community notices 4th Dec 2018

PROLOGUE:  “Look to the future, because that is where you’ll spend the rest of your life.”
George Burns.

DEATH:  We offer our sympathy to the family of James (Jim) Lane, Meenkilly whose funeral took place at the 12noon Mass on Sunday last. May he rest in peace.

MASS TIMES:  Mass Times in the Pastoral Area Unit; Abbeyfeale – Saturday 6.30pm   and    Sunday   9.15am & 12noon.    Athea -   Saturday 7.30pm and Sunday 10.30am. Mountcollins   – Sunday 11am.  Templeglantine – Saturday 6pm and Sunday 10.00 am.  Tournafulla    -   Saturday 7.30pm.

ABBEYFEALE PARISH CHURCH:  Fr Tony Mullins PP 087/2600414.  Fr Brendan Duggan 087/0562674. Fr Denis Mullane 087/2621911. Parish Church 068/51915. Parish Office; Open 11:00 – 1:00 p.m. Tues. – Fri. (068) 31133    Email: [email protected]   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 [email protected] 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 effected by mental ill health) 01 860 1620 061 – 412111 or Free phone 1850609090 A.A. 061-311222 Al-Anon 086-8143425 Bereavement Support: 068 / 31203    068/ 31262    068/51984    St Vincent De Paul    Tel 087/1213560 .  Counselling Appointment    061/314213.  Masses:   No morning Mass Monday, evening Mass at 7pm.  Saturday Masses 11am and 6.30pm.  Sunday 9.15am and 12 noon.  Mass Intentions:  Friday Vigil of Feast of the Immaculate Conception 6.30pm Vincent McNally.  Willie Leahy, Mountmahon.  I C A deceased and present members.  Saturday Feast of the Immaculate Conception 11am Mick Scanlon, Athea

6.30pm Bridget Healy and deceased member of Saunders Family, Knocknasna Lower.  Ramey Leahy, New Street.  John D & Mary Ita Collins and son John and daughter Margaret Enright.  John & Kathryn Broderick, Lower Purt.  Sunday 9.15am Paddy Barry, Caherlane & the Barry family. Hannah Mai Scannell, Dromtrasna Collins. 12noon   Frank Foley, St Ita’s road and deceased family members.  Tom Dillane, Kincolea Lwr.  Peggy O’Riordan, St. Ita’s Housing. Advent Prayer “ Hail and Blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the pureVirgin Mary, at mid-night in a stable in Bethlehem in the piercing cold.   At the same hour vouch safe O My God, hear my prayer and grant my petition. “

ABBEYFEALE HORSE AND PONY RACES:  They are having a night to celebrate the sponsors, horse owners and all those who work to make the races a success on Saturday, December 8 in Donal and Ann’s Bar.   The proceeds of last summer’s very successful Races will be divided among local charities on the night.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR:  Ruby’s, Saturday, December 8 from 12-4pm.  Contact Angela 085 7324262.

CANTATA:  Scoil Mhathair De students will perform their annual Christmas Cantata on Thursday, December 13 at 7pm in the Church of the Assumption.

THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS:  The annual carol service takes place in the Church of the Assumption on Sunday, December 9 from 7pm.  The senior and junior choirs along with the local schools will perform much loved Christmas carols and hymns.  Everyone welcome.  A raffle for Christmas Hampers will take place with proceeds going to the Youth Ministry in the parish.

CHILDREN’S PARTY:  Noonan’s Lights Children’s Christmas party takes place at 4pm on Sunday, December 9.  All welcome. Santa will arrive by sleigh under Garda escort with FREE presents for all the children!!  Local Wrenboys will keep us entertained with music, loads of food for adults, and treats for the kids! Finally, we will be joined by a host of winning County Champions in both Hurling and Football including All Ireland 5 in a row Minor Winner’s Kerry! Will we have another special guest?! It is VERY possible!

