By Peg Prendeville
Despite the wet dreary day on Sunday last a large crowd attended the Open Day in Glin Castle. Glin is very proud of its castle and is always willing to share it with others when the opportunity arises, thanks to the Madame and her family. All the funds from Sunday will go to opening an interpretative centre in the future. It is proposed to have this centre in the back room of Glin library.
Congratulations to Johnny Costelloe, Turraree who got married to Fiona O’Connor of Ballyguiltenane last Friday. We wish them happiness as they begin married life in Kilfergus in Glin.
There was a disappointing attendance at the meeting in Ballyhahill Hall during the week, the purpose being to establish how the Hall will be managed in the future. Three of the four present committee members are retiring after each giving 25 – 30 years of service so a new committee needs to be elected to ensure the ongoing running of the Hall, which is a vital part of our parish. The ICA, Comhaltas, Going Strong and Ballyhahill Development are regular users but it is also used for the Christmas party, impromptu meetings, and any large gatherings which are parish related so it would be an enormous loss to the parish if it has to be closed. A lot of work and money has been spent on it in recent years and I’m sure we are all proud of this superb facility in the parish. A final call is being sent out around the parish for a meeting on Thursday August 17th at 8pm. Everybody is urged to consider how they might help in putting a committee together. There is no extra workload attached to the job anymore than there is to any other organisation. As the Hall is one of the Diocesan properties the management of it will have to comply with the new administrative conditions as outlined by Bishop Leahy in the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures pamphlet which is available in both churches. New life and a new generation is needed to inject energy into keeping it as good as it is now. The present members who are retiring, John Reidy, Michael Kearney and Peg Prendeville and other people who have dropped out in recent times have given a lot of their time and expertise over the years and feel it is now time to hand over to a new group. So please come along to the Hall on August 17th and play your part in revitalising the parish. Otherwise the Hall will be closed.
A decision may have been reached in the Jason Corbett Trial in the USA by the time you read this. It has caught the attention of the world. We wait and see what the jurors will decide or may already have decided. It seems obvious to some of us what the result should be but who knows how others think.