Ballyduff GAA, Church News and Back to School

Ballyduff GAA

It has come to the attention of the club that some comments left under some of their social media posts contain links to the streaming of games. They urge you not to click on the link. The club never stream any of their Juvenile games. This problem has been happening to a numbered of GAA  clubs and our club will continue to monitor it for and ban all uninvited messages.
This week the results have been a bit of a mixed bag. The U15 and U13 football and LGFA were out at games. The club felt that once again the grading system leaves a lot to be desired with some heavy defeats followed by huge wins. The club however are proud to see the club competing and to see all the players developing their skills so well. A big thank you to all the coaches for giving their time. This as we all know has need a strange year with of fixtures coming thick and fast.
The “Come and Try” Camogie initiative continues until the end of August. All are welcome to come along on Tuesday from 6.10pm to 7.10pm as the girls and their parents enjoy an enjoyable hour learning the basic skills of Camogie.
The club is exploring the possibility of setting up a rounders team in the parish. This is a very popular game and a superb games for fitness and fun. Please express your interest by contacting Liz on 087 7609679


Church News

A reminder that from next weekend our weekend masses will return to pre Covid times. The extra Saturday morning mass will be dropped so mass times will be on Saturday evening at 7.30pm and our Sunday morning mass will return to 10am.
Did you know that next year is a big year for our church as we celebrate its 200th birthday. Any ideas how we could celebrate this wonderful event as a community ? If you have any thoughts please let me know on 087 9838392.u


Back To School

Hard to believe  that it is already time to open up our school’s again and welcome our students back in. We wish them all the very best of luck as they start out on their journey whether they  are starting off at preschool or Montessori, heading into Junior Infants, off to Secondary school or starting a course, apprenticeship or taking up a new job. I know by now you will have all the bits and pieces that you need but I’m asking you all to bring one other little thing with you every day and that is kindness. If we all show a little kindness each day then we are doing well.

Church News, Wedding Bells and Local Buzz

AGM Time

Our local Community Centre Redevelopment Committee will hold their AGM on Wednesday August 18th at 8pm in the Community Centre. If you are interested in getting involved with the future of your local community centre comealong to the  AGM and give your support.

Recent Death

We extend our deepest sympathies to Willie Hanrahan, Blacknock on the recent death of his brother. Johnny Anderson Hanrahan lived in the beautiful Clonea Power and is survived by his daughter Breda,his granddaughter Katie and her partner Martin, his brother Willie and his partner Josie, aunt Joan,nieces Joanne and Jessie, nephew Willie, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives and friends. Johnnys’ funeral mass took place in Clonea followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. May he now rest in peace.


Church News

We are now taking bookings for anniversary masses for the months of August and September. If you would like to book an anniversary mass for a loved one during these months please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.
We are on the lookout for some volunteers to read at the weekend masses. You will not be asked to commit to a regular schedule but only when it suits you. If you would like to volunteer please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.


Wedding Bells

St. Nicholas’s church ,Ballyduff was the setting for a most beautiful wedding recently as local man Aidan Millea married the love of his life Shauna Mullally. This lovely couple who have been living in the shadow of the church for the past while, were proud to exchange their wedding vows in front of friends and family. Following their wedding ceremony the couple treated their guests to a lovely reception in the beautiful setting of the Greenway Manor. We wish the happy couple the very best of luck in their future lives together.


Birthday Girl

We send many happy birthday wishes to the very popular Mary Fitzpatrick in Ballyduff West who celebrated her birthday recently. I have it on good authority from her daughter Sara that she is the best mother in the world and I have no doubt that Sara speaks the truth. I know that Mary’s husband Michael and daughter Sara will have treated Mary to a very special day for her birthday with lots of nice treats. We wish Mary many more happy birthdays.


