by Peg Prendeville

The National Spring Clean is Ireland’s largest anti-litter initiative, organised by An Taisce, and funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The campaign runs throughout the month of April every year with clean-up events taking place in towns and communities all over the country. Over 500,000 volunteers participated in clean-ups throughout the country last April. The objectives of the National Spring Clean are to:

  • Encourage clean-ups throughout the whole month of April
  • Galvanise the practices of recycling and re-use where possible
  • Increase the number of Events and Participants
  • Promote personal responsibility for litter

Heighten awareness of litter and waste issues

Killeaney AFC has been doing its bit for the past few years and so again this April the members and friends are organizing an evening of cleaning up the roads around Knockdown and beyond. All volunteers will be very welcome to help in this project. Contact any member of the committee if you have an hour to spare some evening please.

As part of the White River Fest activities during the may Bank holiday weekend a Parish Arts & Crafts exhibition will be held in the Resource Centre in Loughill on Saturday 5th May from noon till 4 pm. Anyone who has paintings or photography or a craft of any kind is invited to bring it for display. The purpose is to show off the creativity within our parish. It is open to young and old, male or female; you can drop off your piece(s) at the Resource Centre on the Friday night around 7pm. They will be displayed as best as possible and exhibited next day. Pieces can be collected again on the Saturday evening. Be sure to put your name on the back. Tea/Coffee provided also.

Mass in memory of Ned O’Shaughnessy, Knockdown, whose 1st anniversary is around this time, will be offered in Carrigkerry next Sunday.

At Mass in Ballyhahill last Saturday night Fr O’Leary welcomed Cynthia Moran and thanked her for designing the new Stations of the Cross which were erected in Ballyhahill Church just in time for the Easter ceremonies. Artist Cynthia Moran was born in Kildare. She studied at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin and St. Martin’s School of Art in London. Cynthia has lived in Madrid since 1963 but visits Ireland regularly and continues to exhibit her sculptures in Dublin galleries. Cynthia has exhibited widely all over Spain, Scotland and Ireland and so it is a special privilege to have some of her work here in the parish. The Stations are made in bronze and are erected in the side aisles of the Church.

There is a lovely exhibition of Cross Stitching in the library in Glin which is worth seeing. There are 17 framed pictures of very detailed work by Marianna Chelmicka from Glin. Opening hours are: Tues & Thurs – 11 to 2 and 6 to 8. Wed & Fri -11 to 2 and 3 to 5. All welcome.