By Tom Aherne

We extend our sympathy to Maura Collins and family, Kilscannell, Ardagh, on the death of her brother John Crowe, Cappamore, who died on Wednesday April 13th.

We extend our sympathy to Mary O’Kelly and family, Coolcappa, on the death of her sister Kitty O’Sullivan (nee Stackpoole), Kinard, Glin, who died on Tuesday April 12th.

The death has taken place of Brenda Nolan (nee Joyce) Shanagolden Village, and wife of the late Michael. She lay in repose at her residence on Saturday, April 16th from 6pm. Her Requiem Mass was celebrated at St Senan’s Church, Shanagolden on Sunday at 11.30am followed by burial afterwards in Knockpatrick cemetery. Brenda was a native of Glensharrold, Carrigkerry and the family business was Nolan’s Chemist Shanagolden. We extend our sympathy to daughters Mary, Brid and Agnes, sons-in-law Martin Carmody and Dominic Crowley and grandchildren Michael, Melanie and Mark, extended family, relatives and friends. May they all rest in Peace.

We extend best wishes to Gerard Liston Coolcappa, who recently retired from Limerick City and County Council. A function to mark the occasion was held in Rathkeale Arts Centre on Friday April 8th. Gerard is a well-known figure in drama circles being a founding member of Ardagh Drama Group in 1992. At present he is a member of the award winning Shoestring Drama Group in Charleville. He has also won a number of All Ireland titles with Carrigkerry Wren Group in Listowel.

The following are the Lottery results from the Old Mill Bar on Monday April 11. The numbers drawn were 3, 16, 23, 28, and there was no Jackpot winner. Congratulations to the lucky dip winners. €60 Tommy Greaney, c/o Neary’s. €60 Andrew Mullins, Commons, Ardagh. €60 Seamus Ambrose c/o Neary’s. €30 Tommy Greaney, c/o Curley’s. €30 Helen Byrnes. €30 Mary O’Connor, c/o Maggie. Next week’s Jackpot will be €12,200 and the draw will be held in Neary’s Bar Ardagh.

Saint Kieran’s were defeated by Newcastle West 1-10 to 0-10 in the Quarter Final of the West Intermediate Hurling Championship at Mick Neville Park Rathkeale on Saturday April 9. TEAM John Greaney, James Windle, Paudie McCarthy, John O’Connor, James O’Connor, Michael Flynn, Michael Windle, Jack Ben Harnett, Sean McSweeney, Anthony Molyneaux, Donal Nolan, Owen Hayes, Paddy Harnett, Jonathan Ruttle, Cillian Ambrose.

Noel Callinan from Saint Kieran’s was half forward on the Limerick minor football team that lost to Clare by 0-9 to 1-5 in Round I of the Munster Minor Football Championship at Milltown Malbay on Wednesday April 13th.

Creeves Celtic defeated Adare Utd 2-1 away in the Quarter Final of the Desmond Division 2 League Cup on Sunday April 10. Jamie Ruttle scored both goals, and they will meet Ballysteen at home in the semi-final. All the other local teams had no matches due to the weather conditions.

In Division 1 of the Desmond Ladies League Kilcolman Rovers defeated Creeves Celtic 2-0 with goals from Erin Hennessy and Maureen O’Mahony. Kilbehenny Celtic v Carrig Celtic, was off.

Congratulations to John Sheehy, Bill Downes, Eileen McSweeney and Mary Aherne O’Connor, who were prize winners at the Flag Floor card game held on Wednesday April 6th.

Congratulations to Mike Robinson and Jack Woulfe who were prize winners at the card game held in Shanagolden Hall on Friday April 8th.

The Noonan family from Templeglantine raised the record sum of €19,680 from their latest Christmas Lights Display. The charities to benefit this year are The Brothers of Charity in Newcastle West, and Foynes, Adare Alzheimer Branch, Milford Hospice Limerick, Acquired Brain Injury Castleisland and Donal Walsh Live for Life Foundation. The Noonan family wish to thank everybody who supported them in any way to reach that record sum.

