Golden Jubilee.
On Friday June 9th we all gathered in Ballyduff Church to celebrate with our Parish Priest Fr.Michael O Byrne the occasion of his Golden Jubilee. 50 years ago Fr.Mick headed off to Maynooth to pledge his service to God and his people. In a beautiful and humourous sermon Fr.Mick brought us on a journey of his priesthood and told us tales and memories of the many parishes he has served in. He came to us here in Ballyduff and Portlaw 23 years ago and we quickly became friends and I am happy to say we haven’t fallen out yet and I count him among one of my best friends. At the beginning of the mass some symbols were brought forward depicting not only his dedication to the service but also the hobbies he enjoys. A class photo of all the men who entered Maynooth with him, the three different coloured stoles which the priest wears throughout the year, his bridge cards and scoresheet showing his love for his weekly bridge game, a play script showing his long running association with drama as both actor and director and lastly a novel showing his great interest in reading. He has often been known to read 20 novels while on holidays especially detective stories and thrillers. The readings were read by Fr.Micks nieces and the prayers of the faithful and offertory gifts were all performed by people with some connection to Fr. Mick. Throughout the mass our local choir sang Fr.Micks favourite hymns beautifully and we have heard nothing but praise back about the choir from visitors on the night from other areas. The ceremony was really lovely and was just how he wanted it, simple and prayerful. Many thanks to all who played any part throughout the mass, the many priests, servers, our wonderful sacristan and her assistants, readers, gift bearers, church cleaners, flower arrangers,choir and all other volunteers.
It was then off over to the school hall for some tea, coffee and spectacular food provided by the great Liam Fogarty. Local lady Annette Atkins made a fantastic cake which was enjoyed by many. A big well done to the members of the Parish council, hall committee,parents council and the many other volunteers who set up, served and cleaned up. The whole occasion went off without a hitch and that happens when you live in a great community. There was a wonderful heartwarming feeling being part of it all and the smile on Fr.Micks face made everything worthwhile. When I arrived home I was trying to think of a descriptive word to sum up how I was feeling and then I received a text from a fellow parishioner and friend and she hit the nail on the head when she used the word “closeness” and that was the word I was searching for. A closeness to God and a closeness to community, thats how it felt.
Fr.Mick has asked me to say a huge thank you for all who gave him cards, gifts, good wishes and prayers. He really appreciates all of these things and will remember you all in his prayers.

Graveyard Mass.
Our annual graveyard mass will take place on Wednesday July 5th at 7.30pm. Please spread the word to anyone you know outside the parish who may have a relative or friend buried here. Following the mass we will have a cuppa and refreshments in the community centre. Another date for your diary is the annual Newcastle mass which will take place on Monday August 21st at 7.30pm.

Bridge News
The results of the latest bridge game played on Monday June 12th were:

1st: Peggy Murphy and Elizabeth Mooney.
2nd: Patsy Roche and Kathleen Collins.
3rd: Kate Hayes and Michael O Donovan.
4th: Anna Marie Brown and Theresa Phelan.

Help Needed

I dont have to tell any of you about the wonderful work which is being done by our tidy towns group. Recently some of them decided to tackle the long grass which is now growing up around the outside of our playground. Our council tell us that due to holidays they do not have the staff to do this work. A group will meet down there again on Thursday night 22nd at 7.30pm and are asking people for help. If you are a parent or guardian of children who like to visit the lovely playground then maybe you could spare an hour or two. Bring along your rakes etc and remember many hands make light work.

Items of Interest
If you would like me to include an item of interest in these notes please contact me by a Thursday evening of each week and I would be delighted to include it. You can text or call me on 087-9838392 or drop me an email on spillanelinda2017@gmail.com.

GAA Lotto.
The numbers drawn in the last lotto draw were 3, 10, 13 and 15 and there was no winner of the jackpot. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Anne Costello, Nora Larkin and Donnacha O Fuarthain. The next lotto draw will take place on June 18th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €7,250. Tickets are available from any committee member and will be on sale all day on Saturday June 17th outside Centra. Tickets are just €2 or three for €5. Pick those four numbers carefully and you could be the lucky winner.

Our Sympathies
We extend our deepest sympathy to Paula Burke who is part of the teaching staff at Ballyduff N.S on the recent death of her mother Mary. Mary was a resident of Killure Bridge Nursing and formerly a resident of John Street. We pray now that her gentle soul may rest in peace and we offer our prayers of comfort and support to Paula and all the family.

