By Peg Prendeville

Isn’t it just lovely to wake up to sunshine once again with the promise of another week of it? Of course it’s back to school time and that usually means a few fine days. Ballyhahill NS welcomes a new Principal and all the pupils are eagerly looking forward to meeting her next Tuesday when the school opens.

I spent a lovely hour in Ballybunion on Monday evening. It was nice to look out at the blue sea and sky and observe everybody in holiday mood. It was busy but not too busy. My new pet hate is seeing cars without a wheelchair permit parking in the wheelchair spaces but luckily there was one space available where I wanted it. It is not fair to use these spaces unless one has a permit. Life is challenging enough when using a wheelchair.

Limerick’s great win on Sunday has put everybody in celebratory mood. They gave a great display. Now we need Kerry to beat Tyrone (in our house) to put the icing on the cake. I’m in a quandary about Mayo. I’d love to see them win but not sure if I’ll be allowed cheer against Kerry!!

By Kathleen Mullane

Limerick you are my Lady

Well the Strains of this song could be heard re-echoing all over Croke Park and I’m sure WELL BEYOND in all

Aidan Curry meets up with
J.P. McManus
at the match reminiscing about Aidan’s great grandfather Mossie Browne who was at JP’s wedding !

corners of the county of LIMERICK on Sunday evening, and no doubt in so many parts of the world where our emigrants were tuned in to watch the game at various hours of the morning and night, and they were not disappointed.

What a display of HURLING it was from the very start. They just could not be stopped. The accuracy, skill and teamwork were a joy to watch. It was wonderful once again to hear the cheer of supporters having been absent for what it felt like a LIFETIME

One felt sorry for Cork that it hadn’t been closer for them, but no doubt their Day will come at some stage too.

Well done to ATHEA TIDY TOWNS for donning the village with Green and White Bunting and Flags and to the households for having the flags etc flying, it added to the atmosphere. Hopefully everyone got home in one PIECE. Here’s to next year.

Can you believe it the summer holidays are almost at an end and schools will be re-opening for some this Thursday. We wish all pupils Secondary, National and those awaiting their Leaving Cert results to start college all the very best for the new school year ahead.

The Walking Track is closed at present  as the ground is being prepared at the GAA pitch for the laying of the tarmac. It will be a wonderful asset to the community as well as being so safe for adults and children alike. A reminder if you haven’t yet bought your ticket for the forthcoming draw, there are just a few tickets left at 50 Euro and some great prizes. You are also helping to pay for the tarmac which is a great expense for the club. So far our community has been wonderful in their constant support.

It was so very sad to hear of the many road deaths over the past week or so with families being left devastated. The roads are dangerous and SPEED is a killer so be CAREFUL at all times and leave on time, an extra few minutes makes a big difference.

Thought For The Week – a bit of positivity.

YOU CAN GIVE OUT ABOUT THE POTHOLES -OR ON THE OTHER HAND YOU CAN ADMIRE THE SCENERY.

Belles Beauty Athea

It is with deep sadness that Michelle closed the door of Belles Beauty Athea for the last time on Saturday August 14th. Michelle would like to thank all the beautiful ladies of Athea for their loyal custom, support, fun, banter and friendships over the past 5 years. She would like to thank all of the businesses in Athea for their support and sincerely wish them the best for the future.

Michelle would like to thank Kathleen Ambrose for her support and kindness since she came to the village with which a very fond friendship has blossomed between them. Michelle is very much looking forward to being a visitor to the village and salon in the future to see you all again.

Kathleen will be taking over the beauty salon and hiring Beauty Therapist Aishling O’Dwyer. Aishling has worked in Revas Spa at the Woodlands Adare for the past few years as a Spa Beauty Therapist. She also has experience in wedding and fashion show makeup.

The beauty salon will reopen this Thursday August 26th. There will be an opening offer of 10% discount on all treatments for the first 2 weeks of opening. To book an appointment call 06852052 or 0879197839.

A special thanks to Brownie for taking the photo, there is a photographer lost in you Brownie.

Slán agus beannacht Dé libh, Michelle.

St. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH, ATHEA

Mass Intentions next weekend

Sat Aug 28^th 7.30pm: Maria Missorici (month’s mind).

Nuala Missorici, Denis McNulty and Sean Bradley.

Ned Kiely.

Readers: Sat: Denise O’Riordan Sun: Tom Denihan .

Eucharistic Ministers: Sat: M. Enright / M. Donoghue Sun: C. Woulfe / M. Hunt.

All masses and funeral masses are live streamed on the Church Services TV network via the following link https://churchservices.tv/athea

The Church is open daily for private prayer. If you wish to book an anniversary mass, a wedding or get a mass card signed please contact Fr. Brendan on 087-0562674 or Siobhán on 087-2237858.

Baptismal Information Any parent who wishes to baptise their child must have the baptismal course completed – for further details please contact Theresa on 087 1513565. Next course date: Tues 14^th September.

