Athea Medical Centre has moved
Athea Medical Centre has moved premises. It now operates from it’s new premises at
The Square, Athea, Co Limerick.
Eircode V94 XT7V. Contact Numbers remain the same.
Noel Mulvihill, Moyvane, Paddy Mullane, Templeathea and Willie Riordan, Dirreen at their grandkids communion in Tarbert last Saturday.
Athea G.A.A.
Split the Bucket
The club will be launching a novel and very popular fundraising initiative shortly. Patrons are asked to put 2 euro in envelopes provided, write their name and number on the envelope and pop in a club bucket, at the end of a defined period of 1 or 2 weeks, the money collected will be split between one lucky winner and the club. More details to follow.
Club Draw
Tickets for the Club Draw are now distributed to the sellers, and can also be purchased online through Club Force. The first draw will take place in August. Tickets are priced at €50, which covers entry into 5 draws, with the top prize each month being €1000, among other prizes. It could be you!!!
Reclamation
Work has begun on our two training pitches at the High Field, with the initial work being to raise the bottom area and to level the top area, before drainage and sanding. When completed, this will be a huge addition to the club and take some pressure off the main pitch which is in constant use.
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
Last week I was writing about the rewetting of peatlands and the effect it would have on our own area. It was such a change from not so long ago when farmers were being paid to drain those very lands to make them more productive. It got me thinking to how fast things have changed, not over hundreds of years but, in my own lifetime. When I was growing up we were surrounded by farmers who were milking 10 or 12 cows. They raised big families on those holdings and wanted for nothing. The reason they were able to do so was simple; very few overheads. They lived off the land setting their own spuds and vegetables in a garden plot and of course they had their own milk so the only things they had to buy were commodities such as tea, sugar, flower and meal. Since there was no electricity there were no appliances and no ESB bills. They did have to keep a horse, and sometimes a donkey, to pull the carts and farm machinery and everything was done by hand. This included milking the cows morning and evening. The milk was poured into churns that were taken to the creamery in the mornings. There were two creameries in the parish, Cratloe and the Village, and they took the butter from the milk and then gave what we called “back milk” that would be fed to calves and pigs. These creameries had their own butter-makers and farmers would take a pound of butter when needed and the cost was taken off the monthly payment from the creamery. It was a labour intensive operation on those farms but they survived. The first changes came when the electricity arrived. This was soon followed by the milking machine which made life much easier for those who could afford them. The second big change came with the arrival of the tractor. Hundreds of second hand small tractors were imported into the country and they took over from the horse. James Horgan R.I.P. was the main dealer in this area and he supplied many a small farmer with Fergusons and Fords. Now the overheads were getting bigger and it became much more difficult for the small farmer to survive. Eventually Cratloe Creamery closed and Athea was taken over by Kerry Co-Op. It was not in their interests to have hundreds of small farmers to collect milk from so the push came on to have bigger and bigger holdings. Gradually the number of farmers dwindled but there were more cattle on the lands with more intensive methods of creating more production. Grants were given to knock ditches and hedgerows to make bigger fields and the use of artificial fertilizer was encouraged. The modern way of farming was light years away from my neighbours with their few fields and small numbers of cattle. Nothing stands still and we are now at a crossroad again with farming being blamed for much of our carbon emissions. I have no idea what is going to happen but I am sure of one thing, places like Athea will never be the same again and, in the meantime places like China, India, South America and Russia will continue as if nothing has happened and all our efforts will be in vain.
I was travelling home from a Comhaltas meeting in Kilfinnane the other night when I came upon a silage tractor and trailer almost turned over in the dyke. It had gone out of control going around the bend and slipped sideways. I stopped to see if I could be of any assistance but I was more than surprised that the driver was just a young boy. He was certainly no more than 12 years of age and wasn’t a bit phased by what had happened. Now, this was not a small tractor but a huge modern one that is capable of high speeds on the road. Should one so young be entrusted with the handling of such a huge machine? I know it is difficult to get experienced drivers at times but using people at such a young age is highly irresponsible. They are putting their own and others lives at risk and should be out playing football or hurling or anything rather than driving heavy machinery during all the daylight hours. He told me he had made a phone call and, sure enough, while we were talking another tractor came, attached a tow rope and pulled the unit and trailer out of the dyke. Luckily, this time, there was no damage and nobody was hurt but I dread to think what might have been. This, unfortunately, is not an isolated incident as I have seen many young drivers on the roads of West Limerick over the past few years. I do not know what the legal age is for driving a tractor but I am sure it is not low enough to cover the young lads I have seen. Roads are very busy at this time of year an it is no place to be driving after a very long day at the wheel. Weariness can creep in and mistakes are made. No point in lamenting afterwards – be careful now.
The opening of the new doctors premises brings the clock full circle because it was once owned by Dr. McGrath back in the early part of the last century. It is very well located in the centre of the village with its own parking facilities. We wish Dr. Bríd Wallace every success in her new centre. It will play a vital part in the future of the village as does the Pharmacy and the Shop.
Dr. Wallace’s new Medical Centre in the middle of the village
St. Bartholomew’s Church Athea
Intentions for next Saturday June 3rd 7.30pm: Joan O’Connor-Upper Athea.
Ministers of the Word: Alanna Collins & Kathleen Mullane.
Ministers of the Eucharist: Eilish Geoghegan & Mary Dalton.
Weekday Masses coming week:
Tues May 30th 9.30 am – Mass followed by Eucharistic Adoration and the Devine Mercy Chaplet. Friday June 2nd 7pm – First Friday Mass – Intention : Penny Woulfe and her parents Timothy and Margaret Enright and her brother Paddy.
All masses are streamed live on https://www,churchservices.tv/athea
Baptisms on the 4th Saturday of the month at 2.30pm. Baptism course on Tues June 13th at 8pm.
Parish Office: Mon-Fri 11am-1pm. Call 087-3331459, email [email protected]
Sum of Money Found on the grounds of the church after the First Holy Communion recently – further detail contact Hannah Mai Collins 087 2883095
Bishop Brendan Leahy visited the parish last Thursday for the Sacrament of Confirmation. What a lovely ceremony it was for the children and their parents. We congratulate them and their families and the teachers of Athea National School. We also thank Theresa and Hannah Mai and Catherine for having the church looking so well for the occasion.