By Tom Aherne

Ireland’s representatives did well in the Tokyo Olympics, bringing home a number of  hard earned medals in rowing and boxing. Our four Limerick competitors Carolyn Hayes, Sarah Lavin, Róisín Upton and Greg O’Shea all did well and gave TV viewers great moments over the first week. Siobhan Bernadette Haughey, the grandniece of Charles Haughey, won the silver in the women’s 100-meter freestyle final. She is the city’s first-ever multiple medallist in the Olympics. Siobhan is a grandniece of the late Fr Eoghan Haughey OMI who for many years was head of the Oblates Order in Cahermoyle House, in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  It was an early start on Sunday morning last to watch Kellie Ann Harrington win the gold medal in the lightweight boxing 57-60 kg category. It was a very exciting bout and a great way to end Ireland’s participation. That’s 18 Olympic boxing medals won and 35 in total now for Ireland.

Best wishes to Craig MacInnes, and Lorcan Murphy from the Saint Kieran’s club who are members of the Limerick team that will meet Cork in the Munster Minor Football  final on this Wednesday  evening,  August 11, in Thurles. Limerick hurlers  had a great win over Waterford in the All Ireland semi final last Saturday evening in Croke Park.

West Limerick 102 fm will broadcast a series of programmes to mark this year’s Heritage Week from Monday, August 16 to Friday, August 20. Last year presenter Shirley O’Regan marked the occasion with a number of short stories from people which were well received by the listeners.  The time of the broadcasts  will be announced shortly.

Four issues of the Ballyguiltenane Rural Journal (1985, 1988,1992, 1993) can now be read online, thanks to the work of Patrick O’Neill, Brisbane, Australia, who has links with the West Limerick area. He intends to digitise the rest of the issues in his own time.   Readers will be delighted that the work of all the contributors will now be available at the touch of a button. Our thanks to the three founding editors Thomas J O’Donoghue, Patrick Brosnan and Paddy Faley who published the first issue in 1977.  The last issue following the death of Thomas J O’Donoghue was published  in 2015. The four issues can be viewed online at www. limerick.ie

The Ardagh Development Association and Saint Kieran’s GAA joint weekly lottery   draw took place on Monday, August 2. The numbers drawn were 3, 4, 9, and 30, and there was  no  winner of the €3,800 Jackpot. Congratulations  to the five lucky dip winners who received €40 each: Mary Steele, Ardagh, c/o Patrick, Liam Liston, c/o Denis Greaney, The 5 Lads c/o Brendan Duggan, Maurice Hartnett, Ardagh, Ciara Ahern, Coolcappa, c/o Padge. Next Monday night’s jackpot will  be €3,900. People can play online using club force on the club’s Facebook page, with 6pm on Monday evening the deadline. The tickets are also on sale at the usual outlets, and all support will be appreciated.

Creeves Celtic  held their split the pot draw on Monday, August 2. Congratulations to Danny Kelliher  who won €119. The weekly  entry fee is €2, with €1 going to the club and the other €1 to be paid out in prize money each week. The envelopes to place your two euro in plus details, are available at Hanley’s Food Store Creeves, and from committee members. People can also sign up by standing order for €9 per month. The  draws are held on Monday nights, and all support will be appreciated.

Congratulations to Gerry O’ Sullivan, Feenagh, who won €585 in the West Limerick 102fm 50/50 draw, held on Friday, August 6. The tickets cost €2 or 3 for €5 and they are available from volunteers, in local shops, (including Moloney’s Carrigkerry, and Denis Greaney’s Shop Ardagh) or from the radio station. All support will be appreciated. A number of exciting new programmes are in the pipeline for later in the year. The station can be contacted at 069-66200 if people have news of interest to the West Limerick area.

Parish priest Fr. Seamus Power said farewell to his parishioners at Masses in Ardagh and Carrigkerry last weekend Saturday/Sunday August 21/22, 1993. At the 7.30pm mass in Ardagh on Saturday evening  he thanked the people for their help and co-operation during the past nine years. He said he would like to have been left in the parish as he was very happy with the people  of Ardagh and Carrigkerry.  He said since he came to the parish, he had spent one hundred and ninetysix thousand pounds on various renovations. Carrigkerry Church cost one hundred and thirty nine thousand pounds . He also outlined the rest of the expenses, and where the rest of the money was spent.

He said the parish at present  was in a healthy financial position. He thanked the parishioners and non parishioners for supporting himself and Fr Healy  during the past nine years. He complimented all for their contributions to running the parish during that time. He thanked Fr Healy  for his help and co-operation during the past nine years. He also thanked the parish clerks, the school teachers, and both Boards of Management. He also thanked the Eucharistic Ministers, basket collectors, altar boys and the people who distributed the weekly envelopes.

He wished his successor Fr Dan Lane the best of luck in the parish and asked the people to co-operate with him as they did with himself over the past nine years.  Fr Power asked the parents in the parish to bring up their children as well as they possibly could and warned the youth in the parish of the danger of drugs in today’s world. Fr Power concluded with tears in his eyes by asking the people of the parish to pray for him and he would do likewise. Fr Seamus got a rousing reception  at the end of his farewell mass.

A farewell  dance for Fr Seamus was held at the Ballintemple Inn on Wednesday, August 25, with a very big crowd in attendance. He spent the evening shaking hands and saying goodbye to his parishioners. Paul O ‘Connor, the recently elected Mayor of Ardagh, made a presenta

tion to him on behalf of the people of Ardagh. The ladies committee provided lovely tea and sandwiches. Music by Ann Marie and the Ferrymen.

The people of Carrigkerry said their farewell to Fr Seamus at a party in his honour at Moore’s Bar. A presentation was made to him on behalf of the people of the Carrigkerry side of the parish. Fr Power took up his duties in Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Ennis Road, Limerick at the weekend. He served there until 2006.