By Tom Aherne
MONTH’S MIND: The Month’s Mind Mass for the late Mary (Kiely Glensharrold) McNamara, Raheen, will be celebrated at St. Nessan’s Church, Raheen, Limerick on Saturday, May 13 at 6pm.
TROCAIRE: Ardagh/Carrigkerry parish has forwarded €3,040 to Trocaire in recent weeks. Many thanks to all who contributed to this total.
PARISH CLERK’S COLLECTION: The Ardagh/Carrigkerry parish clerk’s collection will be taken up this coming weekend in Carrigkerry on Saturday, May 13 and Ardagh on Sunday, May 14. We are very lucky to have such dedicated people in charge of both churches. Please be generous with your donations.
HERITAGE MEETING: St. Kieran’s Heritage Association held their monthly meeting in Ardagh community Hall on Wednesday, May 3, and ten members were present. Chairperson John P. O’Sullivan welcomed all and Secretary Mary Byrnes read the minutes of the previous meeting and matters arising were addressed. Two grants for funding equipment are being applied for. Work on the 2024 Calendar is progressing and will be ready to go shortly to the printers. No update yet on the proposed midweek trip to Dublin in June. The updated booklet on William Smith O’Brien will be launched on Friday, June 23 in Ardagh with a talk from the author John Hough. A discussion on how to mark Heritage Week in August and Culture night in September took place with a trip to Glenville House and gardens, Gardai arrival to Ardagh in 1922 and an Irish Night proposed. A new location may be needed for the William Smith O’Brien Plaque which was erected in Cahermoyle in 1998.
A vote of sympathy was passed to the Kelly family, Maiden Street Newcastle West, on the death of Sean who was a teacher, historian, photographer, writer and keeper of historical items, about his native town and surrounds. He was a founding member of the Newcastle West Historical Society and contributed many fine articles to their journals. He was a valuable contributor to the Newcastle West Olden Times Facebook page. He played a leading role in the Phelan’s Mill Film which was shown in Newcastle West Library on Thursday, January 16, 2020. Sean a man of many talents who was generous with his knowledge and possessions will be missed but not forgotten. The members present were John P. O’Sullivan, Mary Byrnes, John Hough, Theresa Doyle McMahon, Michael Ambrose, Geraldine Ambrose, David Dillane, Ned Liston, Chuck Lee, Tom Aherne, with apologies from others. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 7, at Ardagh Community Hall at 8pm. It is proposed to hold a walk along the Greenway as well, weather permitting.
WEST BOARD: The West Limerick GAA Board presented the west members of the Limerick Wheelchair hurling senior team with specially inscribed plaques at a function in the Devon Inn Hotel on Wednesday, April 26. Those who received awards were locals Darren Dineen, Cormac Downey, with Ellie Sheehy (Captain), Cian Horgan, Maurice Noonan.
GAELIC GAMES: St. Kieran’s defeated Dromcollogher/Broadford by 1-22 to 0-5 in the West Senior Football League at Coolcappa on Tuesday, May 2. TEAM: Robert Bradley, Shane Fitzgerald, Diarmuid Mulcahy, James O’Connor, Jack Mulqueen, Sean Ryan, Michael Shanahan, Cormac Mann, Alan Daly, Seamus Mangan, Darragh Treacy, Michael Long, Dylan Moloney, Aidan Lacy, Anthony Molyneaux. Subs: Aaron Heffernan, Johnny McCarthy, John Hayes, Ian Mackessy. St. Kieran’s lost to Father Casey’s by 4-10 to 1-8 in Under 17 football playoff in Abbeyfeale on Sunday, April 30. St. Kieran’s lost to Croagh/Kilfinny by 0-22 to 0-6 in the West Senior Hurling League in Croagh on Saturday, May 6.
SOCCER NEWS: Creeves Celtic defeated Breska Rovers 1-0 at home in the Desmond League Premier Division on Friday, April 28. Eoin McEnery scored the goal which moves the team up the league table. Carrig Celtic had no match.
