Athea Parish Festival committee members John Redmond, Carol O’Connor and Helen O’Connor at the Going Strong Summer party on Wednesday last

Upper Athea women Betty O’Connor, Marie O’Connor, Chrissie Mulvihill and Vera O’Sullivan enjoying the Going Strong party

Current CE Scheme participants with supervisor Jim Carmody outside their new headquarters

Community Council Building

Athea Community Council have succeeded in buying what was formerly C.D. Printing and Pa O’Connor’s from Connie Herbert. This building which we were renting up to now, houses the  CE Scheme, Athea & District News and Cairde Duchais at the moment but when renovated will be available to the parish for meetings, workshops, classes  and any other use  that will be of benefit to the people of the parish. All we have to do now is pay for it !!.  With this in mind we are about to revamp our lottery and try to maximise sales. The people of Athea have already helped us to pay for the bridge so we are confident that the much smaller sum involved on this occasion will not be a problem. We would like to thank all our supporters over the years and in particular our loyal sellers in various parts of the parish. Next week we will publish a list of the current sellers who can be contacted for tickets.

Dancing Classes

Set dancing classes start in the Top of the  Town on Monday night, September 1st at 8.30pm. For further information contact 087-9267037

Set dancing classes start in Fr. Casey’s clubhouse, Abbeyfeale on Wednesday night September 3rd at 9pm. For further information contact 087-9267037 or 087-6594668. All are welcome.

Unveiling of Memorial

Preparations are well under way for the unveiling of a memorial to the 6 Limerick men including Jim Woulfe of Athea, who fought in the Spanish Civil War. The unveiling takes place at Limerick City & County Hall, Merchant’s Quay on Sun 14th at 12.30. This is to honour them as part of the Limerick City of Culture 2014 which takes place from September 12th -14th. All are welcome to attend the event and in particular any Athea people who may be related to the Woulfe family.

Ciara O’Connell, Maureen Daly O’Flaherty, Molly Rowlands, Hannah Kelly, Jack Denihan & Joey Kelly at the Tarbert Debs recently

At a recent Daniel O’Donnell concert were Breda Sheehy, Newcastle West and Gretta Enright, Athea

By Kathleen Mullane

“Parish Festival Comes to an End” 

Well, the revived parish festival ended on Sunday evening last and everyone agreed it had been a great few days. A great crowd attended the pub quiz at the Top of the Town on Friday night and of course the ‘Going Strong’ Summer party had a huge crowd attend. Well done to the organisers and those who helped on the day and of course to Colleen Reidy who provided the gorgeous food. It was a great opportunity for all to meet up and chat and enjoy the music and atmosphere. The drama on Saturday and Sunday night was also well attended and well done to all who partook, it wasn’t easy learning ‘the lines’ during the summer holidays.

Sunday saw the 5k walk/race taking place and well done to all who registered and took part. The 1st man home was young Gavin Dillon of Abbeyfeale who did the Templeathea ring in just 18mins! Next was Donal Leahy of Lower Athea and 3rd was Michael Lillis. The 1st woman home was Elaine O’Keeffe with Mary Sheahan in second place and Michelle Curry in 3rd. Pádraig Enright was the first boy home with Andrew O’Riordan in 2nd place and Michael Tierney 3rd. We all got ‘soaked’ but it was great fun. Thanks to Carol O’Connor and Denise O’Riordan and their helpers for the lovely tea and sandwiches etc afterwards. The committee also thanks Kearney’s Home Baking, Ballyhahill for sponsoring the cakes on the day and Twomey’s Bakery for the bread and Eilish and Leo Geoghegan for the welcome water and Patsy and Marisa Hayes for handing it out at Fairy St. Cross!

The GAA festival tournament on Sunday attracted a great crown, all eager to see their husbands and family members taking part. Four teams partook and in the end the “Dirreen Dynamos” captained by Tim O’Riordan won through. “Rumour has it” that there were some sore bones and stiff legs after the games! Well done to all especially the “well seasoned” players – an enjoyable barbecue at Paul Collins’ was enjoyed by all afterwards amidst the excitement of the Mayo/Kerry game (keep your flag flying Paul Curry up there in Dirreen) and Margaret Barrett in the Lower Rd.

The committee of the parish festival deserve a huge “thank you” for all their work all week namely John Redmond, John Joe Tierney, Carol O’Connor, Denise O’Riordan, Helen O’Connor & Margaret Carroll – here’s to next year.

Congrats to Lisa & Neilus Hunt on the birth of their little boy Fionn recently. His brothers and sister Grace are delighted. Congrats to the proud grandparents also Thady Hunt of Coole and Mary and Henry Moran of Toureen.

Congrats also to Anne Marie and Maurice Horgan on the birth of their little boy who we are all thinking about and remembering in our prayers. A little brother for Nancy their little girl.

Good wishes are sent to Canon Kelly also who is presently in hospital-hopefully he will be ‘out and about’ very soon again.

It was sad to hear of the death of Fr. O’Gorman of Tournafulla over the weekend, another lovely man gone to his ‘eternal reward. He will be sadly missed by his parishioners, relatives and so many friends. ‘May he rest in peace’.

Registration for the 2014/2015 season with Trish Phillips will take place at the hall from 6.30-7.30pm on Wednesday September 3rd. All are welcome – new players, boys/girls are especially welcome. A great way of keeping fit for our youth.

Well it’s ‘back to school’ time once again and how quickly the summer hols have gone by – however we were lucky with the weather and all the kids are going back revitalised after the sunshine. Best of luck to all who are starting college shortly and secondary school and to all who will be receiving their Junior Cert results soon.

By Peg Prendeville

Congratulations and very best wishes to Kay Scanlon, Glasha and Jerry Long, Clounleharde who were married in Kinnity Castle last weekend. Many friends and neighbours joined in the celebrations both in Kinnity and on arriving back to the Knockdown Arms. I wish them a happy future in Clounleharde.

Congratulations to Anne Marie and Maurice Horgan, Athea on the birth of baby Brendan, a brother for Nancy. Though Brendan has some challenges he is doing his best to overcome them and we send prayers and best wishes to all the family at this emotional time.  

The latest craze hitting the country is the “Ice Bucket challenge”. This was really brought to our attention by Daithi Ó Sé on RTE during the Rose of Tralee festival. Since then every Tom, Dick and Harry has had iced water thrown over them. The cause is good, it all being for the prevention and treatment of Motor Neurone Disease,  and just like the recent craze of “selfie” it has taken the country by storm. I don’t know what you readers think but this is how I feel about it.

Ice Bucket challenge

 Am I the only grouch around

Who is fed up of all this water

Thrown on every head we know

To me, it’s worse than slaughter.

Give the money if you want

All causes need some help

But no need to plaster Facebook

With iced water and a yelp.

Ok it was funny for a while

But now its time to stop

And think of water charges

It’s too expensive for to slop.

And what about some people

I cannot help but think

Who have to walk for miles each day

To get water for to drink.

So please, all you kind people,

Donate if that’s your choice

But do it and move on in life

And then we’ll all rejoice.