Athea playground Fundraiser
Athea playground fundraiser in conjunction with Athea Drama Group & Comhaltas will be presenting “Dear Mr. O’Connor” an evening of letters & characters from the great John B. Keane including music with Comhaltas on Thursday 24th October, Saturday 26th October & Sunday 27th October at Con Colbert Hall. An evening of great entertainment and laughter galore. Booking lines are now open. Text or What’s App 087 6926746
Athea Fishing Club
A very special thanks to the generous people of Athea in supporting us at our Church Gate Collection last Saturday night.
A total of €336 was raised & is greatly appreciated by all associated with the club.
A million thanks to all who supported us
Athea Community Council “Lucky Numbers” Jackpot
is now a massive €23,100
To be in with a chance to win, have your ticket in!!
Draws takes place on
Mondays at 6pm
Grow Mental Health
0818-474 474 Www.grow.ie
Friendly Community based, peer support groups for anyone experiencing mental health issues. Connection, Hope and Identity by empowering members to nurture their positive wellbeing and personal growth.
Ennis- Maria Assumpta Hall Monday 8pm/ Tuesday 4pm.
Limerick-33 Henry Street(morning and evening groups).
Contact Celia 086-1526966/ Danielle 086-1588626
The Way I See It
By Domhnall de Barra
I was writing about the importance of traditional singing in our community last week and I asked if any of you thought it would be a good idea to start a singing night once a month in Athea. I wasn’t expecting a huge response because people are busy and though they might think of supporting the idea, time goes by and it is put on the back burner, so to speak, and then goes out of the mind completely. What I did not expect was no replies at all, so I am now wondering whether people think it is not a worthwhile idea or whether anybody at all is actually reading my column. I wouldn’t blame anyone for not reading it because it is just a jumble of my own thoughts and not a literary masterpiece. Sometimes it is difficult to find a topic to write about. I can sit at the computer for ages wondering what the hell I am going to write about this week. At other times there is plenty to comment on and it is easy enough to fill the page but topics become scarce week after week and I know that sometimes I am in danger of repeating something I have written about some years ago. Anyway, what I try to do is give my own views on whatever I write about and I don’t expect anybody to agree or disagree with me. It is a privilege to live in a society where anyone can air their views. There are many countries where doing so could result in a knock on the door and a lengthy spell in a remote prison camp. I try to call it as it is, like when I say that what is happening in the Middle East is nothing short of war crimes. I don’t care who started what , or what time you want to stop the history clock, bombing and destroying hospitals and schools where civilians are gathered for shelter cannot be justified. There is also the practice of stopping food and medical supplies from entering the worst hit areas. Hundreds of tons of much needed supplies are held up for one reason or another while people who have no input into the conflict are starving. I also make no apology for calling out America and other western allies for supplying the arms and ammunition to Israel so that they can continue with the elimination of the Palestinian people. One would have to wonder why all this war and destruction is taking place. There is so much hatred, especially between different religious groups who all profess a desire to do God’s will. I wonder what type of God they think they are pleasing by destroying other human beings just because they have different beliefs. We see some of that hatred in our own country. Not so long ago Protestants and Catholics were at each other’s throats in the North and now we see the rise of what is called “the far right” who are getting stronger by the day. We have learned nothing from the actions of the Germans in the 2nd World War. They believed in the purity and superiority of a certain race that they gassed millions of people to death to keep their race pure. There are people in this country who would do exactly the same to asylum seekers. They should look back on their own history and maybe they would be surprised to find out that some of their forefathers had no choice but to flee from this country after the famine and seek asylum in America and other parts of the world. There is no reason why we cannot all get on together and create a better world for us all. With all this upheaval and unrest, I wonder if we are coming to the end of the world. It will only take one press of a button by some crazy dictator like Putin to start an nuclear war and, if that happens, it really will be the end of life as we know it. Make no mistake about it, there are people ready to do it. There was a discussion on the subject one time between an American president and his chief of staff in the military. The General said he didn’t care if there were only two people left alive after a nuclear war as long as they were Americans. The president said to him: “in that case you had better hope it is a man and a woman”. Maybe the world is coming to an end anyway. Look at all the natural disasters we are witnessing, at greater intensity, around the world. Hurricanes in Florida recently show how powerful and destructive the elements can be. The seas are warming up at an alarming rate and the increase in temperatures in the atmosphere is causing forest fires to rage in countries near the Equator. Add to this coastal erosion and earthquakes that devastate everything in their paths and it is obvious that there are great changes on this planet. Global warming is real and people can argue forever whether it is a natural cycle or something that has been created by ourselves and our carbon emissions . One thing is certain, we cannot turn back the clock. Whatever we do now will not change what has happened, the damage is done. Maybe there is a God there after all who is managing this whole project and letting us know in no uncertain manner who is in charge. The good news is that this is only my humble opinion and I may be totally wrong as I have often been in the past. Tomorrow may bring a brighter day.
We live in hope.
Church Notices
Parish Pastoral Unit (Athea/ Abbeyfeale/ Mountcollins/ Templeglantine/ Tournafulla).
Fr. Tom Mangan 087-2348226, 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.
Bible Study continues in Athea Library every Wednesday evening at 7.30pm.
Mass Intentions: Saturday Oct 26th at 7.3pm – Joan O’Riordan (months mind).
Jimmy (Danny) O’Connor (20th Anniversary). Hannah Scanlon.
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
Athea Community Council
Lucky Numbers Draw 21/10/2024
No’s Drawn: 12, 15, 16, 17. No Winner
Lucky Dips
A, G, T. c/o Eilish Geoghegan
Callum O’Mahony, Athea
M. & J. Danaher, Athea
Kieran Carroll, Templeathea
Sellers Prize: Batt’s Bar & Ann Scanlon
Next Draw: 28/10/’24 Venue: Brown Joe’s
Jackpot €23,100