By Marian Harnett
PROLOGUE: “Train people well enough that they can leave, treat them well enough that they won’t want to”. Richard Brandson.
DEATHS: We offer our sympathy to the family of Patrick O’Brien, Pairc Luachra whose funeral took place on Friday. May he rest in peace. We also offer our sympathy to Jackie Broderick, Clash on the death of his brother Tadgh and Joe and Mary Morrissey on the death of Mary’s mother Peggy Horan, Scartaglen and to Margaret, Connie and Mary and the extended family of the late Breda McAuliffe, Dromtrasna Collins whose funeral was held on Monday. Sincere sympathy too, to Sheila and all the Colbert family on the death in NY of Mags whose funeral will take place next weekend in Abbeyfeale. May they all rest in peace.
LEAVING CERT MASS: Fr Chris O’Donnell will celebrate a special Mass in Patrickswell in conjunction with the Diocesan Youth Ministry team on Friday night next at 8pm for all the Leaving Cert students. It will be streamed live on: Live Stream | Ballybrown & Patrickswell church website https://pwbbparish.com ›
CONFIRMATION: Fr. Chris O’Donnell has produced 3 video lessons for Confirmation children and their families. The lessons are delivered by Johanna O’Brien and Eleanor O’Brien from Limerick along with Fr Chris. Both Johanna and Eleanor trained as teachers at Mary Immaculate College and have been involved in the Limerick Diocese’s Youth
Ministry programmes. Details will be posted on FB.
BUGGY BUDDIES: Join our FREE 4 week ‘Walk & Talk’ programme. It is a chance for you to get out and about with your toddler, enjoy gentle exercise and have a chat with other parents and other caregivers. Starts 11am, Tuesday, June 1, meeting at the Abbeyfeale Greenway at the Railway entrance. Programme facilitated by Limerick Sports Partnership and West Limerick Resources CLG. Complimentary pack for everybody who completes the 4 weeks. Places are limited. To register contact Mary O’Connor 087 938 2883.
SIGNS OF POSITIVITY: The official launch of the SICAP produced ‘Signs of Positivity’ video will take place at 1pm, Sunday, May 30, on the WLR You Tube channel as part of the Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival 2021. Join us for an adventure in remote, community-based learning featuring local craftspeople from throughout West Limerick.
LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Construction has begun on the European headquarters, Manufacturing and Operations Centre of US company Ortec Inc in Newcastle West. The company was founded in 1980 and its headquarters are in Easley, South Carolina.
SCRAP: Glin GAA Club will be hosting a scrap collection over the next 2 weeks. All types of steel, galvanised sleeting, copper piping etc. No gas cylinders. Anyone wishing to drop off any scrap at the GAA grounds can do so on Wednesdays from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Anyone wishing to have scrap collected please contact James on 0872311156 or Jack on 0872289841.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW AUXILIARY BISHOP OF MELBOURNE: Fr Martin Ashe of Muckross Road, Killarney was appointed by Pope Francis as Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne during the week. Fr Martin has served in the diocese of Melbourne over 40 years and is a regular visitor to Killarney to visit his mother Eileen and family members.
CHURCH NEWS: Mass Intentions; Wednesday 10am Jack & Nell Gleeson, Killarney Road. No Saturday morning Mass. 6.30pm Dick Fitzgerald, Railway Bar. Sunday 10am Maria Delariza 1st Anniversary 12noon, Niall O’Mahony, Collins Park. Mary Ita McCarthy, Shanbally. Monday 7pm Denis & Mary O’Connor, Kilconlea. Under the current guidelines the celebration of First Communion and Confirmation are not permitted for the time being. Parents should note that the dates we have issued from the parish are provisional. Hopefully come the end of June restrictions on these ceremonies will be lifted. Sincere thanks to parishioners who continue to support the church through their weekly offerings. Your weekly contributions enable us to keep the parish functioning and we are grateful for that. As well as using the weekly envelopes, parishioners can also use the DONATE button on the parish website www.abbeyfealeparish.ie. An increasing number of parishioners are opting to use this electronic donating system. It is a completely secure and confidential method of supporting the church. Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219.
DRUG RELATED INTIMIDATION: Having heard of a case of Drug Related Intimidation locally I contacted the MidWest Regional Drugs and Alcohol Forum and received the following statement from Rionach who is a development Worker with the Forum. “ It is a criminal offence, and An Garda Siochana and the National Family Support Network highlighted this back in 2013, with the Drug Related Intimidation Reporting Programme. However, a lack of awareness of the programme, means that some family members can go without support, and some people (including workers in organisations) may be at a loss if a situation of drug related intimidation is disclosed to them. It is a very difficult situation that a person could find themselves in, through no action of their own. It may be, that they didn’t even know their family member was using substances. Whatever the circumstance, it can be isolating and heart breaking, and for that reason, it is important that people who find themselves in this situation know that there is support out there, and they are not alone. Drug Services can direct a family member towards a family support project or worker who can help them around the stress and strain of the circumstances where a family member is using substances (www.drugs.ie) and An Garda Siochana can support the family member in terms of their safety and security when faced with an incidence of drug related intimidation. There is a designated Garda Inspector allocated to Drug Related Intimidation in every county. Limerick: Detective Inspector Ronan McDonagh Henry Street Garda Station 061 212 400. Kerry: Inspector John Kelly Tralee Garda Station 066 7102300. It’s never too late to ask for help.