Sligo Lawn Bowls Club

24/06/2026

Cool Heads Prevail
By SLBC on Wednesday, June 24 2026, 15:56 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/24/Cool-Heads-Prevail

Another scorching morning and another fiercely contested round of Spoons at SLBC!

A total of 18 bowlers joined the Mad Dogs under the midday sun for today's Spoons. Some complained of being "sweaty" and found the pace of the green difficult to read. Today's winners stayed "cool" to the very end and fought off the persistent challenge of the runners-up.

Jessie was overheard, tongue in cheek, consoling John N for not winning with 30 points. John had the last laugh, however, as he holds an unassailable lead with just one more day of Spoons remaining. The ladies' competition is much closer, with at least three players in contention. All to play for on Saturday.

Results:

3rd Place: Maureen G, Michael G and Dennis with 18 points.

2nd Place: John N, Patricia and Paul with a great score of 30 points.

Today's Winners: Dympna, Jessie and Plunkett with an even better score of 31 points.

Well done to all competitors who beat the weather today.

Presenting the gold spoons today was John N, who is normally on the receiving end rather than the presenting end!

– Michael G

20/06/2026

Jammy Shots Galore
By SLBC on Saturday, June 20 2026, 19:56 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/20/Jammy-Shots-Galore

With the spoon season nearing its climax, a fine day on the green brought out 26 eager bowlers for another entertaining afternoon of competition

Another good day on the green, weather-wise, and a good day for the bowls also. Today, 26 intrepid bowlers turned up for play as the spoon season reaches its culmination. Three games of trebles and one of quadruples were played.

Play started off at a slow tempo but soon warmed up. Shouts of “jammy” were heard frequently on rink three and were unashamedly claimed as good shots that were meant.

As the first session ended, it seemed to be between the blue team on rink 1 with 13 points and the red team on rink 4 with 15 points. However, after the refreshments and a few changes of skip here and there, play commenced again and the destination of the spoons changed.

The red team on rink 4 seemed to lose momentum, while the blue team on rink 1 upped their pace to become runaway winners.

Results

3rd with 18 points – Jessie, Fred & Chuck

2nd with 19 points – Marion, Carmel C, Paula & Michael G

1st with 29 points – Liz, Maureen G & John N.

Liz had to make a hasty exit so she could strut her stuff on another stage, and a Liz doppelgänger stood in for her at the presentation.

Paula was on hand to present the winners with their spoons.

- Frank

13/06/2026

The Sligo Champion

https://www.independent.ie/county/sligo/sligo-lawn-bowls-club-singles-championships-draw-big-crowds-and-top-class-bowls-over-four-days/a/156863302.html

Two highly entertaining finals saw the competition come to an end

13/06/2026

Rink 4 Does It Again!
By SLBC on Saturday, June 13 2026, 23:06 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/13/Rink-4-Does-It-Again%21

Another enjoyable and closely contested Spoon competition, with Rink 4 once again producing the winners and plenty of drama along the way.

Rink 4 has done it yet again. Umpteen Spoon winners have emerged from this rink since the competition began. The infamous "seam" clearly hasn't been a problem for those playing there!

Scoring was very tight on all rinks, particularly on Rink 1, where a husband-and-wife battle added a little extra spice to proceedings.

With just one bowl remaining on End 5, it looked as though Kathleen's team, holding four shots, were certain winners. But bowls always has a surprise in store. Frank produced a tremendous final bowl to claim the shot and swing the outcome.

Kathleen made no secret of her feelings afterwards, declaring that there would be "no dinner for Frank today!"

And who says bowls is fixed?

However, Frank was later spotted in town enjoying a bag of chips, so it seems he wasn't left hungry for too long.

Results

3rd Place: Frank O, Tom D and Fred - 19 points

2nd Place: Kathleen, Paul and Michael G - 20 points

Winners: Marion, Jessie and Patricia (looking wonderfully relaxed after her holiday) - 22 points

Congratulations to all the winners and participants on another enjoyable and closely contested Spoon competition, with Pascal on hand to present the spoons to the worthy winners.

- Michael G

11/06/2026

Leaderboard Battle Intensifies
By SLBC on Wednesday, June 10 2026, 18:30 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/11/Leaderboard-Battle-Intensifies

18 members enjoyed today's Charlie's Spoons competition, while the battle for positions on the Ladies' Spring Spoons leaderboard continues to gather momentum.

The chat on the green today was all about tomorrow's AGM. I encourage all members to attend and celebrate our club's achievements and activities over the past year.

