Bridge News.
The results of the latest bridge game played by the Ballyduff/Portlaw bridge club are as follows:
1st: Anne Cox and Patsy Roche.

2nd: Kate Hayes and Nano Fitzgerald.

3rd: Peggy Murphy and Elizabeth Mooney.

4th: Geraldine McMahon and Bridget Aherne.

GAA Lotto
The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 6, 9, 16 and 18. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Valarie Carroll, John Thompson and Brendan Madders. The next draw will take place on May 6th and there will be a fantastic jackpot of €10,250 on offer. Tickets cost just €2 or 3 for €5 and are on sale from all committee members and will be on sale on Saturday May 5th at Centra. Get your tickets early and choose those 4 numbers carefully.

Recent Weddings.

Love is definetly in the air recently with two local couples tying the knot. Congratulations to Sarah Walsh and Brian Roche, Adamstown who exchaged vows in the Kilkenny River Court Hotel. A wonderful weekend was had by all the family and we wish the happy couple every best wish for their future lives together.

Wedding bells also rang for Shane Larkin and Denise Brazil, Caheruane. This lovely couple celebrated their wedding at Faithlegg House Hotel and I know all the family are thrilled with their news. We wish the happy couple and their beautiful children every happiness for the future.

Tea/Coffee Morning

Thursday May 3rd is National Alzheimers Day and we will have our opportunity to support the cause here in our area. A lovely coffee/tea morning will be held in Ballyduff Community Centre on that morning from 9.30am to 12 noon. All money raised will remain locally and so we ask you for your support. This is always a lovely enjoyable morning and there are always delicious homemade treats on offer. Please come along and support this wonderful charity event. Looking forward to meeting you there.

Ceremony of Light

Congratulations to all the young people from 5th and 6th classes in Ballyduff N.S who took part in their Ceremony of Light on Thursday April 26th. This symbolic ceremony was in preparation for their Confirmation Day which will be Thursday May 24th. Well done to all who took part in the singing and readings and to Fr. Richard who gave great words of support to the young people.

Ballyduff GAA News.

In keeping with the clubs ethos of supporting positive mental health in the community, the academy and nursey section of the club would like to invite members of the community to come and avail of the facilities while their training is in progress on Saturday mornings at 10.30am. Here are some reasons why you should take them up on their offer:

Free secure parking at the pitch.

Greenway access only 100mts away.

Kids lokked after and enjoy games.

Meet up with, walk and talk with others

No age or ability limit.

No cost involved.

Please spread this message to your friends and the friends you haven’t met yet and get out and enjoy our beautiful area.

Community Alert.
The final community alert group meeting until September was held last week. The group simply stop meetings for the Summer months but that doesnt mean that they are not active during the Summer. As you know the text alert scheme is always active and a great way to get important messages out there and the group also run a very active Facebook page.

The meeting was addressed by great speakers Jim Griffin from the Coastguards and RTE’s south east correspondent Damien Tiernan. It was very interesting to hear from them both about the different aspects of their jobs and they also recounted the tragic story of the sinking of the Pere Charles and Honeydew boats and the devastation of not being able to recover the bodies. Garda Tom Daly and Sgt. Alan Kissane also addressed the group and encouraged us all to remain active in our community and to report anything suspicious to the Gardai. They encouraged the group to keep up the good work and pledged their continued support to us.

Munster Airport Challenge.

As I reported to you all last week Brian and his fellow cyclists were ready to head off on their 500km cycle challenge in aid of Touching Hearts. I am happy to report that they all completed the challenge and thank god they all returned home safe and sound with no accidents along the way. They took on this challenge and each cyclist gave 100% to it. As they travelled around Munster they received great support and were welcomed like heroes into different areas. They returned home to the square in Portlaw on Sunday afternoon and received rapturous applause. These men had given months of their time to preparing for this and should be very proud of their achievement. Bodies were tired, muscles were sore and would you believe they were suffering with sunburn but they still had smiles on their faces. They did all this for a wonderful charity and we will know in the next couple of weeks how much was raised but may we say a huge thank you to all of you who sponsored any of the guys but on a personal level Brian and I would like to sincerely thank all who supported him and help him raise sponsorship for this charity. We appreciate greatly your generosity and thank you for all your well wishes. They enjoyed their adventure with many a laugh along the way and we are all super proud of them.

HUGE THANKS

On behalf of myself, my husband Brian and our children Ava and Adam I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported our recent coffee morning in aid of Touching Hearts. To say we were flabbergasted is an understatement. You came out in your crowds and showed that wonderful community spirit that I rave to everyone about. We can never thank you all for your very generous donations. May I also say a very big thank you to all the fantastic people who made cakes, donated books and gave raffle prizes and I am completely indebited to that wonderful group of people who helped us set up the hall, serve teas, sell cakes, sell tickets, face paint, wash up and clean up the hall afterwards. I don’t want to name people individually as I may forget someone but you know who you are and I thank each of you ten times over. Of course the great John O Shea was a big hit and he had everyone entertained. The cyclists were a little taken back by the huge crowd there to wish them well as they dropped in following their training cycle. I am delighted to tell you that we raised over €1500 on the day, this is unbelievable and we can’t thank you enough.

