PROLOGUE: It isn’t where you came from; it’s where you’re going that counts."
Ella Jane Fitzgerald
MESSAGE FROM CLLR. LIAM GALVIN: “Just to let you know that library in Abbeyfeale will re open on Tuesday, September 29. Work will be carried out next week to comply with Covid restrictions”.
COFFEE MORNING FOR HOSPICE: Thursday, September 24 is the National Coffee Morning For Hospice. Mary McArthur is hosting one in the open air, at her home in Caherhayes, commencing at 11am, and continuing through until 4.30, observing HSE guidelines on Social Distancing. Proceeds will be shared between Kerry and Milford Hospices. Donations gratefully accepted. Further details from Mary on 087 6377310.
ABBEYFEALE TOWN PARK: Congratulations to everyone concerned with the Town Park which, this week, received its second International Green Flag. Great credit is due to the CE Scheme personnel, past and present and the Town Park Management Committee. The Town Park is a great amenity and is used by all sectors of the community. Recently Abbeyfeale Town Park was lucky to receive €40,000 in grant aid and this money will be used to upgrade walkways throughout the Park.
FAREWELL TO FR. SHOJI: Mass at the weekend was very emotional as our PP Fr Tony Mullins said a fond farewell to our curate Fr. Shoji who arrived here on St. Patrick’s Day 2019 and made such an impression on all parishioners over the past 18 months with his gentle, prayerful manner, his sense of humour, his friendliness and his care for all the people he got to know and he did get to know a lot in a short time. Fr. Tony told us about the hot spicy curries that his new curate cooked for him and how Fr. Shoji would always check with him the following day to make sure there were no side effects! Fr. Shoji has been appointed to the pastoral care team in UHL and leaves us tomorrow, Thursday. The pastoral council have invited Fr. Shoji back in a couple of weeks for a presentation and over the next week people who wish to be associated with the presentation can drop their donation to the boxes available in the church.
HEALY-HARNETT CENTENARY COMMEMORATION: On Sunday, September 20 relatives of Jeremiah Healy and Patrick Harnett assembled at Begley’s Forge, Bridge Street, Abbeyfeale for the Healy – Harnett Centenary Commemoration. James Harnett was the M.C. and welcomed all those attending. Maurice O’Connell, Chairperson of Abbeyfeale Community Council delivered an oration on the events leading up to the deaths of the two young men. As the Angelus Bells rang out, at 6.00 p.m., lone piper Gerard Baynham, led the group to the Memorial Monument that marks the spot where they died on the Killarney Road. A minute’s silence was then observed followed by the laying of wreaths by the nieces and nephew of the deceased, Kathleen Leahy, Birdie Collins, Ita Creedon and John O’Connor. Gerard Baynham then played a slow air which he had composed especially for the Centenary. The group, led by Piper Gerard Baynham then made their way to St. Mary’s Cemetery where the two men are laid to rest side by side. The graveside reflection, written by Kelley Ní Airtnéada, was delivered by Noreen Sexton FitzGerald. Jeremiah Healy and Billy Harnett laid wreaths on the graves. The National Anthem was followed by a decade of the Rosary which brought the ceremony to a close. A recording of the Healy-Harnett Centenary Commemoration will be available to view online, details to follow.
To quote Gustav Mahler: Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire.
Members of the organising Committee would like to say a special thank you to James Harnett, Maurice O’Connell, Abbeyfeale Community Council, Stephen Fennelly, Gerard Baynham, Andy and Liz Keane, Mike Healy and Family, Kathleen Leahy and family, Dermot Healy, Kelley and Tutsy Harnett and all the relatives of Jeremiah Healy and Patrick Harnett who attended the Centenary Commemoration.
HOLY HOUR: Every Tuesday morning in the Church of the Assumption from 9-10am and every Wednesday in Templeglantine church from 7-8pm. All welcome.
DRIVE IN BINGO: Glórach Theatre launched their On-Tour Bingo at the Fr. Casey’s car park in Abbeyfeale at the beginning of this month. Due to its success it is planned to continue the Bingo for the Sundays in October, when gates will be open from 1pm and Game Time is 2.30pm. Glórach are guaranteeing a minimum of €3,050 in prize money each Sunday. Wheelchair friendly facilities are available.
SELLING ONLINE – MOVING YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE: This free three-hour course will provide you with all the information required to create a business plan for moving online with your business. Course date: Wednesday, October 7, from 10am to 1pm. Delivered by Talent Pool and supported by Limerick Local Enterprise Office, it is open to all new and existing businesses operating in the West Limerick area. This training will be carried out through Zoom and pre-booking is essential. In relation to one-to-one, group meetings and the current situation regarding Coronavirus, please see Notice to Public above. For further information and to book your place, please contact Aimee Grigg at West Limerick Resources on 069 66295 or email agrigg
WEST LIMERICK COMMUNITY RADIO PLAYING THEIR PART: WL102fm has provided a great service throughout West Limerick since the lockdown began with Mass broadcast every Sunday morning at 10am to all the people who are cocooning . Advertising and fundraising pay their expenses and like everyone else they need money to survive. Please buy a ticket for their weekly draw and help them stay on air – it’s as simple as that – you’ll never miss the water ‘til the well runs dry. Tickets on sale at Ann Lyons’s, The Square for €2 each. Please be generous in your support. They are also need volunteers to help run the station.