Bridge News.
The results of the bridge game held on Monday June 6th are as follows:

1st: Breda Cowman and Mary Kennedy
2nd: Breda Murphy and Breda F Murphy
3rd: Anna Harney and Peggy Murphy.
4th: Bertha O Connor and Aileen Stephenson

Baby Delight.
We send our warmest congratulations to Henry and Claire Power on the recent birth of their beautiful baby son David. I know that grandparents Davy and Annie Gahan, Lacka Road are over the moon welcoming their first grandchild and I’m sure Aunty Rachael will be on hand to do plenty of babysitting. We wish this lovely little family every happiness in the future.

Walk and Talk.
Often when we have some little thing worrying us, a chat with a friend or a walk in the countryside can lighten our load and help make things a little brighter. Ballyduff GAA Academy and Nursery are encouraging us to combine the two. Walk and Talk will take place on Saturday June 17th beginning at Haughtons carpark at 11am. It will be a nice safe route along the Greenway where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery while having a chat or two along the way. This 5km walk encourages us to maintain a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. The organisers would like to say a big thank you to Donal Daly who has sponsored some bottled water for the route, Gerry and Margaret O Connell who will dish up some delicious burgers on your return and the one and only John O Shea will welcome you back with some upbeat music. This promises to be a lovely community day, a day for all us adults to show good example to the children and show them how important being part of a community is.
Sponsorship cards are available from committee members or contact Brian on 087-2486423. The money raised will be used to hopefully fund a trip to Croke Park for the academy and nursery squads. A donation will also be given to a mental health charity. Come along and join in with the fun. You do not have to be a club member all are welcome.

Mass Bookings
If you are interested in booking an anniversary mass for a loved one during the months of July, August and September then a date for your diary is the weekend of June 17th and 18th when we will be taking bookings. If you have a Months Mind or First Anniversary during these months please contact me Linda Spillane 087-9838392 before the bookings so that we can get you your prefered date. Months Minds and First Anniversary masses are always offered a mass on their own. Other masses are shared unless you specificly say that you do not wish to share.

Cheque Handover
You may remember me telling you about the 500km Munster Airport Challenge Cycle that my husband Brian was taking part in along with his teamates from the Portlaw Village Wheelers cycle club. The group took on this challenge over the May bank holiday weekend and it trully was a triumphant trip. The group were astounded with the support and encouragement they received. Last Tuesday evening in Portlaw the group presented their chosen charities with the funds they raised. Every penny raised went to the charities and I know the group are very proud of their efforts. Members of the Portlaw Red Cross Branch many of whom travelled with the group during the cycle were presented with a cheque for €8,250 which will go towards their ambulance fund. Antoinette Kelly, Head of community funding at Cmrf funding travelled down from Dublin to collect a cheque for €19,250. I spoke to Antoinette and she told me what a great boost this money was to improve their baby room, build roroms which can fit the lifesaving equipment needed in rooms and accomodate parents who need to stay with their sick children. The staff are doing the best they can with the resources they have but often rooms have to be rearranged just to fit in the equipment that they desperately need.
I think I can speak for the group and the charities when I say a huge thank you to each and every one of you who donated to this wonderful event. May your generosity and kindness be a sign to us all that none of us know when God forbid we may need one of these charities and so we have to do what we can to keep them vibrant. May I also speak for all of you when I say a huge well done to all the cyclists who took part. They all have busy lives with family and work committments but they gave their hearts and souls to making this event such a success. €27,500 raised in total, I would say this is something to be very proud of so each and every one of you take a bow.

Lourdes Fundraiser
Each year our parish send two or three people as part of the invalid section of the Waterford/Lismore Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes. The organising committee will sell raffle tickets at Centra on Friday June 16th for a beautiful hamper and on Saturday June 17th all roads will lead to O Donnachas where you are invited to come along and showcase your talent with the winner receiving the Jimmy Fox Memorial Trophy. The talent show will kick off at 9.30pm sharp with music from Dick Quinn. If you would like more information or give a donation please contact one of the following Noel O Sullivan, Donal Daly, Eugene Power or John O Leary.

Bridge News.

The Ballyduff/Portlaw bridge club meet each Monday night and the results of their last couple of games are as follows:

22/05/17

1st: Mary Kennedy and Mary O Brien
2nd:Breda Cowman and Celia Nugent
3rd:Patsy Roche and Joan Hartery
4th:Bertha O Connor and Ann Marie Brown.

29/05/17

1st:Mary Cummins and Anna Harney
2nd:Mary Shanahan and Maeve Coughlan
3rd:Ann Marie Brown and Peggy Murphy.
4th: Breda Murphy and Geraldine McMahon.

Love Is In The Air.
We send her heartiest congratulations to local couple Ann Grogan and David Fahey who recently announced their engagement. These young sweethearts have been together for many years and I know that both families will be delighted with this wonderful news. We wish the happy couple every success for their future lives together and we hope that they enjoy all the excitement of planning their big day.

