Welcome to March’s edition of the Ballagh Advertiser. By the time you read this St Patrick’s Day will have come and gone. We are all bemoaning the fact it is falling on a Tuesday – it’s just not right, it’s not natural; we vote for Friday – much more suitable and conductive to hang over recovery.

Not to mention the running around trying to get this baby to print – we are Ballagh’s answer to Energizer bunnies or is that Duracell – we’re definitely bunnies anyway! A long weekend is the much needed prescription.

Sunday 22nd March is a day dedicated to mums all across the globe. Relationships can be taut and fraught but this is the one day when we can categorically put aside everything and tell our mums, without embarrassment and with total honesty, that we love them and are grateful that we have them in our lives. It is a day of thank yous and that perfect Mother’s Day present – the one that makes up for all the washing, cooking and general picking up after us that our mums do for us. Whether a card, bouquet of flowers, a day off from the rigmaroles of mothering or a simple photo frame containing a happy memory Mother’s Day is the day for the heartfelt present.

This March we look at the legend and reality of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and to lighten the historical mood take a look back at this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade filled with the nonsensical, laughter and plenty of the green, white and gold and not forgetting the old black stuff!! We also report the success of the Tidy Towns Spring Clean, which took place on Saturday 14th March. This month’s edition has the latest news of the Spells Darts Team fresh from their second leg semi-final in Ballinaheglish – was Friday 13th lucky for our boys? Read and find out! We bring you details of the forthcoming Springfest at Spells, which takes place the last weekend of March. This festival looks sure to put Ballagh on the map as a musical hub for Folk, Bluegrass and Traditional music. Our creative writing group offers up another few choice pieces of prose for our reading pleasure – follow their progress next month with more contributions from our budding Austens and Yeats. We also catch up with our regular columnists and their views, opinions not to mention general gurglings. Our entertainment section is packed with the latest movies on at the cinema, a review of the new anti-superhero film, Watchmen, and a dive into the TV genius that is QI, including a special QI quiz. Dazzle your friends with your vast, unlimited knowledge!

Until April’s edition of the Advertiser – the celebration of Easter with vast amount of chocolate eggs and the inevitable sugar coma!! And remember boys, be proud of that mankini – you’ll do Borat proud!