Monthly Archives: January 2018

Tidy Towns, Portlaw Musical Society and Awards Night

Bridge News.

The results of the bridge game played on Monday January 15th are as follows:

1st: Kate Hayes and Michael O Donovan

2nd:John Fitzpatrick and Sean Hennessy

3rd:Peggy Murphy and Elizabeth Mooney

4th:Kathleen Collins and Patsy Roche.

GAA Lotto.

The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 2, 11, 22 and 26 and there was no jackpot winner. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Catherine O Neill, Senan Cooke and James Barry. The next lotto draw will take place on January 28th and will have a brilliant jackpot of €9,350. Tickets are just €2 each or 3 for €5 and are available from club members and will be on sale at Centra on Saturday January 27th.

Tidy Towns

The AGM of our local tidy towns committee will take place on Friday January 26th at 7.30pm in Ballyduff Community Centre at 7.30pm. New volunteers are needed badly to secure the continuation of this group. If you are interested in helping to keep your community and area clean and tidy please come along to the meeting and show your support. The present committee have been doing a fantastic job and their work needs to be continued to ensure that our area is kept in mint condition.

Ballyduff Soccer Club

Our local soccer club are still on the lookout for a CE worker for the maintenance and upkeep of the grounds. If this is something that may interest you please contact Paddy Kirk on 087-2764883 and he will tell you all about what the job entails.

Kieran Lyons.

We extend our deepest sympathy to the Lyons family on the recent death of Kieran Lyons. Kieran was a native of Portlaw but spent many years living in Kildermody,Kilmeaden. Kierans funeral mass and burial took place to Ballyduff church and we extend our deepest sympathy to all his family and friends. May he rest in peace.

Portlaw Musical Society

Our neighbours in Portlaw are getting ready to stage their 38th production which this year is Sleeping Beauty. This years producer is Damian Walsh who of course runs his stage school Starstruck in Ballyduff community centre. The Panto cast will take to the stage from Thursday February 1st to Saturday February 3rd at 8pm nightly and a matinee performance on Sunday February 4th at 3pm. Tickets cost €12 for adults and €8 for children and will be on sale in Portlaw community centre from January 25th to January 31st from 5pm to 7pm excluding Sunday. Phone booking on 086-0519210 will only be available on January 31st from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. Panto time is always a great night out so pick up a ticket and treat yourself to a great night out and watch out on stage I’m sure you will spot a few familiar faces from the Ballyduff/Kilmeaden areas!

Community Alert.

Our local community alert group held a very informative meeting last week. It was great to see such a big crowd turn up. Two ladies from the college in Waterford gave the meeting a report on an independent study they had carried out in connection with agricultural rural crime. The most common types of crime carried out they told us was theft, vandalism and trespass. Many of these crimes they told us were never reported for different reasons with one of them being that they had no access to a local garda station which is of course a problem in rural areas.

Garda Alan Kissane was also present and informed the group that our local text alert scheme is one of the strongest and most successful schemes in the county. He urged people to take personal pride and responsibility in their property and belongings. If you see something suspicious or something that just doesnt feel right to you then please call your local guard. The Garda station in Kilmacthomas is now a 24 hour station and Garda Kissane has asked me to give you the following numbers so that you can have them ready to use if necessary. The mobile numbers are 086-8581043 or 086 8581044. The number for Kilmac station is 051-295630 and Tramore is 051-391620. Please write down these numbers and keep them by your phone.

The community alert group will meet again on February 20th so watch this space for details.

Awards Night

My family and I travelled to Lawlors Hotel in Dungarvan on Friday January 12th to watch my dad Noel O Sullivan pick up The Jack Furlong Award which is given to someone who has given a lifetime service and committment to the GAA. I may be a little bias but I believe this award was justly deserved. My dad has always been involved with Gaa . He won numerous medals and trophies as goalie for Portlaw for many years and was part of the great Portlaw team of the 70’s who brought great glory days to the club. Daddy picked up the referees whistle 57 years ago and is still refereeing today. He is also very involved in many other aspects of the GAA and if theres a match being played anywhere in the county chances are that you will spot my dad there. Why does he do it I wonder well I would say it is genuinely out of love for the game and the association.

