Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Well I hope all of you ‘mothers’ had a very happy and restful Mother’s Day last weekend and had everything done for you and deservedly so. As they say “a mother’s work is never done”.

This weekend we have another great day to celebrate – “St. Patrick’s Day” and groups and organisations all over the country are very busy at the moment preparing for their specific parades. To the best of my knowledge the Abbeyfeale parade is on Sunday and the Newcastle West parade on Monday. It’s a day when everyone all over the world claim to have “a drop or two of Irish blood in them”.

Football training for all age groups from U-16s upwards begins for the ladies at the pitch on this Friday evening at 7pm. All members are asked to come along to the training session and of course new members, as always, are welcome to join.

Sincere sympathy is extended to the family, relatives and friends of Billy Casey of Lower Athea who went to his eternal reward last week after being ill for some time. ‘Go ndeana Dia trocaire le na hanam.

Athea Drama Group celebrates “21 years” in existence no less and they are putting on their production of “Many Young of Twenty” starting this weekend to celebrate the fact. It will start at 8pm in the hall, on the following dates-Sat 16th, Sun. 17th, Mon. 18th, Thurs 21st, Sun. 24th and then the final date is April 6th. It’s bound to be a great production with some new faces – so go along and enjoy.

Well done to the young girls of Athea N.S. who on Saturday night sang their hearts out at the 7.30pm evening Mass with Margaret Carroll on guitar to guide them. Everyone agreed they were really brilliant, full of confidence and enthusiasm. Congratulations to them all.

Don’t forget to support the Community Alert collection this weekend before all Masses. It’s nice for the elderly and those living alone to feel somewhat safe in their homes. And of course it’s up to each and every one of us to keep an eye out for any strange going-ons, to take numbers of suspicious vehicles etc. – Thereby keeping our community “a safe one”.

Keep a look our during this ‘very cold snap’ for your neighbours, who may need a little help whether it be to get them messages, sit down for a chat or keep on the fire for them.