By Tom Aherne

Congratulations to Marie Hennessy daughter of Joan and John Rooskagh, Carrigkerry who was crowned Limerick Rose of Tralee at Bunratty Castle Hotel on Easter Saturday March 26th. Marie is teaching English and Gaeilge at Desmond College, Newcastle West and has three sisters Tracey, Siobhan and Ciara. The local community has been elevated by the wonderful news and all wish Marie a wonderful time representing Limerick in the Rose of Tralee Finals next August.

Congratulations and best wishes to Diarmuid Crowley, son of Maura and the late Tim, Ballylin, Ardagh and Maria Anglim, daughter of Mary and Tommy Ballagh Killeedy who were married at St Ita’s Church, Ashford on Friday March 18th. Fr John Keating officiated and the reception was held at the Malton Hotel in Killarney.

Congratulations and best wishes to Pat Joe Flynn, Ardagh who recently celebrated his 80^th birthday with family in the Rathkeale House Hotel.

Garda Denis Mangan, Rathgonan, Ardagh, retired from duty over Easter, after serving his time mainly in the West Limerick area. Best wishes to Denis as he embarks in the next stage of his life.

The death has taken place of Maura Mary O’Connor, nee Kearns, Killoughteen, Newcastle West, Limerick, formerly of the Old Mill and County Sligo, wife of the late Pat. Maura, a native of Sligo and family were the owners of the Old Mill Bar back in the 1980s. She was in her early seventies and will be sadly missed by all who knew her. She lay in repose at Reidy’s funeral home on Friday April 1st from 6pm followed by removal to Newcastlewest Church. Her Requiem Mass was celebrated on Saturday at 11.30am followed by burial in Calvary cemetery. We extend our sympathy to her sons, daughter, grandchildren, brothers, sisters and Tom. May she rest in Peace.

The following are the Lottery draw results  from Reens Bar, Ardagh. The numbers drawn were 8,19,21,22, and there was no Jackpot winner. Congratulations to the lucky dip winners €60 Joan Bridgeman, Rathreigh, Ardagh. €60 Helen O’Sullivan, St Mary’s Terrace, Carrigkerry. €60 M Hourigan, Shanagolden. €30 Ezra Neary, Ardagh. €30 Alan Murphy, c/o Moore’s Bar, Carrigkerry     €30 Michael Collins, Park, Ballyhahill. Next week’s draw will be held in Peadar’s Bar, Ardagh and the Jackpot will be €11,800.

Johnny McCarthy, Darragh Treacy and Sean McSweeney were members of the Limerick team that lost to Sligo by 3-10 to 1-12 in Round 6 of the National Football League Division 4 match played in Markievict Park on Sunday March 27th.

Saint Kieran’s defeated Ballysteen by 1-14 to 0-6 in Round I Division 1 of the County Senior Football League. The Junior B team lost to St Senan’s in the West Football League.

The club had no luck in the Con and Annie Kirby Memorial Puppy Stakes run at Limerick Greyhound Track. Their nominated dog Westway Hawk was eliminated in the quarter finals on Saturday March 26th.

Creeves Celtic defeated Athea 10-6 at home after extra time on Easter Sunday to progress to the Reidy Cup final. They trailed by 6-2 at one stage but scored 4 to take the match to extra time. Jason Ahern, 5 Seamus Mangan, 3 Jerome O’Connor, and Mark Hennessy scored their goals. Carrig Celtic, and Old Mill had no matches. In Division 1 of the Desmond Ladies League Creeves Celtic defeated Kilbehenny Celtic by 3-1 at home with goals from Angela Sheehan, 2 and Dympna O’Brien. Carrig Celtic and Kilcolman Rovers had no fixtures.

It was nice to hear Fr Michael O’Connor, from Ballyhahill, being interviewed on the Drivetime programme on Radio 1 on Tuesday, March 29th. The previous evening Fr Michael had celebrated a special Mass to mark the 1916 Rising for the London G.A.A. Board. He is ministering in London for the past few years and he was very happy with the respect the celebrations received there. The G.A.A. Board and the clubs are doing good work there at present and last Sunday they defeated Waterford in Division four of the National Football League.   London will be playing Limerick in next year’s National League after the treaty men lost to Sligo, and were relegated.