To receive the award on Friday night was indeed a true honour for him and made all the more special because 25 years previous he watched his dad Sonny O Sullivan take the same award. I’m sure grandad was watching from his seat in heaven and was very proud. I think I can speak for my family when I say we too were very proud and enjoyed watching our dad being recognised for his committment and dedication but of course I’m sure I don’t have to tell any of you that behind every good man is a great woman and so my mother Nancy always should be recognised. She has been a GAA widow for many years and made sure the home fires were kept burning, the gear was kept clean and us children were kept in line. Thank you to all the organisers of the awards who gave us a great night to remember.

GAA News.

There will be a meeting on Tuesday January 30th at 7pm in Ballyduff Community Centre for anyone who is interested in becoming a coach for the nursery and academy group of the club. Anyone who is interested in helping out with these amazing and enthusiastic bunch please come along. Coaching courses for anyone interested will begin in February.

It is a big year for the club with the construction of the new ball wall due to commence. The club have received part funding from the Government for this but will be relying on the generosity of the community to help raise the remainder. They wish to thank you all for your continued generosity and support to the club.

School Enrollments, Couch to 5k and Dying to Meet You.

Bridge News.

We welcome back the Portlaw/Ballyduff bridge club after their Christmas break and wish them all a very happy and healthy 2018. Their first game of the New Year was played on January 8th and the results were as follows:

1st: Kathleen Collins and Patsy Roche.

2nd:Sean Hennessy and Nano Fitzgerald.

3rd:Kate Hayes and John Fitzpatrick.

4th:Ann Marie Brown and Mary Prendergast.

Community Alert.

Our local community alert group will hold their first meeting of 2018 on Tuesday January 16th at 8pm in Ballyduff community centre. Guest speakers on the night will be Chief Superintendent Padraig Dunne and Margaret Quinn from Muintir na Tire. The Munster Express will also be present.

The annual €5 charge for the text alert scheme will also be taken up on the night.

I urge you all to attend these community alert meetings which are very informative and are a great opportunity to get to know your locality, your local guards and to voice your worries and opinions about both your own safety and that of your property and belongings.

School Enrolments

Ballyduff N.S are now accepting applications for enrolment in September 2018. If you are interested in sending your child to Ballyduff N.S in September you can pick up an application form from the school office between the hours of 9.20am and 3pm Monday to Friday or contact the school on 051-384414 and they will post a form out to you. All applications are assessed under the criteria outlined in the enrolment policy which can be viewed on the school website www.ballyduffns.com . Parents will be notified of the Board of Managements decision before March 23rd.

Soccer Club News.

New volunteers are needed to coach the U5’s and U6’s teams so if you have a little time to spare and are willing to help out the club would be delighted to hear from you because unless coaches are found they will be unable to run these teams. Additional coaches are also need for the U7,U8 and U9 teams. Soccer experience is not essential as full training and ongoing support will be available. If you are interested please contact one of the managers on training evenings or contact Paddy on 087-2764883

Parent and Toddler

Our local Parent and Toddler group will return from their Christmas break on Friday January 19th. The group meet each Friday from 10am to 12 noon in Ballyduff Community Centre. This is a wonderful way of getting to know people in your area and it is nice to chat and discuss things with other parents. The babies and toddlers get the chance to mix and interact with other children which is so important at that age. I attended this group when my own children were small and it was something I looked forward to each week.

