Looking to the Future
The picture above, of Wrenboys from Athea and other parts of West at the Fleadh last year, Limerick reminds us of a time when things were so very different. Little did we know that this was the last Fleadh before Covid struck and took away our sessions, music and song classes and now the Wrenboys. It will be strange not to hear the beat of the bodhrán on St. Stephen’s Day as batches go from house to house. I can’t ever remember a time when the Wren wasn’t celebrated in true traditional style but, as they say “it is what it is”. The local Comhaltas branch have had to curtail their activities but we are looking to the future and, with the advent of the vaccine, we hope to be back in action in the new year. To enable us to do that we have to affiliate the branch at this time. As it is impossible to have our normal AGM a decision was made, in consultation with the members, to re-elect all the officers en bloc. We are asking that membership be renewed at this time by calling to the Community Council Office where Domhnall de Barra has the application, forms. Membership fees are as follows:
Senior: €12 (second an subsequent adults in household €8)
Junior: €6 Family: €20
We are always looking for new members so please don’t hesitate to call to Domhnall or give him a ring on 087 675 8762.
Litter
There is a big problem with litter on country roads in the parish in recent times. People are throwing empty cans, bottles, chip packets and other items out the windows of cars. Please think twice before you litter. You wouldn’t like it on your own doorstep.
My Athea Forebears
We received this query via e-mail from Gerardine Walsh Chapman. If anyone can help her to trace some relations they can contact us and we will pass on the information to her.
Dear Domhnall & Team,
I am a native of Dirreen living in Hampshire. My father was Joe Walsh of Upper Athea. I hope you will allow me to use your site to make enquiries about my forebears in Athea. I would be most grateful if anyone in the parish can assist with some family research .
I read in your 2014 issue of the Athea Journal a lovely account of Tom Guina, a postman of Upper Athea which included a photograph of him with his grand-daughter Eileen, aka Dote Brouder. My grandmother, Kate Walsh (nee Hayes) of Templeathea was born there in 1888 and lived near Dote’s family in Upper Athea after her marriage to my grandfather Ned Walsh of Abbeydorney, in 1914. I have no idea why he ended up in Athea but at the time of his marriage he was living in Fairy St.
I wonder, thanks to your article, if in fact my grandmother was related to Tom Guina because her mother was a Mary Guina who married Dennis Hayes of Templeathea in 1870. Mary’s father was a Thomas Guina . Is it possible that Mary and Tom in the article were siblings? Mary’s marriage witness was Edmond Guina. I note that there are many McKennas (Guinas) in Upper Athea even now some of whom may be my relatives .
Is anyone out there able to give me any information at all about Mary Guina and her Guina or Hayes family or my grandfather Edmond Walsh 1884-1961 buried in Templeathea?
As a child in the 1960s, I and my sister, Katrina used to holiday in Upper Athea with my grandmother. We used to visit and play with, Dote Brouder so, I was delighted to see her in that photograph after all these years.
Your publication is very much appreciated and enjoyed by those of us who have lost our direct links with Athea.Thank you in advance to anyone who can help with any part of my question
Gerardine Walsh Chapman
St. Bartholomew’s Church, Athea
Mass Intentions next weekend
Saturday 21st Nov 7.30pm Mary Cullen (nee McCoy) – Months Mind.
Sunday 22nd Nov 11.00am Patrick & Mary O’Sullivan (Knocknagorna).
All Masses are live streamed on the Church Service TV network via the following link https://www.churchservices.tv/athea and broadcast on the parish radio system. You may also listen to the mass in the church carpark area via the outside speaker system.
If anyone has a church radio that they are not using please get in touch with Siobhan as we have a few people currently looking for them.
The church is open daily from 9.30am – 1.30pm. November mass lists are available in the church and our Remembrance Tree is located inside the front door – we encourage you to come and light a candle during this special month and place the names of those you wish remember on our tree.
If you need to book an Anniversary mass, a wedding date, a baptism date or get a mass card signed please contact Siobhan on 087-2237858.
Tax Relief on Donations to Eligible Charities
Parishioners can assist the parish with its funding by participating in the Donations to Charities Tax Relief Scheme. In recent years, those who qualify for this scheme have helped the parish gain additional funds for the parish at no extra cost to themselves, by simply signing the CHY 3 Enduring Certificate. This cert is renewable every five years. In other words, it needs to be signed by the donor every five years. This year there are a significant number of donors who need to renew their CHY3 Cert. If the CHY 3 certs are not signed, there is a real danger that thousands of euros that could come to the parish will remain uncollected from the Revenue and the parish will be at a significant loss. It is particularly important this year that donors complete the CHY 3 certificates as due to the Covid-19 pandemic the parish income is down considerably. The parish office recently sent out the CHY Certs to the relevant donors and we are appealing to you to sign the certs and return to Fr Brendan at the Parochial House, as soon as possible. We enclosed a stamped addressed envelope which we encourage you to use, as due to the current lockdown parishioners are not allowed attend Mass. May God reward you for your continued kindness and generosity.
Fr Brendan Duggan Fr Tony Mullins
Remembering and Praying for our deceased loved ones.
In current times, with restricted access to churches, we offer these suggestions of prayer as a way of remembering our dead during November. The following prayers might be helpful to people who visit graveyards during November.
Visiting a Graveyard
Lord we come to this holy place to pray for the soul of someone we love and still cherish. Their body lies in the womb of the earth, but we trust that their spirits and soul are free and that their love is with us always. We take a moment to remember them and join with them and with each other in silence and prayer. We make these prayers through Christ our Lord. Amen.