"PROLOGUE: Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend."
Lao Tzu.
DEATH: Sincere sympathy to Noel and family on the death of Bridget Woulfe, Mill Farm. May she rest in peace.
PRAYER MEETING IN KNOCKNAGOSHEL: Moss and Janice Carrig have a prayer meeting in St. Mary’s Church, Knocknagoshel at 3pm on Sunday, September 6. All are welcome.
CAR BOOT SALE AND INDOOR MARKET: The monthly car boot sale in aid of WL102fm (our local community Radio) will take place at the community centre, NCW (beside the GAA pitch) on Sunday, September 6 from 7.30am. Check out our FB page for further details CARBOOTNCW.
AFTERNOON TEA DANCE: You’re always guaranteed a good afternoon at Fr. Casey Clubhouse when they hold the monthly tea dances on the second Sunday of the month from September to June. The season kicks off on Sunday week, September 13 with music by Stevie Donegan and dancing from 3-6pm. All funds go to St. Mary’s Graveyard.
GIFTED TO CHURCH: Many thanks to the widow and family of the late Francis Noonan New York who gifted the church with a chalice and a beautiful vestment in his memory.
BADMINTON: Badminton for adults every Thursday 7-9pm in the GAA Sports Complex, Abbeyfeale. All are welcome. For more information contact Barbara 087 7403277
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR AFTERSCHOOLS CLUB: West Limerick Resources is starting an afterschool clubs this September for primary school children in Abbeyfeale. The club will run two afternoons a week from 3 – 4:30pm. Working with West Limerick Resources staff, volunteers are being south to help children to get the additional support they need to succeed at school including supporting them to complete homework and take part in activities including art/play/physical activities. Training will be provided along with references for volunteers who commit to one or two hours a week for an agreed time period. Garda vetting is required. Volunteers are required in Abbeyfeale on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Contact Irene on 069 66298 or email iocallaghan.
HOPE FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER: Two TY students from Colaiste Ide Agus Iosef Abbeyfeale, Frances Broderick and Ellen Scanlon are organising a ‘Youth Activity Funday’ on Sunday, September 13 at 1pm in Fr. Casey’s GAA pitch. All monies collected on the day will go towards their travel to Calcutta next year with The Hope Foundation. It will be a great family day out and there’s something for everyone. Activities include obstacle course races, tug of war, face painting, bake sale and much much more. There will be prizes to be won and fun to be had. They would appreciate your support on the day.
ST ITA’S FAITH CAMP: Martina O’Sullivan writes the following;- “Lorraine and Martina would like to thank all who helped to make this faith camp so grace filled, and also so much fun, amidst all the hard work to coordinate all the things to make this camp happen. We had 60 wonderful children aged between 5 and 12, and a big thank you to all the parents for allowing the children to come and making this camp so special for us all. Fr Patrick Cahill brought 8 wonderful people with him who have already facilitated 2 other faith camps in Munster. Without these experienced people this camp would not happen. We had 23 wonderful local adults and teens who also worked extremely hard to pass on the Love of God to these beautiful children. Thank you to Sean Woulfe for the use of the school, and to all the people who baked and cooked for us during our days working for the Good Lord. Thanks also to Brendan (Tesco store manager) who very kindly donated vouchers to help with food provision for all our volunteers. Please keep all the children in your prayers that they will stay “in touch” with Jesus. Praise and thank God for all his goodness and mercy to us. Thanks to all who helped financially and also those who prayed for the success of the camp. We are hoping for host families for the visiting volunteers from next year onwards.”
ANNUAL MASS IN ST. MARY’S GRAVEYARD; Thursday, September 3 at 7pm. All welcome.
ABBEYFEALE DRAMA GROUP: The AGM of the group will take place on Thursday, September 3 at 8.30pm.
ABBEYFEALE YOUTH CLUBS; Child protection training on Thursday, September 10/17 from 7-9pm for the new leaders. Contact Kate Murphy on 0876210490 or Anthony Scannell on 0872264023.
FEALEFIT: Best of luck to all the Fealefit crew taking part in numerous events over the weekend! This Saturday we have members taking part in the Dingle Half Marathon, Glin Tri-Athlon & Brothers of Charity Cycle!Further upcoming event’s this month, Asdee 10K / Half Marathon, Rainbow walk in the park, Killarney Womens Mini Marathon and 10mile road race , Killarney adventure race and much much more…If you wish to join us or train for any of these events or similar please feel free to contact us. All training is free of charge and open to all levels of fitness www.Fealefit.com for all details on training & Upcoming events.
