
Best dressed lady competition Denis Casey (judge), Breda Ahern (finalist), Carol O’Connor (finalist), Carla Sheehy (winner), Mary Woulfe (judge)

Best dressed man competition Denis Casey (judge), John Geoghegan (finalist), Pat Higgins (winner), Mary Woulfe (judge), Pat Ahern (finalist) Paul Curry (Chairman)

Congratulations to Carla Sheehy, Hillside Drive, who won ‘Best Dressed Lady’ and Pat Higgins , Glasha ‘Best Dressed Man’ at the Athea GAA Night at the Dogs in Tralee on Saturday night last.
Update on Athea Sewerage Scheme
Further to recent correspondence regarding Athea Sewerage Scheme, we wish to update you on progress. A tender competition has concluded and Nicholas O’Dwyer Ltd., has been appointed to complete detailed design of the wastewater treatment plant upgrade in Athea. A Contract Commencement meeting will be held with Nicholas O’Dwyer in the next two weeks. We are therefore on target for the first stage of this project.
We will update you as soon as we have further information on this project.
Yours sincerely,
Aisling Buckley, Irish Water, Regional Information Officer –Southern Region
Limerick Fine Gael TD Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed news which he has received from Irish Water that the upgrade of the sewerage treatment works in Athea is on schedule and is progressing. Irish Water confirmed that they have appointed design consultants to proceed to draw up a detailed upgrade of the Athea plant.
“This is great news for Athea and underlines the commitment which Irish Water gave me a few months ago. This scheme is long overdue and I know that the community have been waiting for years to have it delivered. This announcement that the schedule is on track for the delivery of the scheme will be welcomed by everyone in Athea.”
Patrick O’Donovan said he would continue to press for the delivery of the scheme. “It is vital for the future development of Athea that we get the scheme up and running as soon as possible. The current scheme has limited development in the village of Athea and it has for years been a priority project. I have consistently been lobbying the Department of the Environment, Irish Water and Limerick City and County Council with my Fine Gael colleagues in the Newcastle West Area of the Council to have this project delivered and I am delighted that it is on track for delivery.
Athea Gaa “Gone To The Dogs”:
Our “Gone to the dog’s night” turned out to be a great success as bus loads and car loads of people headed to Tralee on a glorious Saturday evening last. They were there from all corners of the parish, both young and old, some there for the first time and more who are regular visitors to the track, but all agreed it was a fantastic night for both the GAA and the community of Athea. All the children were well entertained and were very excited to see the dogs running. There was plenty of style there for the Best Dressed Lady and Best Dressed Man competition and a big thank you to our Judges Mary Woulfe and Denis Casey. Carla Sheehy won the best dressed lady and Pat Higgins won the Best Dressed Man Competition. Tim O’ Riordan from Lower Dirreen, was the lucky winner of €500 in the Buster Race. To cap off a great night, four Athea dogs won races, two for Mike Shine and two for Sean Hunt. The Club would like to thank Declan Dowling and Kingdom Greyhound Stadium for the opportunity to run this event. A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored a race and all those who placed an advertisement in the programme. We would also like to thank all those who sold and bought tickets for the event. A big thank you to all who gave prizes for the raffle, to Kathleen and Paddy Mullane of Mullane’s Buses for supplying the buses. Finally a big thank you to our hard working committee who put months and months of work into planning this very important fundraiser for our pitch improvements which will be starting shortly. Our sincere gratitude to our following sponsors:
Race Sponsors:
1st Race: Athea Credit Union,
2nd Race: McAuliffe, Scanlon and O’Connor Families,
3rd Race: Stelcon & Top of the Town Bar, Athea.
4th Race: Maylim,
5th Race: Gael Foods & O’ Sullivan Agri Trading,
6th Race: Devon Inn Hotel,
7th Race: Joe Vaughan & Griffins Butchers,
8th Race: J.P Collins Bar,
9th Race: Mike Hayes Building and Development Ltd,
10th Race: Dick Whites Bar & SIG Interiors,
11th Race: Urban Angles & SISK.
