By Marian Harnett
PROLOGUE: It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Frederick Douglass.
DEATHS: We offer sincere sympathy to Marie Sweeney and family, Killarney Road on the death of her brother Martin Tuohy in the US. May he rest in peace. Sincere sympathies too to the Cahill family, Knocknasna on the death of John in Galway. May he rest in peace.
QUIT SMOKING: Stop Smoking for 28 days and you’re 5 times more likely to stop for good. Quit Mid-West is a free service for providing tips, tools and support to help you stop smoking. For further information contact 065-6865841. A counselling service to support parishioners who wish to stop smoking is now available at St Ita’s Hall, Abbeyfeale.
For an appointment contact 065-6865841.
DANCING WITH JOHNJOE: Dance nights will commence on Sunday, October 24 in the Scartaglen Heritage Centre from 9-11pm with music by Neilly O’Connor.
COFFEE MORNING: A big thank you to everyone who supported the coffee day on September 30 last, and subsequently by sending in donations.
To date €1,562 was raised with a few more donations promised. The plan is to do a cheque presentation next Thursday to Milford Hospice and Friday to Recovery Haven. In the meantime, if anyone wishes to make a donation, it can be left at Kathleen’s Foodstore or An Siopa Milseán. Many thanks.
MISSION MONTH: ‘We Cannot Remain Silent’, ‘We cannot but speak about what we seen and heard’. Our own Fr. Tim Galvin will be one of the speakers as Missionaries share their experience of working in Sudan and South Sudan. Thursday, October 21 at 8pm. Register online https://www.dioceseofkerry.ie. For further information contact email [email protected] or phone 064 6632644.
NOMINATIONS for Family Carer of the Year Awards must be in before 22nd of October, details from 1800 24 07 24 or contact www. familycarers.ie
ONE MILLION STARS TO END VIOLENCE: The West Limerick Network are aiming to weave 5,000 stars by Friday, |November 19. Half the stars will go to the Hunt Museum Limerick city and the remainder will stay in West Limerick and feature in an art installation to represent solidarity with women affected by domestic violence.
EDUCATION: Kerry College of Further Education and Training with campus locations in: Clash Road, Denny Street, Monavalley, Cappanalea and Listowel. Kerry College offers courses for PROGRESSION, courses for EMPLOYMENT and APPRENTICESHIPS. Late applications are welcome for our 2021/2022 academic year.
LOCAL HISTORY COURSE: Monday evenings from 7pm -9pm Starting October 18, 2021 at the Old Tech, Mountmahon on the Further Education and Training Abbeyfeale Campus.
The aim of this programme is multipurpose. The course will explore the history of the West Limerick area and areas of specific note from ancient times right through to the present. The course will also trace the impacts of different societies on the development of
the West Limerick area. The knowledge, skills and competencies acquired on this programme are relevant to personal development and participation in society, community and employment and provides a basis for further progression. The programme covers the acquirement of basic knowledge, skills and competencies in a narrow range of fields of learning.
INTIMIDATION: Drug Related Intimidation 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.
COLLECTION: Bishops are asking parishes throughout Ireland to undertake a special Church collection on 6 and 7 November to invite the public to support Trócaire in its work to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in East Africa. Bishops also discussed that in the countries where Trócaire works, less than 5% of the population have been vaccinated for Covid and infection rates are up to 50%. An additional 200 million people have fallen into poverty globally as a result of the Covid crisis. Bishops highlighted that wealthier countries, while protecting their most vulnerable citizens, also have a moral responsibility to ensure that the populations of developing countries have equal, rapid and effective access to Covid vaccine coverage. For more on Trócaire’s East Africa appeal see www.trocaire.org.
GLÓRACH NEWS: Our charmed relationship with the weather continued on Sunday last at the GAA grounds with the weather conditions more akin to mid-summer than mid-October, and the upbeat mood continued with a slightly larger crowd attending our drive-in Bingo. Continuing as per normal every Sunday at 2 pm, with two more days in October and hopefully pleasant weather. All profits from the Bingo on October 31st will be going to the Abbeyfeale Christmas Lights Committee. Very colourful bingo signage greets visitors to the town from all sides, but for those who might have missed the time on the posters, it’s 2 pm at the GAA grounds in Abbeyfeale every Sunday, whatever the weather.