By Tom Aherne
Rebecca Conlon from Rooska West has set a goal to run four 10k events in four months to raise money for equipment for her nine-year-old son Adam, who has a rare condition called Mowat Wilson Syndrome. Adam gets many life-threatening seizures, which are increasing with age and mostly affect him at night. After a seizure Adam frequently vomits which can be extremely dangerous as he can’t turn over or sit up by himself. Rebecca needs to raise about €1,000 for a special camera system so she can clearly see Adam without having to be in his room, and that the seizures can be recorded to help Adam’s doctors understand them and change medications to help him. Rebecca has completed her first run in Tralee, and this will be followed by 10k’s in Ballybunion, Limerick and Ballyheigue. A Go Fund Me Page has been set up to help fund for the camera , and all support will be greatly appreciated. For gofundme details see https://www.gofundme.com/helping-me-day2day-specialist-equipmemt
Congratulations to St Kieran’s Heritage Association who won a prize at the Rathkeale St Patrick’s Day Parade. It was for the best walking float and the members were delighted to accept it, for their Last Druid presentation. Paul Moriarty and the Blackhill Gaelic Tribe, (36) including children women and men added lots of colour and vocals as they marched along. A very large crowd was present, and they were very encouraging to all the participants. The members also participated later in the afternoon in the much smaller Newcastle West Parade
Glensharrold Wren Group held their annual presentation event on Sunday March 10. Members of the group made presentations to the following: Ardagh/Carrigkerry Tuesday Social Club, Kilcolman Senior Citizens/Parish Committee, and the Bumbulance Children’s Ambulance Service. All the groups in turn thanked the Glensharrold Wren Group for the donations which will be put to good use during the year. The present group have been hunting the wren now for 62 years and contributing to charity groups for over 25 years.
The following are the Lottery results from Neary’s Bar Ardagh on Monday March 18. The numbers drawn were 5,10,13, and 21, and there was no Jackpot winner. Congratulations to the five lucky dip winners who won €40 each: Laura Curtin, Ballinabearna, Maurice Harnett, c/o Tom Harnett, Betty Dillane, Ballinabearna, Alva Quaid, c/o Neary’s and Mary O’Connell, c/o Ailish. Next week’s Jackpot will be €15,800 and the draw will be held in the Thatch Bar Newbridge.
Darragh Treacy and Sean McSweeney (1-1) from the Saint Kieran’s club were members of the Limerick team that lost to Wexford by 0-13 to 1- in the final round of the National Football Division 4 League at Wexford park on Saturday March 16. Daniel Geraghty is a member of the Limerick minor football panel in training for the upcoming Munster Minor Football Championship round robin matches against Clare Waterford and Tipperary. St Kieran’s play Na Piarsaigh in Round 1 of the County Senior Football Championship on Friday March 29 at 8pm in Kilbreedy.
The inclement weather in recent weeks had led to widespread postponements of Desmond League fixtures. No matches were played either on St Patrick’s Day.
Congratulations to Mike Mahony and Mike Young who were prize winners at the Flag Floor card game held on Wednesday March 13.
An unusual art exhibition is on display at Newcastle West Library since Tuesday, March 19. It is the work of Sahaja Budzilla who lives in Glensharrold Carrigkerry. He grew up in an Irish family in Manchester. In his teens he found both art and Buddhism and later did a Fine Art Degree, discovering his natural medium in metal sculpture. He was ordained as a Buddhist and given the name Sahaja, which means natural, innate, spontaneous, born with … After college he had a studio at Dean Clough in Yorkshire and had a prolific nine-year period of working in metal.
After a 15-year painting career he has now gone back to making sculptures, He uses all kind of junk metal to create mythical figures of power, grace humour and beauty. He breathes life into broken tools and discarded metal. On display in the Library are 7 of his paintings, and 9 of his metal creations. People need to view them to fully understand what each individual piece stand for. Sahaja is living with his wife Siobhan next to the Flag Floor Rambling House, and visitors are welcome to call. He can be contacted onwww.sahajaart.com and his contact number is 069-76640. The exhibition will run until Wednesday April 17, and it is well worth a visit.
The site in Carrigkerry village next to the Community Centre is for sale by public auction at the Imperial Hotel Cork on Wednesday, March 27. DNG Creedon are the Auctioneers and registration start at 10am. A €15,000 price has been placed on the 0.47 acres (0.19 hectares) site which is classed as development land.
The annual Céilí in aid of Down Syndrome Limerick will be held at the Longcourt Hotel, Newcastle West on Friday, March 29 at 9.30pm. Con Herbert and Mountain Road will supply the music with the usual refreshments and raffle. It is always a mighty nights dancing and all support will be greatly appreciated.
Saint Kieran’s Community Watch committee will be holding a church gate collection, outside Ardagh, Carrigkerry, Coolcappa, and Kilcolman to offset the costs of setting up this scheme on Saturday March 30 and Sunday March 31. Please be generous with your contributions.
The Knockdown Vintage Club are holding their Vintage Day in Knockdown on Sunday March 31. The event has grown bigger and bigger each year with large crowds and vehicles attending. This year’s modern run will be from Martin Sheahan’s Plant Hire, and the Vintage Car and Vintage Tractor runs from Knockdown.
A fundraising raffle in aid of the Children’s Ark Unit U.H.L. will be held in the Knockdown Arms, and Raffle tickets are available at present for attractive prizes, including first prize of two nights Bed and Breakfast in Killarney Plaza Hotel. Second prize is a €100 voucher for the Devon Inn, and other prizes include Monster Hamper, and Afternoon Tea for 2 at the Great Southern Hotel Killarney. The draw will take place at 6pm after the vintage run and tickets are €2 each or 3 for €5. The club has given a sizeable amount of money to charity over the years, which continue again this year. Music by Deel Dinger from 4pm to 6pm and all support will be appreciated.
The West Limerick branch of the Mental Health Association of Ireland will hold its Annual General meeting at Maple Lodge, Gortboy, Newcastle West on Tuesday April 2 at 8pm. All members to attend and new members are most welcome.
Congratulations to Maura Hutchinson who won €320 in the West Limerick 102fm 50/50 draw, held on Friday March 22. Tickets cost €2 and they are available from volunteers, in local shops, or from the radio station. All support is very much appreciated.