RED CROSS CADET TRAINING: Enrolment for classes for people aged 13-17 years takes place at St. Ita’s Hall on Saturday, September 19 from 10.30am – 11.30am. The fee is €35 and covers Red Cross membership and classes. Contact Nicola 087 6235977 for further information.
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY EDUCATION CENTRE: As our so called summer comes to an end we delight to announce that this Autumn we will be running FETAC accredited courses in Computers, Business, Horticulture and Furniture restoration. For further details call 06831198.
ABBEY HERITAGE PROJECT; The project will hold an open day in St. Ita’s Hall on Tuesday, September 8 next where full details of the yearlong full time course ‘Pathways to Employment ‘that they offer will be available. Abbey Heritage based in St. Ita’s Hall provides fetac (QQI) accredited modules to early school leavers and people of any age who wish to return to employment or move onto further education.
THE WEST LIMERICK MAN WHO WROTE A DICTIONARY:" The book of the above title by Seaghan Mac an tSionnaigh is now available in the following local stores: Ann Lyons, the Shop, Square, Abbeyfeale, Supervalue, Bridge St. Abbeyfeale., Edmond O’Donoghue, Convent St. Abbeyfeale, Pat Buckley, Devon Road Cross, Templeglantine. The Irish Language equivalent "Focail agus Foclóireacht T.O’Neill Lane" is available from: www.coisceim.ie or Éamonn Ó Liatháin at 068 30925.
NEW SEASON OF TOASTMASTERS: If you hate the thought of standing up to speak at a meeting or getting a point across in company then Toastmasters could be the club for you. In it, you’ll get the chance to practice speaking in public within the confines of the group of people who attend the club and who are all on the same wavelength as yourself. Meetings take place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at the Desmond Complex in NCW from 8.30pm – 10.30pm. There’s always a cup of tea on offer and it’s a social night out with a chance to learn a skill that will carry you anywhere you want to go. Further information Charles 087 7972855. First meeting takes place on Wednesday, September 2.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED FOR AFTERSCHOOLS CLUBS: West Limerick Resources is starting an afterschool club in Abbeyfeale this September for primary school children. The club will run two afternoons a week (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) from 3 – 4:30pm. Working with West Limerick Resources staff, volunteers are being south to help children to get the additional support they need to succeed at school including supporting them to complete homework and take part in activities including art/play/physical activities. Training will be provided along with references for volunteers who commit to one or two hours a week for an agreed time period. Garda vetting is required. Contact Irene on 069 66298 or email iocallaghan.
YOUTH THEATRE AT THE GLORACH: Drama lovers are in for a real treat this Friday, September 4 when St Johns Youth Theatre present their production of Tiny Plays for Ireland. The pieces cover a wide range of topics and themes and comes under the direction of Chris Fitzgerald. The show was highly acclaimed when it played in Listowel last month so make sure not to miss it this Friday. The performance starts at 8 pm, and tickets can be booked by ringing 0871383940. As well as getting a chance to get a flavour of the possibilities of youth drama at the Glórach this Friday, our youth drama workshops are still running on Thursday evenings from 7 pm to 9. New members are always welcome, for further details call 0871383940.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES: Learn how to support children with learning needs at school. The free workshop will cover understanding sensory processing and motor coordination and useful strategies to incorporate into the classroom environment to improve a child’s concentration, organizational skills and handwriting. Open to parents, teachers, SNAs and childcare workers living/working in West Limerick. It takes place in Newcastle West Family and Community Hub (Upstairs Newcastle West Community Centre) on Tuesday September 29 from 7.30 -9.15pm. Booking not required. All are Welcome! For further information: Contact Theresa on 069 79113.
CULTURE NIGHT AT THE GLÓRACH: Culture night falls on Friday, September 18 and there will be a celebration of the spoken word at the Glórach to mark it. More about this in the coming weeks.
ARA NA FEILE ACTIVE RETIREMENT GROUP: We are back after our Summer Break. Our next meeting is on Wednesday, September 9 @ 2pm in the Adult Educational Centre. Hope to see all members.
SOLO IN SOUTH SUDAN: Helena Quinn daughter of Tadgh and Kathleen, Purt has returned to work with Fr. Tim Galvin on his Mission in South Sudan. Rumour has it that Fr. Tim was very glad of her last Sunday week when he got to hear the commentary from Weeshie Fogarty on her iPad as his nephew Anthony helped to extract the Kerry team from a spot of bother! Helena is teaching maths over there to students who attend the school on the Mission and this week is reflecting on her first trip two years ago to work with Fr. Tim: “One evening while I was still in Narus. I went walking with Fr. Emmanuel and Fr. Tommy Gilooley. We walked further from the village than I had been before and I was surprised to learn that about 30 minutes’ walk from St. Bakhita Girls Primary School, there was another school that I had not heard of before. It was in a place called Nachepo.
