Bawnboy and Templeport History Heritage Folklore by Chris Maguire
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	Irish Countrywomen’s Association

A guild of the Irish Countrywomen’s Association was founded in Templeport on the 17th January 1967, with the following officers.

Forty-two members joined the guild at that time, and the numbers have kept up pretty well ever since then. Monthly meetings are held, except during the summer months.

In the early years there was an emphasis on crafts such as knitting, crochet, cane work etc. Drama and poetry were also part of the programme. Gradually there was a widening of the educational and recreational activities, and demonstrations were given by experts dealing with various aspects of life and living. Several members of the guild have been awarded certificates in cookery by County Marts Ltd. Nora Kellegher, for example, has a Certificate in Dairying and Jam Making while Mary McGovern is one of many who hold a Certificate in Cookery.

In recent years a number of the members took a course in swimming at Riversdale, near Ballinamore and have earned swimming awards from the National Safety Council.

Yoga classes have been conducted by Joyce Kirwan, a new arrival to the Guild, and living in Killyran. Joyce is a great addition to the Guild and hopes to speak on Reflexology during the coming season. Also on the programme for the coming year will be an Assertiveness Course, funded by Partnership for Peace and Reconciliation.

The Guild has special nights when they invite members from neighbouring guilds to their meetings, and there they enjoy singing, dancing, a talk perhaps and a cup of tea. This intermingling of members from the surrounding guilds and farther afield is one of the greatest benefits deriving from membership of the association – a bond of friendship.

In 1994 the Guild was presented with a beautiful plaque for competition among its members by Chrissie and Geraldine Ward, in memory of their mother, Mary Ward, who was a founding member of Templeport I.C.A.

And finally, it must be recorded that Templeport I.C.A. turn out in great numbers to take part in the running of the Annual Senior Citizens Party and the summer outing to the seaside.

Templeport Guild of the I.C.A. Front row:- Mary McGovern, Mary Duffy, Annie Edwards, Dympna Baxter, Annie McGovern, Nora Kellegher, Sarah Shannon, Mary Fitzpatric, Maime Beaty. Back row:- Marie McKiernan, Chrissie McKiernan, Rose Dolan, Pauline McTaggart, Peggy Kellegher, Mary Ann O'Reilly, Nora Murphy, Margaret Toher, Eileen McManus, Sheila McCaffrey, Jean Fee, Alice Brady.

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