A True Lady.
We extend our deepest sympathies to Vera O Keeffe, Ballyduff Village on the recent death of her beloved mother. Peggy Burns who lived in Kennedy Park, Tramore had been a resident of Killure Bridge Nursing home for the past while. The large attendance at Peggys wake and funeral mass was a testament to the high regard in which she was held. I had the honour of meeting this kind gentle lady several times and she always had a beautiful way of making you feel good about yourself. I know that her faith and her family meant the world to her and I know this purely by observing her. Her family can be very proud of the dignified,prayerful send off they gave her. If I may I would like to give a special mention to Peggys grandaughter Sandra O Keeffe who sang stunningly throughout the mass, I know her Nanny would have been very proud of her. It is never an easy job to sing at a loved ones funeral but Sandra carried it off perfectly. We offer our prayers and support to all of Peggys family and we pray that Peggy now enjoys a seat at Gods table and that the Lord will reward her for all her good deeds.

Lourdes Fundraiser.
Our parish each year fundraises to send people to Lourdes as part of the Waterford/Lismore Diocesan Pilgrimage and this year is no different. Three people will head off this year and so to keep this annual trip going money needs to be raised. On Friday June 16th tickets will be on sale at Centra Kilmeaden for a lovely hamper. On Saturday June 17th all roads will lead to O Donnachas where a night of talent will be on display as people compete for the honour of lifting the Jimmy Fox memorial trophy. If you would like to take part all are welcome to come along to O Donnachas on the night. The show will start at 9pm sharp. If you would like to give a donation or find out further information please contact any of the following Noel O Sullivan, Eugene Power, John O Leary or Donal Daly.

Golden Jubilee.
We are now on the countdown to celebrating our Parish Priest Fr. Micks Golden Jubilee. Fr. Mick cordially invites each and every one of you to join him for his mass of Thanksgiving of Friday June 9th at 7.30pm. Many of Fr. Micks family , friends and fellow priests will join him on the night. Following the mass there will be some light refreshments served in the school hall and Fr. Mick would love to meet up with you all and have a chat. This is a very important occasion in Fr. Micks life and I know he is really looking forward to it. Fr. Mick has served in our parish for 23 years so lets all join him for his mass of celebration and mark this momentous milestone in his life.

Walk and Talk
We all know how important it is to take care of our minds as well as our bodies and so Ballyduff GAA Nursery and Academy will host their Walk and Talk event on Saturday June 17th at 11am. Starting point will be from Haughtons where the group will enter onto the Greenway and walk to Avenue Bridge. This 5km walk will be full of fun and chat along the way and all are welcome to join in. Following the walk the kind people at Haughtons, Gerry and Margaret will serve some light refreshments. Sponsorship cards are available from committee members or contact Brian on 087-2486423.

GAA Lotto.
The numbers drawn in the last lotto draw were 6, 8, 11 and 16 and there was no jackpot winner.
The three lucky winners of €50 each were Seamus Connolly, Eoin Cummins and Ger Stephenson. The next draw will take place on June 4th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €7,100. Tickets are €2 or 3 for €5 and are available from any committee member or will be on sale outside Centra on June 3rd. Pick those four numbers carefully.

Walk and Talk
Ballyduff GAA Nursery and Academy will host a walk and talk on Saturday June 17th at 11am. The 5km walk will take place along our beautiful Greenway from Haughtons to Avenue Bridge. Following the walk the kind folks Gerry and Margaret O Connell at Haughtons will serve up some light refreshments. Sponsorship cards are available from any committee member or from Brian on 087-2486423. There is no pressure on anyone the main aim of this is to promote health and well being.
The nursery and academy teams have been very busy lately. The U7 footballers had an emphatic win in Dunhill against na Gaeil, Stradbally and Portlaw. The U6 hurlers had their first taste of on field action in Carrigeen and won all their games as did the U8 hurlers. A big well done also to all the mentors and family members who turned up to support the teams. Thank you to Dunhill and Carrigeen for hosting and for the beautiful medals presented by Carrigeen. Remember that training takes place every Wednesday at 6.15pm and on Saturday mornings at 10.30am in the pitch and new members are always welcome.

Golden Jubilee

Plans are well underway to celebrate our Parish Priest Fr. Micks Golden Jubilee. A mass of thanksgiving will take place on Friday June 9th at 7.30pm. Fr.Mick extends an open invitation to you all to attend and celebrate this wonderful occasion with him and his family. Following the mass there will be light refreshments served in the National school hall. If you are unable to attend this mass don’t worry there will be another mass in Portlaw on Thursday June 15th.
Fr. Mick hopes that you will be able to join him for his celebrations. Fr. Mick has given 23 years of service to the parish of Ballyduff/Portlaw which makes him the longest serving Parish Priest here in over 100 years.

