On this Thursday, May 1st there will be a great singing night at ‘The Ramble Inn’ in Abbeyfeale. It will start at 9.30pm. Donie Lyons will be at the helm and everyone is welcome on the night.

Knockdown Vintage Club will hold a fundraising raffle at The Knockdown Arms on this Saturday, May 3rd in aid of Pieta House. This will be followed on Sunday 4th by a road run organised by Estuary Macra. All support, as usual, would be most welcome.

Sincere congrats and good wishes go to Michelle Collins (daughter of Hannah Mai & Jim Collins, Nurseries, Athea) who became engaged to Simon Parkinson of Melbourne, Australia while the happy couple were home on holidays from Australia. They became engaged during the week in Killarney. Best wishes to them both as they return to Oz.

Well some new babies this past week! We congratulate Margaret & Darragh Sweeney who were blessed with a new little boy who they are naming Teddy, a little brother for Shauna. Congrats also to the proud grandparents Ettie & Ned Aherne in Dirreen.

Eileen Ahern of Parkanna has also become a grandmother again, her daughter Evelyn and her husband Liam Moloney having been blessed with a little girl Eve Louise, a little sister for  Liam and Kate. We congratulate all the proud parents with their new babies.

Congrats are extended to Laura Quille, daughter of Ellen & Donnacadh, The Square, Athea, who celebrated her 18th birthday on Saturday night last along with her friends and family.

Sympathy is extended to the relatives of Mai Liston, Lower Athea (nee Ellis of Glin) who passed away last week. ‘May she rest in peace’.

I’m sure there are quite a few of our young people going to the ‘One-Direction’ concerts in Croke Park in May and if you’ve been watching Crimecall this Monday night it’s advising anyone travelling that due to the huge amount of young people who will attend the concerts over the 3 nights (82,300 to be exact each night) that no cars or drop offs will be allowed anywhere near Croke Park. Adults have to accompany U-14s and everyone is warned to be extra vigilant and take care of phones and concert tickets which are like Gold-dust. Also it will be dark on Friday night as thousands leave the stadium all at the same time, this being one of the youngest crowds ever to attend a concert in such huge numbers – so ‘Take Care’, that’s the message.