By Tom Aherne

The death has taken place of Mary Quinn nee Donoghue South Quay, Newcastle West, formerly of Ballyloughane, Carrigkerry at her residence on Monday September 30^th. She was predeceased by her husband Paddy and she was a former Clerk in Saint Mary’s Church Carrigkerry. Mary who was born in 1918 was 96 years old and a native of Templeglantine. She attended the local Primary School and Abbeyfeale Secondary School. She cycled there and completed her Intermediate Certificate, which was a major achievement at the time. Mary was very bright and very good at Irish and could have pursued her education further only for the lack of transport. She worked at various jobs including time spent in London during the bombing blitz in 1944. Mary married Paddy Quinn on February 10^th 1945 and they settled in Ballyloughane, and raised their large family.

Mary and Paddy   accepted an invitation from Fr Michael O’Connor C.C. and took over the Parish clerks duties in 1964. Mary would assist Paddy with all the tasks, and fill in for him while he was working. She would clean the church and attend to the other inside duties while Paddy looked after the outside repairs and maintain the grounds.  It was a poor parish at the time and when the new church was built in Ardagh, and Carrigkerry church was renovated a big debt arose. Fr Anthony Elliott succeeded Fr O’Connor and he was an excellent fundraiser. Mary was one of the volunteers who made many trips around the country selling tickets to pay for the work done. When Fr Elliott left he had the forty thousand debts cleared and twenty thousand left over.

After Paddy’s death in October 1986 Mary took over his duties assisted by her son John and they served up to 1994. Mary in retirement moved to Newcastle West but her heart remained in Carrigkerry and she often returned to visit friends and the church to say a silent prayer for all the people who had passed on. Mary was the first President of Carrigkerry I.C.A. when they were formed in 1984. She had the great honour of welcoming 300 members of the World Country Women’s Association representing 69 countries (on their way to the A.C.W.W. Conference in Killarney) to Moran’s Country Club on May 24^th 1986. They were entertained by Carrigkerry Guild members and Mary delivered the speech of welcome. Mary liked Bingo and other social occasions and she made many visits to family members living in Australia, and France, and she also visited the Holy Land.

Her remains arrived at Saint Mary’s Church Carrigkerry on Wednesday October 1^st at 8pm, and a large crowd was present to pay their respects. Fr Richard Keane, Newcastle West, Fr Frank Duhig and Fr Larry Madden, concelebrated her Funeral Mass on Thursday at 11.30am. Family members participated in the ceremony and Fr Keane paid a nice tribute to Mary during his homily.  He spoke about her great faith and her devotion to the Sacred Heart, and how she told him the Rosary was always said by the family at home. She was delighted to live near the Church in Newcastle, West and loved to receive Holy Communion there and also in her home when she was unable to go there.  Mary composed twenty lovely lines about her home in Carrig around the time of her 90^th birthday which her grandson read out as the reflection.

There’s a little lonely homestead

Just a few miles back the road

Where I reared my lovely children

Twelve hearts of Irish gold.

Mary was laid to rest in Ardagh Cemetery on Thursday October 2^nd. We extend our sympathy to her sons Jimmy, John, Pat, Gerard, daughters Mai, Kathleen, Ann, Margaret, (Eileen, RIP) Bridget Nora, Josephine, sister, Nora Ahern, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephew and niece, relatives and friends. She will be sadly missed by all and may she rest in Peace.

Congratulations and best wishes to Annie Hayes, Knockfinisk, who recently celebrated her 80^th birthday.

Congratulations and best wishes to Sean McSweeney, Carrigkerry who celebrated his 21^st birthday with family and friends at the Top of the Town Athea on Friday September 26^th.

The following are the Lottery results from Reen’s Bar Ardagh, on Monday September 29^th. The numbers drawn were 2,16,18,22, and there was no Jackpot winner. Congratulations to the lucky dip winners €60 Amy Magner c/o Neary’s Bar. €60 Paul O’Connor, c/o Moore’s Bar. €60 Séan and Oisin Ryan Coolacokera, Ardagh. €30 Den Joe Doran c/o Josie. €30 Susan Moriarty, Ardagh. €30 Michael Hartnett, Ballintemple Inn.  Next week’s draw will be held in Peadar’s Bar, Ardagh, and the Jackpot will be €5,600.

Ardagh/Carrigkerry Comhaltas branch held their Annual General Meeting in Ardagh Community Centre, on Thursday September 25^th.  The following officers were elected for the coming year. Chairman Mike Daly, Vice-Chairman John Campbell, Secretary Gretta Trant,  Treasurer Evelyn Mullins, Youth Officer James O’Connor,  County Board Delegates Helen Daly and Gretta Trant, PRO Jim O’Connor. The officers welcomed new members and they would like to see a greater input from parents to help run the branch.  Singing classes take place in the Community Centre Ardagh each Friday from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

Peg and Mike Kiely and Michael Flynn, on behalf of the Mícheál Kiely Memorial Fund recently made presentations from the proceeds of their recent fundraisers.   They presented €2,500 to Jackie, Ayiesha, and Noreen Geoghegan for the Seanie Geoghegan Benefit Fund and €800 to Lorraine and Muiris O’Connor for the Limerick School for Deaf and Hearing Impaired children.

Carrig Celtic defeated Newcastle West 3-1 at home in Round 2 of the FAI Junior Cup on Sunday September 28^th. Ray Cahill 2 and Seanie King scored their goals. Carrig Celtic B lost 2-1 away to Feenagh B in Division 3 of the Desmond League. Old Mill lost 3-0 away to Abbeyfeale Utd B in Division 1, and Creeves Celtic lost 2-1 at home after extra time to Pallaskenry in Round 2 of the Reidy Cup.

In the Desmond Ladies Division 1 League Carrig Celtic defeated Kilbehenny 3-1 at home with Michelle Brouder scoring all three. Creeves Celtic lost 2-1 at home to Askeaton with Deborah Dalton scoring. Kilcolman Rovers making their debut in the league lost 5-0 at home to Breska Rovers.

The Limerick G.A.A. Club Draw for September was held during the Limerick Live 95 FM Radio sports programme on Saturday September 27^th. Saint Kieran’s Club had no winner and there was no winner of the lottery draw. The next draw will be held on Saturday 25^th October.

Saint Kieran’s lost to Drom-Broadford by 6-13 to 3-5 in the West Minor B Football Championship semi final played in Knockaderry on Saturday September 27^th.

Saint Kieran’s lost to Adare by 4-6 to 0-4 in the County U-14 Division 2 Shield Final in Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale on Saturday September 27^th.

Congratulations to Nuala O’Connell and Peter Culhane, who were prizewinners at the card game held in Monagea Hall on Wednesday September 24^th.

The Rosary will be recited each evening at 7pm during the month of October at Churchtown Grotto Newcastle West, and all are welcome to come along and to join in.

Ardagh National School Parents Council is holding their A.G.M. at the school on this Thursday 9^th October at 8pm.  All parents/guardians are invited to attend.

A gala West Limerick Fashion Show in aid of invalid section of Limerick Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes will be held in the Devon Inn Templeglantine on Wednesday 15^th October. Cheese and wine reception and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets cost € 10 and are available from the committee or at the door. There will be lots of valuable prizes on offer and people are urged to support this event.