SPLIT THE POT: Congratulations to Rachel Naughton who won €555 in the April Creeves Celtic FC Split the Pot monthly draw held on Monday May 1 at the Thatch Bar. Tickets to enter the draw are available from committee members, club managers, at Neary’s Ardagh, Inver five crossroads Rathkeale and the Thatch Newbridge. All support will be greatly appreciated.
LOTTERY DRAW: The Ardagh Development Association and Saint Kieran’s GAA joint weekly lottery draw took place on Monday, May 1. The numbers drawn were 6, 9, 17, 20, and there was no winner of the €12,600 Jackpot. Congratulations to the five lucky dip winners who received €40 each: Timmy Carroll, Longford, (Online), Pat Flynn, Ballymorrisheen, Ardagh, (Online), Tom and Marian O’Connor, Lisbane, B O’Connor and Josie, c/o Josie, Maire Crowley, Ballylin, (Online). Next Monday night’s Jackpot will be €12,700. 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.
RADIO DRAW: Congratulations to Andrew and Conor Duffy Askeaton, who won €310, in the West Limerick 102fm 50/50 draw, held on Friday, May 5. 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.
GROTTO ROSARY: The Holy Rosary will be recited at Churchtown Grotto each evening during May at 6pm. The annual Mass will be held on Monday, May 15 at 7pm. At the Grotto in Cahermoyle and the Marian Shrine Rathkeale every evening during the month of May at 6.30 pm and all are welcome.
COMMUNION: The First Holy Communion Ceremony will be celebrated in St. Molua’s Church, Ardagh on Saturday, May 13 at 11am.
REMEMBERANCE SERVICE: The Milford Care Centre annual Service of remembrance will take place on Sunday, May 14 commencing at 3pm in Our Lady Help of Christian Church, Milford. All people who passed away under their care from 2019 to 2022 will be remembered during this service. For more information from the Pastoral Care Team call 061 485907 or 061 485908.
VINTAGE RALLY: Dromcollogher/District Respite Care Centre will hold their annual vintage rally and May fair family fun day in aid of the centre on Sunday, May 14. An enjoyable day out is anticipated with trade stalls, food, amusements, and vintage and classic vehicles on display.
RAMBLING HOUSE: The next rambling house will be held at Ballyhahill Hall on Wednesday May 17, at 8pm. All musicians, singers’ dancers and storytellers are most welcome to attend. It is receiving lots of positive reviews with plenty traditional entertainment on show and teas served.
COMMUNITY ALERT: St. Senan’s and District Community Alert AGM will take place in the Sports Complex, Shanagolden on Wednesday, May 17 at 8pm.
DEBRA IRELAND: The Debra Ireland Kerry Challenge 2023 returns on Friday, May 19, Saturday 20, Sunday 21. Eamon O’Kane, Pat Toomey, Mike Histon and Joe Carrig from the Creeves/Shanagolden area will again be participating in the 3-day 75 K Hike in the Dingle Peninsula. They will be raising funds to ease the suffering of children suffering from E.B. or Butterfly Disease. All donations will be appreciated by the quartet.
GLENVILLE HOUSE: The following are the Glenville House and Gardens Ardagh opening hours for 2023: May 2-31, June 1-10, (Heritage Week) August 11-20, inclusive. Tuesday to Saturday from 9-30am to 1-30pm. Admission €5, Students €3, children and old age pensioners are free. The house is located a mile from Ardagh on the Kilcolman road and is well worth a visit.
OLD RECTORY: The Old Rectory, Ballywilliam, Rathkeale is open to the public from May 1 to November 30. The opening hours are on Saturday’s and Sunday’s from 10am to 2pm. It will be open also during Heritage Week from Saturday, August 12 to Sunday, August 20. The admission is €8 and additional information by calling 087-8269123.
HOLY COMMUNION: The First Holy Communion Ceremony will be celebrated in St. Kyran’s Church, Coolcappa on Saturday, May 27 at 10.30am and in St. Colman’s Church, Kilcolman on Saturday, May 27 at 12.30pm.
OLD MILL NEWS: The Old Mill Ladies Gaelic football club are holding a fundraising coffee/tea morning in Ardagh Hall on Friday, June 2 from 9am to 1pm and all are welcome to attend.