Flu and Covid Vaccines

Will be available at Athea Medical Centre from Mid-October to anyone over 65 years of age or Immunosuppressed.

Please give name at reception.

Coffee Morning

The annual Coffee Morning in aid of Milford Hospice will be held in the Community Hall oh Thursday, 21st., September at 9am.

This very worthwhile cause is supported generously every year and a good attendance is expected this time around.

Drama A.G.M.

The A.G.M. of Athea Drama Group will take place on Wednesday, 27th., September in Con Colbert Community Hall at 8pm.

This group have been going from strength to strength over the years and they look forward to staging a new play in the springtime.  New members are always welcome and there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes as well.

Free community group classes

West Limerick Resources will be holding a free 3-night master-class series in October on community group policies, procedures, marketing, volunteer recruitment and more.

This will be taking place on the 4^th, 11^th, and 18^th of October, from 7 – 9 PM, in the Desmond complex, Newcastle West.. Spaces are limited I would ask each interested community group to nominate 2 committee members to attend.

Text Amber at 085 279 6993 with your name and group

Sharon Reidy receiving a cheque for €750 towards Con Colbert Community Hall from Eamon Walshe, proceeds from the Bike Rally held in Athea recently.

The Way I See It

By Domhnall de Barra

I was in Tralee the other day and, as I walked through a shopping centre, a family of two adults and two children passed me by. I am assuming that they were a family but it was the fact that they were very different caught my attention. The man looked  like he was of Middle-Eastern extraction from his clothes, head gear and the full beard. He was in the lead with the children next and the woman bringing up the rear. She was dressed from head to toe in black with just a slit in the head covering for her eyes to see through. They were obviously devout Muslims following the Koran to the letter of the law. I have lived in Libya for a while and the sight of women in that attire was commonplace but it looked so out of place in a rural town in Ireland. I respect people’s decision to follow whatever religion they choose but I want nothing to do one that treats women so abominably. Their belief is that women are only there to bear children and are subservient to their husbands. That is why the woman in Tralee was walking at least five paces behind her husband. Her body is to be hidden from sight in case it arouses passion in other males. They also believe that girls should not be educated or hold any position in society. We can see what is happening in Afghanistan where girls schools are being closed and female workers are being replaced my males. It might seem very strange to us but it isn’t that long ago that women were discriminated against in this country. Some of my father’s generation, himself amongst them, thought a woman’s place was in the home and that she wasn’t fit for any position of authority. Thankfully we have left that age behind and we now have women prominent in all walks of life This is only right and proper because I firmly believe that women in general are far more capable than men in many walks of life. There is no reason for a mother, or indeed a father, to be in the home 24/7. Once children go to school they are far more influenced by their classmates and teachers than by anything that happens at home and of course once they start secondary level, their parents no nothing anymore and their only aim is to stop the teens enjoying themselves. So, it is more than possible for a woman to be a good mother and also have a successful career. There is still an imbalance of women v men in certain professions and some people have put forward the idea of a compulsory gender balance in boardrooms and politics. I have a problem with this concept and I think it is flawed. The best people for available positions should get them regardless of gender. I don’t care if  it is 100% men or women as long as they are the most suitable for the job. The idea that a good candidate will not be chosen just because the gender quota has to be filled goes against all logic and is unfair to those who are not chosen whether a he or a she. I say he or she because , in my opinion, there are only two genders, male and female. I can’t be dealing with “them or “they”.  I appreciate that some people born a certain gender feel they do not  belong and want to change. I have no problem with that but until medically certified otherwise they should be referred to as  “he” or “she”.  In the meantime they should get all the help they need to be comfortable in their own bodies.

I just heard on the news that the proposed gas terminal in Ballylongford has been turned down by An Bord Pleannala. The board said it was going along with government policy and it just goes to show how  little commonsense exists in the corridors of power. We are going to need supplies of gas for the foreseeable future and it seems we have learned  nothing from  the war in Ukraine that left us with an energy crisis.  Other countries in Europe are building  gas terminals so that they will be independent into the future but not Ireland, no, we are too busy bowing to the Green agenda that we cannot do the sensible thing. This is the same government that closed down the peat burning stations and put an end to peat harvesting by Bord na Mona putting hundreds out of work. We are now importing peat briquettes from Europe and we do not have the back-up of the power stations in the midlands. It just simply does not make sense and we will live to regret it. It is time for our politicians to take their heads out of the clouds and make some practical decisions that will benefit the people they represent, not just follow a fashionable agenda. Green energy is the way into the future but we are a long way from being able to rely 100% on that.

I had great plans for last weekend with golf on Saturday and Sunday, a big birthday party session on Friday night and a wedding after-session on Sunday. Alas all my plans came to nought due to a back injury sustained while emptying out a water trough on Thursday. The pump takes out most of the water but there is about six inches at the bottom that has to be done by hand. It takes about half an hour of filling and lifting buckets over the edge to complete the operation and as I was doing it I began to get a pain in the back from all the bending and lifting.  I finished the job but I had huge problems getting out of the trough and managed to dislocate my hip in the process so I have been in agony for a few days and even though I am in the office at the moment I am far from all right. It just goes to show how fragile our bodies are and how easily we can be laid low. I hope to be back in action again soon.

The link below is for anybody who would like to join our weekly lottery. Proceeds from this lottery help to fund local projects in Athea such as the Footbridge, graveyard and street maintenance, stone walls, townland signs and the local Community Employment scheme. If you would like tom be involved please fill in the form and send it to me: Domhnall de Barra, Athea Community Council Ltd., Con Colbert Street, Athea,  Co. Limerick

Lotto form

Church Notices

Ide Naofe Pastoral Area (Athea, Abbeyfeale, Mountcollins, Templeglantine and Tournafulla).

Canon Tony Mullins 087 2600414, Fr. Willie Russell 087 2272825, Fr. Denis Mullane 087 2621911

and Fr Dan Lane 087 2533030 (retired). Sunday Duty Sept 24 th Rev. Fr D Mullane 087-2621911

Weekday masses on Tuesday morning at 9.30am and Thursday evening at 7pm.

Eucharistic Adoration & The Devine Mercy Chaplet on Tuesday morning after mass.

Baptisms on the 4 th Saturday of the month at 2.30pm – next date Saturday Sept 23 rd .

Next baptism course on Tues Oct 10 th at 8pm, contact Theresa for further details 087-1513565.

Parish Administration: Tues-Fri 11am-1pm. call Siobhan on 087-3331459, outside these hours

text or email [email protected]

Intentions (All masses are streamed live on https://www.churchservices.tv/athea)