The annual Abbeyfeale St Patrick’s Day Parade was well supported last Sunday and large crowds lined the route to cheer on the parade and the participants.
Templeglantine Comhaltas kicked off proceedings with a lively session of music in The Square which had the appreciative audience tapping their feet and clapping their hands in time to a variety of jigs, reels and hornpipes. It set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.
The parade was led by the ever popular Rathkeale Brass Band who have become something of a St Patrick’s Day fixture in the town in recent times and always receive a warm welcome.
An assortment of floats, vintage cars, tractors, bicycles, motor bikes, musicians and various local and youth organizations followed on in an imaginative display of pageantry and entertainment.
Prize for best float went to FitAll Shopfitting while the best decorated window was won by Kathleen’s Foodstore The youth award went to Tournafulla GAA.
The organizing committee would like to thank the following for their help and support; Main parade sponsors, Twohigs Supervalu, Abbeyfeale, for their generous support again this year. All of the participants without whom there would be no parade. The people who decorated their windows so tastefully. The crowds who gathered along the pavements and offered their support and encouragement as the parade passed by. Everyone who contributed to the recent church gate collection. All Star Deliveries for supplying the stage, and The Fáilte for the loan of the steps. James Kennedy for the sound system. Kathleen Collins of Jack Foley's Bar for supplying food and refreshments. The local Gardai who kept the traffic running smoothly. The various stewards and all who assisted on the day. A big thank you to everyone concerned.
*Mix-up in the jerseys!
We inadvertanltly named Templeglantine as winners of the Best Youth Award. This should have been Tournafulla. Our apologies to both clubs for the mistake.
Tournafulla being presented with their award for Best Youth Entry
Three generations of Foleys! Rita Foley with Gerard and Breeda and their daughter enjoying the St Patrick's Day Parade.
Our new curate from India is welcomed to the parish by local dignitaries at the St Patrick's Day Parade
LOURDES
PILGRIMS: It is estimated that over six million people go on
pilgrimage to Lourdes every year. Over the years parishioners from
Abbeyfeale both young and old have been part of the Limerick
Diocesan Pilgrimage or travelled with other pilgrimage groups, such
as the SAGART Pilgrimage in September, now the Limerick Autumn
Pilgrimage or in Youth Pilgrimage Groups. Abbeyfeale
parishioners have a strong devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes and to St
Bernadette. Lourdes is a very special for people who are ill. Each
year through the financial support of parishioners we enable people
who are sick to travel to Lourdes with the Diocesan Pilgrimage.
This coming weekend, the annual church gate collection in aid of the
Abbeyfeale Lourdes Pilgrim Fund will be taken up at all Masses. You
are asked to be as generous as you can.
HARNETT
REUNION: Preparations are now in full swing for the reunion in
July. Many Harnetts are travelling from overseas, with bookings
already secured from New Zealand, the U.S.A., Italy and the U.K.
We would love to include all Harnett families in West Limerick/North
Kerry in this event. Please contact us on Facebook of by email :
harnettreunion2019@gmail.com
for
information. All welcome. Abbeyfeale will be decked out in the
blue and gold Harnett colours for the festival. There will be
genealogy, bus tours, a concert, a gala banquet and a memorial Mass,
all at different venues around West Limerick/North Kerry. Please
spread the word far and wide. The event is open to everybody, whether
Harnett, Hartnett or other. For our previous reunion in
2012 we published a magazine with the family stories and histories,
along with photographs and articles of local interest. We would now
like items for this year’s magazine. Do you have any photographs or
stories that you would like included? It is important that all
families are represented. So please, take a look in your attic or the
chest under the bed and see if you have an item for publication and
use the email address or Facebook to contact the committee. We will
need the items in good time for publication and we are willing to
photocopy documents and return the originals immediately.
IRISH
LANGUAGE CLASSES: Abbeyfeale branch of Conradh na Gaeilge kick
started Adult Irish Speaking classes on March 6. As a result of the
large numbers signed up for the classes, the venue for the classes
have moved to St Itas Hall, Convent St, tosnú 7:30pm to
8:30pm. There will be 2 classes, a Bun rang (beginners) &
an Ard rang (more advanced). The main aim of these classes are to
promote and encourage Irish Speaking in the locality. For more
information or to book your place contact Dónal on 068 31661 or
email donalbox@icloud.com
OPEN
DAY: An invitation has been issued by the Board of St Ita's Sheltered
Housing to their Open Day on Saturday April 27. There will be a cup
of tea in the Day Care Centre following the unveiling of a plaque in
honour of the late Canon Neville whose brainchild the Sheltered
Housing was. The evening will conclude with music by Lost Souls
at The Winners’ Circle.
LEXIO
DIVINA: It is hoped to have Lexio Divina after
Friday’s 10am Mass. Traditionally, Lectio Divina has four separate
steps: read; meditate; pray; contemplate. First a passage of
scripture is read, and then its meaning is reflected upon. This is
followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God.
Everyone welcome.
LIAM
FLYNN COMMEMORATION AT GLÓRACH: On the evening of Friday,
April 5 we will be holding an event commemorating the late Liam
Flynn, a renowned master of the craft of woodturning who achieved
worldwide fame in his field. There will be an exhibition of
some of Liam's work and a short film made of Liam in his workshop in
Abbeyfeale in 2011, documenting the process of woodturning. We
are delighted to be hosting this event, especially as Liam was a
great supporter of the Glórach Theatre, and hopefully in celebrating
his work we may offer inspiration to budding local artists.
FRANKIE
COMES TO THE GLÓRACH: Frankie Gavin (of De Danann fame) and
his band will be making their way to the Glórach Theatre on Friday,
May 3 for what should be a fantastic night of music. For
bookings or enquiries, please call 0871383940.
AFTERNOON
TEA DANCE: Mary MacArthur in association with the Wednesday
Club is holding a Tea Dance in memory of Mary’s late husband
Hughie, in Fr Casey’s GAA Hall, Abbeyfeale from 3 - 6pm on Sunday,
April 14. All proceeds to Milford Care Centre. Music by
Mike Condon. Tickets €5 from 087 6377310. Raffle.
All donations gratefully accepted.
BINGO
AT THE GLORÁCH: Bingo every Monday night at 8.30pm
FR.
CASEY’S CARDS MARCH 15: Winning prize divided between two
teams with 12 games each were; Paddy Sullivan, Dan Reidy, Jerry
O’Connor. JD Foley, Christine O’Donoghue, Gerard Murphy.
Table prize won by; Dan Brosnan, Nora Lyons, John Lyons.
Door prize; Bridie Collins. Raffle; Paddy Sullivan, Dan
Dillane, Eamon Scannell, Dan Scanlon, Mike Leahy.
FLEADH
BY THE FEALE: Celebrity concert this year by The Kilfenora
Ceili Band who are celebrating 120 years on the road. The
fleadh takes place May 2-6, concert Sunday, May 5. Great
interest this year in the Bones playing competition so all you
aspiring world champions out there – get practicing.
