Christmas Visitor
We are truly blessed in our parish to have two wonderful men as priests of our Parish. During what has been a very strange and worrying year for everyone Fr. Richard and Fr. Mick have gone above and beyond to offer comfort and support. Our Parish Facebook page has been a real comfort to everyone. The daily and weekend masses, the Angelus and readings and reflections have kept up people’s positivity.
Faced with the restrictions imposed upon Christmas masses etc our priests once again stepped up and made arrangements for several masses over Christmas week to cater for everybody. Our church looked so beautiful with our Christmas tree, crib, advent wreath, flowers and candles. We give great thanks for the work of our extremely dedicated sacristan Ann Nolan who looks after our church with great care and love every day of the year.
Our church was so welcoming and inviting that a small wren took up residence in the church for the few days before Christmas. Finding room at the inn he took up residence and before Christmas morning mass he zoomed around the church but once mass began he perched himself on the Christmas tree where he stayed until mass was over. Ann then opened up all the doors so that he could make his exit but he had plans to visit the sacristy and decided to stay until St. Stephen’s Day.
Ballyduff GAA
Ballyduff GAA club would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. They would like to express their gratitude to all the players, parents and volunteers for their fantastic efforts throughout 2020 which was a tough year for everyone. The club will continue to support the community in every way possible and they look forward to positive days ahead. For those of you who have been watching from the sideline let 2021 be the year you makeyy a contribution and get involved in club activity in some small way. A job no matter how small it is can make a difference to the smooth running of the club.
The club would like to offer their sympathies with to all those in the community who have lost a loved one during the year. Hopefully 2021 will bring brighter days.
School News
It was most definitely the end of an era in Ballyduff NS as everyone looked forward to the school Christmas holidays they also were getting ready to say goodbye to Vice Principal Mary Brennan who had decided to retire after 38 years in Ballyduff. A beautiful staff mass was held and was attended by present staff as well as some faces from the past including Pat Flynn, Ellen Kirby, Killian O Reilly, Winnie Foran and Eileen O Leary. The staff presented Mary with a beautiful photographic memory book with many photos from down through the years. Mary has given many years of commitment and dedication to our school and she will be missed greatly. We all wish Mary the very best of luck for the future and hope that her retirement is full of happiness and good times.
Ballyduff AFC
Ballyduff AFC are hosting a fundraising scrap collection over the next few weeks. You can drop your electrical items(washing machines and glass not included) to the soccer field. The gates are open during the following hours. Every weekday from 10am to 1.30pm and from 6pm to 9pm. You can also drop on a Saturday or Sunday between 10am and 4pm. If you would like any more information please contact 087 2764884.
New Year Wishes
Without a shadow of a doubt 2020 has been a year most people would like to wipe from their memories and at present the worries and the fears that we faced early in 2020 remain with us as we live within restrictions and cancellations. I believe that as we face into a New Year we have to do so with hope and optimism because without these we might as well throw in the towel now and just give up. Spreading a smile and positivity will not only enhance our lives but also those around us and
those we meet or speak with.
I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you every good wish and blessing for the coming year. I hope that you search for that little positive in each day. Take in the beauty around us and get out and enjoy it if you can. Find the beauty and comfort in a simple phone call or the writing of a letter. Remember that you are never alone there is always someone who is willing to help all you have to do is let them. We will get through this and hopefully the full brightness of a New Year will soon shine and we will look back and say we made it through together .
Go mbeidh do bhliain nua slaintiuil, sona agus geal.