Archive for May, 2011

News – 16/05/2011

Donie Lyons presenting a cheque for €3,550 to the Friends of St. Ita’s proceeds from the recent Mock Wedding . Included are some of the people who took part in the fundraiser. Videos of the Mock Wedding are now on sale at Donie’s Bar & Brouder’s Shop.

 

 

Good Luck Athea Utd

Best of luck to Athea Utd A’s who are playing Ballingarry in the Desmond League Div 1 Cup Final on this Sunday 29th in Clonreask at 12.30.


First Communion in Athea last Saturday

Nicola Scanlon

Jack Hunt & Family

Luke Gleeson & Family

 

 

Kathleen Broderick & Family

 

Michael Tierney & Family

Molly Pepper Carr

Aidan Curry & Family

Thomas McEnery & Family

Eoin Sheahan & Fr. Bowen

Athea First Holy Communion Class 2011 Pictured with Canon Kelly, teacher, Michelle Kearney and Fr. Bowen P.P.

Tournafulla Camogie Club

Tournafulla Camogie Club have recently set up underage teams and are currently seeking U6s, U8s, U10s and U12s to join. Any girls welcome regardless of experience or not. As ye already know it is hard to get numbers in rural areas and we would appreciate your support. If your daughter is interested, we are training every evening at 6.30 in Tournafulla field so feel free to drop in.

 

Church Gate Collection

In aid of Rehab Foundation at all Masses this weekend May 28th/29th.

 

West Limerick Resources

 

ARA NA FÉILE ACTIVE RETIREMENT:

The next Group meeting will be on Wednesday June 8 at 2:30pm in Abbeyfeale Rugby Club. The Committee meeting will take place on Friday June 3 at 11am in West Limerick Resources Abbeyfeale Office. There will be an outing to Cobh and Fota Wildlife Park on Monday June 13. The coach will leave from outside the church at 8am on the day.

RURAL BROADBAND SCHEME:

The Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte has this week announced a Rural Broadband Scheme for areas where people cannot get a broadband service either through private operators or the National Broadband Scheme. The time limit for applications is very short – the closing date is Friday July 29, 2011. Those interested in the scheme can contact the Department’s Rural Broadband Scheme line on 1850 678 100 to apply.

GLIN TOURISM LTI:

Participants are sought for a new Certificate in Tourism which will be offered by Glin Development Association in association with the FAS Local Training Initiative (LTI).  To be based in St Paul’s Heritage Centre, Glin, the free course offers FETAC level 5 accreditation and is open to those aged 16-35 years who have less than leaving certificate or did not go to college.  Some places may be available to those outside these criteria.  Register before June 17. Contact Dearbhla on 068 32444 or Adrienne on 069 66296.

WLR ABBEYFEALE OFFICE:

The office based in the old CDP office in Abbeyfeale provides support and services to people in Abbeyfeale, Athea, Mountcollins, Tournafulla, Strand, Monagea and Newcastle. For more information on the above or on Citizen’s Information, the Rural Employment Service, the weekly FÁS Jobs Club and Job’s Lists, please phone us at 068 32444 or call into our centre in the Square, Abbeyfeale.

Micheál & Shane Ambrose, Athea who would like to thank sincerely everyone who supported them on the 10k run in Limerick on May 1st in aid of Athea National School. They have collected €850 to date. Well done boys!

Abbeyfeale Notes

by Marion Harnett

BANK HOLIDAY HOOLEY
The annual summer hooley in aid of WL102fm will be held at the Devon Inn Hotel, Templeglantine on Monday, June 6.  Dancing from 9.30pm – 1am to Noel Glynn and Glen Flynn.  Admission €10.  Raffle on the night.

PARISH FETE
This, the first Parish Fete will be run in conjunction with St Mary’s Boys school.  A  a large portion of the money raised  will go to  support the young people travelling to Madrid for World Youth Day. The Fete will take place on Sunday, June 12 in Fr Casey’s GAA Club from 2-6pm. We are looking for people to kindly donate the following items.
Cakes (collecting from 8th June onwards).  Items for auction ( antiques, furniture, ornaments etc.) Bric– a –brac, Books Clothes in good condition, Turf, Timber, groceries etc. Details of collection contact the Sacristy during Mass times. 068/51915

LOUGH DERG
The first pilgrimage of the 2011 Season will take place on Saturday, June 4-6.  Bookings with Peg on 068 31232.

