Athea GAA Club

Congratulations to the newly elected officers of the executive committee to the Athea GAA Club. Paul Curry-Chairman, Kevin O’Keeffe-Vice Chairman, Jacqueline O’Connor-Secretary, Roger Ryan-Assistant Treasurer, David O’Connor-PRO. The position of treasurer and assistant secretary are due to filled at the next committee meeting. If there is anybody out there who might be interested in taking up these positions they are asked to contact members of the executive committee.

In the meantime the club wishes to thank Denis Collins, Sean Ahern and Áine Reidy, who also have stepped down from their positions having given outstanding service and commitment to the local GAA Club over the past number of years.

Athea Fair Day

A big crowd attended Athea Fair Day on Saturday and the weather held out fairly good even though there were some heavy showers early in the day. From early on Saturday morning big numbers arrived, many bringing their animals, horses, ponies, donkeys as well as various kinds of fowl. There was also a big number of stalls of various kinds, where local people and visitors were able to browse around in search of bargains. There was an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere all around and local people and others now realise that it was worthwhile to revive the Athea Fair after a lapse of several years. The fair is now back again just like the old days but better than it ever was.

Great credit is due to all those who organised the fair on this occasion. There is no doubt that it is now an important occasion on the calendar for the local people and the many visitors who look forward to coming each year. Athea is very much in need of such gatherings or festivals which would be of benefit to the local economy since the loss of the motorcycle races to the area. Perhaps next year some of the former festivals might be revived again such as the Trad Féile and perhaps something of the nature of the bicycle races which were held here formerly. Naturally it will take some effort and organising to get these things going again but for the sake of the local economy it would all be worth trying so things will get moving again.

Quiet Halloween

The Halloween festival passed quietly on this occasion unlike the rowdy scenes that occurred in places such as Athea and Carrigkerry during the past years. Perhaps young people are learning to realise that nothing can be gained by causing annoyance to ordinary, decent people who are going about their business.

Halloween can be a very enjoyable festival for everybody when a little bit of mutual respect is displayed on all sides. Nobody objects to young people enjoying themselves and having their bit of fun so long as all this is kept within reasonable limits.. Anyway it was good to see that there were no unruly scenes in our village on this Halloween. Perhaps this is an omen for the future

It has been reported that there has been some trouble in bigger towns in Kerry over the weekend and this is certainly a pity as there is no need for this sort of thing.

Anti Semitic Posters

Recent reports in the media have stated that West Limerick public representatives have been outraged by a series of Anti Semitic Posters which were attached to a bridge in the Sugar Hill area. But according to the reports for the intervention of local election candidate Christy Kelly.  The most offensive posters targeting Minister Alan Shatter have since been removed.

While all decent people will naturally condemn racial hatred of any kind including such posters it must nevertheless be remembered that as late as last year the Israeli navy hijacked an Irish ship called the Saoirse which was on its way with badly needed medicines to the beleaguered Gaza Strip in international waters and captured and interned the crew of the vessel for over a week and wrongly accused them of entering Israel without permission. The crew included an MEP, a City Councillor and a former Fianna Fáil TD. By all accounts the boat was not returned to its rightful owners and it appears the Government here took little or no steps to get it back. While everybody might dislike racial activity of any kind, nevertheless it is equally important that the illegal act of the Israeli navy in hijacking an Irish ship, interning its crew for a week and failing to return  the ship should be an act that would be equally deserving of condemnation. But how many Limerick Councillors or other public representatives did we hear condemning that dastardly and illegal act at the time.

If politicians are going to condemn cowardly acts of any kind let them do so on an equal basis and then people might begin to believe their sincerity otherwise people might as well ask why they think it is their business to interfere and make one-sided comments in a matter which concerns two foreign countries Israel and Pallestine. Let them tell us before the coming elections whose side they are on in this Middle East conflict. But in the meantime racism of all kinds needs to be condemned whether this is putting up posters on the side of a remote bridge in Sugar Hill or hijacking an Irish boat on a humanitarian mission in international waters. Let them tell us which act they ought to condemn. Which is the greatest crime?

Athea Gun Club

Athea Gun Club members were out in force on Friday, 1st November which was the first day of the pheasant shooting season. By all accounts pheasants were plentiful this year. The Long Tail competition was held at the Top of the Town bar on Friday night and was won by father and son Dan and Mike Costello of Kilmorna who were placed first and second in the competition. Congratulations to both of them .