by Kathleen Mullane

‘Easter News’

Well, as I write these lines on this Easter Monday night – it seems that the wintery weather has returned again with a very wet Bank Holiday in comparison to the beautiful week we experienced recently. However, it hopefully will return soon again, no doubt when they return to school as usual!

Well the Easter Ceremonies, as always, attracted large crowds on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday night was really uplifting with the Paschal Fire burning in the Church grounds, the Blessing of the Easter Water, the beautiful singing of the Choir, Rosy Connelly and Nicole Fitzgerald – Athea NS doing their bit on the alter all added to the Concelebrated Mass with Canon Kelly and Fr Bowen PP. Well done to all who helped with the Easter Celebrations.

Easter Saturday afternoon saw many heading to Ballybunion to take part in or watch the Annual Run there. And what a lovely day weather-wise. Well over 1,000 runners and walkers took part, preceded by the 1k children’s run. Music set the atmosphere as men, women and teenagers limbered up in preparation for the 10k and half-marathon. Many participants were doing it for a cause of their choice and incidentally one of the biggest groups who did it for the Alzheimer’s Society were a combination of the Hunts from Coole , the Fitzgerald’s from Abbeyfeale and my own two girls. Well over 20 of them took part.

There was great excitement at the finishing line, as each and every participant passed through and had their times checked. Well done to them all, it’s great for the charities etc. that benefitted from their partaking.  Thady Hunt was extremely busy feeding and taking care of all the grandchildren while their moms and dads ran. It was like “the miracle of the loaves and the fishes “–but as we all know Thady took it in his stride and coped brilliantly. Here’s to next year! Congratulations to all.

Well done and congratulations to Tom Moran of Toureen and ‘The Red Cow’ who was chosen  as Limerick Person of the Year recently at the Limerick Supporters Club Annual 17^th Dinner Dance. A great achievement.

Happy 40^th Birthday wishes go to Denis Casey of Templeathea who had a great celebration over the Bank Holiday weekend at his home with a specially erected marquee. Family and friends had a great time.

Congratulations to the U-13’s Boys Basketball team and to the U-15 Girls who took part in the Community Games in Askeaton on Friday last. The boys beat off Kildimo but lost to Abbeyfeale and Limerick Lions- they did very well however coming in 3^rd place seeing as some of them were just 8 and 9 years old. T

he Girls weren’t as lucky however they played extremely well against Abbeyfeale, Dromcollagher and Regionals. Well done to Trish Phillips- Aherne once again.

Sympathy is extended to Mary Anne Herbert of Coole on the death of her mother Hannah O’Donoghue of Knocknasna and to Eileen Ahern of Parkana on the death of their brother Tom (Toss) O’Connor of Cahirhayes.

‘May they rest in peace’ .