Community notices 4th July 2021

PROLOGUE:  “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”  Dolly Parton.

DEATHS:  We offer our sympathy to the family of Teresa Riordan, Banard whose funeral took place on Friday last, to the family of William ( Billy) O’Sullivan, Springmount whose funeral took place on Saturday, to the family of Sean Casey, Knocknasna/ England whose funeral will took place on Tuesday.  We also offer sincere sympathy to Cllr. John Sheahan on the unexpected death of his mother Anne Sheahan, Ballyguiltane, Glin whose funeral took place on Saturday. May they rest in peace.

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR ABBEYFEALE TOWN PARK:  A box for donations to help keep Abbeyfeale Town Park open has been affixed to the wall of the public toilets in the park.  A Go Fund Me page has also been set up.  The park which has proved to be such a godsend during the lockdown is struggling because the usual fundraising activities it depends on for support have had to be curtailed.  It is used daily by hundreds of people and takes a lot of upkeep so funds are urgently required.

LEARN CPR:  Go onto the Irish Heart Foundation website and learn how to do CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)  and maybe if someone collapses you’ll have the skills to save their life.

WEST LIMERICK MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION:  Wellness Wednesday – a 30 minute programme on WL102fm and sponsored by the West Limerick Mental Health Association begins on July 14 from 11 -11.30am.

CAR BOOT SALE:  At the Community Centre NCW next to Aldi and the GAA pitch on Saturday, July 10 from 8.30am – 1pm.  Admission €2.  Stall holders may book by calling 069 69584.  All proceeds to the Community Centre. NB  I had it down for Sunday in last week’s notes but  July 10 actually falls on a Saturday.

GLÓRACH, OUR COMMUNITY AND COVID:  Manager of our community theatre John Nelligan writes:  “Where better to start than to tap into the hopes and aspirations that were the foundations for many of President Kennedy’s speeches in dealing with the ramifications generated by Covid.   We accept the need to follow the guidelines, not because they are easy, which is something they’re not, and in so doing we embrace the challenge of making it safe for the citizenry of our Republic to return to as near a normal mode of living as will be possible in this 21^st century. It used to be the case that on attaining the age of twenty one, it was deemed that one had come of age; how we should view our planet having come of age, in terms of centuries, is a matter for debate by “the great and the good” among us. That goal of a return to normality will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we, as a Nation, willingly accept and one that we are unwilling to postpone; and inasmuch as “time and tide wait for none”, neither will Covid put on hold its objective of infecting every man, woman and child on the Planet.  Let every virus know, whether it plans to plague us with great or minor ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support our country men and women, to assure the survival and success, of this, our young Republic. The green shoots of normality are beginning to appear, with the successful launch of many pilot events where the public were in attendance, albeit at much reduced capacity. In our own case we have been permitted to host Drive-In Bingo at the GAA Car Park, here in Abbeyfeale and because people are required to remain in their vehicles throughout, there is no upper limit on attendance. We have been encouraged by your support of our initiative and in association with our partners in the venture, Fr Casey’s GAA Club, whose grounds and facilities we use, and Abbeyfeale District Search & Rescue who provide stewarding for the event, want to state our great appreciation and thanks to you in providing much needed revenue for all three voluntary organisations.  In the intervening period, since March 9^th of last year, when Glórach held its last event at the Theatre, we have taken the opportunity to carry out a much needed upgrade to the building and the facilities contained within. In short, €120,000 has been spent on improvements, mainly, but not just, insulation, lighting and sound – with €55,000 coming from a grant under The Leader Scheme and the balance of €65,000 being generated from a combination of accumulated funds and a bank loan. And, as there are plans for further enhancements to the facility when funds permit, our need for continuing streams of revenue is greater than ever as is our need for your support and patronage.  We will continue to host Drive-In Bingo at the GAA grounds in Abbeyfeale every Sunday, until further notice, with a 2pm start. And, in association with Fr Casey’s & ADSAR we hope to be the source of a little entertainment and light relief for the foreseeable future. So, having opened with a reference to President Kennedy, I will close with an acknowledgement to President Obama – “Is feidir Linn”.

ELDERLY: Bishops have welcomed the introduction by Pope Francis of a new World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which will be celebrated for the first time this year by the Universal Church on Sunday 25 July.

ST. ITA’S DAY CARE CENTRE: St Ita’s Day Care Centre, Abbeyfeale are now doing Meals on Wheels. If anyone is interested or would like further information please contact Jane/Norma at 068 51850.

LETTER FROM FR. TONY:  “ The school year is coming to conclusion and we want to wish all the pupils and staff members of our parish schools a very happy and safe holiday. Due to the ongoing pandemic it has been another challenging year for everyone in our school communities. We acknowledge the great work done to ensure that our schools remained open during this difficult period. This could only have been achieved by the collaboration and goodwill of everyone involved. For our 6thclass children, it is the end of their time at primary school. It is a time for them both to look back and give thanks for all that they have learned, for the life-long friends they have made and for the care and guidance of their teachers. They look forward to new schools, new friends and new beginnings in September. We wish them every blessing and success in the years ahead. Thank you to all our teachers and staff member who worked tirelessly throughout the year to meet the needs of all the children entrusted to their care.Thank you to the parents who work with their children, and the school, to support the home-school connection that is vital for pupil success. Thank you to all those parents and guardians who volunteered to assist our schools in so many ways. Your involvement is invaluable. Thanks to all the members of the boards of management for their time, their interest and their management of our parish schools. Finally, we thank our children for always working to the best of their ability throughout the school year. We are confident that they will continue to build upon the knowledge and skills that they acquired this school year. Wishing all of you a wonderful summer filled with blessings and God’s grace. Be safe and enjoy the days ahead of rest and relaxation!!”

