The Killeaney AFC club is busy preparing medals and trophies for the Annual Social and Awards night this Friday night. All welcome. A fundraising raffle will be held also. All support will be appreciated.

A meeting of the Clounleharde School Reunion will be held next Wednesday night 28^th at 9.15 pm. A fundraising night, to cover administrations costs, will be held in the Knockdown Arms on Saturday December 29^th.

The poetry book “The Purple Pencil” is on sale in Brouder’s and Collins’s shops in Athea: in Woulfes in Listowel and in bookshops in Limerick and Tralee. €12 including CD. Gerard Curtin’s book “Every Field had a Name” is also on sale locally and in all bookshops. So you have a choice of history or poetry, depending on your mood.

I include another poem this week in memory of my mother whose anniversary occurs around this time.

Sitting at the table, drinking wine

and sharing thoughts was the best of all;

we cast our minds back to another time

when we were young. Through photographs we trawled

and resurrected memories of great times

when we were all together. But cancer

stole you from us and so under Dad’s wings

we sheltered, as he lightened our moments

with plays and stories. He filled the empty void

and held us close together for he sensed

there would be lots of days when we would cry

with longing for your smiling presence.

Sitting around the table drinking wine

we coaxed you back into our present time.