I knew that people lived in that direction. I often met the women dressed in the traditional dress with charcoal or wood on their heads walking towards Narus to trade in the market there. They carried jerry cans full of milk to market and on their return the jerrycans were full of aragi.
We came to a school seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The fences were broken down, the roof was damaged, there was no one to be seen and it looked as though there hadn’t been anyone here for a long time. The cement floors of the classrooms had cracked and in places turned to dust. There were very few benches and the unlocked classrooms were occupied only by hornets and termites.
It felt as though nature was claiming that piece of land back for itself.
I asked if children still came here. The answer came….”they come when there is food”.
This wasn’t an unusual response. I know that food is a large part of the reason parents send their children to school here. The rations provided by the school, sometimes with the help of the World Food Programme, are a huge part of the reason that children are sent to school here. It is not unusual that the only food a child will eat is the food provided in the school.
But what I can’t say is why on that day and in that place, I was so struck and so upset by the answer. The people here are hungry. I will say that the suffering here is nothing when compared to what is happening further north in the areas worst hit by the war.
The Sudan Tribune reported yesterday that there had been a sort of mini-famine in a town a short distance from here. Just twelve deaths were attributed to hunger.
“Just twelve deaths”…lets just let that sink in for a second.
If twelve people died of hunger in my home town of Abbeyfeale in Co. Limerick or in even in London where I live, what would happen? People would care, right? There would be public outcry and an investigation into how our society could have let this happen.
So why is it that here, in a country that has been ravaged by war for decades, there is no outcry? And not just here, but in so many other places across the globe.
Have we too become sensitised to hardship and suffering? We watch the news every evening and we hear about refugees drowning in the Mediterranean, civilians being executed for practising their faiths, war breaking out here, violent clashes there. I’ve grown up through the 80s and 90s with talk of the famines in Kenya, Darfur and Ethiopia. Band Aid made us all aware. We were outraged. Where is the outrage now?
During this trip, I have been deeply troubled by the fact that there are children in this world who wake up in the morning and will not eat that day. There are places in this world that we live in where hunger is normal, where the people almost accept the lack of food as a fact of life.
This is the same world where we as Europeans have experienced beef and milk mountains, where supermarkets and restaurants discard huge amounts of food every day, where we are overweight, where we carry mobile phones which cost almost an entire year of wages for a trained school teacher in somewhere like South Sudan.
I’m sorry that this turned into a loathsome rant. It wasn’t intended. I’ve been trying to write this post for weeks now. I haven’t quite been able to get my feelings out in any intelligible sense. I haven’t been able to make sense of my unexpected outrage or the fact that I’m so troubled by it now more than ever before”.
SINGING CLUB: West Limerick Singing Club are now holding their monthly singing session on the first Friday of each month in Philip Enright’s Wander Inn, Church St., Abbeyfeale at 9pm.
MEN’S SHED: The Men’s Shed is open every Monday evening from 6 -9pm. New members are always very welcome.
SAGART PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES: The annual pilgrimage takes place on from September 22-27. Contact Fr. John or Fr. Joe.
ABBEYFEALE PARENT & TODDLER GROUP: Abbeyfeale Parent & Toddler continues to meet across the summer months in St. Ita’s Hall every Tuesday & Thursday 11.30 to 12.30pm. New parents and babies/toddlers are always welcome.
ABBEYFEALE PARISH CHURCH NOTES: Parish office 11-1pm Tuesday-Friday 068 31133. +Parish Support Worker 068/31019. Counselling Appointment 061/314213.Church 068/51915, Canon John O’Shea P.P.: Tel: 068 – 31157 : 087 – 9708282, Fr Joe Foley CC: Tel: 087 – 2618412. Mass Tuesday – Saturday at 10am except in the event of a funeral when Mass is 11am. Mass Monday at 7pm, Mass on Saturday 11am followed by Confessions, Vigil Mass 7pm, Sunday 9.30am and 12 noon. Mass Intentions: Saturday 11am Tom Fitzgerald, Knocknasna. 7pm Jackie O’Grady, Dromtrasna South, Kathleen Fitzgerald, Dromtrasna North. Sunday 9.30am Mary B. McEnery, Dromtrasna, Kate and Denis Naughton, St. Ita’s Road. 12 noon. Paul Collins. Jimmy Sheehy, Kilconlea Upr.