A total of 18 members turned out for today's Charlie's Spoons competition. After 7 ends, Liz, John N and Plunkett held a one-point lead over Margaret, Pascal and Maureen G. The latter team turned things around in the second half and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

Results:

Winners: Margaret, Maureen G and Pascal – 29 points

Joint Second: Rattana, Fred and Brian – 16 points

Joint Second: Liz, John N and Plunkett – 16 points

Frank presented the winners with their silver spoons. The victory was particularly significant for Margaret and Maureen G, who remain firmly among the leading contenders at the top of the Ladies' Spring Spoons leaderboard.

Things are beginning to hot up, particularly in the women's section, as we move ever nearer to the conclusion of the Spring Spoons competition. Well done to everyone who took part.

- Michael G

06/06/2026

Midges, Banter, Spoons
By SLBC on Saturday, June 6 2026, 18:38 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/06/Midges%2C-Banter%2C-Spoons

A lively morning of Spoons, plenty of banter, a few surprises, and some unwelcome visitors.
Members arrived for Spoons on a slightly subdued note after hearing that the game versus Letterkenny had been called off. However, spirits lifted quickly when John rang the bell for cards, and the familiar morning buzz returned as the inevitable “who got what?” conversations got underway.

As teams made their way to their respective rinks, they quickly discovered they would not be playing alone. A particularly determined swarm of midges had also decided to turn up, attacking without mercy and adding an extra level of difficulty to proceedings. One player, attempting to swat them away with a white cloth, was promptly accused by Plunkett of “throwing in the towel” before a bowl had even been delivered.

Once play got underway, it soon became clear that the Red team on Rink 3 were setting the early pace and looked set to take a strong lead into the break. However, sport has a habit of rewriting its own script, and a spirited comeback from the Red team on Rink 4 saw them surge ahead in the closing stages, eventually finishing with a comfortable 5-point victory.

Results:

1st place: John N, Paul (aka “Mr Spoons”) and Michael G - 27 points

2nd place: Rattana & Oliver - 22 points

3rd place: Maureen G, Frank and Seamus F - 17 points

The silver spoons were then presented by Margaret to our worthy winners, bringing a fitting finish to a lively morning’s play that featured midges, good humour, and plenty of competitive spirit.

03/06/2026

Reds Sweep Podium
By SLBC on Wednesday, June 3 2026, 17:25 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/06/03/Reds-Sweep-Podium

A quiet start gave way to a dramatic finish on the green

Another typical summer's day where the drizzle fizzled out and even some sizzling play happened. Two games of trebles and two games of doubles, with a crafty twist by Pascal – the doubles were on 1 & 2 while the trebles were on 3 & 4, an unexpected move there. Some slight confusion occurred initially, but all was ironed out fairly quickly. The first round of matches seemed to progress fairly sedately, and it was steady as she goes, with everyone being very restrained. The scoring seemed to be on the low side, as if teams were keeping their powder dry and ready to explode out of the starting blocks in the second round. The blue team on rink 2 led with 11 points, followed by the blue team on rink 1 with 7 points, and the red teams on rinks 1 & 4 with 6. Mutters of “no gold spoon today” could be heard around the green at break time. How wrong they were!

As play resumed, it began slowly as teams assessed their relative positions. But flying under the radar on rink 4, the red team began calmly and coolly, then exploded and galloped their way to a golden spoon, much to the chagrin of the disconsolate blue team.

Final Results:

1st Place – Rink 4, Red Team: Liz, John N & Rattana with 38 points.

2nd Place – Rink 1, Red Team: Kathleen & Margaret with 21 points.

3rd Place – Rink 2, Red Team: Chuck & Tim C with 15 points

The runaway winners, after copious caffeine and a surfeit of sugar (and even a dubious smoke of some sort) at the break, were the red team on rink 4, who amassed a super score of 38 points, having scored an unbelievable 32 in the second game. The red teams finished first, second and third.

The presentation was made with the usual aplomb by Michael.

Bonus twist of the day: alongside the gold spoons, the winners also scooped up “edible spoons”… because apparently even victory tastes better when you can eat it!

- Frank O'Gara

01/06/2026

THE SECRET TO THE PERFECT DELIVERY? IT STARTS BEFORE YOU STEP ON THE MAT.

​Ever wonder what separates a casual roll up on the Sligo greens from a championship-winning shot? It’s not just luck—it’s what happens between the ends. 🧠💡

​The best bowlers in the West aren't just waiting for their turn; they are actively building their next shot in their minds:
​Mapping the line: Calculating the exact arc across the green.
​Feeling the weight: Locking in the perfect speed before the bowl even touches their hand.
​Reading the Sligo breeze: Adjusting for the local elements and green momentum.
​Visualising success: Seeing the bowl come to rest right on the jack.