As I write these notes Brian has his gear packed, his bike all ready to go and he is ready to take on the challenge. Touching Hearts charity holds a special place in our hearts and we are delighted to be involved in some small way. I will let you all know next week how everything went on the cycle.

Community Alert

A reminder to you all that our local community alert group will hold their next meeting on Tuesday April 24th at 8pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. These meetings are always very well attended and I urge you all to come along to this meeting and bring a friend with you.

Tea Day

A date to mark in your diary is National Alzheimers Tea Day which this year falls on Thursday May 3rd. We here in the Ballyduff and Kilmeaden area will be able to show our support at a local tea/coffee morning in Ballyduff Community Centre. I will have more details about this in the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled to these notes.

The Two Johnnies

Well done to all at Ballyduff GAA who organised a great night of entertainment recently in The Woodlands Hotel as they played host to the 2 Johnnies. There were people to be seen crying with laughter as the two guys provided a real change from the norm. Of course when the show was over the fantastic John O Shea provided great entertainment. The club would like to thank everyone who helped out on the night and all who supported the event. It was a lovely community night and well done to those individuals who were brought to the stage for some of the sketches, they were great sports.

GAA News

The club say a huge well done to their U8 and U9 hurlers who participated at two venues recently. They won some and lost some but everyone gave 100% and really enjoyed themselves which is the main thing. These groups are improving all the time and get better every time they play. Thanks to the parents of both groups who come to cheer them on and give them support.

In the nursery and academy section training continues for all U10 downwards with a lot of blitz competitions coming up. Training is every Saturday at 10.30am and on Wednesday evening at 6.30pm.

GAA Lotto

The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 1, 9, 13 and 15. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Finn Doyle, Ben O Connell and Tadgh Power. The next draw will take place on April 22nd and will have a fantastic jackpot of €10,100. Tickets cost just €2 or 3 for €5 and are on sale from all committee members and will be on sale on Saturday April 21st at Centra. What a brilliant jackpot to win so get your tickets early and choose those 4 numbers carefully.

Bridge News

The results of the latest bridge game played by Ballyduff/Portlaw bridge club are as follows:
1st: Anne Cox and Mary O Brien.

2nd:Mary Prendergast and Anne Marie Brown.

3rd:Michael O Donovan and Mary Cummins.

4th:Kathleen Collins and Patsy Roche.

Wedding Bells.

We send our heartiest congratulations to local lady Ruth Foley who returned home from England to marry the love of her life David Kirby. As the morning began wet and miserable I knew that Ruth’s dad Oliver would be keeping a watchful eye from the heavens above and would certainly make sure that the skies would brighten for his little girls big day and that is just what he did. Ruth could only be described as a stunning bride as she beamed on her way to meet her groom. A beautiful day was had by all as they headed to the Faithlegg House Hotel to celebrate this wonderful occasion. I sincerely wish this lovely couple a lifetime of happiness and look forward to seeing Mr and Mrs Kirby on one of their many visits home.

Recent Death.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the Quinn and White families on the recent death of Philomena(Phil) Quinn of Kilmagemogue. Phil’s funeral mass took place in St.Patricks church, Portlaw and she was laid to rest in the adjoining cemetery. We pray that she may rest in peace and that her family will find comfort in the memories they have of her.

Community Alert

Our local community alert group will hold their next meeting in Ballyduff Community Centre on Tuesday April 24th at 8pm. This group continues to grow from strength to strength and are regarded as one of the leading groups in the area. The meetings are always very well attended and always have some very interesting guest speakers. This is a very important community group and the presence of a community alert group in an area can be a deterent. Please come along to the meeting and spread the word to your neighbours and friends.

Baby Boys’ Arrival

Heartiest congratulations to Brian and Shella Kenny, Matthews Cross who welcomed their baby son into the world last week. Baby James Edward Kenny arrived safe and sound much to the delight of family and friends. I have the privelege of course of being James’s neighbour and so I know that mam and dad are going to have great help at home because big sisters Ellie and Leah are more than capable of showing James the ropes. They are going to be fantastic in the role of big sister so James is one lucky little man. Welcome baby James to our community and may you have a lifetime of happiness.

Parent and Toddler

Our local Parent and Baby/Toddler group meet in Ballyduff Community Centre every Friday from 10am to 12 noon. This is a fabulous way for parents to get to know each other in a friendly environment while the children enjoy the interaction with other children. You are welcome to drop in during these hours and enjoy a nice friendly cuppa and a chat while the children play.

Contact Details

A reminder that if you would like me to include an item in these notes for you please contact me by a Thursday evening of each week. You can email me on spillanelinda2017@gmail.com or call or text me on 087-9838392 or indeed call in or stop me out and about. I look forward to hearing from you.

Easter Thanks.

Fr.Mick would like to say a huge thank you to all who helped in any way during the Holy Week and Easter ceremonies. It is always a very busy time of year and so he appreciates all the people coming forward to help. He will remember you all in his prayers.