Couch to 5K

Our local marathon queen Sharon Flynn will begin a couch to 5k group on Wednesday January 17th. This proved very popular last year and I have no doubt that it will be the same this year. This group will meet each Wednesday night in the layby just above O Donnachas with runners beginning at 7pm and walkers at 7.30pm so there is a level for everyone. As well as giving her time and experience freely to the group Sharon would also like to give something back to charity and has chosen Temple Street Hospital,so she will simply have a collection bucket with her each night and will ask people to donate €1 or €2 to the cause.

Dying To Meet You

The wait is over and the stage is set as Dawn Players drama group are ready to bring you this years production which is an hilarious comedy called “Dying To Meet You”. A married couple begin to feel a bit bored when all their children have flown the nest so their neighbours suggest that they should rent out their spare room to make a bit of money. Husband and wife go about finding a tenant without discussing it with each other and so the room is let out to a young undertaker and a young Italian girl with very little English. Just to make the story even more interesting throw in an Inspector of Taxes, a mysterious Italian uncle who may have links with the mafia and sure what could possibly go wrong!

The play runs from Wednesday January 17th to Saturday January 20th at 8pm in the school hall of Ballyduff N.S. Tickets are priced at €12 and can be booked on 087-4487648 after 6pm on weekdays. This promises to be a great show with a mixed cast of familiar faces, returning actors and new first timers, so book yourself a ticket and spread the word to all your friends.

Be Mindful.

We have been experiencing some rather cold temperatures lately and so I would ask you all to be mindful of those living in your area who may be old, sick or living alone. A little visit is not much to ask and check that they have enough heat and supplies. We all know how nice and comforting it is to sit in your own warm house when the weather is cold and miserable. I’m sure none of us would like to hear of anyone in our area who was cold or hungry simply because nobody thought of calling to them. I have no doubt that many acts of kindness are being carried out around our area which nobody knows about and I have witnessed many myself so I say keep up the good work because thats what makes our community so special.

New Year Wishes, Birthday Girl and Dawn Players

New Year Wishes.

Let me begin these notes by wishing each and every one of you every happiness and good health for 2018. I thank all who have contributed to these local notes and I look forward to including your items once again this year. Remember if you or your club or organisation have an event coming up let the community know about it through these notes. I am reliably informed that people read them. If you or someone in your family have celebrated a significant birthday, engagement, wedding, birth, anniversary, graduation, even if the cat has had kittens why not wish them well through these notes. Just contact me Linda Spillane on 087-9838392 or spillanelinda2017@gmail.com or spillanelinda@eircom.net I’m so popular I have to have two emails. I look forward to hearing from you.

Christmas Babies.

We all celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus at Christmas but nearer to home two more little boys were set to make their arrival.

On Christmas Day Louise and Ian Doogue welcomed their beautiful son Eoin into the world. What a wonderful Christmas gift to receive and I know that all the Doogue and Mackey families are thrilled to welcome baby Eoin. Louise is of course the eldest daughter of John and Maria Mackey in Ross.

Joanne and Pat Matthews also welcomed their baby son on Christmas Day. Baby Jack Francie Matthews decided he didn’t want to wait until his due date and arrived in time for Christmas. Joanne is the eldest daughter of Francie and Ann Crowley in Adamstown and what an eventful Christmas they have had with their youngest daughter Sarah arriving back from her holiday engaged and then their beautiful grandson making his arrival. Baby Matthews will of course have no problems settling in to family life with big sister Kate on hand to show him the ropes. What fantastic gifts these families received this Christmas and we wish them all every happiness and good health in the future.

Christmas Ceremonies.

Our church looked beautiful for the Christmas ceremonies and a big well done and thank you to everyone who made the church look so nice. The Christmas tree shone brightly, while our lovely crib was visited by many and it was particularly nice to see the little children tell their parents about all the people in the crib. The stunning flower arrangements adorned the altar and windows and the Christmas masses were beautifully enhanced by our choir. The young people from our parish who took part in the Nativity play on Christmas Eve really brought home to us the true meaning of Christmas. A big thank you to all who took part or arranged any part of the Christmas ceremonies, your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Christmas Wedding.