​If you only start thinking about your shot when you step onto the mat, doubt and hesitation can easily creep in. ❌

​Champions stay locked in the entire game. That mental preparation is what delivers a smooth rhythm, unshakable confidence, and drawing precision when the pressure is on. 💪🔥

​💬 OVER TO YOU, SLIGO BOWLERS!
​Which part of your pre-shot routine do you rely on the most?
​👁️ Visualising the perfect arc?
​⚖️ Dialling in the weight?
​🌬️ Reading the green and wind conditions?
​🧠 Just staying locked in and focused?

​And just for fun, can you guess which member features as our poster boy? 😀

​

30/05/2026

Midges, Mates & a Record Broken!
By SLBC on Saturday, May 30 2026, 15:31 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/05/30/Midges%2C-Mates-a-Record-Broken%21

Another exciting afternoon on the green saw 20 players turn out for play, arriving just as the drizzle cleared and conditions improved. Two games of triples and two games of pairs got proceedings underway, but there was another contest taking place at the same time - the players versus the midges!

Some competitors seemed to attract more attention than others from the persistent little visitors, and there were even scenes of players helping each other swat away the midges - a fine example of the friendship and camaraderie that makes our club so special.

As the first session progressed, it became clear that the Red Team on Rink 2 - Jessie, Margaret and Brian - were setting the pace. By the halfway stage they had amassed an impressive 16 points, with the nearest challengers being the Blue Teams on Rinks 3 and 4, both sitting on 8 points.

Meanwhile, another story was unfolding. After two years of proudly maintaining a unique record, Fred began to realise that his unbeaten "Spoons" status was under serious threat. No player had ever won a spoon while playing against him!

The second session confirmed what many had suspected. Jessie, Margaret and Brian produced another outstanding performance, adding a further 16 points to finish with a remarkable 32 points overall. A distant joint second place went to Liz & Oliver on Rink 3 and Seamus F & Michael G on Rink 4, who both finished on 18 points.

And so, history was made as Fred's long-standing record finally came to an end!

The spoons were presented to the winners by Kathleen, bringing another enjoyable afternoon of bowling, laughter and friendly competition to a close.

Results

1st Place: Jessie, Margaret & Brian (Rink 2) – 32 points

Joint 2nd Place: Liz & Oliver (Rink 3) – 18 points

Joint 2nd Place: Seamus F & Michael G (Rink 4) – 18 points

- Frank O'Gara

29/05/2026

Champions Crowned Gloriously
By SLBC on Friday, May 29 2026, 18:23 - Current - Permalink
https://sligolawnbowls.com/index.php?post/2026/05/29/Champions-Crowned-Gloriously

A fantastic week of sunshine, superb bowling and great club spirit at the Sligo LBC Singles Championships concluded with Dympna Cronin and John Nibbs crowned worthy champions in two exciting finals!

SLIGO LBC SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK 2026

What a fantastic week of bowls we enjoyed at Sligo LBC during our Singles Championships.

Day 1 was played in very warm sunny conditions so it was sunscreen, sunhats and drinks aplenty being the order of the day ☀️. The heat certainly didn’t deter our competitors though, with numerous exciting matches served up for spectators to enjoy.

Day 2 again was played in brilliant sunshine and roasting temperatures with players continuing to battle it out for places in the latter stages of the competition.

Thankfully Day 3 brought welcome overcast conditions and even a light shower at the end of play. The men produced two very close semi-finals while the ladies completed their group hes to decide the finalists.

Both finals, kindly and generously sponsored by EJ Menswear and EJ’s Little Sister ladies clothing shop, took place today in perfect weather for bowls, not too hot and not too windy.

Members turned out in considerable numbers to witness two exciting finals and create a wonderful atmosphere around the club.

Ladies Final

Dympna Cronin defeated Margaret Middleton 15-11 in a very close and entertaining contest to become a four-time Ladies Champion

Men’s Final

John Nibbs produced an outstanding display to defeat Roger Morgan 15-2 and claim his second Men’s Singles title.

The presentations were compered by our President Michael Glennon, with Secretary Liz Cunnane presenting the prizes.

Sligo LBC expresses its wholehearted appreciation to EJ Menswear and EJ’s Little Sister for their generous sponsorship and continued support of the club.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped make the week such a memorable and successful event — our markers, measurers, green setters, volunteers, supporters and spectators ❤️

The next championship event will be the Mixed Pairs in late July, while Spoons continues until the end of June.

Thanks again to everyone for your support and congratulations to all our competitors and champions.