**This is a free event for the children, but all donations are very much appreciated. All the proceeds collected are donated to the selected charities at the end of our campaign.**

CHARITY CÉILÍ:  A céilí will take place in Moyvane Hall on Thursday, December 27 from 3 – 6pm with music by Donie Nolan.  It is a fundraiser for the Stack Family, Moyvane.  Further information from Marie 087 9542102.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS:  At the start of Advent Abbeyfeale parish invite parishioners to make a commitment to doing some act of kindness in the lead up to Christmas. We have erected in the sanctuary of the church our Parish Random Act of Kindness Tree. We ask you to write your intended act of kindness on the cards provided and hang it on the tree. In this way we will all draw encouragement from one another, and hopefully be inspired to carry out some act of kindness between now and Christmas. Let us do our bit to make everyone a little happier.

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FUNDRAISING COFFEE MORNING:  Our next fundraiser is being held on Friday December 7 at Leeds Hotel at 10.30 am. The wonderful ARA group are hosting this event and if it’s anything like last year , it brought a great sense of fun, camaraderie, and support to improve the our town for Christmas.

TURNING ON THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS:  There was great excitement in the Square on Friday evening last with the arrival of Santa,  lighting of the tree, stalls, mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas Carols and thankfully the earlier rain dried up.  Well done to the Christmas Lights committee who worked so hard to bring Santa and Mrs. Claus to Abbeyfeale providing memories for all the little ones.  A lot of credit should go to the workers led by Jimmy Cahill who erected the lights and the features, events like this do not happen without leadership and community involvement and on behalf of everyone who had their evening enhanced by all the fun may I offer a huge thank you to all concerned.

SHOP LOCAL:  Vouchers will be available this year in Abbeyfeale town to give as Christmas gifts and help encourage the shop local campaign. The Abbeyfeale Gift Voucher can be purchased at Abbeyfeale Credit Union in denominations of €10, €20 and €50.  Abbeyfeale Community Council kindly asks that everyone throughout the Abbeyfeale area keep our wonderful Community in mind when thinking of shopping, doing business and/or socialising. It’s a hugely important time of year for business survival and job retention throughout the Abbeyfeale area and every euro spent locally is a vote of support to keep our Community alive.  The vouchers are available at the Credit Union and can be redeemed in local businesses.  The writer is aware of a local small shopkeeper who is unable to sell popular boxes of biscuits this year because the price they can be bought at in the Cash and Carry is much more than they are being sold at in the multiples.  Never forget that if you need a few messages on tick there is no point in approaching a multiple so give everyone a turn and keep our town viable and vibrant.

HARNETT INTERNATIONAL REUNION 2019:  Calling all Harnetts based West Limerick, North Cork and North Kerry.  We are well into planning for our big weekend next July and we’d love you to get involved and be there to meet up with people from all over the world who share your DNA.  We have a dedicated email address which you can use to get in touch; HarnettReunion2019 @gmail.com You can follow developments on our FB page too.

NEWS FROM THE GLÓRACH:  In an era where it has become increasingly difficult to obtain original Christmas presents, the Glórach Theatre has the ideal solution with our ‘Glórach Gift Voucher’.  The gift voucher is valid for any event performed/hosted/facilitated at the Glórach Theatre.  To order your vouchers and pay directly over the phone, please call 0871383940.  Tickets are moving briskly for our Seán Keane concert on Saturday, December 15th.  The Galway singer’s unique voice drew a colossal crowd to the Glórach back in May, and will bring the curtain down on what has been a successful 2018 for the Theatre.  Tickets can be booked by calling 0871383940.

BOOK ON SALE:  The Treaty Triumph celebrating Limerick’s All Ireland Hurling win is on sale at Ann Lyons’ in the Square.

CONVENT N.S.:  Scoil Mháthair Dé are holding a Christmas Craft Fair in the school on Thursday, December 6 starting at 11.00 a.m. On the day there will be a cake sale and refreshments will also be served. Proceeds with go to the Simon Community (Homeless).

All Welcome

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CHRISTMAS PARTY:  West Limerick Set Dancing Club are holding a Christmas Party in Fr. Casey’s on Saturday, December 15 with music by Donie Nolan and Maura.  Hot Food.  Admission €20.