Local Buzz

It is lovely to walk around Kilmeaden and see all our local businesses and amenities with their doors open and doing what they do best again. The sounds of laughter and chat would certainly raise your spirits.  We are very lucky and very well catered for here in Kilmeaden with such variety and choice on our doorstep. A wonderful selection of places to eat, variety of places to shop for your  groceries, medical needs, farm and garden needs, fuel and hardware needs. We can have our  hair done at the hairdressers or barbers, our.beauty needs met at the beautician,we can have our cars repaired or indeed buy ourselves a new one or we can spruce up our vehicle with a wash and valet  and we are blessed to have a wonderful carpentry workshop in our area and many other gifted trades people in our community. We can have our children cared for in a safe and happy environment. Our lawnmowers and garden machinery can be repaired.  Visitors can be pampered and spoiled in our B&B’s and even our canine friends can enjoy a little holiday in top notch kennels while we are away.  On top of all this we are blessed with many beautiful places to visit whether we fancy a spin along the railway with stunning views of the River Suir, a stroll along  the Greenway or a walk around beautiful gardens and country houses or many other interesting walks. I ask you all to try if at all possible to support our local businesses and trades people, these are the people who provide jobs and work experience for our young people and they are the people we turn to for sponsorship and donations for our clubs and charity events. I have never made any secret of how wonderful I think Kilmeaden is. I have never wanted to live anywhere else and Kilmeaden and the people in it make a wonderful community. Get out and explore your area and let’s all support each other .


25 Years and Counting

We send warmest congratulations and good wishes to local lady Jacqui O Brien, Amberhill as she celebrates 25 years in her hairdressing business. Jacqui’s Hair Zone is located on the Lower Yellow Road and has gone from strength to strength over the years. I have no doubt that 25 years ago it was a scary time for Jacqui setting up a business at such a young age but determination and a passion for her profession drove her forward and I have no doubt that she had great family support. 24 years ago I had the pleasure of being treated like royalty by Jacqui and her staff as my bridesmaids and I arrived on the morning of my wedding to allow Jacqui work her magic. They listened to what we wanted and we all got exactly as we asked. Speaking to Jacqui recently that same sparkle glistens in her eyes as she speaks about hairdressing and she speaks so warmly about her staff and customers. I know Jacqui receives great support from her husband Patsy and their children but also from her parents, Tommy and Mary and her brothers and sisters and I know that they are all very proud of her achievements. They are a very close knit family and I know Jacqui loves having her sister Kay by her side in the hairdressers every day. We wish Jacqui every success in the future and many more years of happy hairdressing.

Church News, Married Bliss and Pump it up

Church News

We have three masses each weekend for you to choose from. Mass is celebrated every Saturday morning at 10am and on Saturday evenings at 7.30pm. There is also Sunday morning mass at 9.30am.
If you would like to book one of these weekend  masses for a loved one during the month of August then please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.
We are also looking for some new volunteer readers for our weekend masses. We are so grateful to all those who already volunteer but I know that there are many more lovely speakers out there. You would not be expected to read every weekend but only when it suited you. If you feel like you could help out then please contact Linda Spillane on 087 9838392.


Birthday Boy

We send warmest birthday wishes to John Whelan, Matthews Cross who recently celebrated his 40th birthday. I’m sure John celebrated in style and is probably still celebrating. I have no doubt that his wife Joanne and children Tom and Penny made sure that he was spoiled on the day. I’m sure he probably received a chorus of Happy Birthday from all his little friends in Kiddies Kingdom. We wish John many more happy birthdays and hope that he enjoyed his special celebrations.


Married Bliss

I would like  to extend special wedding anniversary wishes to my sister Mary and her husband Eamonn O Leary who recently celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary. Still blissfully happy and all loved up, the couple celebrated at home in Kilmagemogue with lots of good wishes coming their way from family and friends. We all wish them both many more years of good health and happiness.
Down the road in Blacknock Michael and Marian Murray celebrated 34 years of wedded bliss and I’m sure their sons Dean and Gary made sure they made their day special. I have no doubt that Gary made that all important call all the way from Australia, where we hope he is doing well. I have no doubt that grandson David provided enough hugs to cover all the family. We hope Michael and Marian enjoy many more happy and healthy years together.


A Little Princess

I am a bit late finding out about this happy news but this baby girl even surprised her parents by arriving early. Claire and Willie Gough welcomed their beautiful baby girl Olivia into the world on Fathers Day and what a gift for her daddy to receive. Claire is formerly Claire Flynn from  Adamstown and I have no  doubt that Nanny Maureen will have no bother providing babysitting services. I met very proud Grandaunt June recently and so I got a sneaky look at a photo of the beautiful Olivia. She is most certainly a gorgeous little princess and we look forward to meeting her when she is visiting Kilmeaden. We wish this happy little family every happiness for the future.


Ballyduff GAA

There is lots of activity taking place in Ballyduff GAA with lots of training sessions and matches across all the different age groups with lots of fun being had by all. Take a look at their Facebook page and keep up to date with all the happenings.
Friday Football runs weekly to provide an option of learning extra technical skills in advance of the upcoming season. This is open to all boys and girls born between the years 2009 and 2013 and takes place every Friday evening from 6.15pm to 7.15pm. If you would like some more information please contact Mairead Cremin or Nina Walsh.


