St. Bartholomew’s Church Athea

Friday May 19^th 7pm – Mass Intention: Marion White (anniv)

Saturday May 20^th 7.30pm – Anniversary Intentions: Denis (Denny) Barrett, Margaret Cummins & her grandmother Mary Vaughan, Patrick O’Connor (South Keale) his parents Ann & William and brothers John & Joe, John Byrne.

Ministers of the Word:            Patsy Hayes & Mairead Donovan

Ministers of Eucharist:             Margaret Enright & Mary O’Donoghue.

Crowning of Our Lady during the month of May has long been a tradition in the parish, which the first holy communion children help with – Sat 20^th May 7.30pm mass.

All masses are streamed live on https://www,churchservices.tv/athea

Baptisms on the 4^th Saturday of the month at 2.30 from April to Oct incl.

Next baptism course on Tues evening May 9^th at 8pm.

Parish Office: Mon-Fri 11am-1pm. Call 087-3331459, email [email protected]

Trocaire Boxes can be handed at any mass during the week or at the weekend from now on.

Cards for First Communion, Confirmation and Exam Blessings available from the sacristy or

contact the parish office 087-3331459.

Sum of Money Found on the grounds of the church after the First Holy Communion last Saturday – further detail’s contact Hannah Mai Collins 087 2883095

The Way I See It

By Domhnall de Barra

When we were going to school we were told of a great conflict between God and the Devil and that eventually God overcame his enemy and sent him to Hell to reign there forever and torture us poor humans who had the misfortune to die in mortal sin. It was a struggle between good and evil and whether we believe it or not there is one thing certain; evil not only exists but is thriving in the world today. It is not so long ago that Hitler and his Nazis tried to exterminate the Jews as they perceived them as being inferior beings that could contaminate the “pure” white race. It wasn’t just that they tried to exterminate them but the way they went about it was particularly barbaric. I don’t need to go into detail here because it is well documented but it is difficult to understand how human beings could  treat each other like that. It is also difficult to understand how one race of people can think themselves superior to others and with such fervour that they are prepared to do unspeakable things to achieve their aims of getting total power. The world today is full of what are called “hard right wing” organisations who want to rid the world of people who are not like themselves. They are not just a small minority, as can be seen in the USA where people like Donald Trump are backing them, but can be found all over the world. Ireland, unfortunately, is no exception. Over the past few days, gangs of men in Dublin have set fire to tents being occupied by asylum seekers who came to this country for protection only to find the government has no accommodation for them.  Luckily, the Gardaí had got wind of it and had removed the occupants to safety before the fire was set.  The same thing would have happened again on Saturday except this time the asylum seekers had moved on. The group responsible for the attack call themselves patriots who want to keep “Ireland for the Irish” or some such rubbish. There was a group that marched in Listowel recently protesting at the housing of Ukrainians in the town and it was surprising how much support they had. As I am writing this, news is coming through of a blockade of a hotel in Clare to prevent busses bringing in asylum seekers. These are locals who feel they are not consulted and have other reasons for what they are doing but they should show more compassion for those less fortunate than themselves.  We Irish should be the last nation on earth to protest against refugees and asylum seekers. Our own people had to emigrate, after the famine, to all parts of the world and had to make new lives for themselves. Suppose they were treated with the same hostility that these right wing groups show to outsiders; would we be happy about that? For a long time we were thought of as an inferior people. We were labelled the “fighting Irish” and the “drunken Irish” and were the butt of comedian’s jokes. To be Irish was to be “thick” and it wasn’t uncommon to see signs in British boarding house windows “no blacks, no dogs, no Irish”.  Yes we have thrown off those labels and are now well respected throughout the world but we should not have short memories when it comes to treating migrants. Of course there will be some who try to enter this country illegally but the vast majority are those who are fleeing wars and persecution sometimes leaving their families behind. They deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion as we would have wished to have our forefathers treated all those years ago when the coffin ships arrived in America.

I cannot let this week go without mentioning the Eurovision Song Contest. Ireland’s entry did not make it out of the semi’s once again and, although I do not think it was a great song with a genuine chance of winning, it was far better than most of the others that got through. Since the voting system changed, some years ago, we don’t seem to have any chance of getting to the final. The public vote is not a true reflection of quality; it is more about popularity and voting for neighbours. We have seen that happen here in “Dancing with the Stars”.  Week after week, popular celebrities are voted in by the public at the expense of others who are far better dancers. I think the whole thing has gone crazy. It is no longer a song contest as such but an entertainment contest with whatever country puts on the most bizarre show being rewarded. A singer cannot sing now without being surrounded by dancers, or should I say acrobats, jumping and tumbling all over the place to the loudest of backing music and an array of flashing lights. That the song being sung is meaningless and is basically a repetition of a catchy line is neither here or there. Was there even one decent song in the final on Saturday night? I think not. People may say I am an old fogey and out of touch with modern trends and that may be true but, I have watched  X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent and there are some really good singers and entertainers on those shows who do not feel the need to dress up in ridiculous costumes, or ones so skimpy that they may as well be naked, to impress the judges. Unless the rules are changed and the judging returns to a panel of experts in each country, Ireland might as well throw in the towel. For many years we were the flag bearers  but that day has gone. If we do stay in we need to have a proper contest to find a good entry but I won’t be holding my breath.

The delighted Athea supporters who travelled to Mallow last Thursday and saw Limerick get the Cup following their great victory against Tipperary

I was up the bog road over towards Keale recently and it made me sad. When I was growing up the bogs would be alive with people at this time of the year, stripping and cutting the turf, but now there is no one to be seen until it is time for turning the sods as they dry. Most of the bog is now cut away with just a few bins spread here and there. It is the same in Park bog and, I presume, all the bogs around. It may make Eamon Ryan and his Green Party happy but the bogs were the backbone of the local economy for decades. Not only did they provide fuel for the winter but the extra sleán cut would generate a bit of much needed finance when times were really tough in this country. We are coming to the end of an era and I, for one, will miss it.