CONFERENCE ON NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Dr. Nyjon Eccles, a Harley St. Cancer Specalist and T.V. Presenter Emma Buckley who is a Consultant Nutritionalist will both present papers at a Conference on Nutrition and Health in U.L on Saturday May 28 at 10am.  Free admission by ticket only.  Contact 086 3062478 for further information.

 


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Pat’s Corner – 26/05/11

by Pat Brosnan

 

A Week of Symbolism

 

While the visit to our State of England’s Queen Elizabeth II did not generate the widespread interest that some had forecast, nevertheless there was a strange mixture of curiosity together with a certain amount of goodwill towards the British monarch as a person and a visitor who had come in a spirit of friendship and mutual recognition to a neighbouring island, most of which is now an independent Republic with its own identity and no longer a part of the so-called United Kingdom, or even the British Commonwealth of which the Queen is the symbolic head, if not in the political reality of many of these Commonwealth nations. It was however a week of symbolism. On Tuesday after she arrived in Baldonnell Military Airport outside Dublin the numbers that came to see her passing through the centre of Dublin were very thin on the ground and even taking into consideration the high security measures and barriers, the onlookers could according to the television pictures and reports be measured in dozens rather than in hundreds or thousands. There was a somewhat eerie silence about it all according to some of the media personnel and it might have looked at that stage as if the opening round of the visit had turned into a damp squib.

However things quickly came to life after that when in the company of our own President Mary McAleese she went to lay a wreath in the Garden of Remembrance in honour of the dead who died for Ireland in all the wars against England.

This of course was a highly symbolic and let us recognize a generous gesture when the Queen of England honoured the heroes of 1916 and later. This softened the hearts of many Irish people towards the Royal family as such a happening must in all honesty be considered most unusual. Then the visit to Croke Park must also be looked upon as a very useful public relations exposure for the GAA and something very positive for the Association, even though all the northern counties except Down neglected to attend doubtless for reasons of their own.

It will surely be believed that our President Mary McAleese and her husband were a major factor in bringing the Queen and Prince Philip to Croke Park taking into consideration their close personal ties with the Valentia GAA family and their son-in-law’s mother coming from Cavan, another great traditional GAA stronghold.

It is to be hoped that the Croke Park visit will strengthen recognition of the GAA in Britain, particularly in the British media circles which usually have ignored Gaelic Games, even the most important ones and which have often been hostile to the Association. Oh yes, we know that some of the Irish editions of the British newspapers sometimes include a mean and rather skimpy amount of space to Gaelic Games compared to the coverage which is given to rugby and to soccer as well as other sports. Any small coverage that is give to Gaelic Games in these British newspapers is in the interest of sales, not in the promotion of the GAA. But in all fair play to the British media it needs to be stated that some of our own newspapers particularly some daily’s of a national kind are just as neglectful of any worthwhile coverage of the GAA affairs.

We are hopeful that the visit of the Royal couple to Croke Park will change all that. It would be nice to think that the Queen will find time to read the book on the history of the GAA that was presented to her and that she will keep it permanently in one of the libraries of Buckingham Palace. Maybe Philip will try using the camán that was given to him the next time he goes playing his favourite game of polo; he might even chance using it instead of the long-handled mallet for striking the polo ball.

The speeches given by our own President and the Queen before the banquet at Dublin Castle were no doubt very inspiring and full of hope for the future of both our countries. Our President spoke about even though we cannot change the past we can choose the future and the Queen in her speech re-echoed the same sentiments. In all fair play it must have been very difficult for the Queen to choose the right words for such an occasion which for her was so much different from addressing people in other countries which she has visited in her time. Nobody could say however that she did not make a good job of it and most of our people would surely appreciate that she opened her speech with a few words in Irish “A Úachtaráin, Ireland agus a cáirde”, which perhaps was unexpected. In her speech in which she displayed some of the more human and friendly side of royalty, she said all and maybe even more than what she could be really expected to say.

On Thursday, the Queen visited the National Stud in Kildare and Philip attended the Gaisce awards in Dublin and on the night they attended a concert at the Assembly Centre also in Dublin and before returning to England on Friday evening the Royal party visited Cashel and Cork.