A reminder to people to fill in their Census forms on this Sunday night 24^th April. It is your obligation to complete it as the information is needed for Ireland’s future planning. The completed forms will be picked up by your Enumerator in the coming weeks.

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.

Carrigkerry NS is now enrolling new pupils for the new term in September. Please call to the school or ring 069-76229 to receive the enrolment forms. To enrol pupils in Coolcappa NS, please contact the school on 069-76493 for more details. To enrol pupils in Kilcolman NS please contact the school on 069-60005 for further details. Parents wishing to enrol their children in Ardagh NS for September 2016 are invited to contact the school principal for an enrolment application form. Please ring 069-76353 for additional details.

Traditional music classes are held in Patie Joe’s Bar, Shanagolden each Thursday night with beginners from 7pm to 8pm, and adults from 8pm to 9pm. All musicians are welcome and additional information from Carmel on 086-8676920 or 061-601923.

The final design of the limited edition Commemorative pins has been selected for the Footsteps to Freedom Walk to Glenquin. They are now available to buy and they will sell for €5 each. All proceeds are being used to cover the costs of the day. Contact 087-214 1578 to secure a memento of the occasion.

Kilcolman National School are holding a fundraising Table Quiz in Coolcappa Hall on this Friday 22^nd April at 7.30pm. A table of four will cost €20 and all support for this fundraiser for the school will be appreciated. New classrooms are being built at the school at present to replace the prefabs who have well passed their use by date.

The Pope has called for a special collection in all Catholic Parishes in Europe on the weekend of Saturday/Sunday 23^rd/24^th April. This is to provide humanitarian assistance to people in Ukraine. A collection will be held in the four local churches on those dates. People are asked to put a little extra into their offertory envelopes to cover this collection instead of holding a separate collection.

An exhibition of the work of Jack Donovan will be held in Rathkeale Arts Centre, commencing on Friday 29th April. The late Jack who died in 2014 was brought up in Grouse Lodge, Kilcolman by his grandparents, after the death of his mother. The exhibition will contain portraits of the 1916 leaders, and the War of Independence soldiers and they were completed from 1969 to 1982. Included are Con Colbert, Athea, Sean Finn, Rathkeale, Tim Madigan, Shanagolden, Sean Wall from Bruff and Edward Daly from Limerick. The exhibition will last for a month and it is being organised by his brother Tim in Rathkeale.

A Golf Classic in aid of the Joanne McMahon Thanksgiving Fundraiser will be held at Newcastle West Golf Club in Ardagh on Saturday 30^thApril. Teams of three will cost €150 and for more information contact Mike O’Connor on 086-8531860.

The first Holy Communion ceremony will be held in St Kyran’s Church Coolcappa on Saturday 30^th April at 11am.

The first Holy Communion ceremony will be held in St Colman’s Church, Kilcolman on Saturday 14^th May at 11am.

The Irish Cancer Society will benefit from this year’s Barringtons Hospital Great Limerick Run on Sunday 1^st May. An estimated 40,000 people will be diagnosed each year with cancer and the society relies almost entirely on the generosity of the public to fund their wide range of life changing services for people affected by cancer. For further information about the Great Limerick Run, visit www.greatlimerickrun.com.

The Darkness into Light 5k walk/run in aid of Pieta House will be held on Saturday morning 7th May around Newcastle West. Online registration at https://www.darknessintolight.ie/

A Get Together for people who attended the three second level schools in Newcastle West from 1971 to 1976 is being organised for Friday 3^rd June in the Ballintemple Inn. The three schools were the Convent, Secondary (Jim Breen’s) and the Vocational. Now forty plus years later plans are being put in place to recall past pupils and school times. People who are interested can contact any of the following before Friday 13^th May. Nuala (Walker) Browne at 086-6017936, or Betty (Kiely) O’Brien, at 087-6421959, or Eugene O’Doherty, at 086-8440536.