May I give a special mention to our hardworking and dedicated sacristan Ann Nolan who does a terrific job all year around and always with a cheery smile.

Night Of Fun.

Ballyduff GAA club will host a night of fun and laughter as they play host to “The 2 Johnnies” in The Woodlands Hotel on Friday April 13th. These guys have gathered a huge following around the country and this is a great opportunity to get to see them while supporting your local club. This event is to help raise funds to construct a ball wall in the hurling field. This is an over 16’s event but those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Doors open at 8pm with the show starting at 9pm and following the show you can dance the night away with DJ extraodinaire John O Shea. Tickets cost €20 and are available from all committee members, The Woodlands hotel or by contacting 087-2486423.

GAA News.

The U8 footballers had a very successful outing to the Gold Coast last week where they beat St.Patricks, The Nire and St.Olivers. This group of players show great attitude and skill and it is wonderful to see the children enjoy themselves so much. Training continues on Saturday mornings in Kildermody and all are welcome to come along.

Morning Of Fun

I would like to cordially invite each one of you, your families and your friends along to a lovely morning of fun and chat in Ballyduff Community Centre on Sunday April 15th from 10.30am to 1.30pm. My children Ava and Adam and I are hosting this morning ahead of my husband Brian heading off the following week to take part with 24 others from the Portlaw Village Wheelers cycling club in The 4 Munster Airport Challenge cycle. This 500 km cycle will this year raise money for the Touching Hearts charity. All expenses for the trip are paid for by the cyclists and so every penny raised goes to the charity.

To help out and raise as much money as we possibly can we will host a coffee/tea morning with a few extra bits. There will be lots of treats to eat and also buy to take home. Adam will be selling some books and dvds at knock down prices he tells me. They have also gathered some lovely spot prizes for a raffle. The lovely kindhearted Deirdre Giani has offered to do some face painting and my popular cousin WLR’s John O Shea will be on hand to play a few tunes. Some of the cyclists who will take part in the challenge will pop in after their training cycle.

I hope that you will be able to drop in for a few minutes, an hour, a few hours whatever length of time you stay for you will be made very welcome indeed. If any of you wish to know anymore or if I may be so cheeky to ask if any of you lovely bakers out there would like to bake a few buns or a cake, we would be delighted. You can contact me on 087-9838392.

One Of The Best
I must admit I sat staring at a blank screen before writing this piece in fact I just couldn’t work out where I was going to start. Too many times in recent months and years I have been writing about wonderful parishioners who have been called home to God and then I realised that my only worry is what will I write and not the pain and grief felt by family members. All these wonderful people just mean so much to me because I’ve lived here and grown up with them for the past almost 45 years. They are all people I have greatly admired and have tried to be somewhat like them, my only hope is that what I write reflects who they were.

One of the finest men I have ever known, Frankie Carlin returned home to God on Easter Sunday. To me this was a very fitting day with Easter Sunday being one of the biggest days in the church calendar. It is only right that the best of the best would be called on that day. Frankie was a Ballyduff man through and through growing up in the village with his parents Jim and Maria and his brothers and sisters. Having wandered over to the Portlaw side of the parish he met his one true love Margaret Walsh and they married and settled in Ballyduff. Their family grew as they welcomed sons Anthony, Michael and David and daughter Nicola. Frankie was first and foremost a family man. He adored his wife Margaret and worshipped his children. His 9 grandchildren brought him such delight and he always loved talking about them. He and Margaret certainly meant their wedding vows when they said them and they lived them throughout their married lives. Their devotion and love for each other was evident to all and Margaret care for Frankie during his illness showed that great strength of love and I’m sure Frankies hard days were made better by having Margaret at his side.

Frankie worked hard all his life providing for his family and always gave 100% to his work. He spent many happy years in Waterford Crystal but I think the job of caretaker in Ballyduff N.S was just made for him. The staff and pupils all loved him and he was always on hand to help with anything that needed to be done often going completely out of his way to help. His good humour and infectious smile was contagious and every child in the school loved Frankie.

He gave many many years to Ballyduff Soccer club and helped tirelessly to make it into the thriving, vibrant club it is today. They enjoy fabulous facilities thanks to many good men like Frankie. Of course when he wasn’t cheering on Ballyduff he was shouting for Man Utd. He had a great love for the game and shared some great memories of years gone by.

His green fingers shone out from his garden. You could most definetly eat your dinner from the perfectly mown lawns and he was

always to be seen with the headphones on mowing the lawn happily.

Frankie was all these things but to me Frankie was a community man. He believed that community and parish life worked when everyone worked together and used their strengths and talents for the good of everyone around them. He was always on hand to help in whatever was going on and many a good laugh or two was had along the way.

