Athea C.C.E. Classes
Music and singing classes will be held on Thursday nights at the Top of the Town, Athea , starting Thursday 15th September.
6.30-7.30 Beginners Tin Whistle
7.00-7.30 Intermediate Mixed Instruments
7.30 Singing, all levels.
Limited spaces still available in all classes. Please message CCE Athea Co. Limerick page if interested in a spot.
Please note: All students must have their own instruments for music classes. A folder will be needed for music and singing notes that will be handed out during classes.
For further info call 087 7527127
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
The papers, TV and radio had great coverage of the Queen since her death at the grand age of 96 last week. I will not repeat here what has been covered many times over except to say that, though I have no time for the monarchy, I did like her. She was in every respect a lady but above that she had a presence that endeared her to all who knew her. The Royal Family are very important to the vast majority of British people and good luck to them. To me it seems like they are hanging on to something that has no real power or purpose in this day and age. They are an extravagant luxury that the British taxpayer has to fund to the tune of many millions of pounds every year. There was a time when Kings and Queens actually ruled the land but that day is long gone and that is no harm because, under their reign, the ordinary citizens weren’t treated as well as they should have been. What surprises me is the vast amount of Irish people who follow the Royals and all their goings-on as if they were family. To each their own and if that’s what floats your boat, fair play to you. I wouldn’t be surprised if Queen Elizabeth was the last Queen Of England. There will certainly be nobody like her again, may she rest in peace.
For the past few weeks there has been a lot of work going on in the village, mainly the replacing of much of the footpaths in the street. Normally I would be rejoicing at this but a lot of money is being spent on replacing perfectly good footpaths while places like the Glin Road are crying out to be done. I wrote here some time ago about how dangerous it is for walkers and cyclists on the bend from Synan’s Gate to the sewage treatment plant. There is ample room to extend the footpath from St. Bartholomew’s Villas to Tim Scanlon’s gate and it would cost only a fraction of what is being spent in the village. There seems to be no contact between the council and the people of Athea as to what is needed to be done. Another problem is the position of the holes for the poles that will hold the lights from the village to the GAA grounds. It is generally agreed that these poles should be placed inside the low wall and not out on the footpath where they are a hindrance to people walking, especially with prams and buggies. It is not too late yet so, if you agree with me, get on to the council and demand that common sense prevails and the footpath will be left free for those who wish to use it.
The summer is almost over which means it is time for Listowel Races. Back in the day this was one of the major events of the year and almost everybody from our area went for at least one day. We looked forward to it for weeks in advance even though we knew nothing about racing but that didn’t bother us because we had the shop windows and the Market Yard. All the shops in Listowel made a special effort to dress their windows and people were quite happy just going from shop to shop looking at the displays. I remember, one year when I was about seven or eight, doing the rounds with my mother. In one window there was a full cowboy outfit with the hat, fancy shirt, trousers, boots and a gun belt with two guns in the holsters. We were fascinated by the Wild West at that time and often played “Cowboys and Indians” with guns made from pieces of sticks, pretending we were riding our horses at full gallop. I would have given anything for that suit but I knew there was no way Mom could afford it and anyway I couldn’t be singled out for a present at the expense of my brother and sisters so I kept returning again and again to the window, lost in dreams of being Roy Rogers or Hopalong Cassidy, our heroes at the time from the cowboy comics we got on Sunday. The Market Yard was great but you had to spend your money wisely on the amusements or it would soon be gone. There was great excitement with people waiting for the bumpers, swinging boats, chairoplanes, roundabouts and even the ghost train. You could also take a chance on the stands where goods were raffled but we wanted to try everything. We financed the operation by picking blackberries in gallons and selling them at Leahy’s Shop, near Cratloe Creamery. It wasn’t easy money because it takes a lot of picking to fill a gallon and, no matter how careful you were, the thorns would get you but we didn’t mind as long as we were putting enough money away for the races. Of course it was never enough and, sooner rather than later, our money was spent and we were back to window gazing. As I got older I began actually going on to the course with my mother or father and there was great excitement and colour around the parade ring, winner’s enclosure and of course the races themselves. Yes, those were magic days and I fear that the young people of today will never have that experience though they are far better off than we were back then.
ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH, ATHEA
Athea Parish Church Notices
Mass Intentions next weekend
Sat 17th 7.30pm: Tom & Molly Connell. Margaret, Timothy and Nicholas Leahy. Mary & Jack Sheehy and their son Mick Sheehy.
Readers: Margaret Cotter & Amy O’Connor.
Eucharistic Ministers: Mary O’Donoghue & Catherine Woulfe.
Weekday masses this week on Tuesday & Thursday morning at 9.30 am.
Eucharistic Adoration and the Devine Mercy Chaplet after mass on Tuesday morning.
All masses can be viewed online via the following link https://www.churchservices.tv/athea
Parish Office hours: (Mon – Fri) 11am to 1pm. Contact Siobhán on 087-3331459 or email [email protected] – outside of these hours please leave a voice/text message.