BAKERS REQUIRED:  The annual cake sale in aid of Fr. Tim Galvin is on Sunday, December 9 in St. Ita’s Hall from 10-2pm and we’re calling on our usual bakers for their donations to this worthy cause.  Donated home baking, jams, chutneys etc can be left in Batt’s in the Square before 5pm on Friday, December 7 or before 4pm on Saturday.

COACH TO KNOCK FOR ALL-NIGHT VIGIL. Leaving Deros, Killarney Friday, December 7 at 3pm. Bookings at Deros before December 6.  Phone – 064 6631251.

PARISH UNITS:  At the diocesan Synod held in April 2016, it was decided by the

Delegates at the Synod to introduce a model of Team Ministry throughout the diocese. This weekend Bishop Leahy has issued a pastoral letter on this new approach to ministering in the diocese.  Parishes will be working in Units and the list of Units was published last week. Abbeyfeale will be part of a Unit that includes the parishes of Templeglantine, Athea and Tournafulla/ Mountcollins parishes. From December 1, all priests working in the Unit are Co Parish Priests of all of the parishes in the Unit. Fr Denis Mullane has been appointed as Moderator of the Unit of Parishes. Fr Mullane’s role will be to coordinate the

Pastoral work in the Unit of Parishes. In the New Year a single Pastoral Council will be put in place for the Unit of Parishes.  Each individual parish within the Unit will have a co- ordinating committee or local parish council. This new structure will see greater movement of the priests within the Unit of Parishes, especially for the celebration of the Vigil Mass and Sunday Mass.

KERRY PARENTS & FRIENDS Presents a Gala Christmas concert in association with Kerry Choral Union on Sunday, December 16 in St. Mary’s Church, Listowel. Tickets from parish office & Whelan’s Shop €10.

WEDNESDAY PRAYER:  Parishioners are invited to gather in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel on Wednesday afternoon at 3p.m to recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet for  Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life.  This prayer meeting will take place every Wednesday.

AFTERNOON TEA DANCE:  This will be a fundraiser for Fr. Martin McCormack’s African Project and takes place on Sunday, January 13 at Fr. Casey’s with dancing to Donie Walsh and Jer Enright.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS SORTED:  Much of the past fifty years is captured in a book especially complied to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Church of the Assumption, Abbeyfeale. The book contains many wonderful coloured photographs that show off the splendour of the Church, its stained glass windows and general embellishment.   The title of the publication is Moladh go Deo Le Dia. (Praise be to God forever). Price €10. The book is available in O’Donoghue’s, Marguerite’s, Ann Lyons’ Moss Harnett’s and following Mass.

ICA:  Abbeyfeale ICA guild meet on the first and third Tuesday of the month at the Further Education and Training Centre, Mountmahon from 7.30 – 9.30pm..  Activities include Talks, Demonstrations and Workshops.  New members welcome. Tel. Anne Maria 06831145 for details.

CHRISTMAS WALK:  The annual Christmas Walk along the Great Southern Trail Greenway will take place on Thursday, December 27. Assembly is at the large carpark behind Leen’s Hotel, Abbeyfeale, Co.Limerick between 12.30pm and 1.30pm. The hotel is on the N21 and the public bus services stop a few hundred metres from the hotel. The Bus Éireann services from Tralee via Listowel at 11.00 and from Limerick at 11.35 are recommended. Walkers will be transferred by Coach House Travel courtesy shuttle coach from Leen’s Hotel car park to Tullig Wood/Devon Road from where they will have a choice of either a 5.75 miles [9km] or 4.5 miles [7km] stroll, mostly along the old railway, back to Leen’s Hotel where they can enjoy seasonal mince pies, whipped cream and tea/coffee at their leisure. All walkers must wear visibility vests as the final kilometre is through the streets of Abbeyfeale and involves crossing the busy N21 which must be crossed at the zebra crossing close to the hotel. Cyclists, with visibility gear and lights, are also welcome and we suggest that they also meet at the hotel at 12.30 and cycle outwards along the Greenway for approximately one hour towards Barnagh or beyond and then return in time to enjoy the refreshments. We recommend that cyclists also wear a helmet for their own safety. Nollaig Shona do gach éinne agus beidh fáilte romhat ar an 27ú.