Graveyard Mass.
I know that like me,many of you have relatives and friends buried in Butlerstown graveyard and so I just wanted to inform you that they will hold their annual graveyard mass on Thursday July 28th at 7.30pm. Please God the weather will be kind and the mass can be held outdoors.
Wedding Bells.
We send our warmest wishes and congratulations to local man Mark O Brien who married his beautiful bride Paulina Pieczonka in Krakow, Poland recently. Mark is of course a well known painter and decorator and son of Billy and Alice in Ballyduff Village. Many family and friends travelled to Poland to witness the happy event and I hear that everyone had a wonderful time. We wish the happy couple every happiness in their future lives together.
Bridge News.
The results of the bridge game played on Monday July 18th are as follows;
1st: Mary Kennedy and Breda Cowman.
2nd: Nano Fitzgerald and Kate Hayes.
3rd: Nan Murphy and Patsy Roche.
4th: Margaret White and Anna Marie Brown.
GAA Lotto
The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 3, 5, 11, and 28 and there was no winner of the jackpot. The three lucky dip winners of €50 were Ben O Donnell, Anne Costello and E Verling.
The next draw will take place on July 31st in O Donnachas and will have a jackpot of €4100. Tickets are just €2 each or three for €5 and will be on sale outside Centra all day on Saturday July 30th. Get your tickets and choose those four lucky numbers carefully.
Golf Thanks.
Ballyduff AFC would like to thank everybody who took part in their recent Golf Classic. A full list of their sponsors is available on their facebook page and website.
The club would also like to thank Bobby and Noreen from Centra in Kilmeaden for sponsoring a set of shorts and socks for the First Division. Their generosity is greatly appreciated.
Starstruck
Have you some budding performers on your hands who would like to take to the stage to sing, act and dance. Starstruck Theatre school will begin classes on August 8th in Ballyduff Community Centre.The school is for ages 6 to 18 years and will have 2 terms each year from February to May and August to November. The classes will be broken into different age groups with two classes per week on Mondays and Wednesdays at a cost of €5 per class and an annual fee of €10 for insurance.
To find out more an information and registation evening will be held in Ballyduff Community Centre on Wednesday July 27th at 7pm. All parents and children are welcome to come along and hear what it is all about before making a decision.
Newcastle Date.
Although we are now known as the parish of Balyduff/Portlaw we were once known as the parish of Newcastle/Portlaw. The ruins of the old church and its cemetery remain in the area of Ardeenlone. Former Parish Priest Fr. Matt Power was buried there in 1810, 12 years before Ballyduff church was built. Mark your diary for Monday August 22nd at 7.30pm for the annual Newcastle mass. Ballyduff church is about 2 and a half miles from Newcastle and in memory of all our ancestors who walked to mass we will hold a faith walk leaving from Ballyduff at 6.30pm. The walkers will carry with them a 300 year old chalice which will be used during the mass. If the weather is unsuitable then the mass will be held in Ballyduff Church on the same evening at 7.30pm.
5 Mile Fun Run.
Another date for your diary is Friday August 26th when the annual Liz(Eilis) Hayes Memorial 5 Mile Fun Run will take place. It is hoped this year to get as many locals as possible involved whether running, walking or cheering. Any of you who had the pleasure of knowing Liz Hayes will know that she was a great community woman and came out to support every local event so here is your chance to follow in her footsteps. We have many enthusiastic walkers and runners in our area so I am sure they will be lining up on that starting line. To encourage more local involvement there will be a prize for the first male and female from the area home.
The walk will set off from Ballyduff village at 6.15pm and the runners will go at 7pm. Entry fee is €10 and €5 for students and juniors and all proceeds will go to Ballyduff Communiy Centre. John O Shea will provide musical entertainment during the event and refreshments will be sreved afterwards. The run will be chip pin timed and will have cash prizes and lots of spot prizes on the way. Off you go now and get training!!