By Tom Aherne
The latest round of funding under the government’s Sports Capital and Equipment Programme was announced on Friday, February 11. A total of €6,839,148 has been allocated in local grants to 99 clubs and organisations across the city and county of Limerick. Two local clubs were successful in their applications for the grants, which can be drawn down in stages once the agreed work has been completed. St Kieran’s GAA Club are set to receive €34,809 for pitch improvements and field maintenance equipment. The Old Mill Ladies Football Club are set to receive €18,858 for pitch and facility improvements. The grants are difficult to source, and a lot of work goes into the applications. There is huge credit due to volunteers who undertake the task of applying for the grants, which if successful benefits the whole community.
St Kieran’s GAA club has recently formed a camogie arm to the club. This is with a view to fielding Under 6,8,10,12,14, teams to participate in competition in 2022. The club feel there will be sufficient interest to be able to field teams in each of the five age groups from the catchment area and the surrounding parishes. This initiative will be funded through membership/ registrations and done through the senior GAA club. The senior club will support this organising group in every way possible. Best of luck to the organising group for this very welcome initiative. The club sincerely hope this initiative goes well and gets the support of the general public. The following are the camogie officers for 2022: Chairperson: Kieran Madigan. Vice-Chairperson: Padraig Kiely. Secretary: Sharon Sheahan. Ass-Secretary: Deirdre Ambrose. PRO: Emma Galvin. Coaching Officer: Padraig Kiely. Best wishes to all involved in their maiden voyage.
Joe Carrig, Eamon O’Kane, Pat Toomey and Mike Histon from the Creeves and Shanagolden areas participated in the Debra Ireland Kerry Challenge 2021 last November. The three-day fundraiser around the Dingle Peninsula is to help families who suffer from E.B. or Butterfly Disease as it is more commonly known. They acknowledge the generous donation of €400 they received from the Carrigkerry Wrenboys and all other individuals and businesses. Well done to the four man team who raised the grand total of €10, 875.
The dancing classes have resumed on Monday nights, with step dancing for beginners in Ardagh Community Centre at 5pm. In Carrigkerry Community Centre step dancing for children at 7pm. From 8pm for boys and girls free style dancing for all, sean nós style. Contact 087- 1343745 for all details.
Time moves on and memories of the past often resurface from a spoken word, comment, story or photograph. Two former players from the St Kieran’s club recently celebrated their 70th birthdays as fit looking as when they lined out for the club in football and hurling teams. Congratulations to John Keane, Old Mill and Pa O’Connor, Glenastar. John won west and county football honours during the 1970s and 1980s and also enjoyed a very successful career with Kilcolman Rovers. Pa won west and county titles in hurling and football and captained the team that won the 1977 west junior hurling championship. Continued good health to both in the future and thanks for rekindling memories from times past.
Athea Drama group, after a two year absence, are back in action with Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel at Con Colbert Hall. The shows will be held on Thursday, February 17, Saturday 19, Sunday 20, Wednesday 23, Thursday 24, and Saturday February 26. The doors open at 7pm with curtain up at 7.30pm each evening. Booking is necessary and no walk-ins allowed. The tickets cost €10 and ring 087- 6926746 to book a seat.
Creeves Celtic are holding a sponsored fun walk of 5km, on the Ardagh Greenway on Sunday, February 20, with a start time of 11am. The club state it is a fun event for all the family young and elderly to enjoy and invite all to participate.
The next car boot sale in aid of the Newcastle West Community Centre will be held on Sunday, February 20. They are accepting bric a brac donations, toys, clean clothing. No books, broken toys etc. They have limited stall spaces available and any enquiries to 069- 69584.
Kilcolman National School are holding a fundraising clothes collection on Wednesday, February 23. Bags of unwanted clothes, shoes, bags, belts, bed linen etc, may be dropped to the school shelter beforehand. No pillows or duvets accepted. The school would like to thank all for the ongoing support with this fundraiser. The school is now enrolling for September 22. Please contact the school office on 069 60005 or by email at [email protected] to register your interest.
The death has taken place of Kathleen Healy (nee Lyons) late of Castleview, Newcastle West and Coolanoran peacefully on Sunday, February 6. Predeceased by her husband Jim and daughter Gemma. Reposing took place at Riedy’s Funeral Home on Tuesday, February 8 from 6 to 7pm. Her Requiem Mass (following arrival) was held at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Newcastle West at 11.30am, on Wednesday morning. Kathleen was laid to rest in Calvary Cemetery on Wednesday, February 9. Sympathy to her sons Gavin and Andrew, daughters Laura, Margaret, and Miranda, daughter -in-law Lorraine, sons-in-law Vincent, Jamie and James, grandchildren, sisters, brothers, and extended family members relatives and friends. May she rest in Peace.
The Ardagh Development Association and Saint Kieran’s GAA joint weekly lottery draw took place on Monday, February 7. The numbers drawn were 2, 4, 7 and 17, and there was no winner of the €6,300 Jackpot. Congratulations to the five lucky dip winners who received €40 each: Patsy Duggan, Coolcranogue (Online), Mary Buston, Coolcappa, c/o Tom Neary, Catriona Copse c/o Nora Dineen, Maureen Noonan, Ardagh, Conor Woulfe, Ardagh (Online). Next Monday night’s jackpot will be €6,3400. 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.
Congratulations to Ann Madden, Newcastle West, who won €425, in the West Limerick 102fm 50/50 draw, held on Friday, February 11. 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. The station can be contacted at 069-66200 if people have news of interest to the West Limerick area.
February 28, is the closing date for hedge cutting, but for safety reasons landowners and public authorities can do so throughout the year. Landowners and occupiers are responsible and liable for injury or damage to road users. The majority of people cut back hedges and dangerous trees, while others never cut them back and escape sanctions. There is always a debate on this subject with people on opposite sides when the subject is discussed. Personally, I like a well cut hedge rising in the centre and not a battered hedge that looks awful. Every three years is the guideline to cut hedges to allow cover for our wildlife who depend on them for food, shelter and cover during their breeding season.
Knockdown Vintage Club are holding a fundraising raffle at present in aid of the Irish Community Air Ambulance. The tickets cost €2 each or three tickets for €5. The first prize is a €150 voucher for the O’Donoghue Rings Hotels Killarney. Second prize is a €100 voucher for home heating oil. Third prize is a monster hamper, and there are a number of other prizes as well. The draw takes place in the Knockdown Arms on Sunday, March 27 and all support will be greatly appreciated.
A new TV programme Faoi Bhláth (In Bloom) starts on Monday, February 14 at 7.30pm on RTE 1. In the first programme the presenter Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh meets Limerick family practitioner, Doctor Frieda Ní Chatháin, who has her own medicinal walled garden in Mount Trenchard, Foynes, and she showcases her tried and tested recipe for a cough medicine made from violets. It is a 13 part series which investigates the many uses of Irish wildflowers. The presenter travels through Ireland which has a rich biodiversity found in the country’s parks, lakes, bogs and mountains, to unearth a vast array of wildflowers and their uses in cookery, medicine and crafts.