Community notices 17th Nov 2020

PROLOGUE: “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.”

– Francis of Assisi

DEATH: Sincere sympathy to the family of the late Ita O’Connor, nee Harnett, Rathoran, Duagh and Purt who died in her 93^rd year.  May she rest in peace.

NOONANS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS;  It is with a heavy heart that the Noonan Family have, after 19 years of stunning exhibitions , been forced to cancel this year’s charity display in the interest of the health and safety of their patrons.  The family have organised an online fundraiser and you can donate at this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/noonans-lights-for-charity

AID TO THE CHURCH IN NEED:  Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is Ireland’s leading charity for protecting the rights of Christians and supporting the suffering and persecuted Church. Founded in Dublin in 1947, ACN have been dedicated to the service of fellow Christians around the world. ACN have national offices in over 20 countries, which in turn deliver help to fellow Christians in over 140 countries around the world. Every year Aid to the Church in Need hosts the Week of Witness, a week of campaigning and prayer for persecuted Christians around the world. Red Wednesday is the central event of the Week of Witness. Red Wednesday is a day to gather and draw attention to the plight of those who are persecuted and oppressed for their religious beliefs. Cathedrals, churches and public buildings around the world will light up in red to show solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This year ,Red Wednesday will take place on the 25 November. It is clear that the persecution of Christians is reaching a crisis point. In terms of the number of people involved, the gravity of the acts committed, and their impact, not only are Christians more persecuted than any other faith group, but ever-increasing numbers are experiencing the worst forms of persecution. The purpose of Red Wednesday is to join together and raise a strong voice in support of the persecuted who are unable to speak freely, and who look to us -their brothers and sisters in Christ -to speak on their behalf. We will have more details next week.

.A PRAYER FOR OUR DECEASED LOVED ONES:  Take some time today, and every day of the month to remember your deceased loved ones.  Give thanks to God for them and the love they have shown during their time on earth. Take time to visit their graves.  Pray for them each day, using this or a similar prayer:  Dear Lord, Thank you for our loved ones whom You have called from this life.  Watch over them and protect them and bring them to fullness of Eternal joy where we hope one day to be united with them in Your presence forever.  Amen. Killarney Parish Newsletter.

A MESSAGE FROM JAMES HARNETT; One of the most distressing aspects of the pandemic lockdown was the curtailment of the traditional Irish funeral. Baptisms, confirmations and weddings can all be postponed, but funerals must take place at the time of death. At the very time in their lives that the bereaved most require the support of friends and neighbours, Covid 19 has greatly restricted that community involvement.   New ways have been found to offer sympathy and support to those in mourning, online books of condolence, live streaming of Requiem Mass, guards of honour at church and cemetery. At present funeral homes are not open to the public, so, in memory of deceased friends and neighbours in this month of November,  Harnett’s Funeral Home has displayed on its window a selection of memoriam cards collected by the late Moss Harnett from the 1950s to the 1990’s.

DEBUT NOVEL LAUNCH:  At a recent launch ceremony in Newcastle West the Mayor of Limerick, Cllr Michael Collins welcomed the publication by The Limerick Writers’ Centre of the debut novel of local writer Pat McLoughlin entitled The Canary in the Mine. The novel charts the ups and downs of a diverse collection of Irish emigrants who come together in 1950s London. In their daily struggles, the full spectrum of conditions, emotions and feelings are experienced: love, companionship, loyalty, separation, abuse, honesty, deceit, despair, but above all, hope – they all have a story to tell. The proceeds from Pat’s novel will go to Friends of St Ita’s. It is available at the following: Ann Lyons’s shop, Abbeyfeale; or www.limerickwriterscentre.com.

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 and Moss the Farmers’.  Congratulations to James Quirke Duagh who recently won the weekly raffle with a ticket bought in Ann Lyons’s.   Please be generous in your support.  They are also need volunteers to help run the station.

BE WINTER READY:  Be Prepared:  Have a small supply of non perishable, easy-to-prepare foods.  Keep extra supplies of essential medication in case it is difficult to get to the doctor/pharmacy.  Have an adequate supply of fuel for heating/cooking and if possible a suitable alternative should the main supply fail.  Have batteries for torches and alternative light sources in the event of power cuts.  Have a water container to ensure a supply of drinking water.  Know how to turn off your water supply.  Keep mobile phones charged up -have local emergency numbers in your phone.  Have a suitable snow shovel (but any shovel or spade will do).  Know your EIRCODE.  (HSE website).

