News – 19/12/23 « Athea & District Notes

Dec/23

News – 19/12/23

Happy Christmas and a Bright and Prosperous New Year

Nora’s Retirement

After 33 years service, Nora White has retired from her post at O’Riordan’s Pharmacy. There was a party to mark the occasion at the chemist’s on Friday evening last when family and friends gathered to wish her a long and happy retirement.

Nora White with Diarmuid and Aine O’Riordan

The Way I See It

By Domhnall de Barra

First of all let me wish you all a very Happy Christmas and bright and prosperous New Year. Thank you all for supporting this newsletter each week and to the organisations and clubs that send notes. A special thank you to our columnists, Kathleen Mullane, Tom Ahern, Peg Prendeville, Marian Harnett and Jer Kennelly who never fail to get their copy in on time. I also take this opportunity to say thank you to Lillian O’Carroll who worked on the newsletter until she retired in June. I really miss her input especially as she used to check my typing which can be hit and miss at times. I still ask her to have a quick look at articles if she calls into the office and she always obliges. I wish her a long and happy retirement. I am indebted to Collins’ Shop in Athea and Moloney’s in Carrigkerry for selling the newsletters every week free of charge. It is really appreciated. As I have said before, I don’t know how long more I will be able to keep going and I had intended to pack it in at the end of 2023 but I will continue for a while longer if God spares me.

Another year gone by and it seems like only yesterday we were taking down the Christmas decorations at the start of 2023. There is no doubt that, the older you get, the faster the years fly by. It was a good year and a bad year. The scientists tell us it was the hottest year since recordings began and this was to be seen in the many droughts and forest fires throughout the world. There was also heavy rainfall and high tides driven by violent storms that caused a lot of damage to property, especially along the sea coast. We certainly had our fair share of water from the sky. It started raining at the end of June and we have had just a few dry days since then. While dairy farmers got the silage and hay in June, the tillage farmers had great problems trying to harvest their crops due to the very wet conditions. One farmer told a radio reporter that he had to abandon 10 acres of potatoes and I am sure there are many others with the same problem. There could be a scarcity of vegetables and fruit due to the weather conditions all over the world. It was a year when we got used to news of terrible acts of war in Ukraine and in Gaza. Ukraine isn’t mentioned much these days but there are still battles going on and people dying every day. What is happening in Gaza is much worse. Hamas started the fighting and committed terrible crimes but the retaliation by Israel cannot be justified. Two wrongs don’t make a right and the targeting of hospitals and residential areas where the most vulnerable, who have no hand in the war, are the victims. The super powers of the world, especially America, have to take a big part of the blame for backing the Israelis regardless of the war crimes committed. Also, on the other side, countries like Iran are culpable because of their support for any group that will try to wipe out Israel. They really have to get their act together and find a way to end the senseless killing. It was a bad year for our reputation as a warm and friendly nation. There has been a big upsurge in opposition to the housing of asylum seekers throughout the country. Just lately a hotel in Galway was set on fire because it was to be used for these unfortunate people. The locals had objected and blocked access to the premises and this gave the green light to the far right extremists who are only looking for an excuse to create havoc. This is not an isolated incident, it has happened too many times throughout the year. The government must take some of the blame for this because they do not consult with the local population before moving large numbers of people into small rural areas. Proper dialogue would put people’s minds at ease and there wouldn’t be the fear of the unknown that is very easy to exploit. On a lighter note it was a year when Ireland, once again, failed to make it to the European Song Contest final. There was a time when we were the favourites every year but that day is gone and, the way voting goes now, we have no hope of ever getting on the podium again regardless of how good a song we have.

On the plus side, it was a great year for sport with our own Junior Ladies winning the County after a long time in the wilderness. Katie Taylor is back as World Champion in more than one weight while our golfers, especially Leona Maguire and Tom McGibbon, were among the best in the world. It was also a good year for Irish rugby with Munster coming out on top in the major European competition and the national team, even if they didn’t win the World Cup, gave us great entertainment and were the only team to beat the eventual winners, South Africa. Limerick hurlers continued on their winning ways and there were gold medals won in swimming and world records broken for the first time. Our gymnasts and boxers also had a good year and gave us all a reason to be proud of our small country The ladies soccer team performed really well also and the future looks bright for them. They created history in Windsor park by beating Northern Ireland by six goals, each one scored buy a different player but the real history maker was the singing of our national anthem for the firs time in Windsor Park. It was a great moment and greeted with respect by all in the stadium. I have noticed hat this is the norm with our soccer and rugby teams but, alas, I can’t say the same fro the G.A.A. The anthem is only three quarters of the way through when the players start jumping about and the crowd start cheering. It is an insult to the flag and I feel it would be better if the national anthem wasn’t played at G.A.A. Matches at all.

Church Notices

Ide Naofe Pastoral Area (Athea, Abbey Feale, 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).

Masses this coming week: Tuesday morning 9.30am and Thursday evening 7pm.

Confessions: Tuesday morning after 9.30am mass and Thursday evening after 7.00pm mass.

Baptisms take place on the fourth Sunday of the month at 12noon. Contact parish admin for further details. Eucharistic Adoration and The Devine Mercy Chaplet on Tuesday morning after mass.

Christmas Eve Vigil Mass 5pm and 7.30pm. Christmas Day Mass 11am.

We welcome you and your family to all our Christmas liturgies

Sacristans Collection: Theresa and Siobhan wish to thank all those who contributed to their recent collection – your generosity is kindly appreciated.

Parish Administration: Tues-Fri 11am-1pm. call Siobhan on 087-3331459, outside these hours text or email [email protected]

Intentions – Sun Dec 31^st – Margaret & James McCoy. James Culhane. John Timmes.