The following is a list of the Kilcolman people whose names have popped up in research who were involved in the march to Glenquin Castle. John Condon, William O’Connell, William Cremin, James Culhane, Patrick Culhane, James Dalton, David McDonnell, Michael Dore, John Downey, Daniel Egan, Maurice Egan, Joseph Enright, Michael Enright, John Flanagan, Patrick Flanagan, William Flanagan, Daniel Foley, John Geoghegan, Thomas Geoghegan, Michael Greany, Thomas Greany, Rodger Greene, Thomas Greene, Denis Hallinan, John Hallinan, Matt Hallinan., Frank Harold, John Harold, Maurice Hayes, Michael Hayes, Patrick Hayes, Denis Histon, Maurice Histon, Patrick Histon, Edmond Hurley, Jeremiah Hurley, Gerald Kelly, Daniel Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy, Michael Kennelly, Stephen Kennelly, William Kennelly, Joseph Lane, Michael Lane, James Leahy, Joseph McMahon, Thomas McMahon, John Maloney, John Meade, Peter Meade, Con Mulcahy, Daniel Mulcahy., Thomas Mulvihill, William Mulvihill, James Nash, Patrick Nash, Stephen Nolan, Denis Scanlan, Murt Scanlan, Patrick Scanlan, William Scanlan, and Martin Sheehan. Many of the Kilcolman Company later lived in Ardagh and Shanagolden. This is not a complete list, and Gerard Greaney   would appreciate help with the following questions. Do you know anyone on the list, have you photographs of them or stories to share? Would you like to remember them by taking part in one of our walks on 24th April? Have you other names for us?  Gerard can be contacted on 086 8278155 or email [email protected].

Coolcappa Music Group have a DVD of their Concert held at Rathkeale House Hotel in aid of the Joanne McMahon Thanksgiving Fund for sale from the following Patsy Greaney 087-2153685, John Moran 087-6555098, Marion Hough 085-7341675, and Sharon Guina 087-9433496. There are CDs of the Ardagh Church Concert in aid of the Joanne McMahon Thanksgiving Fund for sale, also in Curley’s Shop Ardagh, Olympic Filling Station, Churchtown, and Coughlan’s Supermarket Castlemahon.

The Old Mill Ladies Football Club are holding a Table Quiz at Neary’s Bar Ardagh on Saturday 9th April at 9pm. They would appreciate your support to be able to continue the great work they do with the ladies of the locality.

The Limerick Diocesan Synod week takes place from Sunday 3rd April to Sunday 10th April. Bishop Leahy has issued an instruction that no mass be celebrated after 11am on Synod Sunday 10th April. As a result Mass will be celebrated at 9am in Coolcappa, and 10.30am in Ardagh.

Knockdown Vintage Club and Estuary Macra, are holding their annual Charity Road Run commencing at 1pm on Sunday 10^th April. The registration is from 12 noon, and they welcome all vintage cars, tractors trucks, bikes, and modern vehicles for the Modern Tractor Run. The run will start and finish at Knockdown with a short stop in Moore’s Bar Carrigkerry. A raffle will be held for valuable prizes, and entertainment will be provided during the day. The Vintage Club have raised in excess of €19,000 since their foundation in 2010. This money has been donated to a number of charities, and deserving causes, and this year the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation will benefit. For more information contact Patrick Langan on 087-2452695, Dave Noonan on 087-2500938, or Patrick Scanlon 086-0682600.

Mark the weekend of 16^th/17^th April into your diary for the reopening celebrations at Moore’s Bar, Carrigkerry. A number of exciting events have been lined up for the young and mature, with music on both nights which will be supplied by Thermal Two and Sean Carrig.

A re-enactment of the March of the West Limerick volunteers to Glenquin Castle in 1916 will take place on Sunday 24th April 2016. Ger Greaney has been in touch with the following information: Currently there are groups walking from the parishes of Ardagh, Ashford, Broadford, Carrigkerry, Castlemahon, Dromcollogher , Feohanagh, Kilcolman, Killeedy, Milford, Monagea, Mountcollins, Newcastle West, Templeglantine and Tournafulla. Please join us on the day on any of these marches and walk in the footsteps of the brave men and women of West Limerick. You can walk the full route or join in along the way if you prefer. Would you like to start a march from a parish not already organised. Of so please contact us here.If you do not wish to walk you can join us at Glenquin castle outside Ashford County Limerick at 2pm for a moment of reflection and an afternoon of traditional Irish Craic. Remembering Fir agus Mnà Cròga as Iarthar Luimnigh To Remember is to Never Forget: Join us on Facebook at Footsteps to Freedom FTF.

The following is a distance reckoner from Kilcolman to Glenquin via Ardagh and NCW in Km. Kilcolman PO: 19.5, Ardagh Railway, 14.0, Ncw Railway/Gaelscoil, 10am, The Square,09.5, Old IRA Monument: 09.3, Free State, Grotto, 08.5, Monagea N.S. 05.6, Rathcahill Cross: 03.4, Strand: 01.9, Glenquin: 00.0.

A meeting to organise the walk to Glenquin, from Kilcolman via Ardagh to Newcastle West will be held in Moore’s Bar Carrigkerry on this Thursday 7^th April at 8pm. It is hoped to organise a group from the Carrigkerry area to participate in the walk also which takes place on Sunday 24^th April. All are very welcome to attend this meeting.

The final design of the limited edition Commemorative pin on order for the Footsteps to Freedom Walk to Glenquin, will be available on 12^thApril and they will sell for €5. All proceeds are being used to cover the costs of the day. I am looking for volunteers to help sell them locally in the short run up to the 24th. All help gladly accepted.