Pump It Up!

It’s wonderful to see another wonderful amenity in Kilmeaden. Just across the road from Centra you will find new bicycle stands joined by a pump station to pump up the wheels of your bicycle, pushchair or wheelchair. Councillor John O Leary made representation to the council for this under the smarter travel initiative. This initiative is to accommodate the growth in the use of electric bikes incorporating e-bike charging station including secure storage and locking points for bicycle users.   The station is also equipped with some tools you may need to fix or adjust your bike. Many cyclists pass through Kilmeaden daily and this is a fantastic facility to have in the area .

Summer Concert, Curraghmore Experience and Ballyduff GAA

Recent Death

We  extend our deepest sympathy to the Walsh family on the recent death of Catherine Walsh, Portlaw. Catherine and her family were once residents of Gortaclode some years back. Catherine will be deeply missed by her husband Philip, her sons Aidan and Declan, her daughter Angela and all her extended family and friends and neighbours. Catherines funeral mass took place in St. Patrick’s church, Portlaw followed by private cremation.


Summer Concert

It is Summer concert time in the beautiful Fairbrook House and Gardens. On Saturday August 7th Fairbrook House will play host to a beautiful Summer Concert to lift all our spirits. The concert will take place twice on the day, 1pm to 3pm and from 5pm to 7pm. The first half of the concert will feature Scottish/Irish singer and composer Fiona Kennedy who will perform her beautiful songs accompanying herself on guitar. Following the interval there will be a mainly French repertoire by troubadour duo Chante La Vie.
During the interval there will be  an opportunity to stroll around the stunning garden and museum while enjoying a glass of bubbles and some canapes. Hopefully the weather will be kind and if so please bring along your own seat for the garden, however if the rain arrives seating will be provided indoors. Tickets are €20 per person and can be booked on 051-384657.


Curraghmore Experience

I was delighted to hear that the beautiful Curraghmore House have reopened their guided tours of the house, shell house and gardens. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the house and gardens and you can book your ticket by contacting alan@curraghmore.ie. The tea rooms are open every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. If you would like some more information please take a look at the Curraghmore Facebook page.


Mount Congreve

Do yourself a favour and take a look at Mount Congreve’s Facebook page and their website for news of all the many events they have coming up. There are many exciting and interesting events to look forward to including a stargazing evening during the annual Perseid Meteors showers. On Sunday August 22nd there will be a morning of Yoga and Meditation in the beauty of the gardens. What a wonderful setting to relax and clear your mind.


Wedding Delight

We  send warmest congratulations to Niall Kinsella and Aoife Barrett who recently celebrated their wedding day with family and friends. Niall is the son of Michael and Dolores and I’m sure his brother David gave him some great wedding tips. However the main man in charge on the day was the couples’ son Alex who made sure everything ran smoothly. The couple enjoyed beautiful weather for their special day and from what I hear a wonderful day was had by all. We wish this happy little family a very happy and bright future.


Birthday Girls

We wish a very happy 18th birthday to Ballyduff girl Rachel O Shea. I have no doubt that her parents Paul and Martina ensured that she had a wonderful day and was spoiled on her special day.
Down the road in Cullinagh, Shauna Reade celebrated her 21st birthday. The Reade family know how to celebrate and parents Eamonn and Marie will have made sure that their beautiful girl enjoyed her celebrations. We wish Shauna many more happy birthdays.
The Doogue and Mackey families up in Ross  were also busy celebrating the beautiful  Annabelle’s 2nd birthday. I’m sure all the aunties, uncles and cousins helped to make Annabelles day very special with lots of treats and fun.


Ballyduff AFC

Ballyduff AFC will play host to the Coerver Coaching Summer Camp on August 16th and 17th from 10am to 1pm. Early booking is advised as places are limited. You can book by logging onto https://coerver-coaching-munster.class4kids.ie/camp/130


Ballyduff GAA

Lots of activity in our Gaa club with many games being played. There is something for everyone within the club so if you would like to get involved take  a look at their Facebook page and get the information you need.
There was great pride within the club as they watched club men Jack O Donnell and Rory Dobbyn enjoy a wonderful win with the Waterford Minors over Tipperary and of course as I write these notes we are just days away from watching another clubman Calum Lyons take on Tipperary again and we know that Calum will as always give 100%.