by Kathleen Mullane

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams, Think not about your frustrations but about your un fulfilled potential. Concern not yourself with what you tried and failed in, but what it is still possible to do. Now is the time to put aside the past and present setbacks and failures, and look with confidence to the new day called tomorrow.”

Words of wisdom as we all have had time to think in recent weeks, of what’s important  in life, to cherish our families friends and neighbours and to be grateful  for what we have, health wise and so much more.
Well wasn’t it a fantastic 100th  birthday  for Nora Lynch of Glasha this past week. Athea had balloons  hanging out of every  house, the flowers were  blooming, men women  and children all lined the street and clapped as Nora arrived to much acclaim headed by Garda McCarthy, siren blowing, as Nora waved to everyone. Speeches , songs, and music in the church grounds made for a wonderful celebration, even Nora sang a few lines of ” the Valleys of Knockanure ” , and Fr Tony Mullins serenaded Nora with “Limerick You’re  my Lady” and “Nora” was sung by Domhnall de Barra. Well done to each and every person who made the evening  possible, and here’s to good health to Nora for the future.
Well done to Athea students of Tarbert  Comprehensive,  Olivia Twomey, Templeathea,  who won the basketball award, and Claire Carmody who won Gaelic  Football and Sportsperson of the Year  at the recent end of year awards night. Well done to them both.

Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, more things  will be getting  back to some forms of normality  including the reopening  of our church  for Mass. Numbers  will have to be reduced  for social distancing but no doubt this will be organised in the next while.  It  will be strange but at least  things  are looking  up thankfully.

Thought for the week — if you are in a bad situation  don’t worry it will change — if you are in a good situation don’t worry it will change.
Sympathy  is extended to Anna McMahon/ Haslam  on the recent death  of  her  husband  Michael  Haslam  last week . Many lined the road as the funeral  cortege made its way  to  the  church  from  Dirreen. Members of the defence  forces stood as a guard  of honour  on the street as the hearse made its way to Holy Cross for Michael’s  burial. Sympathy to the extended family and friends. May he rest  in peace.