By Peg Prendeville

Sincere sympathies to my neighbour Marcella O’Grady and her family on the sudden death of her sister Margaret Whelan in Loughill last week. We remember too John and Betty Brown from Glin whose son Martin died and was buried last Saturday. May they rest in peace.

Well done to the Ballyhahill Tidy Towns committee who organised such a brilliant and scary/funfilled night in the village last Sunday evening. The crowd, mostly families with young children, started gathering at quarter past five in the Hall. There a “friendly” witch, with her magic eye, read a story or two in the pitch black hall to get the children in the mood for the haunting walk through John O’Brien’s avenue just opposite the school. It was a mammoth operation to ensure that all posts were manned through the two hours of fun. Luckily community spirit was never better and there were volunteers in the kitchen preparing tea and barm brack for the adults and orange and taytos for the children while there were escorts leading the groups up the street to begin their walk where they met all kinds of ghouls and spirits and ghosts who hopped out of bushes and coffins to put people shrieking in terror as they made their way through the avenue. “Dead” bodies leaped out of manmade coffins and white ghostly figures with black haunting eyes insisted on walking beside you. In a nook in the woods corpses hung from trees while the wailing and screaming from “ghosts” would send shivers through the bravest of people. It was so great to see everybody working together and having fun. This is what community should be like and thanks to the Ballyhahill newly formed Tidy Towns committee for waking up this spirit among us. We look forward to more fun ideas to bring the community together.

Congratulations to Sarah Prendeville, Glenbawn who was one of the many who graduated as a Primary Teacher with Department of Education from Mary Immaculate College in Limerick last Friday.

There was a lovely Harvest Mass in Loughill/Ballyhahill last weekend to celebrate and give thanks for the harvest. Gifts offered up included autumn leaves, nuts and berries, turf, hay, bread and cheese all reflecting different aspects of our parish.

The Parish Clerks Collection will take place on weekend of 12/13th November.  Please avoid any other collections on that weekend.  Your support would be greatly appreciated. From Saturday 5th November Mass will be in Loughill at 6 p.m. and from Sunday 6th November Mass will be in Ballyhahill at 10 a.m. Prayers will be offered in the graveyards for the month of November and will include the graves in the Church grounds. Ballyhahill Church 6th November after Mass. Loughill Graveyard on 13th November at 11.30 a.m. Loughill Church Grounds 20th November at 11.30 a.m. Loughill Graveyard on 27th November at 11.30 a.m. All welcome to attend any of the ceremonies.

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