Mass being celebrated at the Blessed Well
Survey
There has been a very poor return from the survey included in last week’s issue. It is important that the Community Council gets your feedback so that the building on Con Colbert Street can accommodate the needs of the commAAunity so a special appeal to fill the form as soon as possible and drop it into the letterbox at Cairde Duchais. Everyone’s opinion is important.
The survey can also be completed online via – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QGQWF6R
Athea Voluntary Housing Association
Application forms are now available for the houses being built on the Glin Road near St. Bartholomew’s Villas.
Application forms can be got by ringing 087 1233361 and have to be handed in by 31/08/’24 to any member of Athea Vincent de Paul.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
Congrats to Joe Murphy, Athea CCÉ, who placed 3rd in the u12s boys English singing at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford
Congrats to Paddy Mullane, ,Athea CCÉ, who placed third in the 15 to 18s mens english singing at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford
Congrats to class tutor, Athea CCÉ Liam Broderick, who was placed 3rd in the Senior Men’s Irish singing competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford.
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I can’t believe that the schools are opening next week and the holidays are over. Where does time go? No sooner have we got used to a new year than another is on top of us. August, to me, is the last of what we call a summer. Autumn is on the way and though some things start to die it has its own beauty. Autumn is called the “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” in Keats’ “Ode To Autumn” to honour its unique beauty and abundance. The season is marked by ripe harvests, misty sunsets, and a sense of mellowness. Keats celebrates the ripeness of fruits, the fullness of harvests, and the tranquil beauty of autumn, contrasting it with spring’s vibrancy. It is the time when the days grow shorter and the weather gets that little bit cooler. We always knew the harvest was over when the Listowel races were mentioned. It marked the end of the farm work in the fields and a time for those who had worked hard since spring to take a well earned rest. The races, to us, were magical and we looked forward to them for weeks. We knew nothing about horses or form but we loved the display of colour on the jockeys uniforms and the excited encouragement of the crowd as their horses passed the stands. We watched the horses in the parade ring and the frantic activities at the bookies with punters trying to back a winner with their hard-earned few bob. The tic-tac men could be seen sending coded messages by hand signals when a lot of money was being placed on certain horses. For the most part the betting was harmless and people only gambled what they could afford for the day but, of course, there were others who caught the bug and became gambling addicts. Of all the addictions, gambling can be the most expensive. You can lose everything you have on the turn of a card and nowadays it is so easy with gambling on line at the fingertips of anyone with a smart phone. In the days gone by, we hadn’t the money to gamble so there was no fear of us. Any few bob we had, usually got from picking blackberries, was kept for the amusements in the Market Yard which were away more important than the actual races. When all the money was gone we walked the streets admiring the displays in the shop windows. I remember, on one occasion, looking at a cowboy suit in a window complete with a a gun belt with two holsters ant two six shooters. I imagined myself in that outfit chasing the baddies and killing Indians. At the time western comics and films were all the rage. We had Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, Tom Mix, The Cisco kid and many more but in the comics and films, the native Indians were portrayed as savages who should be shot down on sight. There was no mention of the fact that it was actually their land that the white man was trying to take and that they were far more sophisticated than the settlers who wanted to kill them all. We believed what we saw and read and when we played we also tried to kill the Indians. “Bang, bang, another redskin bit the dust” was a line from one of the Westerns we saw when the travelling cinema came to the field near Cratloe Creamery. It took me years to realise how unjust the whole thing was but at that window in Listowel long ago I wanted to be that cowboy. I wonder if kids play like that anymore? They do not have to use their imagination as much as we had to. They have more material things to play with and maybe that is a pity. I remember my nephew getting a pedal car for Christmas one time. He played with it for a while but soon got bored and turned to the box it came in. He had many hours of fun turning that box into an army tank, a garage, and even a space ship. Nothing like letting the imagination run wild.
This time of year was drawing in he hay time. Unlike today, there was no silage then and meadows weren’t cut until the month of July. The meadows were much different with plenty of wild flowers and other plants mixed with the grass. They were mowed with a scythe at first but then came the horse-drawn machine and finally the tractor. The first tractors weren’t really that fast or big but they made life easier, especially for the poor horses who had to pull the heavy machine all day. Many wild birds lived in the meadows, especially the Corncrake who has now disappeared from this part of the country. They used to nest in the meadow owned by Johnny Brown Dick just below our house and would rear not one but two clutches during the late spring and early Summer. When the meadows were mown with the scythe and horse machine, they had plenty time to escape with their young but, in later years, with silage being cut very early by really fast moving tractors, they had no chance of escape. They would hide in the long grass for as long as they could but, with grass being cut in circuits from the outside in, they were finally cornered in the middle and perished. This happened all over the country except in some places where farming was still done in the old style. Their numbers had reduced to just 120 breeding pairs but in the last couple of years, thanks to the efforts of a committee who work closely with farmers, that number has doubled. This is a good news story and, who knows, we may awake again some day to the distinctive call of the Corncrake.
Church Notices
Parish Pastoral Unit (Athea/ Abbeyfeale/ Mountcollins/ Templeglantine/ Tournafulla).
Canon Tony Mullins 087 2600414, Fr. Willie Russell 087 2272825, Fr. Denis Mullane 087 2621911.
Masses this week- Tuesday morning 9.30am and Thursday evening 7pm.
Eucharistic Adoration and The Devine Mercy Chaplet on Tuesday morning after mass.
Mass Intentions next weekend – Sat August 24th at 7.30pm: Oliver McGrath. Eileen Tierney.
Peg Woulfe (months mind). Mossie Crowley. Tom & Bridie Moran, the Moran twins, Brian Sheehy, Sr. Molly Sheehy and all deceased members of the Sheehy & Moran families. .
All masses are streamed live on https://www.churchservices.tv/athea
Baptisms take place on the fourth weekend of the month. Parents who wish to baptise their child in the next few months should contact Siobhan on 087-3331459.
Parish Administration: Tues-Fri 11am-1pm. call Siobhan on 087-3331459, outside of these hours text or email [email protected] Facebook: Athea Parish Church Community
Attending the Knocknagoshel horse fair on Friday were Aine and Tara Nicoll from Carrigkerry with Cathal O’Connor and T.J. Griffin.
Photo: Moss Joe Browne
Irish Cancer Society Relay for Life
Relay for Life is the biggest cancer fundraising initiative across the world. It sees communities across the globe coming together to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and stand shoulder to shoulder with those facing cancer. Relay For Life is a celebration of solidarity and helps to raise awareness of the services provided by the Irish Cancer Society locally and nationally.
During this 24 hour event teams join together to walk through the day and night. Members of teams take it in turns to walk a designated distance or time, with someone from the team being on the move at all times in the 24 hour period.
When not walking, members of the teams, and their friends, families and colleagues are free to socialise, enjoy live entertainment and take part in activities arranged by their committee.
There is also a Candle of Hope ceremony, where hundreds of candle bags that have been personalised with messages of hope and remembrance are lit during a moving ceremony involving music and speeches.
If you would like more information on how you can get involved, please click here https://www.relayforlife.ie/about or email [email protected]
Athea Community Council
Lucky Numbers Draw 19/08/2024
No’s Drawn: 6, 8, 25, 30. No Winner
Lucky Dips
Ned Riordan, Clash
Margaret Collins, c/o Collins’ Shop
Ann Marie & J.J., Upper Athea
George O’Connor, Lower Road
Sellers Prize: Batt’s Bar & Damien Ahern
Next Draw: 26/08/’24 Venue: Brown Joe’s
Jackpot €22,200