‘Out and About’

The very best of luck goes next Tuesday night to the Athea National School Choir who travel to the Woodlands in Adare to take part in the Community Games Choirs Competition at 7pm. Margaret Carroll and Catherine McAuliffe have been busy all along preparing them for the event. We wish them well and hopefully they will do their school, parish and families proud.

Staying with the Athea National School – the official opening and blessing of the new Astro Turf pitch and running track at Athea National School will take place on this Thursday, April 14th at 1pm. The ceremony will be performed by Canon Kelly. All parents and parishioners are welcome to come along and they will get the opportunity to view the beautiful pitch and track.

Don’t forget also to support Micheál and Shane Ambrose of Dirreen who attend Athea National School and who on May 1st are doing the 6k walk in Limerick to raise funds for their new pitch. They will be looking for sponsorship, so well done to them for making the effort for their school – every little bit helps a lot.

Next Sunday April 17th there is a great Easter-egg Hunt in nearby Knockanure which should be great fun. There will be loads of entertainment for the children including a puppet show, magic, disco and much more. Admission is €5 with family reductions. Further details from 068 49799 or 087- 7528626.

After last week’s Community Colbert Hall meeting it was great to note that the outstanding debt on the hall is now down to just over €57,000. Considering the initial debt was over €200,000 its great. On this Wednesday night a further meeting will be held by the new fund-raising committee at 8pm. Several ideas are now being thrown around to raise money to clear the debt as quickly as possible as the interest really is a lot every year. We have decided to ask everyone in the parish and beyond if they would go through their garages, sheds, houses, fields or wherever and if they have any bits of metal, iron, aluminium, old machinery or whatever they no longer want – the hall committee are gathering it up and the money raised will go towards the hall debt. If you would like to help out ring me Kathleen on 087-1233361 or Caroline on 087-6643307. Your bits and pieces can be picked up if you like or we are having a central place to deposit it for collection.

Our sympathy goes to Maurice Stack and family, Upper Athea, on the recent death of his brother in America. May he rest in peace.