by Kathleen Mullane

Well, can you believe it, the month of May almost  over and, despite the unusual time we are experiencing,  we have had such beautiful  weather so at least we can be happy about that. This being the May Bank Holiday weekend  no doubt Athea would be alive and buzzing,and music would be resounding through every avenue as the Fleadh Cheoil would be taking  place and what a glorious  weekend  it would have been. We can’t dwell too long on what may have been, but we look forward in anticipation to what the future holds and  thankfully  things are going  the right  way at the moment.  Hopefully  it stays  like  that.

Sincere sympathy is extended to the McNamara  family, formerly of Gortnagross,  Athea, on the death of Hannah at Beechwood  Nursing Home, Newcastlewest  recently.  May she rest in peace.
Sympathy  also to the family of Nora Fitzgerald  formerly  of Upper Athea   who was pre-deceased by her husband  Tom and passed  away  recently  in Waterford.  May  the light of Heaven be hers.
On this Sunday from 2 o’clock  until 6 o’clock you can hand in your weekly envelopes, your Easter dues, and your Trocaire donations to Athea Church. There will be helpers   in the church to put your envelopes  into the box. You are asked, with regard  to Trocaire, not to put coins, just notes, into an envelope to facilitate  counting. As we all realise,  funds for every  organisation  are badly needed so your  generosity  would be very much appreciated.
Congrats  and very well done to Teady Hunt of Coole who wrote a fantastic  piece for the Irish  Times recently about his lock down  during  the Covid  19 crisis,and how he fills his day. From his tai chi  early every morning to his walks and reading the paper online and a lot more including his helping out with the tidy towns and at 84 years old that’s no mean feat. I can vouch for his tai chi as last June in Lourdes  he had all us Athea contingent doing it in the hotel lobby, and boy was it so much fun.  Here’s to next year.
Enjoy the bank holiday  weekend,  stay safe and above all keep the  distance,  its  worth it  in the  end.