A man with great family values, a community spirit, a hard worker but above all a man who respected others and whose heart was most definetly made of gold. Although he has been taken home way to soon he has left Margaret, his children and his grandchildren with memories that time will never erase. He touched all our lives in some way and he has left us all hoping that in some small way we can be a little bit like Frankie. Our parish and community is a much poorer place without him but God obviously needs the grass cut and a peacemaker for some sporting and political arguments up there. Rest in peace Frankie and thank you for allowing us a little share in your life, we are certainly much the better for it. Ar Dheis De Go Raibh se.

Lotto Luck

The numbers drawn in the last lotto draw were 9, 19, 21 and 23. There was no winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Sam and Adam, Jacqui O Brien and Dylan Murphy. The next draw will take place on April 8th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €9,950. Tickets cost just €2 or 3 for €5 and are on sale from committee members and will be on sale at Centra on Saturday April 7th. Pick those 4 lucky numbers wisely and you could be that jackpot winner.

Birthday Girl

I would like to send very special birthday wishes to my very good friend Sheila McGrath in Ballygarron. Can you believe that this young lady has turned 80. It’s very true about what they say that age is just a number and we all need to be young at heart, Sheila certainly lives by this. All her family, neighbours and many many friends want to wish her the very best and we hope she doesn’t go to crazy with the celebrations.

Coffee Morning Thanks

Local lady Sharon Flynn has asked me to say a huge thank you to all who supported her recent coffee morning in aid of Temple Street Hospital. €250 was raised and Sharon is very grateful to all who donated. A big thanks to Sharon also for the lovely morning we were all treated to.

Choir Concert

What a lovely night of music and song we were treated to when we were visited by The Lyons Township High School Choir from Illinois, USA. This lovely group of young people sang beautifully as a group with some amazing solos also. Their conductors, musicians and family members who travelled with them were full of praise for the lovely welcome they have received in Ireland. Our own St.Nicholas’s church choir were invited as guests to perform 3 pieces. They chose 3 uplifting pieces and they did a wonderful job. The comments after the concert were so positive with people saying they would love to sit there for longer.

During the short interval a collection was taken up for our local community centre redevelopment fund. €525 was collected and a further amount of €450 was given from Discover Ireland. Expenses came to €84 so a net amount of €891 was given to the hall fund. The committee would like to say a huge thank you to all who contributed to the collection.

Following the concert everyone was invited to the community centre for some lovely refreshments and it was a great opportunity to get to know the visiting choir. This was a really nice and memorable evening so a big well done to all involved.

Beautiful Girl.

Congratulations and best wishes to Mark and Lorraine Grieve, Fan Glas who recently welcomed their beautiful baby girl into the world. Baby Juno Grieve arrived safe and sound much to the delight of all the extended Grieve and Bowman families. Juno is of course extremely lucky to have big sister Billie at home ready and willing to show her the ropes. I met Billie and she was literally beaming from ear to ear and I know that she will be a fantastic help to mam and dad. We welcome baby Juno to our community and we look forward to meeting her.

Rising Star.

We send our warmest congratulations to local lady Laura Dempsey who was recently nominated for The Rising Star of the Year award at the Inglot Make Up Ireland Awards. Unforunately she was unlucky this time but to us she is of course already a superstar. Lauras ambition and drive is an example to all to work hard and push forward with your dreams. We wish Laura continued success in her career.

Coffee Morning.

I know you are all probably fed up of listening to me talking about the Munster Airport Challenge charity cycle that my husband Brian is taking part in. All money raised this year is going to the wonderful Touching Hearts charity. Our two children Adam and Ava wanted to get involved and help raise money for their dads sponsorship card. They will host a coffee morning in our community centre on Sunday April 15th from 10.30am to 1.30pm with lots of delicious treats and nice cakes and treats to buy also if you would like to bring some home for the Sunday dessert. Adam is an avid reader and has decided to also sell some of his perfectly kept books at knocked down prizes. They also have some lovely prizes for a raffle so you may be lucky. Some of the cyclists who will take off on the charity cycle the following week will also arrive there after their Sunday morning training spin. Brian and I of course are very proud to have such kindhearted children and they have seen first hand the great work being done in the Sacred Heart Centre. There is no doubt in my mind that their fundraiser will be well supported as the people in Ballyduff/Kilmeaden Portlaw and surrounding areas never let people down. I will keep you all reminded of this event through these notes but mark your diary for Sunday April 15th.

Roaring Success
Congratulations and well done to Seamus and Michelle Dunphy and all at The Sweep Bar who held an extremely successful coffee morning for the Waterford branch of Down Syndrome Ireland. A fantastic crowd showed up to give their support to this very worthwhile charity and everyone was treated to hot cuppas along with treats galore. Due to other committments I was unable to attend this and I was very disappointed as I knew it would be a huge success. A fantastic amount over €3000 was raised so a big well done to all the organisers and to all who supported it.

1916 Commemoration

On Easter Sunday after the 10am mass there will be a short ceremony at our 1916 commemoration plaque in the green. The ceremony will include the raising of the flag, the singing of the National Anthem and the reading of the proclamation. All are invited to come along and join in.

Musician Extraodinaire!

