By Kathleen Mullane

‘Congrats’

Congrats are extended to Sharon O’Donnell of Templeathea and Cornelius Ambrose of Ballyhahill who were married here in Athea on Saturday last by Fr. Bowen with Fr. Austin McNamara concelebrating. The chief bridesmaid was Tara Flaherty along with Marie O’Dowd and Caroline and Nuala McCoy. The best man was Padraig Ambrose along with Thomas Ambrose, Tom Culhane and Paul Whelan. The pageboys were Dylan Ambrose and Danny McCarthy with the flower girls Ella Ambrose, Katie and Amy Lenihan and Lauren Quaid. The reception was held at The Devon Inn Hotel where a great day was enjoyed by everyone. Best wishes to the newly weds.

Sincere congrats and good wishes go to Lorraine and Paddy Horgan on the birth of their first baby, a little boy they are calling Cillian making Joan and Tom O’Brien, Templeathea, and Doris and John Horgan, Rathronan, Athea, very proud grandparents. Again good wishes all around. A very excited Paddy thankfully made it home from Dubai for the happy event.

Another new grandson for Mary Ellen and Denis Collins, Templeathea. Their daughter Caitríona and husband Eoin Coleman being blessed with their third little boy they are naming Eoin after his Dad, a little brother for Donnacadh and Micheál, the makings of a football or hurling team!

Congrats also to Nellie and Mossie Ahern of Garrygloss on the birth of their new grand daughter Maggie, a first baby for their son Brian and his wife Ailis (formerly Cummane from Knockdown). Good wishes to all of them.

I loved Domhnall de Barra’s article in last week’s newsletter entitled “The Sunday Clothes”. On a Saturday evening a row of shoes was spread across our floor when we were at the Top of the Town. The shoe would be polished religiously every week in preparation for Mass, especially on the Sunday (God help us, a rub of a wet cloth is all they get now in most places!). The sale of shoe polish I’m sure is definitely gone down. I remember my mother telling me, as there was fourteen children in their family, four would go to Mass at a time and when they came home the next four would put on their “Sunday Clothes” for Mass – can you imagine for one lot the clothers would be too short and small and the other they would be falling off them! However, “designer gear” didn’t bother anyone in those days – everyone was happy with “their lot”.