Mass will be streamed live via Facebook from Ardagh Parochial House on Saturdays at 7.30pm, and on Sundays at 10.30am. Fr Michael Noonan will also celebrate Mass at 9.30am on weekdays, and the Rosary on Saturday mornings at 10.30am.The contact link is https://www.facebook.com/100456194998744/live/  Our two churches in Ardagh, and Carrigkerry will be open from 10am to 5pm each day for people to go in and say a prayer as long as they keep social distancing and use the sanitizers on their hands on the way in and on the way out. Also, they should use the surface spray provided on any surface which they have touched with their hands.

The death has taken place of Hannah McNamara (née Murphy) Ballyine, and late of Athea,  on Friday May 22, peacefully at Beechwood House Nursing Home Newcastle West.  In accordance with government guidelines, a private funeral Mass was held on Sunday, May 24, at Newcastle West Church at 10.30am. Private burial afterwards in Churchtown Cemetery. Mass cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Riedy’s undertakers.  We extend our sympathy to her stepsons, Eamon, Seamus and John, sister-in-law Winne, nephews, nieces, relatives, and friends. May she rest in Peace.

Fr Michael Noonan P.P. Ardagh/Carrigkerry has the following message. Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, several church collections have not been taken up and parishioners have been asking how they might continue to support the parish financially in these unprecedented times. As well as that, the ‘Trócaire’ collection has not been taken up at a time when it is most needed and Trócaire has made it known that there is an urgent need for funding in order to carry on its work for the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world, especially at this time when their need for our support is most acute.

Firstly let me say that if you still have the envelope which was in your Trócaire pack and which is addressed to Trócaire, you could send it directly to Trócaire by cheque and give your name and the parish name with your donation. To contribute to Trócaire, through the parish this year or to hand in the money collected in Trócaire boxes during Lent, we would respectfully ask that you do not hand in boxes of coins but that you would convert the proceeds of your Trócaire boxes into notes or preferably into cheques, (if possible, for security reasons) and put them in an envelope. To help you contribute to any of the  collections that have been missed out already this year e.g. Trócaire, Parish Clerk’s Collection, Easter Dues we have made following arrangements:

The sacristies in both Ardagh and Carrigkerry will be open and manned between 3pm and 5pm on Pentecost Sunday May 31. We would ask that you put your contribution in an envelope (by cheque if possible) for each collection. A box will be provided to receive your contributions to one or all, of the collections. Please place your donation in a different envelope for each specific collection.

If, for any reason, you cannot give in your contribution on Sunday 31st May at the above times, you can drop it in to the parochial house or into the post-box at the gate of Ardagh Church.  We wish to acknowledge that some parishioners have already made their contribution to one or two of the above-mentioned collections and we thank them sincerely. Regarding the backlog in the weekly collection to the parish fund (weekly envelopes) we would ask that you wait until when we begin to  celebrate public Masses again in the church to make your contribution. 

Congratulations and best wishes in the future  to Mary Mc Carthy Duckateen House Newcastle West who recently celebrated her birthday.  A very versatile lady who is involved in many organisations around the locality. Her late husband Paddy came from Boughill Bó Kilcolman. Congratulations and best wishes in the future also  to Tom Kennelly Barnigue Carrigkerry who recently celebrated a milestone birthday.

The long dry spell of warm weather has seen an amount of outside work concluded. It has been a real bonus for the farming community and for people confined to their homes due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The silage season commenced early and a lot of the first cuts have been harvested to date.

The Desmond Soccer League have confirmed that the 2019/20 junior soccer season has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is based on the safety and wellbeing of the players and clubs involved. There will be no promotion or relegation, and no champions will be crowned in any division.  All the cup competitions have also come to an end. The date for the commencement of the 2020/2021 has been set for October.

The first Limerick GAA Club draw will be held on Saturday June 6 on Limerick Live 95 FM during the sports show from 10-11am. Saint Kieran’s GAA club are open for new members, and people can join online through Clubforce, or by contacting any club officer. The Limerick GAA Draw to win a Mercedes Car has been rescheduled from June 12, to Saturday October 31. The tickets will be available to buy until Friday October 16. 

Culture Night 2020 will be on Friday September 18, and it will be a lot different this year due to Covid-19. It will be aimed at staying at home on-line audiences, which will be shown through new channels.

This week we continue to look back at the Ardagh/Carrigkerry parish notes in the Limerick Leader from May 1990, as notes are scarce due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Congratulations to Gerard Brouder Knocknaclugga, who celebrated his 21st birthday last Friday night May 11, with a party at the Country Club Carrigkerry. Eleven children from Carrigkerry National School received their First Holy Communion at Saint Mary’s Church Carrigkerry on Saturday May 12. The weather conditions were perfect bright and sunny without any rain. The three girls and eight boys were all beautifully turned out and a credit to their parents and teachers. The sacrament was administered by Fr Seamus Power, and Fr Dermot Healy.

A very pretty wedding took place at Athea church on Saturday last May 12, between Breda Mc Auliffe Toureendonnell, and John Baggett Rathkeale. The reception was held in the Country Club Carrigkerry. The Desmond League Cup Final between Villa Rovers and Rathkeale last Sunday at Newbridge ended in stalemate, nil all. Sagart a group of traditional musicians, and formerly known as the Holy Show or Limerick Singing Priests launched a new tape “The Whistling Bridge” at the Limerick Inn’s Ryan Room on Sunday May 13. Over 600 people attended the launch which was followed by a concert which lasted well into the early hours.

Joe and Eileen Corbett Garryduff won the Kantoher Co-op annual silage award for 1989.  Eileen (Woulfe) is a native of Dunganville Ardagh, and they were presented with their award at the Devon Inn Hotel. An outstanding evening of music and song was held at the River Room Motel Newcastle West last weekend when the Garda Siochana Band paid a visit. The event was organised by the Newcastle West Brass and Reed Band  who were recently revived  to clear their outstanding debts. Teresa Doyle Mc Mahon Coolanoran, and a fine soprano singer was the guest artiste, and the hall was packed to capacity.