Congratulations to our very own local guitarist extraodinaire Jack Kennedy who recently won the classical guitar solo at the Feis Ceoil which was held in the RDS. This is a fantastic achievement and I know his parents George and Jeni and brothers Ben and Tom are extremely proud of him as we all are too. Jack has always had a tremendous musical talent and is also one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. But as the saying goes he didn’t lick his talents off a stone as the family excel in musical talent. Take a look at his facebook page Jack Kennedy Music for some recordings and information on performances. Congratulations again Jack.

Fancy A Bounce.

You may remember me telling you about the charity cycle Brian is taking part in next month called The Munster Airport Challenge, which is a 500km sponsored cycle with all money raised going to The Touching Hearts charity. In conjunction with this our friends in Megabounce in Mooncoin will hold a special family fun day at Megabounce on Good Friday from 10am to 6pm. Entry fee is just €5 per child with lots of fun on offer and a special guest or two dropping in to. You will also have an opportunity to buy some delicious homebaking. All proceeds on the day are being given to the Munster Airport Challenge fund so a huge thank you to Shane and all at Megabounce for this wonderful kind gesture. Megabounce is situated at Carrigeen GAA field. Come along and join in the fun, it’s always a Good Friday at Megabounce!

Holy Week Ceremonies.

We are into the very busy week in the churches calendar as we prepare ourselves to welcome the joyful season of Easter. On Holy Thurday we will celebrate mass of the Last Supper with pupils from 2nd class taking the place of the apostles and having their feet washed. On Friday at 3pm the Passion of the Lord will be celebrated while the stations of the cross will be at 7.30pm. Holy Saturday is a beautiful ceremony full of light and rejoicing and this will be at 9pm while Easter morning mass will be at 10am.

Holy Thursday is the ideal day to return your Trocaire boxes and the collection for the support of the priests of the parish will be taken up at the Easter weekend masses.

Community Alert
Our local community alert group held their recent meeting in Ballyduff Community Centre and it was great to see such a large attendance again. Condolences were offered to Albert Kearns on the recent death of his sister Bridget.

Praise was expressed to individuals like Brian Spillane, Darren Butler, John Phelan and the many other people who helped their neighbours and community by clearing roadways and driveways and getting people to shops etc during the recent snowy season.

Garda Tom Daly spoke to the meeting and expressed again how important it is that we all work together to keep our communities safe. A phonecall to your local Garda about something unusual or suspicious may just prevent a crime being committed.

The next meeting of this group will be in April so watch this space for further details.

Knitting and Crochet Group

Ballyduff’s new knitting and crochet group are going from strength to strength. They meet every Tuesday in Ballyduff Community Centre from 10am to 11am and will continue to meet over the Easter holidays. All levels are welcome to come along and if you require further details please contact 086-8163101.

Booking of Masses
If would like to book a weekend anniversary mass for a loved one for the months of April, May or June then bookings will take place after the weekend masses on Saturday March 24th and Sunday March 25th. If you have a months mind or First anniversary mass during these months please contact Linda Spillane on 087-9838392 before the bookings so that you can get your prefered date.

Coffee Morning.

On Wednesday March 21st The Sweep will host a coffee morning in aid of Down Syndrome Waterford with all proceeds going to the local branch. Come along between 9.30am and 12 noon and enjoy a nice cuppa and a treat while enjoying a friendly chat with old friends and new. There will be a raffle also with some lovely prizes so your luck might be in.

GAA Lotto

The numbers drawn in the last lotto draw were 6, 20, 22 and 28. There was no jackpot winner but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Paula Gahan, Connie and Gillian and Kathleen Power. The next draw will take place on March 25th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €9,800. Tickets cost just €2 or 3 for €5 and are available from committee members and will be on sale outside Centra on Saturday March 24th.

Reconciliation.

Congratulations to all the boys and girls who celebrated their Sacrament of Penance last week. Miss Sprice, Mr.Hutchinson and Miss Clancy were very proud of their students as I’m sure their parents were. They are concentrating now on their preparations for their First Holy Communion Day on May 12th so we wish them well.

GAA News

Well done to all the U9 hurlers who recently travelled to an indoor blitz in Ballygunner. They played some great games and showed great character in experiencing all the emotions that come with winning, loosing and drawing. There were some great performances and it is wonderful to see these guys enjoying the thrill of hurling so much. With plenty more games to come there is lots to look forward to and a big thank you to all the parents who give such support to the team.

The club are organising a fund raising night to raise funds to construct a ball wall at the hurling field. The club present The 2 Johnnies followed by a disco on April 13th in The Woodlands Hotel. This is an Over 16’s event but U18’s must be accompanied by an adult. This promises to be a great night out. Tickets are available from any committee member or from The Woodlands or by phoning 087-2486423.

1916 Commemoration.
On Easter Sunday after 10am mass there will be a special commemoration at our 1916 plaque outside the church. This will include the reading of the proclamation, the singing of our National Anthem and the raising of the flag. All are invited to come along and take part in this event.

