GAA Lotto
The numbers drawn in the latest lotto draw were 1, 10, 16 and 24 and there was no winner of the jackpot. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Tony Larkin, Martina Cheasty and Colman Power. The next draw will take place on February 9th and will have a jackpot of €12,500 up for grabs.
Tickets cost just €2 each or 3 for €5 and are available from all committee members and will also be on sale at Centra on Saturday February 8th. Choose your four lucky numbers very carefully and you could be planning an exciting shopping spree.
A Wing and A Dare
Ballyduff Youth Drama is made up of boys and girls from 5th and 6th classes and over the years they have treated us to many energetic, colourful shows leaving their audiences beaming brightly. This year is no different as they prepare to stage their production of A Wing and A Dare. Lily is a fairy with just one wing and sets out a journey to find the magical hawthorn bush which gives you everything your heart desires. Along the way she befriends Shakey, a troll who has been bullied because of his height. They join forces to find the magic bush meeting trouble along the way and meeting moonsphinx, pot pixie and the eldest magician in the skies. You will have to drop along to the show to find out what becomes of Lily and Shakey? Will they make it to the magical hawthorn bush?
The show will run for two nights on Friday February 7th at 8pm and on Saturday February 8th at 8.15pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. Tickets cost just €10 and are available by texting or ringing Eleanor on 087-4046904.
Our Sympathy
We extend our deepest sympathies to Amelia Carlin, Ballyduff West on the recent death of her beloved aunt. Mrs. Essie Hearne(nee Drohan) was a resident of Doyle Street and formerly of Ballybeg Park. Removal and funeral mass took place at Ballybricken church and Essie was laid to rest in St. Otterans Cemetery. We offer our sympathy to all her family and pray that Essie now rests in gentle peace.
Enrolment News.
Ballyduff NS are now accepting enrolments for Junior Infants September 2020. Closing date for applications is February 28th. For all enquiries please contact the school office directly on 051-384414.
Community Alert
The first community alert meeting of 2020 was held last week and it was great to see such an enthusiastic crowd attending. Sergent Deirdre O Neill complimented the group on their great success and informed the group of our area’s very low rate of crime. She said this is most definetly helped by the active involvement in community alert and the very successful text alert scheme.
Guest speaker on the night was the great John O Connor who told us of some of the great news stories he has covered over the years and had the crowd in tears of laughter as he recalled some of the “April Fool” pranks he ran through the paper.
The next meeting of our local community alert will be our AGM and I encourage you all to come along and get involved. You are not asked to do anything just come along to a monthly meeting, listen to guest speakers, our local guards and maybe air any concerns or worries you may have. Of course every member is offered the opportunity to be part of our hugely successful text alert scheme. For an annual fee of just €5 you will receive regular texts informing you of suspicious activity in your area and surrounding areas, during bad weather you will also be informed of hazardous areas and road closures and you will also be kept up to date about community alert meetings and activities. This fee is now due and will be taken up at our next meeting. If you are not yet joined up you can contact myself Linda Spillane and I will lok after it for you. Our AGM will take place on Monday February 24th at 8pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. Hope to see you there and bring a friend.
Gaa News
The club would like to congratulate clubmen Rory Dobbyn and Sean Fitzgerald who have been chosen to be part of the Waterford U16 football training panel. What a fantastic achievement by the lads and the club is very honoured to have such talented guys representing them. The club wishes them both well and will be following their progress with great interestand say a big well done to their coaches and teamates along the way who have encouraged them along the way.
Everyone was eagerly awaiting Waterfords league game against Cork and to watching Ballyduff man Calum Lyons. Callum didnt disappoint and put in a stormer of a game. It was wonderful to see Waterford come out on top and as Liam Cahill says himself, let’s see what happens, be patient and look forward to the year ahead especially the Championship.
It is fantastic to see the big turn out every Friday night for the Ireland lights up from 7pm to 8.30pm. The club very kindly open up their facilities so that we can walk, jog, chat alone or with a friend in a safe environment. Drop along and regenerate your mind and body.
An important date to mark in your diary is the date for our annual Waterford GAA Cul Camp. This years camp will take place from July 13th to July 17th. Online booking will take place soon.
Dancing Shoes.
Have you been promising yourself a good night out once we get the 500 days of January over. Our local GAA club would like to invite you all to come along to their club dinner dance which will take place on Saturday February 22nd . For just €35 each you will be treated to a delicious 4 course meal in The Granville Hotel followed by the presentation of medals and then it will be on with the dancing shoes with dancing to the brilliant Bottle Brothers. Tickets are available from any committee member and remember you dont have to be a member of the club to go, the only strict rule they have is that you have to be able to enjoy yourself.
Mass For The Sick
Tuesday February 11th is Our Lady of Lourdes World Day of the Sick and there will be a special mass offered for all our sick in St. Nicholas’s church at 7.30pm. We are all sick from time to time so remember all are welcome to join in this mass.
He’s Behind You!!
Our friends in the Portlaw Musical Society are ready to stage their production of Cinderella in this their 40th year. Portlaw Musical Society have been entertaining audiences for 40 years and have grown so much over the years. I began going to the Panto as a small child and my own dad was one of those brave people who took to the stage and I have been going every year since then. It is always entertaining, colourful, funny and a real musical treat.
The panto will take place in Portlaw hall from February 6th to February 8th at 8pm nightly and on Sunday February 9th at 3pm and tickets can be booked by contacting 086-0519210. Tickets are priced at €12 for adults and €8 for children. The group will host a special offer price for Thursday only when all primary school children will be charged just €5. Come along and enjoy song and dance and many many laughs.