By Marian Harnett

PROLOGUE:  Every problem has in it the seeds of its own solution.  If you don’t have any problems, you don’t get any seeds.

DEATH:  We offer the sympathy of Abbeyfeale parish to Mrs. Foley and all the Foley family on the death of Fr. Joe last weekend. Fr. Joe was a well-loved curate here from 2013 to early 2017.  His empathy, warm personality and sense of fun endeared him to us all. Old and young felt at ease with him and loved him for his sincere interest in them. His reverential Masses said with such conviction were a blessing to those of us lucky to be present.  We can assure you, Mrs. Foley and family, that Fr. Joe is held in the highest esteem and will never be forgotten here in Abbeyfeale. May he rest in peace.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSE:  An upcoming foundation course in personal development this autumn will take place this Autumn.  The Mid-West SCPD Application Form is now available on the website for downloading: .https://www.socialandhealth.com/scpd-application-form-mid-west-region/

INVITATION:  You are invited to attend Abbeyfeale Community Council AGM on Thursday, September 16 at Fr. Casey’s G.A.A. Clubhouse @7.30 p.m.  ACC has secured the investment of over six hundred thousand Euro for our community in the past five years. Projects include The new Business Hub, walkways in Abbeyfeale Town Park, heritage signage, provision of defibrillators and many more. Abbeyfeale is about to undergo momentous changes with the implementation of the new traffic management plan, the development of the Greenway and the proposed Abbeyfeale bypass.

Have your voice heard now. Join the ACC – at the heart of Abbeyfeale. Stronger together!

GLÓRACH BINGO:  Thanks to all the patrons who turned up for our drive-in Bingo, held earlier to facilitate viewing the All-Ireland Final. Comhghairdeas to the Limerick Hurlers on their terrific triumph, similar to John Kiely’s men we strive to run our drive-in Bingo and all Glórach events as professionally as possible. Unlike the Limerick team, we don’t mind an odd rebel win, as evidenced by winners who travelled to the GAA grounds in Abbeyfeale from Macroom and Buttevant last Sunday. We will be starting at the normal time of 2 pm on this Sunday, August 29th and hopefully the good weather predicted will extend to the weekend.

CELEBRATING PAT FEELEY ON LYRIC FM: Throughout the month of August, The Lyric Feature on RTÉ lyric fm will celebrate the documentary work of Pat Feeley, formerly of Mountcollins and the Boys National School Abbeyfeale. Pat travelled the hills, mountains and roads of Ireland capturing ordinary stories of Irish life and culture in his own inimitable way. This Sunday at 6pm in The River Men, a documentary originally broadcast in 1981, Pat Feeley meets with people from all walks of life as he travels along the banks of the River Feale which has its origins in Co. Cork.

All of these features on Pat Feeley can be listened to again on the RTE Lyric FM Player.

CAR BOOT SALE:  There will be a Car Boot Sale on Saturday, August 28 from 8am on the grounds beside Aldi and on the road to the GAA pitch and the entrance to the Demesne in NCW.

CHARITY Cycle on the Limerick Greenway on Saturday, September 11 in aid of Little Blue Heroes Foundation.

TRAINING: Cycle Against Suicide are working to train and deploy a network of ‘Community Buddies’ into communities in Kerry and all across Ireland.    The Community Buddy programme is peer to peer support and is centred around a structured but supportive conversation in a safe and non-judgemental space.  It allows an individual to discuss how they are coping or not coping and working with the Buddy to discuss (and co-produce) ways of moving forward to overcome the challenges.  The training to become a Community Buddy is 2 full days or four evenings currently being delivered via zoom.  Full details are available at: https://www.cycleagainstsuicide.com/community-buddy-club/

FOOD FAIR: Listowel Food Fair will be held from Thursday, November 4 until Monday, November 8 – Family & Children, Festivals, Food & Drink. Since its inception in 1995, the Listowel Food Fair has continued to develop successfully and is now an established event in the calendar of Kerry festivals.

CATHOLIC MARRIAGE CARE SERVICE is currently recruiting volunteers to train as marriage preparation programme facilitators. Contact Aisling on 01 505 3112 or by email to [email protected].  Closing date is Friday, August 27.

ARTS FESTIVAL:  Ballybunion Arts Festival September 9 – 12 will host a diverse programme of Theatre, Poetry, Performance Art, Music, Visual Art & workshops for artists and audiences.  Kerry Writer in Residence Máire Holmes will host an Irish language poetry workshop on September11in Ballybunion Community Centre. More details (https://kerrycoco.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b3755ab5575cb711eac9566f8&id=30cb5eab5e&e=57e387efec)

COMMUNITY ALERT:  A lady from Abbeyfeale lost the bones of €1,000 recently to a scam caller, purporting to be the Fraud Officer from her bank.  It seems he had so much information that the woman, described to me. as a very astute person was persuaded to allow access to her bank account. I myself, fell for a friend request from a local man this week on Facebook and the following day got a message about the great financial opportunity he could organise for me.   I rang him only to be told that his account had been hacked and that all his 70 plus contacts had received the same great offer.   Gardaí have received reports of persons receiving phone calls from fraudsters claiming to be members of An Garda Síochána. The number calling appears to be the phone number of a genuine Garda station.

An Garda Síochána will never make contact with members of the public in this fashion

COMMUNITY RADIO:  WL102fm are relying on tickets sales for their weekly draw to keep them on air as this is the only fundraiser that they can hold at the minute.  Tickets are available in Kathleen’s Food Store, Convent St., Mikey’s stall in the Square, Moss the Farmers’ and also in the Siopa Nua.