Choral Concert

On Friday March 23rd at 8pm in Ballyduff church we shall welcome the Lions Township high school choir from Western Springs, Illnois, America who will be on a tour of Ireland and will be stopping off in Waterford for a few days. This splendid mixed youth choir will perform at a concert in our church and have invited our own local choir to join them. There will be no admission fee on the night but during the interval a collection will be taken up for the restoration fund for our community centre. This promises to be a great night of song followed by some refreshments in the community centre. Please come along and relax and enjoy the sounds of his choral concert.

Coffee Morning.

We are being spoiled this week with coffee mornings and lovely treats. Local lady Sharon Flynn will host a coffee morning on Friday March 23rd in Ballyduff Community Centre from 9.30am to 12 noon. All money raised on the day will go to Temple Street Hospital so come along to support this worthy charity while enjoying a nice morning of relaxation and friendly chat.

First Friday Visits.

Fr. Mick has asked me to let his First Friday clients know that he will visit them on Holy Thursday between 2pm and 3pm. If this is not convienient for you or you will not be home at that time could you please let me Linda Spillane know on 087-9838392 and I will pass on the message to him.

Church News.

Fr. Mick would like parents to know that if your child has not yet made their communion but comes forward at communion time at mass for a blessing they can indeed receive this blessing from the lay Minister of the Eucharist on that day also. There has been some confusion about this so he would like to make known his view on the issue.

This weekend sees the celebration of Palm Sunday with the reading of the Passion of the Lord and the blessings of Palm. There will be plenty pieces of palm available in the three church porches and this will be blessed during the mass.

We are of course approaching the most important time in the church’s calendar with the celebrations and ceremonies of Holy Week leading up to the joyous celebration of Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. I will carry a full timetable of ceremonies next week in this column so make sure you tune in.

Just a quick little reminder that Holy Thursday will be the day for handing back your Trocaire box so perhaps we will all put in an extra effort for the coming weeks.

Your Notes.
If you would like me to include an item in these notes for you please contact me Linda Spillane on 087-9838392 or drop me an email on spillanelinda2017@gmail.com

Spring Stations.

The annual Spring station masses are now over and Fr.Mick would like to thank all who hosted and attended the station masses. A big thank you also to all those who handed in their station envelopes.

The station masses will come around again in the Autumn so if you would like to host a mass for your area you can let Linda know on 087-9838392.

Coffee Morning

On Wednesday March 21st The Sweep Bar will host a coffee morning in aid of Down Syndrome. All money raised on the day will go to the local branch of Down Syndrome, Waterford. This is a great opportunity to support a very worthwhile charity while enjoying a nice cuppa and a chat with old friends and new. Hope to see you there and don’t forget to tell your friends.

Sympathies Extended

We extend our deepest sympathies to Martin Cornwell, Ballyduff West on the recent death of his father. Mr. Robert(Bob) Cornwell was a former resident of Williamstown Park. Bob’s funeral mass took place in The Sacred Heart Church, The Folly and he was laid to rest in St.Otterans cemetery. We pray that he is now at peace and sharing in the joys of heaven.

We also extend our sympathy to Albert Kearns, Tigroe on the recent death of his sister. Bridget Hubbard was a well known resident of Scrahan, Kilmacthomas and formerly from Carrigready, Bunmahon. Bridget’s removal and funeral mass took place to The All Saints church Newtown with burial in the adjoining cemetery. May she rest in peace and enjoy the peace and comfort of heaven.

St.Patricks Day Parade.

Our local GAA club are inviting all children and adults to join them this year in Waterfords St. Patricks Day parade. You are all invited to join them whether you are a member of the club or not. This is a lovely chance to join in the atmosphere of the day and show what our club and community is all about. You can wear club gear or colours but you must wear a smile!

Night For The Diaries

Ballyduff GAA club present a night of music and comedy as they present to you The 2 Johnnies at The Woodlands Hotel on Friday April 13th. The show will kick off at 9pm with doors opening at 8pm. Admission is €20 and there will be a full bar. U18’s must be accompanied by an adult. Our very own John O Shea will be on hand to have you dancing the night away after the show. Tickets are available from any committee member, The Woodlands Hotel or by contacting 087-2486423.

Church News.

A reminder to you all that the Vigil mass for St.Patricks Day will be at 7.30pm on Friday March 16th and mass on St.Patricks day morning will be at 10am. Both of these masses will of course be as gaeilge.

You can avail of your spiritual spring cleaning for Easter at the Penitential service which will take place during both masses on Saturday March 17th at 7.30pm and Sunday March 18th at 10am. This is a lovely opportunity to clear your worries before the Easter season.

Date For Your Diary.

St. Nicholas’s church choir will present an evening of choral music in Ballyduff church on Friday March 23rd . The Lions Township high school choir from Western springs, Lillnois, America will be on a tour of Ireland and will spend a few days in Waterford. This splendid mixed youth choir will perform in our church and have invited our local choir to join them. There will be no admission fee but during the interval a collection will be taken up for the restoration fund for our local community centre. Both choirs are very busy at present rehearsing for what promises to be a wonderful night of entertainment. Refreshments will be served after the concert in the community centre.

Snow Memories.