The Way I See It

By Domhnall de Barra

I can’t let the week that’s in it go by without mentioning the fantastic win by Limerick in the All-Ireland hurling final last Sunday. They went into this match as favourites but nobody could predict the exhibition of hurling skill they produced in demolishing a very good Cork side that was reduced to a pale shadow of their normal selves. In doing so they created and broke records bringing great joy to the large attendance of Limerick followers in Croke Park and the thousands who watched on TV throughout the world. It was great to see the stands crowded again and the atmosphere was electric. Limerick were mentally and physically at their peak and hurled with such ease and skill that they made the game look simple. From goalkeeper to corner forward they played a part in a fantastic exhibition of the greatest field game in the world. Yes, it was a good day to be from Limerick and the signs are that there is more to come. If it is anything like yesterday’s performance, bring it on!

The roads are busy again now that some of the Covid restrictions have been lifted. Unfortunately more traffic on the roads means more accidents and more deaths. I do a good bit of driving and I sometimes think we are lucky there aren’t more accidents, such is the state of poor driving skills on display. There are many reasons why we have accidents but I think two types of drivers are to blame. One is the driver who ignores all speed limits and drives as if it was a race and everyone else has to be passed. The other is the very careful driver who travels on the main highways at a speed of 40 to 50 kilometres per hour while the rest of the traffic is trying to travel at  the legal limit.  The problem is not really with this driver however but the car that sits in behind and does not take  the opportunity to safely overtake when it presents itself. Soon there is a tailback of traffic and, sooner or later, one car will take a chance and try to overtake a line of cars oblivious to the fact that  there might be oncoming traffic. This type of driver is usually the kind that speeds in the first place and, I’m sorry to say, most of them are young and inexperienced and don’t have the skill to judge how long it will take to pass cars safely. Part of being young is that you see no danger. I remember driving fast myself at a young age and never thought twice about it until  I had an accident. Fortunately there was nobody else involved but I wrote off my car and it taught me a valuable lesson. Driving is such a necessary skill in this modern world that I feel it should be taught in school. Young drivers should be given guidance on how to treat other road users and be told how stupid it is to be doing doughnuts on public roads. They were at it in Athea the other night, racing up and down the village at a time when many of the inhabitants were trying to sleep. There should be special places for those who want to do motor sports that will take them off the public roads and make the world safer for all of us. The cars they are using are not fit for sporting activities. It takes just one slip and the consequences can be terrible. Too many people are dying on the roads and it is up to all of us to drive with a little more care. Better to arrive a bit later than not at all.

I don’t know about the rest of you but I noticed a lack of house flies this summer. There was a time when the house would be full of them, mainly because doors in country houses were seldom closed. The half-door prevented the animals from coming in but the flies had easy access. Every kitchen had fly paper, a strip of  paper coated with glue, that hung from the light in the middle of the room. A fly would perch on the paper and immediately become stuck. Soon the paper would be covered with dead and dying flies and would have to be replaced with a new one. I don’t know if fly paper is still available but I haven’t seen it for years. The honey bees were scarce as well but the wasp is back with a vengeance. I have spent the last few days trying to get them out of the house without killing them but, no sooner is one evicted than another takes his place. People are justifiably afraid of wasps as their sting can be very toxic, affecting some more than others. I don’t like killing them as they play an important part in keeping insects down and some even assist pollination but, at this time of year when they are starting to die off they can get tetchy and sting at the least provocation so, be careful around them.

As I said already, it was good to see the crowds back in Croke Park again but I cannot understand why the music industry is not allowed to hold outside concerts with similar numbers in attendance. Surely what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Now that most of us are vaccinated  it is time to give the industry a break since most of those involved have not worked for a year and a half. At some stage the government must allow us to look after ourselves and use our own common sense. There is also no reason why music should not be allowed in pubs since they  are open for business and observing the regulations. A little entertainment while supping a pint or having a meal with family and friends can surely do no harm. For myself, I can’t wait for the sessions to start up again. I miss the music and the craic and the friends I haven’t had a chance to have a tune with for so long. We need it.

Electricity in Athea Village

Thanks to Tom O’Keeffe who informed me that the year was 1942/43. He also told me that Jim Mullane, an uncle of Ta Mullane’s, ran a generator in Kilrush before the ESB. They then took over from him and gave him a job as the area electrician in Rathkeale, a job he held until he retired in1969. Tom  spent three months with him in Rathkeale before going to the drawing office in Dublin.

L-R – Mark Carney (ex Governor of the Bank of England) Fr. Michael O’Connor (Clounlehard),  and Mike Ahern (Templeathea) taken outside Quex Road Church in Kilburn a few years ago

Katie Mullane (Lynch) with her son Cathal and daughter Brenna meet up with nephews Evan and Aidan Curry at the All Ireland