By Peg Prendeville

The lovely mild weather is continuing but by the time this newsletter gets printed we may be in for a very severe change according to the weathermen. We wait and see and hope for the best.

All is quiet as usual for January. Glin library has a lovely exhibition of Book Art” by Lillian Fealy from Listowel. It is amazing what she can do with a book (after reading it of course.) Call and see for yourselves.

It seems to be a long time since we heard of grants towards college education so I was interested to read recently that up to 50 incoming students to Mary Immaculate College are to benefit from a scholarship scheme worth €100, 000. From September this year Mary I will offer 50 entrance scholarships to first year students across their nine undergraduate programmes. The scholarships, valued at €2000 each, will be offered on the basis of results obtained in the Leaving Certificate. Twenty of the scholarships will be offered on the college’s Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) programme and fifteen on Liberal Arts. Five each will be offered on their Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Care and Education and St. Patrick’s Campus, Thurles programmes, with three for the Bachelor of Education and Psychology and two for the BA in Contemporary and Applied Theatre. This offer should motivate our students.

I look forward to the Athea Drama production which is promised in early February. They never fail to impress us.  

I was sad to hear of the sudden death of John J Quaid, originally from Athea, but had been living in London. John had an interest in all things local and read the Athea News every week and bought all locally produced books. May he rest in peace.

Eily Mulcaire, too, passed away last week at the good old age of 93. Eily, from Turraree, was tenderly cared for by her nephew John Hayes and wife Geraldine in Glenbawn for the past 17 years. It was lovely that she died peacefully in her sleep. Sympathies to John and Geraldine and their children Michael and Marie; also to her other nieces and nephews in the Hayes and Flavin families.