The Christmas season has well and truly started in Knockdown. Last Friday night the Estuary Macra group had a very enjoyable Table Quiz with lots of Christmas jumpers on display as well as Christmas crackers and sweets being freely handed out to the happy customers. This was followed on Saturday night with a fundraiser for Milford Hospice organized by the Stanley family in memory of Rita who died this year. Again there were prizes and hampers galore to be won.

The Fair Day in Glin on Saturday saw the Christmas colours and gifts to the fore again in the Craft stalls in the Ceol Corbraí. It is heartening to see that the economy seems to have picked up a bit and people are once again spreading the money around, thus helping all local entrepreneurial people to succeed in their endeavours. Hopefully the positive attitude will keep growing and may entice many, who have gone abroad looking for work, to consider returning. Limerick University has unveiled ambitious expansion plans for the next four years. So we are ending the year in a positive frame of mind, hopefully.

It is the busiest time of year for all book lovers as they try to keep up with new publications and journals. The Ballyguiltenane Journal, the Athea Journal, the Glin Historical Journal are all on the shelves these days as is Tom Wall’s book and The Last Knight: A Tribute to Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin. It will be a busy Christmas trying to keep up with them all but I look forward to trying! The Diocese of Limerick Book – An Illustrated History by author Liam Irwin is another one which has been created to celebrate the history, place and people of the Diocese of Limerick. Bishop Leahy in the foreward describes this book as ‘like an Acts of the Apostles for our diocese’.  It is presented in two parts: The History of the Diocese, and the Parishes of the Diocese. Available in all parishes.

Killeaney AFC extends its sympathies to fellow member Mickey Mulvihill and his family on the death of his mother this week.  May she rest in peace after a long life.

Congratulations and well done to my nephew Kevin Murphy, son of Bridie and Stephen, who has been nominated as Photographer Of The Year by the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers in the UK. “Briseann an dúchais tré shuilibh an chait!”