by Tom Aherne

Welcome to our weekly look at events making the news around the Carrigkerry District on this Sunday afternoon. We bid goodbye to August and welcome the month of September. Sympathy to the Barrett family, Glenastar, following the death of Mick who was a real gentleman. A native of Turaree, Glin, he was living in Glenastar since 1971 and was a very popular member of the community. May he rest in peace.

Back to school costs are high on the agenda at present with parents under a lot of pressure to come up with the money. Children’s charity Barnardos came up with the following costs from a recent survey. It costs €350 to send a child to junior infants and €805 for pupils starting second level. The Union of Students in Ireland claim it costs parents just under €10,000 a year to cover third level. Life’s basic necessities, education and health, are suffering severe cuts at present and something needs to be done before the people are forced to revolt.

Dublin’s win over Donegal in a shambles of a match has set up the ideal pairing for this year’s All-Ireland football final on September 18th. We can look forward to two very good finals this year.

We were lucky that hurricane Irene passed us by as it would be the final nail in Ireland’s coffin if it hit us.

The death has taken place of Mary Catherine Doody (nee O’Sullivan) Tiermore, Shanagolden, peacefully at Saint John’s Hospital, Limerick on Tuesday 23rd August. She was a homemaker, in her early seventies and was married to Glensharrold native Joe Doody. Mary Catherine first entered our lives in the sixties when Joe and herself began keeping company. Kennelly’s house in Glensharrold  was Joe’s second home and also a meeting place for the youth to play Gaelic games, ring throwing,  card playing, house dancing and singing and music in the Summer and Winter. In time Mary Catherine was introduced to the crowd attending this Rambling House of renown where she made a big impression on the locals who were taken in by her friendly approach and warm personality. Time moved on and Mary and Joe got married and set up home in Glensharrold and commenced raising their family. They were a most popular couple attending all the functions and big events in the community and Mary Catherine enriched our lives with her kindness and friendly manner. She was very good at visiting people in Hospital or in their homes and usually  a home baked cake was produced.  Neighbours and friends were sad to see the Doody family move to Shanagolden in the late seventies but good contact was maintained and Mary Catherine and Joe would be back for the Wren and the dances and all the other important events and the links remained strong.

We were all shocked and saddened when we heard of her passing as we were not aware of her illness and stay in Hospital. Mary Catherine had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and she  left us eight days after the Feast of the Assumption and I am sure she has joined Mary in Heaven. Her remains were removed from Saint Senan’s Funeral Home, Shanagolden, to the local Church on Wednesday evening last with large crowds attending to pay their respects to the family. Canon O’Keeffe celebrated her Funeral Mass in Saint Senan’s Church, Shanagolden, on Thursday 25th August and welcomed all who came to celebrate Mary Catherine’s life. Symbols of her life were taken to the Altar by family  members at the commencement of Mass. They included a tea pot, to remind us of her hospitality and the cup of tea to all who called to her house. A Statue of Our Lady, to show her deep devotion to her. A pair of shoes, to show her love of shopping and walking and cycling. An invitation card,  to show her popularity and presence at all the local events. Family members assisted in the well chosen Readings, and Prayers of the Faithful, and Canon O’Keeffe paid her a lovely tribute in his homily. The hymns and music were very appropriate  with her party piece ”Shanagolden” being aired as her remains left the Church.

The funeral cortege passed by her home and the coffin was shouldered from there to the nearby Kilmoylan Cemetery where a large crowd awaited the arrival. The warm sunshine was appropriate, as she brought a lot of sunshine into peoples lives. She was laid to rest beneath a clear blue sky close by the ruins of Kilmoylan old Church. Mary Catherine would have enjoyed the mini concert performed by ten members of the Glensharrold Wrenboys and guests. It was a special request from Joe, as they both loved the Wrenboy tradition, and the well known tunes touched a chord with all present. Donie Nolan’s fine rendition of ”The Old Bog Road” and ”Shanagolden” moved many to tears. People were slow in leaving the well maintained Cemetery with its excellent view. It was a special moment in time, as people showed solidarity with the Doody family and bid goodbye to Mary Catherine. We will all retain our own lovely memories of a special lady who will be sadly missed by all. We extend our sympathy to her husband Joe, sons Michael, Patrick and James, daughters Bridget and Marie Griffin, brother Donie, sisters-in-law, son-in-law Pat, daughter-in-law Angharad and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. May she rest in heavenly Peace.

The following are the Lottery results from The Thatch Bar, Newbridge, from Monday 22nd August. The numbers drawn were 4,5,21,24. and there was no Jackpot winner. Congratulations to the lucky dip winners as follows.

€60 Jimmy Lee, Newcastle West.

€60 Pat Leahy, Creeves.

€60 Niamh Barden, c/o Curley’s.

€30 Ned Downey, Shanagolden.

€30 Sean Flaherty, Carrigkerry.

€30 Dan Ryan, Ardagh.

Next week’s draw takes place in Neary’s Bar, Ardagh, and the Jackpot will be €10,200.

Congratulations to Josephine O’Connor Glensharrold Carrigkerry who won the special bonus prize of €250 in the Newcastle West Rugby Club Draw held in Lees Bar, Newcastle West on Friday 17th August.

Congratulations to Jim Dalton and Francis Woulfe who were first prize winners at the card game held in Shanagolden Hall on Friday 17th August.

Congratulations to Sam King’s team Carrig Celtic winners of the Kilcolman Rovers soccer club golf day in Ardagh on Friday 12th August. Colm Kennedy’s team Kilcolman Rovers were runners up.

Congratulations to the Branner Golf Society team who won the Irish Daly Star Golf Competition recently in Faithlegg, Waterford. Locals on the team included Frank Moore, Pat Hennessy and Michael O’Connor and their prize includes a week’s golfing holiday in Spain.

A total  of €1,309 was collected for Trocaire in Ardagh/ Carrigkerry Parish at the recent collection held in aid of Somalia.

Saint Kieran’s lost to Feenagh/Kilmeedy in the final group match of the West Junior A Hurling Championship in Tournafulla on Sunday 21st August. They exited the Championship on a 1-13 to 0-7 scoreline.

The senior footballers meet Drom-Broadford this coming week-end for a quarter final place in this year’s County Senior Football Championship.

Schools reopen this week after the long summer break which was lacking in warm and sunny weather. It will be the first term for new pupils in primary school and for students entering second level.  Best wishes to all students for the year ahead.

Kilcolman Creche is available to individuals or groups wishing to avail of the facilities for meetings, classes, rehearsals, etc. Contact Sharon for full details at 086-8106522

There will be a C.C.E Céilí in The Gables, Athea, on Friday Sept 2nd, music by Ken Kelliher. Hot food provided at the interval. Free tuition from 8.30 to 9.30 with Timmy Woulfe. Céilí starts at 9.30. All are welcome to attend.

Ardagh/Carrigkerry Social Club will re-open on Tuesday 6th September in the Hall, Ardagh at 2.00pm. We look forward to meeting you all again. New members would be most welcome.

Ardagh/Carrigkerry annual St. Vincent de Paul Pilgrimage to Knock takes place on Saturday the 10th September. For further information and booking, contact Johnjoe at 069-76280. There are only a few seats left at present. The bus will leave Stevo’s Shop Carrigkerry at 7.30am and from Ardagh Church at 8.00pm.

I will conclude with our thought:

‘Well done is better than well said’