‘Happy New Year’
Well another year gone by and here we are into 2012, and may I take this opportunity in wishing all readers of the Athea Newsletter and indeed everyone connected with it a very Happy and Peaceful New Year and the very best of health and happiness to everyone.
Well it was great to note that business was brisk in the local shops in Athea before Christmas, everyone was not going ‘over the top’ this year and this was good to see that there are more important things than presents and fussing and rushing! A huge crowd attended the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass and the choir, headed by Jessica Ahern and Tim Connelly, really added a lovely Christmas touch. The Crib in front of the Altar had many of the children along with their parents coming to visit it. In all a very pleasant Christmas with no snow, ice and roads that everyone was able to travel on.
Stephen O’Connor (son of Margaret and Mike) Upper Athea got engaged to Jackie Vaughan over the Christmas. Congratulations to both of them.
Congrats also to Kelly Anne Reidy (daughter of Anne and Dick) who got engaged to Dermot Falvey also this Christmas.
Congratulations are sent to Breda Scanlon of Upper Athea (daughter of Anne and John) who became engaged to Fergal O’Keeffe of Kilmeaney, Kilmorna during the Christmas. Best of luck to them.
Good wishes are also sent to Mary Brouder of Templeathea who celebrated her “90th” Birthday along with her family, relatives and friends at The Top of the Town last week. A great night was enjoyed by everyone. All the very best of health and happiness to her for the future.
Sincere sympathy is extended to Eileen O’Sullivan of Glenagragra on the death of her mother, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, over the Christmas period. in Broadford. Many came to pay their last respects at Sexton’s Funeral Home. ‘May the light of heaven be hers’.
The death also occurred of Patricia Flynn at the young age of 48 years – she was a sister of Mike O’Connor of Markievicz Park, Athea, and Mike thanks all those who travelled to Monaleen in Limerick after Christmas for the funeral. Sympathy also to her husband Jerry and her family ‘May she rest in peace’.
John Hunt who lives in the USA and is now in his nineties and who comes to stay in Ballybunion for the last 20 years each summer wrote these following lines. (John is related to Thady Hunt and also to Anne O’Keeffe who incidentally is progressing well day by day thankfully and who we continue to pray for as we do all those who are unwell).
“Upon this earth man was placed and he is part of the human race,
He was given the will to understand the power of God and his fellow man,
The worldly pleasures he can choose, but to go too far he must not dare,
This is how it all began
When God made light and then made man.
(John wrote these lines when he worked on the oil pipe line in Alaska – he is an ardent reader of the Athea notes and all things related to Athea).