As the final traces of snow disappear we are left only with the memories of building snowmen and throwing snowballs. More importantly we are left with the memories of the wonderful acts of kindness and goodness which we witnessed during those days that we were blocked into our homes and unable to get out for supplies etc. Many people are probably tired of listening to me raving about the wonderful place we live but the news is I will never stop doing it. A huge well done to all who helped clear driveways and roadways, checked on neighbours, got groceries and fuel for those unable to get out and kept the lines of communication open in their area to make sure everyone was ok. This is what community is all about, it’s about helping each other out, offering that hand of friendship. I truly believe that what you give in life you receive back ten fold and I have been on the receiving end of much kindness and friendship in our community and I can tell you that it is a wonderful feeling to know that you have that level of support and friendship. I urge you to keep up the good work not only in times of bad weather, a visit or a phonecall can lift someones day and make all the difference in someones life.

On Your Bike.

As I have told you in previous weeks my husband Brian and some of his fellow cyclists from the Portlaw Village Wheelers cycling club will once again take to the roads of Munster to take part in the Munster Airport Challenge. They will head off in April to complete this 500 km cycle over 3 days. This was a huge success last year and their nominated charity this year is Touching Hearts. All the guys pay their own expenses for the trip so every penny raised goes to the charity. Brian and I thank all those who have contacted me to offer sponsorship for Brian. If you as an individual or company would like to sponsor Brian we would be absolutely delighted. You can contact me on 087-9838392, spillanelinda2017@gmail.com or stop me when I am out and about, the sponsorship card travels with me.

New Group
Are you a keen knitter or perhaps you enjoy a bit of crochet or have you always said that this is something you would like to try? A new knitting and crochet group now meet in Ballyduff Community Centre each Tuesday morning from 10am to 11am. All levels are welcome to come along and enjoy a cuppa and a chat while those needles are going. If you are interested just pop along to the hall or if you would like some more information call Jeni on 086-8163101.

Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathy to Bridget Whelan of Matthews Cross on the recent death of her beloved sister Eileen Bolger. Eileen was living in Coventry in Birmingham but her chosen final resting place was back to her home place of Kilmacow. We pray that Eileen now enjoys the peace and comfort of Gods heavenly kingdom and we offer our prayers of comfort to all her family. May she rest in peace.

Coffee Morning.

A date for you to pencil into your diary is National Down Syndrome Day which falls on March 21st. To celebrate this day The Sweep Bar will host a coffee/tea morning on Wednesday March 21st and all money raised on the day will go to the local branch of Down Syndrome Waterford. This is a lovely opportunity to enjoy a cuppa and a chat and maybe a nice treat or two while supporting a very deserving charity who provide such great support to all its members.

Station Masses

We are already down to our last mass of the Spring stations. The mass for the areas of Matthews Cross, Ballyduff East and Adamstown will take place on Tuesday March 6th at 8pm in the home of Eddie and Helena Power.

Community Celebration

Congratulations to all those within Ballyduff GAA Club who helped organise their recent Community Celebration night which took place in The Sweep. Music on the night was provided by Deadly Medleys. During the night medals were presented to the Junior and U21 teams and a Pot Luck Monster Raffle proved very popular. The club would like to thank all those who attended and supported the event and have also asked me to thank Michelle and Seamus Dunphy for their unending support to the club and the use of their premises for the event. They would also like to thank the sponsors of their raffle, The Sweep Bar, Michael Dunphy Butchers, The Sweep Garage, Penn Products, Kilmeaden Pharmacy, Hennessys Gala Klmeaden, Countrylife Kilmeaden, Morris’s DIY, Centra Kilmeaden, Ryanmotorpower and John O Leary.

Church News
Some dates for your diary for the coming month are that the vigil mass for St.Patricks Day will be on Friday March 16th at 7.30pm and mass on St.Patricks morning will be at 10am. Both of these masses will be in Irish.

The Penitential service with individual absolution will take place during the weekend masses on Saturday March 17th at 7.30pm and Sunday March 18th at 10am. This is a great opportunity to begin preparations for the holy season of Easter.

Community Alert

I recently attended the meeting of our local community alert group and it is very encouraging to see such large numbers attending. The meeting was opened by offering sympathies to the Harris family on the recent death of Ollie, a proud community man. Sympathy was also extended to committee member Jay Dowdall on the death of his father and to Garda Tom Daly on the death of his mother.

Addressing the meeting on the night was guest David Wade from the health, fitness and well being centre in Fiddown. He spoke about the many services available at the premises and the importance of a healthy mind as well as a healthy body.

Margaret Quinn from Muintir na Tire also addressed the group and was genuinely impressed by the large numbers who are attending our local meetings. She praised the group and urged them to keep up the good work and pledged her support to the group in any way she can help.