CHURCH NEWS:  Fr Tony Mullins 0872600414 Fr Dan Lane (Retired) 087/2533030 Fr Denis Mullane 087/26219.  The church has closed and Masses are now back on line on  www. Church Services tv.   Masses at the usual times:  7pm Monday, 10am Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday except in the event of a funeral when Mass will be at 11am.   Saturday Vigil Mass 6.30pm, Sunday 10am and 12 noon.  The Blessed Sacrament Chapel is open every day from 11-6pm for private prayer.  Mass Intentions: Thursday 10am Lizzie Morris, Moyne, Co. Longford. Saturday 6.30pm Mary Kelly late of Athea & Co Down. Tom Doody and deceased family members.   Connie Harnett, Collins Park.  Finton Hoare, Knockbrack. Sr Ann O’Sullivan Month Mind.  Sunday 10am Cornelius O’Rourke, The Hill.  12noon Madge & Paddy Woulfe, Kilconlea Lower. Michael Reidy, Bogmount.  The celebration of Masses will continue online during this period, except for the 11.00am Saturday morning Mass which will no longer take place.  All Mass intentions that are booked to be celebrated over the next three weeks will be offered as planned.  Parishioners can link in online through the Church Services TV Network and the 10.00am Sunday morning Mass will continue to be broadcast on West Limerick 102FM.  Priests will not be making any house calls in the parish during the current situation, except for a necessary pastoral visit. All contacts with the church should be through the telephone or by email. [email protected] Tel Church 068/51915 during Mass times.  The Tree of remembrance will be in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for the month of the Holy Souls. You are invited at your own convenience to place the names of your deceased relatives on it. Tags will be available beside the tree.  Parish Finance: I am very aware that it is a challenging and stressful time for everyone. During this time of economic uncertainty, the ongoing financial support of all who contribute to the parish is greatly appreciated.  In recent weeks we have put a donate facility on the parish website and parishioners have begun to use this facility to make contributions to the parish. This is a simple method of contributing to the parish. Just click on to the parish website at www.abbeyfealeparish.ieand you will see a Donatebutton on the right hand side on the front page of the website. Just follow the instructions and you will be able to make your donation to the parish.

ACCORD PRE-MARRIAGE COURSES AND COUNSELLING SERVICES: Until at least May 2021 Accord pre-marriage courses will take place live on-line with up to 12 couples; via ZOOM, they will be interactive and delivered by 2 presenters. Accord has also resumed face to face counselling. Contact Accord by Phone or online to book.

WEST LIMERICK RESOURCES SICAP RURAL AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICE would love to hear from you about the training and skills (Safe Pass, Manual Handling, Food Safety, Infection Control for example) you need to improve your work prospects. We have a very short anonymous questionnaire on our Facebook page which you can complete in less than a minute, or if you would like to go through the questionnaire in person, you can contact Finn (087 759 1951) or Eddie (087 653 5156) directly and we can talk you through the questions over the phone.  Your feedback will help us to design and plan our winter training schedule, so please take part and help us to help you get back to work.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TBNM82N

ALONE:  We provide resources and training to new and well established befriending and support services. Training options are available to both the staff of services and their volunteersFurther information : email [email protected] or call ALONE on 01-679 1032.

ABBEYFEALE COMMUNITY ALERT:  Just a reminder that if you have a panic button and you change your telecom provider you need to let us know as if you change to an Internet provider then there is a cable that we have to get for you.  Also wear the button – hanging it off the bedpost or on the back of the armchair or putting it in the cupboard will be of no use if you fall or have an unwelcome caller.  What if you hit it off the door and it goes off, that’s what you are paying a monitoring fee for – to have it answered immediately.   An Garda Síochána are hoping that by raising awareness of some simple crime prevention measures, such as locking up and lighting up, less Irish families will have to endure the pain of being burgled this winter.  If going out, Irish homeowners should endeavour to make sure their home looks occupied – to Lock Up and Light Up. Use timer switches to turn on lights, lock all doors and windows, store keys away from windows and letterboxes, and use your alarm.  Taking these simple steps will lessen a home’s vulnerability, deter burglars and protect homes.   ( Lock up, light up campaign).   If you have a panic button, check to make sure it 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. 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., Chairman Seamus Stack, Secretary Mossie Gleeson,  Assistant Treasurer Kathleen Collins, Assistant Secretary Mary McArthur, John O’Sullivan, Billy Quirke N.T., Cllr. Francis Foley, Catherine Daly, Maurice O’Connell, Assistant Treasurer 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: Hospice Bereavement Line 1800807077 Monday to Friday 10am – 1pm. 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.   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.