Buster Race Sponsors:
Kostal Ireland GmbH, Heineken Ireland & Bank of Ireland.
Raffle Prize Winners:
1st Prize: One night break for two at Moran’s Red Cow Hotel Dublin, Sponsored by the Moran Family was Seanie Collins.
2nd Prize: Dinner for four at Franklin’s Restaurant Limerick, Sponsored by Brown Joe’s was Fiona Dee.
3rd Prize: Voucher for the Vanity Case, Listowel, Sponsored by Lorraine Vaughan was Larry McAuliffe.
4th Prize: 6 Personal training sessions with CH Health and Fitness, Sponsored by Colm Hassett was Denis O’ Regan.
5th Prize: Dinner for two at The Market Lane Restaurant Cork, Sponsored by Gerry O’ Sullivan was Saoirse Fitzgerald.
6th Prize: Dinner for two at the Elbow Lane Restaurant Cork, Sponsored by Gerry O’ Sullivan was Neil Harnett.
7th Prize: Voucher from Holly’s Gala Moyvane, Sponsored by Hollys was Betty O’Connor
8th Prize: Prize from Walsh Brother Electrical, Castleisland, Sponsored by Walsh Brothers was Ger Dowling.
9th Prize: Hamper, Sponsored by Tesco Abbeyfeale was Michael Carmody.
Bits and Pieces
I didn’t make the Fleadh this year due to other commitments so I watched some of the coverage on TG4. I must say that I got a great deal of enjoyment from the programmes but some of the acts, though very good in their own right, had no business in the line up. The All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil is the culmination of a year’s activity in the branches throughout the world and those competing have to get through their counties and provinces to reach the finals. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has worked hard since its founding in 1952 to keep Irish traditional music alive and in its purest form. It was a bit disappointing to hear the music being “jazzed up” out of all recognition by some bands because it will give the impression to many of those watching that this is Irish traditional music. There are clear guidelines as to what is and what is not acceptable in traditional circles but obviously those making the TG4 programmes weren’t aware of them. Having said that, the majority of the acts were excellent and the programmes were well presented and there was a great buzz about the place. We even got a glimpse of Noreen O’Connor and Jack Quaid on one of the nights ! Good television.
On Sunday afternoon I watched what I consider to be one of the best hurling matches of all time between Galway and Tipperary. You couldn’t take your eyes off it for one moment with scores coming thick and fast and mighty tussles taking place all over the pitch. This game had everything; skill, commitment, fantastic scoring and, above all, sportsmanship. Not a dirty blow was struck from start to finish even though the exchanges were very physical. There were 30 heroes on the pitch at all times and they gave their all for the glory of their county. It was a pity one team had to lose but in the end I think Galway were slightly the better side and deserved to go through to meet Kilkenny in the final. After the match I switched over to look at a bit of soccer on Sky. What a difference to see players who are paid hundreds of thousands a week doing ordinary things at snail’s pace. The slightest physical contact had them rolling about in apparent agony trying to get their opponents yellow carded or sent off. I love soccer and played it myself when I was in England but it was a manly game back then not like the fare produced by the shower masquerading as soccer players today. If our hurlers were to be paid pro rata they would be on a million a week! Give me hurling any time; the best field game in the world.
The 15th of August has come and gone. It was at one time one of the most important days in the year. It was pattern day in Knockanure, Knocknagoshel and Ballybunion, to name but a few. These were great occasions with sports and all kinds on entertainment. People travelled miles to take part and there was great rivalry in all events. It was also a big fair day in Abbeyfeale with the town full of animals, buyers and sellers and all the stalls selling their various wares. They were great days and it is a pity they have almost disappeared. It was also of course a “holy day of obligation” which meant that it was treated like a Sunday with no work and a trip to Mass in the morning. No night before Masses in those days. I sometimes wonder if, despite all the technological advances, we didn’t have a better life back then. Maybe I am just getting sentimental in my old age. They say you never miss the water until the well runs dry.
Domhnall de Barra