By Kathleen Mullane

Hopefully everyone has survived “Storm Jorge” over the past weekend and that it didn’t do any structural damage or otherwise. We were lucky in Athea we didn’t have an electricity outage as did Abbeyfeale. They say ‘March comes in like a Lion – and goes out like a Lamb” – if this is true it will be great – we live in hope!

The death occurred last week in the care of the staff at St. Camillus Hospital in Limerick of Michael Sheehy of Knocknagorna, Athea. Michael worked for many years in England before moving back to Knocknagorna where he was cared for by his brother Jackie. Many came to pay their last respects at Kelly’s funeral home on Wednesday last. Burial followed requiem mass on Thursday to Holy Cross cemetery. Sincere sympathy goes to his brother Jackie and sisters Kathleen, Mary, Joan and Eileen, relatives and friends. ‘May the light of heaven be his’.

The Corona Virus, having spread rapidly, has prompted the HSE to advise the following – holy water fonts not to be used in the church, the sign of peace to be marked with a smile, nod or wave, not a handshake and the Eucharist to be received only by hand.

Sincere congratulations go to Maureen Mulvihill of Hillside Drive, Athea, who celebrated her 60th birthday over the weekend along with family and friends at Batt’s Bar on Friday night and at the Top of the Town on Saturday night. Best wishes to her.

Preparations for our “Spring into Easter – Multicoloured Midnight Walk” are well underway! It will take place on Good Friday night after the AA meeting. Registration will be from approximately 11pm with the walk taking off from the hall at 11.30pm to the GAA pitch. In the weeks ahead – be checking out any “Colourful” clothes you may have, the brighter the better as there will be prizes for the best dressed adults and children. Also you can be checking out and maybe making a paper lantern. There will be no candles – just lights, torches, phone lights etc. Some paper lanterns will be on sale in the lead-up to the walk. Lanterns can be made out of anything e.g. plastic bottles, lampshades – use your imagination. There will be donation buckets on the night and all the money raised will go to sending our youth helpers and invalids from the parish to Lourdes and with half going to Athea GAA to further enhance the track.