Novena to St. Joseph Monday at the 7pm evening Mass. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena each Friday morning at 10am. Adoration every Tuesday and Friday from 8am – 10pm and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6-8pm. Next Friday is the First Friday, confessions Thursday after 10am Mass. The church Webcam is now officially switched on and broadcasting live. Almost anyone in the world can now view live broadcasts of events in Abbeyfeale parish church by logging onto www.churchservices.tv/abbeyfealeparish. A direct link from the parish website has been set up.
ADAPT: Domestic Abuse Services, based in Limerick offers supports to women and their children who are affected by abuse in their homes and intimate relationships. Support is available in Newcastle West each week and there is a new survivors group called ‘Let’s Talk’ which is open to women. A 24 Hour Freephone Helpline is available 365 days a year at 1800 200 504. Court accompaniment and many other supports are also available. A street collection will be held on Saturday, September 12 in Newcastle West to help to maintain the level of services offered to women and their children and your support would be greatly appreciated by the volunteer collectors who are kindly giving their time for this worthy cause.
DANCING CLASSES: ‘The Mc Cormack Kelly Academy of Irish dance has changed the day of classes in Athea. The class will now run on Friday at the Top of the Town at 7 PM for step dancing and 8 PM for Sean nós dancing’.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES: Learn how to support children with learning needs at school. The workshop will cover understanding sensory processing and motor coordination and useful strategies to incorporate into the classroom environment to improve a child’s concentration, organisational skills and handwriting. FREE Open to parents, teachers, SNAs and childcare workers living/working in West Limerick. Venue: Newcastle West Family and Community Hub (Upstairs Newcastle West Community Centre) Date: Tuesday September 29 from 7:30-9:15pm. Booking not required. Entrance Free. All are Welcome! For further information: Contact Theresa on 069 79113
NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS PILGRIMAGE TO KNOCK: Sunday, September 13 with chief celebrant Bishop Brendan Leahy. Call Kitty on 085 1544718 to reserve a seat on one of the many busses travelling from West Limerick.
SAFETALK: This half-day alertness workshop will prepare people to become a suicide-alert helper. Safe TALK helps people to identify persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. Following a safeTALK workshop you will be more willing and able to perform an important helping role for persons with thoughts of suicide. Suitable for everyone over 15, who wants to help prevent suicide including front line workers, clergy, volunteers, parents, teachers, citizens etc. Where: Askeaton Community Centre When: September 3, 2015. Time: 4:45 – 9pm. Cost: Free. Please Note: This course will only run if there is sufficient interest in the area. Places need to be reserved. Call/ text Irene on 087 4477338/ 069 66298.
NEW PLAY AT THE GLORACH: Rehearsals are in progress as the Glorach prepare to host a new production at the end of the month. The play is Audacity by Simon Mawdsley, an exciting comedy thriller featuring a stellar local cast and directed by Merce Hobson.
COMMUNITY SPORTS PROGRAMME: Limerick Sports Partnership is running a Community Sports Programme for Job Seekers 2 days per week in Newcastle West starting mid-September in Newcastle West. This is open to people who have been unemployed for 12 months or over and will run for 14 weeks. Upon completion, participants will receive Introductory Coaching Certificates including Active Leadership, Coaching Children, Disability Inclusion & Kick Start 1 (FAI) as well as a Level 4 certificate in Career Planning. Where possible, transport will be provided for participants from Askeaton, Rathkeale, Abbeyfeale or en route from these locations. This course will include a 28 hour work placement in a community setting. Contact Liam or Kathleen in the LSP at 061-333600. Alternatively, call Irene in West Limerick Resources at 06966298. Applications are to be received by August 26. Places are limited to 12.
CO. LIMERICK DRUG AND ALCOHOL DROP IN CENTRE: If drugs or alcohol are a problem and you are over 18 then free help is available with no appointment necessary at the Hospital Family Resource Centre, Knockainey Road, Hospital. The service which is staffed by HSE Drug and Alcohol Outreach workers will be available on every second Wednesday from 10am – 12 noon. For further information contact Geraldine on 086 6076573 or Deirdre on 086 3840526.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS: Athletes and Volunteers will be returning to training in the Community Centre, NCW on Tuesday, September 15 at 7pm. Congratulations to everyone on the success of the World Games recently.
