by Kathleen Mullane

     OUT AND ABOUT

Well I couldn’t believe my eyes this Monday evening when I switched on my TV and Nationwide was on. Lo and behold it was showing the beautiful Greenway between Rathkeale and Abbeyfeale. It’s so near us its unbelievable.

The lovely restored buildings along the route in Ardagh, then on to Barna where Olive Sheehan and family have reopened their lovely coffee shop which had been closed down for a few years now, isn’t it great to see business premises opening instead of closing.

Newcastlewest, a thriving town, full of boutiques, the castle in the Square, the statue of Michael Hartnett taking pride of place also there, and a whole lot more for walkers and cyclists alike to take a pit-stop and browse around.

Abbeyfeale have got the Green Flag for their lovely Town Park for 2 years in a row and they hope to make it 3 in a row next time around, another fabulous place to walk in. In the not too distant future the Greenway will be extending on the Kerry side to Listowel then on to Tralee and Fenit, how wonderful will that be.

Wasn’t the scenery en-route something else to behold as one of the cyclists who, incidentally, had suffered 2 heart attacks and had come to live in the locality some years ago to have the IRISH air to improve his health, went on to describe the area around Barna as similar to the hanging Gardens of Babylon. He takes daily to his bike cycling and has now reversed his ill – health fully.

Its so near to us we should all be availing of such an amenity and likewise our GAA walking track which on these dark winter nights is all lit up and Healthy Tuesdays is attracting good numbers each week.

Once again this week, especially Sunday, was more like Summer, its strange, flowers still blooming, buds on roses, it seems the seasons are all mixed up. I wonder is it to do with global warming,—one wonders

Unfortunately mass at Templeathea cemetery was unable to be held last Friday evening due to the rain maybe at a later date. However the rosary went ahead on Sunday morning at least.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:-

THE GRASS ALWAYS SEEMS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE—-BUT MAYBE ITS HARDER TO CUT.