Fair Day in Athea
Shopping Trip to Cork
A bus will be leaving Moyvane on Wednesday, December 2nd at 7am sharp on a shopping trip to Cork, the cost is €16 per person. This is a very enjoyable day out with shopping and a bite to eat and great craic on the journey plus great bargains in the City shops for Christmas. For further information and booking contact Eileen at 087-6679943 or Jill at 087-9512387.
Church Gate Collection
Collection in aid of Self Help this coming weekend, Sat. 14th/Sun. 15th at both Masses. All donations greatly appreciated.
Noonan’s Fundraising Dance Thank You
A big thank you to all who supported the fundraising dance at the Top of the Town on Saturday night last. Over €1,000 was raised, all of which goes to charity. Thank you to the Top of the Town, Paddy Quilligan and all who helped to make this such a success.
*Birthday Celebrations*
O’Riordan’s Pharmacy are celebrating 10 years in business in Athea this month.
Thanking all the good people of Athea and surrounding parishes for your support throughout the years. And here’s to many more.
On Saturday, November 21st. we are holding a Birthday Party from 2pm to 4pm. Spot prizes and discounts on the day. Join us for lots of cake, buns and fun on the day.
(Keep an eye on facebook for updates)
Thank you
Diarmuid, Áine and all the staff at O’Riordan’s.
Time to Get Tough
There has been a lot of air time given lately to the fear rural people in Ireland are living with on a daily basis. It is a fear of being robbed and, even worse, getting assaulted in their own homes. Time was when people in the country left their doors unlocked, even when going to bed at night, but that day is well and truly gone. The case in Tipperary where a family were held hostage and savagely beaten up by a gang from Dublin highlighted the ruthlessness of these gangs and the way they can use the motorways to get to their targets and escape before the Gardaí are able to apprehend them. On this occasion they didn’t get away with it and the Gardaí are to be praised for the prompt way they answered the call and arrested those responsible. When they eventually appeared in court it was plain to be seen that they had no remorse, no sympathy for their victims and laughed and sneered throughout. They don’t mind going to jail. They know that they will be out in a short period due to the lack of spaces and that while they are there they will be well fed and catered for. Some of these had over 100 previous convictions. The question has to be asked; why were they still at large? Surely when somebody habitually offends they are a danger to society and should be locked away, not for a few months but for a very long time.
Another case of a man who tried to abduct a young girl highlighted the fact that he had 96 previous convictions. Even with that record he was free to travel the roads of Ireland to prey on vulnerable young girls. Any sane person would agree that he should not have that freedom. The Gardaí are doing their best but it must be galling for them, having spent so much time and effort bringing people to justice, to see them getting out on bail to start with and then getting minor sentences that ensures they are back out in no time. It is wrong and it is time something was done about it. What can be done, well for a start bail should be made much harder to get. If somebody is a habitual offender then they should not be entitled to bail because more than likely they will commit more crimes before the trial date. Judges are far too lenient and too easily swayed by social workers etc who plead for offenders because of their deprived backgrounds, lack of formal education and lack of opportunity. There should be a “three strikes and you’re out” system in operation where a first offender gets the benefit of the doubt and a chance to mend his/her ways. If however after three convictions they have not, the book should be thrown at them and a hefty prison sentence without the possibility of parole should follow. Prison should be made less attractive and TVs etc should be removed; in other words make it a punishment and not a holiday. Free up the spaces by not passing custodial sentences for minor offences like non-payment of fines etc. Give them community work instead and let them put something back into the community. In the meantime there is the danger that many people will take the law into their own hands and defend themselves and their properties with firearms. Most farmers legally hold shotgun licences as they use shotguns to control vermin on their lands. Many are now prepared to shoot first and ask questions later if they feel they are under attack by night or day. People who don’t have gun licences are enquiring about getting them and it is a very dangerous development. We know from what happens in America that the wide possession of firearms just creates more violence but what is a person to do?
At the moment we should be vigilant and use alarms, gate locks and CCTV etc as much as possible. Large sums of money or valuable jewellery should not be kept in the home and times of coming and going should be varied as much as possible. Be on the lookout for suspicious looking vehicles and report any seen to the Gardaí. The gangs who travel from the cities are not hitting random targets; they have local knowledge. Somebody in the locality who is in the know is tipping them off. Do you know somebody who has plenty of money without any visible means of support? Report them!. With elections on the way it is a good time to lobby your local representative to try and change the laws and give both the Gardaí and the courts the powers they need to protect law-abiding citizens who have a right to feel safe in their own homes
Domhnall de Barra