Paul Curry, Chairman Athea GAA, making a presentation to Athea Ladies Mary Ita Casey & Liz O’Sullivan to mark the 25th anniversary of Athea Ladies Football Club

Michael Hayes saying goodbye to his prize cock before it goes to its new home in Knockaderry

Cillian O’Connor with his dad James at the Parish League on Sunday after their win

James & Alice Hunt at the Athea GAA ‘Night at the Dogs’ in Tralee Greyhound Stadium recently

Athea Drama Group AGM 

Will take place on Monday night September 7th in the kitchen in the Memorial Hall, Athea at 8.30pm. Everyone welcome to attend and discuss all things drama.  

Nepal Fundraiser 

A total of €2,000 was raised from the Carrauntoohill Climb on June 28th 2015 in aid of the victims of the earthquake disaster in Nepal. A huge thank you to all who contributed in any way to this very worthy cause. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.  Catherine O’Connor

County Limerick Drug & Alcohol Drop-in Centre

 If drugs or alcohol are a problem and you are over 18 then free help is available with no appointment necessary at the Hospital Family Resource Centre, Knockainey Road, Hospital.  The service which is staffed by HSE Drug and Alcohol Outreach workers will be available on every second Wednesday from 10am – 12 noon.  For further information contact Geraldine on 086 6076573 or Deirdre on 086  3840526.

Dancing Classes 

Step dancing & sean nós dancing returning to the Top of the Town on Friday evenings at the new time of 7pm for step dancing & 8pm for the sean nós dancing.

Athea Children’s Drama Classes

Drama classes will resume on Wednesday, September 9th in the Con Colbert Community Hall.

Enrolment for 5-8yr olds will be at 5pm and for 9-14yr olds at 6pm.

The Cost of Honesty

The recent problems in the Northern Assembly could have far reaching consequences for peace and stability in this island. A statement by the Chief Constable that the IRA still exist and have a command structure has put the cat among the pigeons and given ammunition to all those who were searching for a stick to beat Sinn Féin with. Immediately politicians on both sides of the border began jumping up and down and making wild allegations. According to Joan Burton not only do the IRA exist but they are involved in all kinds of racketeering, extortion, intimidation and murder. If she knows this to be the case why has she waited until now to voice her opinions?  The same can be said for Micheál Martin and others who have a vested interest in smearing Sinn Féin especially with an election on the horizon. Likewise the Loyalist politicians in the North who do not want to work with Sinn Féin anyway and were on the brink of bringing down the assembly without this latest excuse. Sinn Féin have done themselves no favours by totally and vehemently denying that the IRA still exists. Gerry Adams should not have spoken with authority on the subject since he, by his own admission, was never even a member of that organisation and would have no knowledge of it. They would have been better off saying that though the structure still exists, they are not an armed force and present no danger whatsoever to the state. Even the Chief Constable has stated that the organisation now works in communities to promote the peace process. Instead the denials give more scope to the opposition and back Sinn Féin into a corner from which they can’t retreat.

To look calmly at the situation, it would be foolish to believe that the IRA, having given up their guns and supporting the peace process, would disappear completely and totally disband. Both governments believed at the time that it was the lesser of two evils to accept that the IRA maintained its structure and kept the peace in their localities. Of course there are problems within any organisation and the IRA is no different. There are bad apples in the police, the clergy and many upright organisation so it would be foolish to think that the IRA would be squeaky clean. Some of its members are involved in crime but surely Sinn Féin cannot be held responsible for this. The vast majority of republicans have thrown their weight behind the peace process and have worked hard to keep the hawks in line. If the IRA does indeed exist the question has to be asked, what has it done to interfere with the peace process? The answer is nothing. There has been no conflict with the establishment in Northern Ireland or loyalist organisations so they are maintaining the peace. It is time for level heads to give some direction. Political parties may gain some electoral advantage by smearing Sinn Féin but the consequences of them being thrown  out of the assembly is unthinkable. There are hardliners who are just waiting for a cause and are capable of undoing all the good work of Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, John Hume and Ian Paisley.

The assembly in Northern Ireland is not ideal but it is the best available at the moment. Is short term political gain preferred to lasting peace on this island? Politicians of all persuasions should think long and hard before jumping the gun. Let the police do their investigation into the murders that caused this problem and then deal with the outcome, whatever it is. We deserve better leadership.

Domhnall de Barra