Best dressed lady on the night Rita Holly being presented with her award by Henry Moran

Neilus Hunt on the catwalk

Patrick Ahern showing the younger models how its done!

 

Deirdre Fitzpatrick & Ann Quaid
on the catwalk

 

Marie Quaid and Frances Leahy presenting a cheque for €5,500.50 to Principal of Athea N.S. Mrs Watters along with Caroline Murphy and Noreen Brouder

Athea Tidy Towns Fashion Show 2017

Our annual fashion show fundraiser took place on Wednesday night April 12th at the Con Colbert Hall. This was our third year of hosting the fashion show and will be remembered as one of our

 

most successful to date. This is testament to the top class organisation skills of Margaret Carroll and Derek Curtin who have once again excelled themselves. So much work goes on behind the scenes leading up the show including organising models. hairdressers, boutiques, make up, ticket sales, hall decorating etc. Special thanks also to Yvonne Roche who ensured that the show ran smoothly throughout the night. This is our main fundraiser for the year and without it our projects for the year would be greatly reduced.
On behalf of the organising committee, we would like to thank each boutique who travelled to Athea to showcase their fashion on the night namely; MariellesAnnette Mann , Esther’s BoutiqueMáiréads Abbeyfeale, Brides of Glin, East73rd.ie , The Taelane Store Listowel, Blossom, Glamorous, Little Rascals and Scanlan’s Menswear. We hope you enjoyed your visit and we hope it was a worthwhile venture. We look forward to welcoming you back to Athea in the near future. Thanks to our fantastic models both young and even younger who took to the catwalk on the night all for the sake of Athea Tidy Towns – we are proud to have such glamorous and handsome models in the parish. Big thanks to Brouder’s Shop and Collin’s Shop for selling tickets and also to all local businesses who donated spot prizes for the raffle. Thanks to the Drama group for the use of equipment and for Declan Excel O Carroll who took charge of the lights for the night. Jules our MC continues to be a huge hit in Athea and we thank him again for travelling down to be with us on the night. Thanks to all those who helped in selling raffle tickets and to Patsy Griffin and crew in the kitchen who looked after the refreshments. We are also grateful to the Hall Committee for the use of the hall and to Hannah Mai Collins for providing us with props for the stage. Congratulations to Rita Holly who won best dressed lady on the night which was sponsored by Heavenly Gifts in Abbeyfeale. Also we would like to thank Mark at Brown Joe’s for looking after the models after the show!!
Last but by no means least, we would like to thank everyone who purchased tickets or supported us on the night. Without your support as a community little would be possible. Here’s to 2018.

Thank You

The recent fundraiser for Athea National School, held on March 17th at the Top of the Town, Athea,  was a huge success raising €5,500.50. Thanks to all our sponsors and all who made donations. Also thanks to Johnny and Betty Cotter for the venue and to all the musicians who travelled from near and far to provide the entertainment. All monies raised will go towards the newly developed playground at Athea N.S.

Great Southern Trail

Great Southern Trail. Meet at the car park of the Railway Station Greenway for a loop walk of Abbeyfeale at 2pm on Sunday next 30th April. A short portion of this walk is on Mountmahon road so please wear hi-vis vest. Béidh fáilte is fiche romhaibh go léir.

Coffee Morning

A Coffee Morning will be held on Saturday the 29th of April in Abbeyfeale District Search and Rescue HQ, Killarney Road, Abbeyfeale from 11am in aid of the recovery of Rescue 116 personnel. Please come and support this fantastic cause. Any donations welcome.

Athea Tidy Towns Defibrillator Phone Box Project

We are delighted to announce that we have been approved for funding to the value of €4000 from four local councillors towards our Defibrillator Telephone Box Project. Councillor Seamus Browne, Councillor Liam Galvin, Councillor John Sheahan and Councillor Francis Foley have contributed €1000 each from their GMA Allocation. We would sincerely like to thank each councillor for their support and for helping to make this project a reality. Thanks also to Brigid O Brien and Family in America who have also generously contributed towards the project. If you would like to contribute towards the project and have your name or family name mentioned on a plaque, please get in touch with us on 087 9042477.

