Sincere congratulations and good wishes go to Una Nolan, daughter of Marion and Willie of Upper Athea, who has recently become engaged to Kevin Sheehy of Abbeyfeale. Wishing them every happiness for the future.

A new baby in the parish also, a little boy has arrived in Lower Dirreen to Cliodhna and David Quaid, they are calling him Ryan and his two little sisters Katie and Grace no doubt will spoil him. We also congratulate Anne and Jack Quaid proud grandparents. 

Once again more additions to the beautiful Mural between Batt’s and Mullane’s. Domhnall de Barra in “full flight” belting out on the accordion. The resemblance is ‘uncanny’ so realistic and Fr. Jerry has been added to the section depicting the church, many long hours of painstaking work has gone into the Mural  and I was talking to Mr and Mrs Dunne from Clash who have retired to Athea from England who are doing all this voluntary work and I said “ aren’t  ye wonderful to be giving of ye’r time and patience” to do it- their answer was “we want to give back to the Athea Community for being so nice and friendly to us since we moved here”. I thought that was really giving our Parish a boost to say the least. Anyway they and all the others who have joined our community in recent years are very welcome and hopefully they will all spend many happy years here in our midst.

Well did you ever think you would be relieved to see grey clouds and heavy thunder showers in July! The heatwave has been amazing but after 10 days we Irish weren’t able for it according to reports. The papers claimed “We had lost it” washing machines were going at full pelt with every item of clothing in the house hung out on the line.”Quick” mothers were saying put on every shirt you have for 10 minutes so I can wash it again”. We’ve had 5 years of woe that coincided with our wettest summers and coldest winters since the Ice Age but things are looking up, our super summer may be the turning point for further “heatwaves”. So let’s face the future with a smile on our faces, Factor 25 on our bods and a barbeque hot-dog in our hands!