By Kathleen Mullane

COSTA DEL IRLANDE

Well with the extra hour in the evening and the most beautiful weather we have been having over the past few days one would think they were out in some foreign holiday resort in the month of March. On the other hand my daughter in America said that they are experiencing severe freezing conditions at the moment unusual for New York. Our climate is definitely changing. Hopefully we wont get the very cold temperatures this weekend.

Congrats to all the girls and boys of 2nd class in Athea NS who received their 1st Holy Communion on Saturday last and what a day it was for their celebration. Well done also to Teresa O Halloran who, as always, had the altar donned out so beautifully, as she always does for the different occasions.

Sincere sympathy is extended to the Wrenn family on the recent passing of Sonny Wrenn, formerly of Gortnagross and Templeouge, Dublin. He is survived by his wife, son and daughter, relatives and friends to whom sympathy is extended.

Next weekend a special collection will be taken up at the masses for the people of Ukraine. If you wish to donate to this great cause just put your donation into a sealed envelope and place it in the offertory box inside the church doors. Write APPEAL FOR UKRAINE on the front. All donations will be forwarded to the diocese who will pass it on to the relief agencies.

This Friday is April 1st. – FOOLS DAY. What fun we used to have in days gone by fooling each other with Lies and Pranks. It’s one day I won’t forget in a hurry, it was the day my daughter Michelle was born. No one at home called on our great neighbour God rest her Peg O’ Connor who went down for Bill Casey to transport me to hospital. Bill was doing Hackney at the time. Bill wouldn’t come the first time he thought being Fools Day it was a joke-it was far from it. After a 2nd trip down he came and off we went with nurse Jane Desmond at the Helm and me in a state. Had to divert on the road to Limerick knew we wouldn’t make Limerick, was carried in to St Itas in Newcastle by 2 elderly men in a chair where nurse Bernie Ambrose, nee Stack, from Athea delivered a bouncing baby – talking of mortification on my part, that is my lifelong memory of Fools Day – anyway thank you Bill Casey I am indebted to you.

Thought for the week:-

Ships don’t sink because of the water that’s around them – they sink because of the water that gets into them.

Dont let whats around you get Inside you and WEIGH YOU DOWN.