by Kathleen Mullane

‘Out and About’

Sincere congratulations and good wishes go to Mary Ita Casey (daughter of Peggy and Bill) who celebrated her 30^th Birthday at the weekend with a great barbeque attended by family and friends. A great night was enjoyed by everyone.

What a beautiful ceremony here in the Church on Saturday last when the 18 girls and boys of 2^nd class received their 1^st Holy Communion.. First impressions as one took their seats prior to the ceremony was the lovely colourful pictures on the Church walls with their photos etc., indeed a lot of work went into them. The national school children sang beautifully led by the teachers. Each and every one of the First Communicants did themselves and their families proud and were very involved in the ceremony. All the hours of practice paid off. Fr Bowen PP was the main celebrant, assisted by Canon Kelly. The boys in their suits and the girls in their dresses were indeed “a sight to behold”. Above all what a glorious day it turned out to be considering it hadn’t stopped raining for days previous and days since. Congratulations to all the children, their parents, their teachers and all who helped to make the day the very “Special Day” that it was.

Well, done to the U-11’s Athea Basketball team who did extremely well on Sunday evening last in Rathkeale meeting St Senans, Drom/Broadford and Limerick in the Community Games. They ended up in joint 2^nd place in the Munster’s. Staying with Basketball the season is nearly at an end and the teams all had their “Fun Day” on Sunday last in the Hall. A brilliant day was enjoyed by all the young players – from games to prizes all organised by Trish Phillips Aherne and her family. There is some great up and coming young basketball players and well done to all of them for their enthusiasm.

I was talking to a young mother recently who was very annoyed with young teenagers – for the reason that when she took the effort to “salute” and say hello girls to all of them (having been incidentally in her son’s class and had now moved on to Secondary) that they played dumb and never even answered. Is it that the days of “Chivalry” and “Manners” are gone out the window? God be with the days when young people opened the doors for their Teachers and all those older than themselves and took their books into school for them, helped the elderly across the road and saluted people they met on the street, not saying every teenager doesn’t make the effort to say hello. As the saying goes “Manners cost nothing”.