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.