CHURCH NEWS: The church is now fully reopened and will seat 50 in the body of the church, 42 in one side aisle and 39 in the other. Face coverings are mandatory. All Masses will be stewarded and the church will be fully sanitised after each Mass. Mass on Monday at 7pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10am except if there is a funeral then Mass which will be private will be at 11am. There will be a Vigil Mass on Saturday evening at 6.30pm and Sunday Masses at 10am and 12 noon.. If the church is full then people are welcome to park on the Grotto side of the car park as Mass is broadcast there on loudspeakers and Holy Communion will be distributed at the Grotto by a Minister for the Eucharist. You can get Radio Maria via Saorview Channels 210/411 and listen to Mass and Rosary which is broadcast daily. Wednesday, September 23 is the Feast of Saint Padre Pio (Saint Pio of Pietrelcina).
BECOME A BIODIVERSITY LEADER IN YOUR COMMUNITY WITH WEST LIMERICK RESOURCES: We are now taking applications for an online training programme to help you become a Biodiversity Leader in your community. The training is free of charge and will be held as a series of webinars taking place on Wednesday evenings, beginning September 16, and running for eleven weeks. A certificate will be awarded to each participant who completes 75% or more of the course. Three trainers will cover different aspects of Biodiversity. Places are limited to 30 and participants will need access to internet and a smart phone or laptop. Due to Covid-19 the entire course will be held online through Zoom and assistance can be given to show participants how to link in. For further enquiries or application form please email Fran at biodiversityleader
ABBEYFEALE FARMERS’ MARKET: Helga is back with a fine selection of locally grown vegetables which are chemical free. We also have a new stall holder – Máire Griffen from Beale who has set up a new company called OrganiGo making organic noodles from beetroot, butternut squash and courgettes and we hope you’ll all give her a turn.
ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT: Now that the winter is on its way be sure and check that your security lighting is in working order. Check the panic button is working by pressing it and speaking to the monitoring service – that’s why they are there 24 hours a day and why you are paying a yearly monitoring service fee. Gardai are asking people to let them know when people call selling goods or offering services on 068 30010. We are still accepting donations of €10 to help run our text alert system as the funds we raised some years ago have now run out When you reach the age of 65 and live alone or with a person/s aged over 65 you are entitled to receive a monitored alarm system. But if you have younger people living in the house who are out for long periods of the day then, because you are spending hours alone you are also entitled to the system provided that you are over 65. The free equipment is provided by Pobal following an application from Abbeyfeale Community Alert, there will be a monitoring fee to be paid from the second year of installation to the installing company of €72. There may be some confusion over the word free – the equipment which costs in the region of €400 is provided free of charge by Pobal as is the first year of monitoring but after that you will be charged by the installing company for the monitoring. If you fulfil the criteria for a panic button the installing company will drop the gear to your door and then let you set up the connection yourself with assistance over the phone from their staff. I have been assured that it’s only a matter of connecting a cable and anyone can do it. I have not included the phone numbers of the committee in this notice but if you want to get a panic button then ring Abbeyfeale Garda Station on 068 30010 and they will contact one of us. Should you not have a landline the installing company Task provide a sim card at a rate of €7.50 per month payable from day one. Then, in year two you will also receive a bill for the monitoring fee so in year one the bill will be €90 and in year two and every other year after it will €162 approx. If you wish you can arrange a direct debit and pay this amount off monthly. We recently received a query about the application of VAT to the monitoring charge, your bill shows VAT but it is included in the cost not extra to it. Committee members are Michael O’Kelly N.T., Seamus Stack, Mossie Gleeson, Kathleen Collins, Mary McArthur, John O’Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O’Connell, Marian Harnett.
WEST LIMERICK RESOURCES: The Offices of West Limerick Resources remain closed to the public but all staff are available to contact. Please ring 069 62222 with any queries and you will be directed to the appropriate staff member.
HELPLINES: Jigsaw support line is now up and running on freefone 1800 JIGSAW (544 729). It will provide free mental health support and advice to young people aged 12 to 25 years old, and parents or concerned adults who live in the Republic of Ireland.
Men suffering domestic abuse operates 36 hours a week on 1800816588. Men’s Aid (Amen) 01 5543811 Monday – Friday 9-5pm. 24 hour helplines for women suffering domestic abuse 1800 341900 or Adapt 1800 200504. Limerick Social Services: 061-314111. AA 061/311222 Al-Anon 086/8143425. Parent Support worker 068/31019. Accord NCW 069/61000. BEREAVEMENT SERVICE: A new national freephone bereavement support line has been launched by the Irish Hospice Foundation in conjunction with the HSE to assist staff and the public during the Pandemic.. The national freephone service, 1800 80 70 77 is available Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm. Samaritans Freephone 116123 or text 087/2609090 or email Aware (Depression & Anxiety) 1980 303 302 National Suicide Helpline (Pieta House) 1800 247 247 Irish Advocacy Network (Peer advocacy in mental health) 01 872 8684 Pieta House (Suicide & self-harm) 01 623 5606 IACP (Counselling & Psychotherapy) 01 230 3536 Shine: (Supporting people affected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222. ACCORD; are now offering over the phone counselling for couples, Individuals & family members during this time of unprecedented stress & pressure during these weeks of COVID-19. Call: 01 5313331. Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203 068/ 31262 068/51984 St Vincent De Paul Tel 087/1213560 . Counselling Appointment 061/314213. ALONE; has launched a national support line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to the outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Professional staff are available to answer queries and give advice and reassurance where necessary. The support line is open Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm, by calling 0818 222 024. Hours may be extended to meet the demand.
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Abbeyfeale Gathering Festival 