YOUTH DAY 2016: World Youth Day Cracow 2016 World Youth day is a Catholic youth festival which take s place roughly every three years and is attended by 3-5 million young people. There are various events and celebrations during the week ranging from workshops to concerts and it all finishes with a pilgrimage walk, and overnight vigil and an enormous outdoor Mass with Pope. Participants must be aged 18 or over at the time of travel. For information please contact Aoife/ Chris in the Limerick Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Limerick 061/400133. awalsh
JOE HARRINGTON’S RADIO PROGRAMME: Internet radio programme on www.irishcountrymusicradio.com Every Saturday 9pm to midnight (Irish Time). Country and Irish Music presented by …Joe Harrington
click on www.irishcountrymusicradio.com
It’s also on every Tuesday 8 to 11pm (Irish Time).
IRISH TV: Check out local stories on http://www.irishtv.ie/
TRAINING PROGRAMMES: If you’ve experienced a personal setback, long-term illness, have a disability or are an early school leaver one of National Learning Network’s full-time Courses will give you the confidence to open up new opportunities for further training or employment. Our FETAC Courses range from Catering to I.T., P.C. Maintenance to Employer Based Training and our Employability Skills Programme is aimed in particular at early school leavers. To find out more: ring Val or Trish at 061 229777 or look up www.nln.ie
MATING SEASON: Day Trip to Lisdoonvarna on Wednesday September 16, leaving Newcastle west 12.30pm, we will not be too late returning. Cost for the trip just the bus fare, everyone sort out their own refreshments. We will have lots of time for dancing to the various bands in the different hotels. We will pick up en route Rathkeale, Croagh, Adare, and the South Court Hotel. For more information and booking contact Maureen 087 9845102. Maureen has also plans for a weekend break during October and a shopping trip to Blanchestown Shopping Centre on Sunday, November 22 so if your life is looking dull and dreary she’s the woman to get you out and about.
UPDATE FROM FR. PAT MOORE: One of the things I have been consciously doing in this journaling is to talk and write as near to life’s experience as I possibly can. A person that has always nourished me on that path is my friend Dee. Last June 30 she wrote: "I am here in Listowel thinking of all the wonder you have brought into my life and so many others. Now you are in Cork, feeling and healing the wonder that is loving kindness. It seems we have to be brought to the edge of ourselves in order to really trust and feel the palpable energy of human kindness. Like the poem you must “wake up with sorrow and you must speak to it till your voice catches the threads of all sorrow". The poem goes on to say that only kindness ties your shoes. It’s such a beautiful analogy as you can imagine the child getting the shoes tied by the mother. There is a reference of care and regard beyond the ordinary. You are held and blessed Pat by all that you love and love you back. They say that attention is prayer. What we pay attention to grows. Hence it is necessary to unravel our baggage, and refine our personal stuff, unbusy it and walk lighter on the earth. Your journey and recording of your experience is courageous, opening up your vulnerabilities. It gives us all hope and courage to carry on, put down our baggage with a chance to heal the deeper wounds we don’t often let the air at. So glad you are on the way back to us with a renewed lightness of being" Dee called this evening and I quote the above with her permission. Dee survived cancer and her connections always stay with me. So much of what people have said to me reminds me we are here to become better people and we do. There are doubts, suspicions and fears and when we overcome these we learn there is a value in other ways of looking at things, be it a doctors way or a prayers way. If I can build a church within myself I can bring about the inner transformation. Our nature is to be compassionate, affectionate and creative. Being prayerful or mindful reveals this gentle nature in us.
SUPPORT MEETING: Aware Depression Support Group meets: Killarney – Mondays, KDYS at 8pm,Tralee – Tuesdays, meeting room at rear of St. John’s Church at 8pm .Aware Support Groups are free to attend, no referral necessary. www.aware.ie
CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING: West Limerick Resources in conjunction with Barnardos is offering a one day Child Protection Training Course on Saturday September 5 in Newcastle West from 10am to 4.30pm. The aim of this training is to equip community groups involving children with the skills and knowledge necessary to deal with child protection issues in line with the Children First Guidelines. After taking part in the training, participants will understand their legal responsibilities and be aware of the need and procedures to record concerns appropriately. Free of charge to members of community groups (excluding sporting organisations) operating in the West Limerick area. To register contact Suzanne on 069 79114 or email srowley.
NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS: The Irish Church will celebrate a National Eucharistic Congress on the weekend ofSeptember 26-28 at Knock Shrine, Co Mayo.
The theme for the National Congress is “Christ Our Hope”.
Abbeyfeale Gathering Festival 