two meeting date changes were approved: the July meeting was moved from 28 July to 21 July at 10:00 am, and the September meeting was moved from 22 September to 29 September at 10:00 am.

Decision: July meeting rescheduled to 21 July 2025; September meeting rescheduled to 29 September 2025, both at 10:00 am

Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn, Cllr Paddy O'Rourke, Cllr Enda McGloin, Cllr Brendan Barry