Perhaps one of the most poignant and emotional moments for the Queen was her visit to the British War Memorial at Islandbridge where she and the president both laid wreaths in memory of all the Irish who died fighting with the British Forces in both World Wars.

The wreath laying ceremony was attended by ex-service men displaying their medals and memorabilia from both wars. While many of us had near relatives and neighbours who were in the British Forces we are aware of course that some of these war veterans have long felt that they have been the forgotten Irish. While it is quite true and reasonable to understand that these British Army survivors could hardly expect the same honour, dignity and respect that has been accorded and is still being accorded to our Fenian and Republican dead, nevertheless these war veterans deserve some recognition and last week they were given that and not least by our President when she attended the ceremony.

In both their speeches the Queen and the President spoke of the economic, cultural and family links between the British and ourselves. There is no doubt that this is true particularly among the ordinary plain people of both our islands. Some of ourselves who spent many years in England will never forget the kindness, friendship and neighbourly generosity that was bestowed on us by so many English people while we lived there. We still keep in contact with many near relatives and friends there. Our youngest girl Breda is married to Andrew Burr who is a native of Yorkshire and they live in Canada.

While it never will be easy for people throughout the North as well as the relatives of the victims of the Dublin bombings to come to terms with the British Army, RUC and Loyalist paramilitary atrocities, the hope is that such things will never happen again. On the other hand of course many Unionists and English people will find it difficult to forgive Republicans for their activities.

Apart from any other benefits it might have had, if the Queen’s visit has done anything to heal the wounds of the past and provide greater hope and understanding for the future then it has been worthwhile.

 

Late Garret Fitzgerald

The recent death during the past week of former Taoiseach, and in his time the most prominent member of the Fine Gael Party, was widely regretted by all sections of the people throughout the country. Dr. Garret Fitzgerald was not alone a brilliant and far-seeing politician but he was also an intellectual and a highly intelligent writer who was the author of several books.

By all accounts in his private life he was a very nice person to know and he was very popular on his visits to Kerry where he had many relatives. His father who was a Dublin Catholic and his mother who was a Belfast Protestant were both closely associated with the 1916 Rising.

He was also a devoted family man and many will remember the dedicated care he gave to his wife Joan when she became disabled and was in a wheelchair. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

 

 


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Kathleens Corner

by Kathleen Mullane

Bits and Pieces

Well, on Saturday last there wasn’t much time for ‘outdoor photo’s as everyone started to gather in the wet and blustery conditions for the 1st Holy Communion in our parish church. Photographers had to take photos in the entrance hall of the church. The mass was con-celebrated by Fr. Paddy Bowen and Canon Kelly and it was indeed a lovely ceremony. The school choir sang beautifully – led by their teacher Mrs Lynch. All the 1st Communion boys and girls had a part to play in this their ‘very special day’ and they all played their part exceptionally not making a single mistake. Many visitors to the parish were amazed by the organisation of the entire ceremony and also by its meaningfulness. Michelle Kearney the class teacher was presented with a bouquet of flowers by her class and Fr. Bowen also received a ‘thank you’ gift from the boys and girls. Despite the weather it was a lovely day for parents, grandparents, relatives and friends. We congratulate everyone involved who made the day the reverent day that it was, and especially the girls and boys who did themselves, their parents and their teachers proud.

Well, an update on our ‘Scrap Fundraiser’ or should I say “Your Fundraiser”, as it’s your Hall. Well done to each and every one of you who, so far, have donated to us – both small loads and big heavy loads – we are really appreciative of everything. We had a meeting last Wednesday and have a further follow-up meeting tonight Wednesday as we throw out ideas on further fund-raising ventures to lessen the debt on the hall. We really want to make a final huge appeal to everyone inside and outside the parish- if you have any old cars or any scrap whatsoever, to please let us have it. The hall will be there hopefully for your children for many years to come – it will keep them off the street – as they use it for basketball, indoor soccer, school games, drama, dancing, birthday parties and much, much more. To date we have 2 loads of cars and 2 loads of scrap taken by the scrap-dealers and this has made over €5,000 for the hall which is indeed tremendous. We have another heap almost ready to go – but please don’t stop now-“keep the scrap coming” – it’s the only major way of reducing the debt. Please ring us if you need it collected. Well done to those who are going beyond the call of duty to go out and collect the scrap. 

 

 


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