Congratulations to Lorna Cosgrave, daughter of Paul & Bridie, Churchtown, Dublin and Darren Barrett, Lower Athea, who were recently married at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Churchtown, also in picture are Darren’s parents Margaret and Sean together with Daniel and Majella O’Donnell, life long family friends. A great day was enjoyed by all at Castleknock Hotel and Country Club, Dublin

Congratulations to Lorna Cosgrave, daughter of Paul & Bridie, Churchtown, Dublin and Darren Barrett, Lower Athea, who were recently married at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Churchtown, also in picture are Darren’s parents Margaret and Sean together with Daniel and Majella O’Donnell, life long family friends. A great day was enjoyed by all at Castleknock Hotel and Country Club, Dublin

Irish Water

Briefs Athea Community Council on solution to longstanding sewage issues – modular treatment system offers cost effective treatment that will stop local pollution

27th May 2015 – Representatives of Irish Water recently attended a meeting of Athea Community Council in Co. Limerick to brief the local community on a long awaited solution it is implementing to deal with sewage related pollution in the village. At the moment, sewage from approximately 400 homes in Athea discharges with minimal treatment into the River Galey, a tributary of the River Feale, causing serious local pollution.

The Athea plant has been identified by Irish Water for urgent upgrade as a pilot project using a simple modular water treatment system. If the pilot is successful, Irish Water plans to implement this model nationally on a very cost effective basis to similar towns and villages right across the country that otherwise would have had to wait for larger schemes to be developed to address localised chronic pollution.

Aisling Buckley, Regional Information Officer with Irish Water explained, “The previous plans for Athea and similar schemes in Limerick and elsewhere were for bundled schemes to be built and operated by contractors over a 20 year timescale. This approach led to oversizing and consequent high cost projections and the continued postponement of the grouped schemes as larger projects delivering greater value for money were prioritised.”

With the new approach we are piloting in Athea, Irish Water plans to develop a number of standard treatment solutions, appropriately sized to cater for current needs and modest population growth that can be replicated in similar towns and villages across the country. This is a very cost effective way to deliver upgrades and address localised pollution in a shorter timeframe. This kind of plant design also allows for modular expansion, if required in future,” Aisling explained.

The plant in Athea is being sized on the same basis as all other capital projects being planned by Irish Water, allowing for up to 10% population growth locally. Technical consultants have been appointed to prepare detailed designs for the plant and planning documents for submission to Limerick County Council in approximately 3 months time. Subject to the necessary approval being granted construction should take approximately 12 months to complete.

The Athea u-21 team of 1975 were as follows: Front row: James Hayes, James McCarthy(Templeglantine), Noel Barry, Patrick Murphy, Christy Carroll ( Templeglantine), Pat Higgins, John Liston. Back row: George O’Connor, Pius Collins, Stephen McCoy (RIP), Mike McMahon, Patsy Sheehan, Tom O’Connor, Denis Hurley, Denis Quaid (RIP), Teddy Brown. Supporters were Mick Dalton (RIP) and Sonny Murphy (RIP).

The Athea u-21 team of 1975 were as follows:
Front row: James Hayes, James McCarthy(Templeglantine), Noel Barry, Patrick Murphy, Christy Carroll ( Templeglantine), Pat Higgins, John Liston. Back row: George O’Connor, Pius Collins, Stephen McCoy (RIP), Mike McMahon, Patsy Sheehan, Tom O’Connor, Denis Hurley, Denis Quaid (RIP), Teddy Brown.
Supporters were Mick Dalton (RIP) and Sonny Murphy (RIP).

Dear Domhnall,

Athea has had a spate of bereavements within the past couple of weeks, each as regrettable as the next. One could eulogise each with the same esteem, only my function, self-annexed, is recalling the lives and careers of former Athea footballers insofar as I can.

Athea lost one of its greatest ever footballers recently in the person of Denis Quaid, of Dirreen, at the untimely age of 61. Were I taxed with selection of Athea’s greatest team I would have Denis at midfield without hesitation  He was, putting it mildly, immensely talented

No matter how talented people were in their own right we will attribute it to their ancestry, which is a little unfair. But it would be remiss not to mention Denis’ granduncles, Tim and Dan Ahern, the former the Olympic triple jump champion in 1908, Dan being the world record holder in the same for over twelve years.

The Ahern brothers were both of medium height, Tim was 5’8″ and Dan 5’9 and a half, just average for their time, but they obviously compensated with extraordinary agility and athleticism which was passed on to the Quaid family.

Denis attended Athea School where he would have been remembered for his modesty and intelligence. He then went to Castlemartyr in East Cork, which was a popular boarding school for Athea boys and, there he blossomed into an outstanding footballer. Even in his first year there he was selected on the college senior team, a feat unprecedented in its time. Obviously, a high standard of coaching pertained there as was evident from several other Athea students who studied there.

Being of a quiet disposition Denis’ talents merged with those of a very good underage team, whose greatest drawback was shortage of numbers. To make up at least fifteen we recruited a couple of lads from Templeglantine, and even though we were regarded as small fry in the GAA world the team overcame all opposition and were very unlucky to lose to Newcastle West by a point. NCW later became county champions at u-21 level.

It would be fair to say that Denis Quaid was a star among stars who would have had a successful county career if he was interested. Putting him on the same playing pedestal as Tomás would be no more than he deserved ! Denis’ prowess was recognised by the county selectors as he played at midfield in the Gaelic Grounds and his athletic skill and great football brain would enable him to be quite comfortable in that environment.

But times changed ! The great u-21 team faded away through emigration etc. and so came to an end the budding career of one of our all-time greats. Denis probably wouldn’t wish for any acclaim, being the modest gentleman that he was but it is important to note his place in the roll of Athea’s greatest and most popular footballers.

It was a privilege to witness his greatness in the maroon and white.

Slán Denis,

Timmy Woulfe