On the Lighter Side

Domhnall de Barra

I am fed up with politics and politicians and the constant bickering and silly point-scoring by those we have chosen to run the country for us so, this week, I am not going to go on my usual rant and instead I hope to bring a little amusement to this column.

Going back a good few years there was a man born to Irish parents in New York. His father was a policeman and worked long hours in a dangerous environment for modest pay. His grandfather had  come to America from Tipperary and had worked on the building of the great railroads in even tougher times. Mick Moloney was very clever and figured that the country now owed him a living and he was determined not to follow in his father’s or grandfather’s footsteps. He was a great charmer and very soon got street wise. He soon became a con artist and lived on his wits until one day he was nearly caught and decided he had to find something better. He was watching a programme on TV one day, a documentary on psychiatry. He was amazed at how little the psychiatrist had to do  to earn big money so he decided there and then that this was his ticket to riches. One small problem was the fact that he had no qualifications. This was soon solved by acquiring a false set of papers from one of his friends in the underworld. He couldn’t operate in New York where people knew him so he upped sticks and headed for Chicago. He rented rooms in a fashionable area, put a brass plate on his door displaying his false credentials and put an ad in the local newspaper that read: “Dr. Moloney,  cures for all psychological ailments. Fee $50 per ailment”  Word soon got around and business was good. In most cases all he had to do was listen and turn on the charm and people left feeling better. Three lads from New York were visiting Chicago and saw Mick’s photo in the paper. They recognised him at once and, knowing he was a fake decided to have a little fun with him. One of them was unknown to him so he was deputised to go to the “doctor’s” rooms with three complaints that could not be cured.  John was the man’s name and he arrived at the door of the clinic and knocked. It was just after normal hours so a maid who answered the door told him he was late and to make an appointment. John informed her that he had not one but three complaints and that it would be worth the doctor’s time if he could cure him. After a brief wait he was shown into a well furnished room and was invited to sit in a very comfortable chair. “What seems to be the problem?” asked Mick. “I have three” John replied. “I can’t tell the truth, I can’t eat and I can’t remember anything”. Mick looked at him thoughtfully for a few moments and then rose and left the room. He quickly went upstairs where there was a cat’s litter. He got a tea spoon and filled it with cat’s shit and returned to the room below. “Open your mouth” he said and shoved the spoonful in. John grimaced and gagged a bit but eventually swallowed it. When he had regained his composure, the doctor asked him “what did that taste like”. “That tasted like shit,” he said. “That is correct” said Mick, “that is the truth and that is your first problem solved. As for your second problem, well, the man who can eat shit can eat anything and as for your third problem about not being able to remember; I guarantee you that, as long as you live, you will never forget the day you ate cat’s shit. $150 please”.

A priest came to a new parish and as he was out walking one day he came upon a man who was looking distressed and in some trouble. The priest asked him what was wrong and he told him that he was convinced his wife was trying to poison him. The priest thought he was exaggerating but the man insisted that he knew she was putting stuff in his food. The priest said nobody could be that bad and he said he would go and see the woman for himself and try and sort it out. The man told him where his house was and he promised to wait there until he returned. About 40 minutes later the priest returned. A great change had come over him. There was a stare in his eyes and his hair that was always neatly combed was now all over the place. “Did you meet her” asked the man. “Did I meet her”, said the priest, “I have never before in my life met anybody like her. I could barely get a word in edgeways from the time she opened the door to me and some of the things she said to me are unrepeatable.” Well” said the poor man, “having seen for yourself what she is like, what would you advise me to do?”   The priest looked at him for a minute and then replied; “I have only one piece of advice for you – TAKE THE POISON!!”