Superintendant John Mulligan was also in attendance and informed the group that in 2017 our area was the 2nd safest place in the county and that our text alert scheme and cooperation from the public has led to many arrests and prosecutions and so he urged people to remain vigilant and to report anything that they feel is suspicious. Garda Tom Daly also echoed those sentiments and also spoke about the importance of internet safety. He also showed the group the contents of a bag which is now carried around with the on duty guards at Kilmacthomas station, the bag contains a difibilater and trauma kit which can be used at a scene while emergency services make their way to the site. 6 of the guards at the station are fully trained to use these pieces of equipment and the other guards will also be trained.

This was a very interesting meeting and I urge you to come along to these meetings and get involved. You are asked for nothing in return just your help in keeping our area safe for all. Keep an eye out through these notes and I will let you know about the upcoming meetings.

Spring Stations

The annual Spring station masses are continuing and the mass for Kilmagemogue, Ross, Kildermody, Ardeenlone, Ballygarron, Lisahane, Shanbally, Carrickphilip, Knockaderry and Carriganure will take place on Tuesday February 27th at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Church.

The station mass for Matthews Cross, Ballyduff East and Adamstown will be held on Tuesday March 6th at 8pm in the home of Eddie and Helena Power.

Tidy Towns

Our local Tidy Towns group will hold their next meeting on Wednesday February 28th at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. As many of you know the general maintenace and grass cutting in our area is done on a voluntary basis. Due to certain setbacks, the group need a new volunteer or volunteers to come forward to do this job. The group need to increase their numbers so that they can continue to improve and enhance our village and surrounding areas. You are not asked for a huge committment and of course many hands make light work. If you are interested in helping out please come along to the meeting or if you are unable to attend please call Tony on 086-6078272 and express your interest.

Dolmen Active Retired.
Are you finding yourself will some free time and would like to get out and meet some new friends. The Dolmen Active Retired group are always keen to welcome new members and would be delighted to see you join them. Their next meeting will take place on Tuesday March 6th in The Holy Cross Lounge at 10.30 am. The meeting will begin with the customary cuppa before getting down to the business of the day.

They have arranged a lovely walk on the Greenway from Mount Congreve to Kilmeaden station on March 13th. There will be a nice cuppa and a chat at Kilmeaden station before heading back to Mount Congreve to collect your car in the carpark. What a beautiful picturesque route to walk along.

Recent Death.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Miriam Daly, Powersknock on the recent death of her father Peter Griffin. Peter was residing in Thurles but was formerly a resident of Pickardstown, Tramore and a retired member of An Garda Siochana. Peter’s funeral mass took place in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles and he was laid to rest in St. Patricks cemetery in Thurles. We offer our condolences to Miriam and all her family and we pray that Peter enjoys the peace and comfort of heaven.

GAA Lotto.

The numbers drawn in the latest GAA lotto draw were 14, 15, 19 and 22 and there was no lucky winner of the jackpot. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Kathleen Power, Philip Power and John Stephenson. The next draw will take place on Sunday March 4th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €9,650. Tickets are just €2 or 3 for €5 and are available from all committee members and will be on sale on Saturday March 3rd at Centra. Pick those 4 lucky numbers carefully.

Knit One Purl One.

Great to hear our new local knitting and crochet group will meet on Tuesday mornings from 10am to 11am in Ballyduff Community Centre. All levels are welcome to come along and join in the fun. If you would like any further information please contact Jeni on 086-8163101
Thanks >From Bonnie

Local lady Bonnie O Reilly has asked me to say a big thank you to all who came along to the coffee morning held in Ballyduff Community Centre on Sunday February 18th. Bonnie and some other students from Transition Year in St. Declans Community College in Kilmacthomas organised hampers last Christmas for people in need in our own area and surrounding parishes. The money raised at the coffee morning will also go to those people. I attended this coffee morning myself and I must say what a beautiful array of buns, cakes and treats and all homemade. I hear that there is a great shortage of flour and eggs up around the Ardeenlone area after it. A huge well done, it is heartwarming to see such kindness and respect from our young people.

Bridge News
The results of the Ballyduff/Portlaw Bridge Club Championships are in and are as follows:

1st: Peggy Murphy and Elizabeth Mooney

2nd: Patsy Roche and Kathleen Collins.

3rd: Sean Hennessy and Kate Hayes.

4th:Ann Marie Brown and Mary Prendergast.

5th: Breda Kirwan and Eileen Kirwan.
The seasonal prizes went to :

Anna Harney and Anna Ryan.

Mary Cummins and Brenda Cummins.

GAA Nursery and Academy

This section of our local GAA club are back in full force and are delighted to welcome such a great number of young people. Fully qualified garda vetted coaches take care of this group which is aimed at boys and girls aged from 4 years old up to 10. Hurling, camogie and football are catered for. Check out the Ballyduff Lower GAA club facebook page and keep up to date with all the times and schedules or talk to any club members. New starters are always welcome.

Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathies to Tony Whelan, Kilmagemogue on the recent death of his sister who was of course also the sister in law of Anna Whelan, Gortaclode. Breda Bennett was a resident of Granstown Park and her funeral mass took place in St.Marys church, Ballygunner with burial in the adjoining cemetery. We offer our prayers to all the Bennett and Whelan families and we pray that Breda now enjoys the peace and love of God.