We send our heartiest congratulations to Elaine Leahy, Blacknock who married her sweetheart Mark Phelan on December 29th. The bride looked stunning as she arrived at St. Nicholas’s church Ballyduff accompanied by her beautiful bridesmaids. Fr. Gerry Condon was on hand to officiate. The couple and their guests then headed off to The Riverside Park Hotel where they wined and dined and then danced the night away. I hear tales back of a great weekend and I wish the happy couple every happiness in their future lives together.

Future Bride.

We send warm congratulations to Colette Kiely formerly of Ballyduff West and now living in Portlaw who announced her engagement to Jose Pinto over the Christmas season. Jose of course had the job of winning over the two other important men in Colettes life, her dad that famous Kilkenny man Fintan Kiely and her son Jack. Once he had their seal of approval it was going to be plain sailing. We wish Colette, Jose and Jack the very best of everything in their future lives together. Be careful now Colette if I know Fintan he will be looking for a black and amber theme for the wedding.

Community Alert

Our local community alert group will host the first meeting of 2018 on Tuesday January 16th at 8pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. Guest speakers on the night will be Chief Superintendent Padraig Dunne and Margaret Quinn from Muintir Na Tire. Representatives from The Munster Express will also be in attendance. The €5 text alert charge will also be taken up on the night.

I would urge you all to come along and support your local group, you are asked for nothing in return. It is so important for a community to show a united front and protect our area and all who live in it. The text alert scheme is something I can not recommend highly enough. For a mere €5 per year you receive regular texts informing you of suspicious activity or unknown vehicles in your surrounding areas. The text was also invaluable recently during the bad weather informing of road closures, fallen trees etc. If you really can’t make the meeting put your name and mobile number along with your €5 in an envelope and give to someone going to the meeting or you can give it to me and I will happily pass it on for you.

GAA News.

The club would like to say a big thank you to all the players, coaches and supporters for all their committment and dedication in 2017. 2017 was a great year for the club and hopefully 2018 will also prove to be a successful year . The club wishes all its members and their families a happy and healthy New Year.

Huge congratulations to Cathal Daly who has been selected to represent the county at Minor Football level. Cathal puts in a lot of time and effort into his training and recently qualified as a coach for the nursery/academy section of the club. We know his parents Donal and Miriam are very proud of him and are always great supporters of Cathal and the club.

Memorial Swim.

A huge congratulations to all who braved the elements on Christmas Day and took part in The Michael Power Memorial Swim at Kilmurrin Cove. This annual swim has been running since 1983 and it has raised almost €600,000 for various charities. The proceeds from the 2017 swim will go to the Touching Hearts charity.

Birthday Girl.

A big happy 21st birthday goes to Laura Burns, Blacknock who recently celebrated in style at The Sweep Bar with her family and friends. I hear a great night was had by all and we hope Laura had a night to remember.

Dawn Players

It is that time of year again when our local drama group Dawn Players stage their annual production. This year they have chosen a comedy called “Dying To Meet You” by Ron Hutson. The play will run from Wednesday January17th to Saturday January 20th at 8pm in the school hall at Ballyduff N.S. Tickets will cost €12 and booking will open from Wednesday January 10th on 087-4487648. Bookings can be made after 6pm on weekdays and all day on Saturday and Sunday.

A few familiar faces return to the stage for the group this year with a few new faces thrown in too and directing this year is Miriam Daly. This comedy promises to be full of laughs and is a guaranteed great night out.

The play centres around a happily married couple whose children have now flown the nest. Their friends and neighbours next door suggest that they rent out the empty rooms to make money and so rooms are rented to a young undertaker and a young Italian girl with little English. Throw into the mix a tax inspector, an italian uncle with possible links to the Mafia and sure what could possibly go wrong!! Get yourself a ticket and find out what happens.