By Peg Prendeville

It is so sad to hear of the passing of little Ella Ahern from Cratloe. Sincere sympathies to her heartbroken family whom we hold in our prayers.

Knockdown and Glasha and all West Limerick was glued to the TV on last Saturday night to watch Patrick Langan spin the wheel and come home with €53,000 from The winning Streak. The excitement reached fever pitch when he and his family arrived back in the Knockdown Arms some time after 11 pm. Well done to Patrick who treated all his many friends and neighbours to food and drink on the night. It was like a good St Stephen’s night with everybody in celebratory mood. We hope Patrick and Mairéad and their family enjoy their bit of luck.

Knockdown promises to be busy this weekend also as Ballyhahill National School Parents Association has organised a Fun Pub Quiz in the Knockdown Arms on this coming Friday 24th of February to raise some funds for the school. There will be a raffle on the night also with many good prizes. Entry fee is €5 per person and it will start at 9pm sharp so try to be there early. Please gather some friends and put a team together and make it a fun night for the whole parish. Neighbouring parishes are welcome to take part also.

Some of you may be wondering if the whole Diocesan Synod work is over but the work of implementation of the Plan is well underway and many of the diocesan groups and committees outlined in the plan are currently being established throughout the diocese. Plans are underway to roll out Training Programmes for Youth Ministry Leaders, Leaders of Lay-led Liturgies and Lay Catechists throughout the diocese. If anybody is interested in becoming involved please contact Fr Austin or a member of the Parish Council. Chairperson Gerard Reidy, Secretary Bridget Reidy.  

Following the huge success of the Team Limerick Clean-up over the past two years, which secured widespread national and regional media coverage, Team Limerick Clean-up3 (TLC3) is set to take place again this year on Good Friday, 14th April 2017. Once again the TLC steering group, will be encouraging volunteers of all ages to register and get involved in this year’s campaign. Check out the website. TLC3 will appeal to all fast food outlets, convenience stores, service stations and haulage drivers across the city and county of Limerick to support TLC3 by organizing their own clean up teams and encouraging their customers to dispose of waste responsibly and to get involved. Here in Knockdown a dedicated team cleans the roadsides every springtime and will soon be out with their bags picking up, once again, the rubbish that other people throw out. It annoys me any time I go for a walk and I wonder why some people expect others to clean up the mess they deliberately throw by the ditches. C’est la vie, to quote Enda Kenny recently.