CHURCH NEWS:    Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414, Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030, Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219. Priest on Call during the summer months Fr Dan Lane will be on call every Wednesday. Fr Mullins will not be available on Wednesdays. Fr Lane can be contacted on 087-2533030I.   No Saturday morning Mass.  Priest on Call During the summer months Fr Dan Lane will be on call every Wednesday. Fr Mullins will not be available on Wednesdays. Fr Lane can be contacted on 087-2533030.  Mass Intentions:  Wednesday 10am Mary O’Riordan Purt Yard.  Sunday 10am John Michael Kennelly.  12noon Joe Thompson, Knocknasna. Mary & Tom Flynn.

Trocaire Boxes/ donations can still be handed in to the church during Mass times. Thank you for your very generous contribution so far. The amount sent to Trocaire on your behalf was €12, 490.   Following another update on the easing of Gov / HSE restrictions around Covid-19, the Church of the Assumption can now accept up to 130 people attending Masses only and up to 50 attending Weddings and Funerals. Stewards will direct you to hand-sanitising stations and then to your seat. Seats will be clearly marked. Stewards will also direct you to Holy Communion.  For those who wish to stay in their cars in the Church Car Park, Mass will be broadcast on 107fm.  For the time being we are suggesting that people come to Mass just once a week in order to allow everyone in the Parish the chance to attend Mass.  The two metre social distancing rule still applies. The seats will be clearly marked. Three individual people from different households to a seat. Families from the same household may sit together. The stewards will direct you to Holy Communion and at the end of Mass we are asking people to exit the church gradually and safely. Should the church be filled parishioners will be able to hear Mass in the car park through the Car Park Radio. Tune your car radio to 107FM. For Holy Communion we ask you to remain in your car and Holy Communion will be brought to you. The church will need to be cleaned thoroughly after each time that it is used. The cleaning of the building after each Mass is essential to maintain safety and prevent the spread of the virus. Please use sanitiser, available at entrances and exits to the church· Social Distancing must be adhered to at all times and please wear your mask for added safety.   The Church will be divided into ‘pods’ (of no more than 50 persons in each), giving us welcome extra capacity· Each Section has its own entrance / exit route with strictly no movements between ‘pods’,   It is the ‘law of the land’, so please do not exceed or ask for exception. The current Mass schedule will remain in place for the summer months.

Funerals:  Following Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings all funeral are private to family only. In compliance with the current HSE guidelines the number attending a funeral Mass is currently limited to fifty people. People who come to pay their respects in the car park or the cemetery are reminded not to shake hands with the bereaved.

Priest on Call During the summer months Fr Dan Lane will be on call every Wednesday. Fr Mullins will not be available on Wednesdays. Fr Lane can be contacted on 087-2533030.  Postponement of the Celebration of Confirmation & First Holy Communion.  There is great disappointment in the parish this week following the decision to postpone the celebration of Confirmation and First Holy Communion. Earlier this week the Department of Public Health Mid-West, Health Service Executive, strongly advised parishes to postpone the celebration of Confirmation and First Communion until September. The HSE indicated the reasons for this recommendation are: 1) the rate of infection is still high; 2) a lot of parents will not have been vaccinated; 3) a lot of queries asking for their recommendation. A spokesperson for the HSE told the Limerick Leader this week that “While we are confident that churches and places of worship have been generally safe environments within the parameters of Public Health guidelines, indoor gatherings and celebrations traditionally associated with Communions and Confirmations are considered high-risk settings for those who are unvaccinated,” There is also concern that the situation will become more serious still with the Delta variant and who knows what might happen next week regarding the easing of restrictions for July 5th. We will keep the situation under review and please God come September we will be in a much safer position to celebrate the sacraments. Meanwhile we encourage parents to continue to pray with their children and to bring them to Mass during the summer holidays. We acknowledge the huge amount of work done by teachers and parents in preparing the children for our ceremonies in July. This work will stand to the children when we do get to celebrate the sacraments in the autumn.

CYCLING; Seán Kelly has launched the four-day Tour across Munster,  the marathon journey will commence on August 5. Now in its 21st year, the event will raise funds for the Munster branches of Down Syndrome Ireland.

REEK SUNDAY: The annual Reek Sunday Pilgrimage on Croagh Patrick, will be going ahead this year in an extended format from Wednesday to Saturday, 1- 31 July. Pilgrims are asked to plan their climb well in advance, and to choose a weekday when Croagh Patrick is quieter. The Reek Pilgrimage normally takes place on the last Sunday in July.

ESB runs a visitor experience in the power station at Ardnacrusha from  May to September each year, with visitor numbers of 10,000 annually.

SPRINGBOARD 2021: 12,000 courses are being provided, details from 1800 303 523.

MUNSTER Technological University has €2,219,980 in funding to provide 837 places under the Government’s Springboard+ and Human Capital Initiatives for year 2021/2022.

SCHOLARSHIP available from Danaher McGrath Trust, details from  local  schools.

VACCINE ETHICS AND EQUITY: Those who have received their full vaccination are encouraged to donate the price of a vaccine to Unicef to enable a person in the Third World to have equal opportunity with those of us lucky enough to live in the First World.