By Tom Aherne

Congratulations and best wishes in the future to Patrick Quaid, Carrigkerry and Joan Kelly, Knocknagoshel who were married in Knocknagoshel Church on Friday, July 27 and held their reception in Ballygarry House Hotel.

Congratulations and best wishes in the future to Marian O’Connor, Glenastar and Adam Kavanagh, Templeglantine who were married in St Molua’s Church, Ardagh on Friday August 3, and held their reception in the Devon Inn Hotel Templeglantine.

The Ardagh Community First Responders number is 083-8889963. The service covers the Ardagh Kilcolman and Coolcappa areas, from the hours of 7pm to 7am Monday to Friday and from 7pm Friday to 7am Monday. The Carrigkerry area number is 087- 7930692 and it covers the same hours.

The following are the Lottery results from Neary’s Bar on Monday July 30. The numbers drawn were 3,6,15, and 21, and there was no Jackpot winner.  Congratulations to the five lucky dip winners who won €40 each: Helen Costello, Coolcappa, Majella Lenihan, Ardagh, Catherine O’Donnell, c/o Neary’s, Mike Murphy, Ardagh, and Kevin and Tony, c/o Nora Dineen.  Next week’s Jackpot will be €9,600 and the draw will be held in Moore’s Bar Carrigkerry.

Congratulations to Carmel Shanahan, Barnigue, Carrigkerry who won €100 in the Athea GAA 500 Club draw held at Batt’s Bar, Athea on Friday July 27.

The Deel Animal Rescue team would like to say a huge thank you to the people who supported their collection outside St Mary’s Church Carrigkerry on Saturday July 21. A total of €146.30 was collected which will go towards the veterinary costs, which are very high due to the large number of animals that need to be treated. A big thanks also to all the people who supported their collection outside St Molua’s Church, Ardagh on Sunday July 22. A total of €130.40 was collected which will greatly aid their ongoing work. The Deel Animal Action Group do wonderful work in rescuing treating and finding new homes for animals on a daily basis, and they need all the support they can get. It is a non profit organisation based around Newcastle West Rathkeale and Askeaton, and they are all volunteers.

The organisers of the Desmond Centre would like to thank all who contributed to their church gate collection in Ardagh/Carrigkerry on July 14/15. The total collected was €246.45 which will go towards transport costs.

St Kieran’s Heritage Association held a meeting in Ardagh Community Centre on Wednesday August 1. Twenty people were present and the main items discussed were the Bishop Lacy weekend and the Ardagh Chalice Festival. The festival booklet is available in local outlets, and large information boards have been put in place to advertise it. Next meeting on Tuesday August 21 at 8pm in Ardagh Community Centre. The Bishop Lacy headstone was unveiled and blessed during the St Molua’s Graveyard Mass on Friday, August 3. This was followed by a talk on the Lacy family in the Community Centre, by Dr Michael White from Madrid. Over 40 people attended and it was very interesting.

Saint Kieran’s defeated Fr Casey’s by 0-11 to 0-7 in Round 4 of Group 2 of the County Senior Football Championship at Newcastle West Gaelic Grounds on Thursday August 2. It was a workmanlike performance, with good and poor spells of play and lots of room for improvement. Diarmuid Mulcahy made his debut and turned in a sound defensive performance.

They trailed by 3 points to 1 after the first quarter, and then kicked 5 on the trot to lead by three. At the break St Kieran’s lead by 7 points to 5 points. The third quarter was disappointing as Fr Casey’s dominated play and drew level holding St Kieran’s scoreless. A change to more direct play using the open spaces paid better dividends as they scored 4 points without reply. It was their third win in the group and they are joint top with Newcastle West on 6 points. This should be good enough to see them progress to the quarter final stages. They play Oola and Newcastle West in their remaining games in the group. TEAM: Robert Bradley, Paudie McCarthy, Johnny McCarthy, Diarmuid Mulcahy, Liam Kennedy, Brendan McCarthy 0-1, Anthony Mullins,  Darragh Treacy, Jack Ben Harnett, Ray Cahill, Anthony Molyneaux 0-2, Noel Callanan, Sean McSweeney 0-5, Seamus Mangan 0-3, Killian Enright. Subs John Doyle, Ian Mackessy, Diarmuid Crowley.

Saint Kieran’s lost to Rathkeale 1-8 to 1-5 in the County Premier Minor Football Championship on Friday July 20 in the Bog Garden Rathkeale. They defeated Mungret/St Pauls by 2-11 to 3-4 at Coolcappa on Friday August 3.

Róisín Ambrose, Ardagh and the Old Mill club made her debut for Limerick who lost to Derry 0-8 to 0-7 in the All Ireland Ladies Junior Football Championship in Ballymaguigan Derry on Saturday July 28.

The Ardagh/Carrigkerry branch of St Vincent De Paul have organised their annual trip to Knock on Sunday September 8. Please ring John Joe at 069-76280 or 087-4402148, as only a few seats are available to book at present

The annual Mass will be celebrated at Ballyine Mass Rock on this Thursday August 9 at 7.30pm. People should make an effort to attend considering the sacrifices that people made to be there during the troubled years, when saying and attending Mass was forbidden by foreign invaders to our land.

A Charity Céilí in aid of the Irish Cancer Society will be held in the Resource Centre Knockaderry on Friday, August 10 from 9.30pm. Music by the very popular Striolan Céilí Band and tea will be served and lots of spot prizes on offer. Teresa and Deirdre have been holding this charity Céilí for many years, collecting a vast amount of money which has been of great benefit to the Society, and they deserve all possible support. Contact Teresa on 087-9427259, and Deirdre on 086-1630201 for more details.

A video and song launch will be held at Neary’s Bar, Ardagh on Friday August 10 around 9.30pm. Paul Moriarty musicians and cast members have been working away on an outdoor drama telling the story of the Ardagh Hoard to be performed during the Ardagh Chalice Festival in late September. The dreams of Paddy Flanagan are a song written specially for the show, telling the story of one of the finders.  Both will be launched and recruitment of more people to participate in the drama will take place. All are welcome to come along and see how things are progressing.

Joe Ahern Glenagore Athea is repeating his walk from Ardagh to Listowel for Crumlin Children’s Hospital on Saturday August 11. It will commence at 9am from Ardagh Church, and from 12 noon there will be a 3 mile loop of Athea, followed by refreshments, before continuing on to Listowel. Joe can be contacted on 086-8155614.

The annual graveyard mass in Coolcappa will be celebrated on Sunday August 12 at 10am.

The Newcastle West Flower Show will be held from Tuesday August 14 to Thursday 16 in Newcastle West Community Centre. The schedules are available from the Library and Hayes Shop the Square. Best of luck to all the local exhibitors.

The annual Mass will be celebrated at Barrigone Holy Well on Wednesday, August 15 at 3pm. Barrigone/Robertstown community group will host a family fun day following the Mass at O’Shaughnessy Farm Hazelfield Barrigone Askeaton. There will be a variety of events including a 5k fun run at 6pm, (field 1k and road 4k) dog show bumper soccer, roll the bale, bouncy castles, face painting, refreshments and lots more. The entertainment will be provided by Flog the Dog. All funds raised will go towards the Denis Enright fund.

Congratulations to Bernadette Moloney Broadford, who won €171 in the West Limerick 102fm 50/50 draw, held on Friday August 3. Tickets cost €2 and they are available from volunteers, in local shops, or from the radio station. All support is very much appreciated.