Mighty Performance
Starstruck Theatre School treated us to three nights of spectacular performances as they staged their production of Hairspray. Dazzling dancing, sensational singing, amazing acting and colourful costumes this show kept the audience enthralled and smiling brightly from start to finish. Congratulations to all the boys and girls and young people for their hard work and dedication and a big thank you to Damian Walsh for giving them a show they were so proud to take part in. The confidence and self belief the children receive from taking part in a show like this is just priceless. I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the parents when I say how extremely proud we all are of all our little stars.

Bridge News.

The results from the latest bridge game played on Monday May 15th are as follows:

1st: Patsy Roche and Kathleen Collins.
2nd: Joan Hartery and Theresa Greaney
3rd: Mary O Brien and Peggy Murphy
4th: Eileen Kirwan and Sean Hennessy

Can’t Stop The Beat!
Star Struck Theatre School which takes place in Ballyduff Community Centre will stage their production of Hairspray Jnr from Tuesday May 23rd to Thursday May 25th at 7.30pm nightly. Tickets can be booked by texting 087-9116711. The cast consists of all local boys and girls and promises to be full of fun and great music. You won’t be able to stop your feet tapping along because remember you can’t stop the beat.

Special Day

Congratulations and best wishes to all the boys and girls from 2nd class in Ballyduff N.S who made their First Holy Communion recently. They all looked beautiful and beamed with excitement. They performed the little jobs they had been allocated brilliantly and I’m sure their parents and families and their teacher Mrs. Brennan are very proud of them. Even though the weather wasn’t very nice it didn’t ruin their enjoyment and I know they will all have wonderful memories to look back on.

Award Winning
Congratulations to the gifted Niamh Kennedy, Stonehouse who picked up the award for Best Bridal Hair at The Great Lengths Ireland Awards Final which was held in Dublin recently. Niamh is a stylist with Willow Hair Boutique, The Glen and I am sure all her colleagues are very proud of her achievement. On behalf of you all I wish Niamh congratulations and continued success in her profession.

Good Wishes
Our local Tidy Towns committee have asked me to send get well soon wishes to Christy O Keeffe, Ballyduff. Christy is of course a true parish man and is always on hand to help out with anything that needs done. He does trojan work with the Tidy Towns group and we know we will see him back to his old self very soon.
The committee would also like to say a big thank you to Philip Simpson and Michael Fitzpatrick on the great job they did on clearing the ditches approaching Ballyduff.

Walk and Talk
Ballyduff GAA Academy and Nursery will hold a 5km walk along our beautiful Greenway on Saturday June 17th. We are blessed to have a wonderful new Greenway so come along and join in with everyone. This will be a nice leisurely walk with lots of chatting and laughter along the way. All clubs especially sports clubs support the idea of a healthy mind and healthy body so come along and have some fun. The walk will leave from Haughtons carpark at 11am and Gerry and Margaret O Connell have very kindly offered to provide some light refreshments for everyone on their return.

Gala News
We congratulate Damian and Majella and all the staff at Gala on their decision to expand their business. We hope they will enjoy every success. Damian is on the lookout for some old photos of Kilmeaden for the new planned seating area. If you think you might have something suitable please drop it into Damian and give him a look.

Reunion
There will be a reunion of all former employees of The Irish Tanners and Rubber Plant on Sunday June 25th at 2.30pm in The Cotton Mill, Portlaw. All husbands, wives and partners are also welcome to attend.

Notes
If you would like something included in these notes please contact me Linda Spillane on 087-9838392 or drop me an email on spillanelinda2017@gmail.com Please note this a new email address but dont worry I can still receive emails on my old address. Of course another way to get me is to stop me for a chat, I’m good at that!!!

GAA Lotto Draw.
The numbers drawn in the Ballyduff GAA lotto draw were 5, 7, 9 and 17. There was no winner of the jackpot. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Paul Kelly, William Murphy and Nano, Ken, Maggie, Anthony and Sully. The next draw will take place on May 21st and will have a fantastic jackpot of €6,950. Tickets are just €2 or 3 for €5 and are on sale from all committee members and will also be on sale all day outside Centra on Saturday May 20th.

Bridge News.
The results of the last bridge game played on May 8th were as follows:

1st: Ann Marie Brown and Theresa Phelan.
2nd:Mary O Brien and Celia Nugent.
3rd:Nano Fitzgerald and Geraldine McMahon.
4th:Patsy Roche and Mary Prendergast.

AGM
The AGM of Ballyduff AFC will take place on Tuesday May 23rd at 7pm in Ballyduff Community Centre. All are welcome to attend this meeting and the club are always happy to welcome new members.

Recent Death.
We send our sympathies to Mary Bowman on the recent death of her brother Terry Power who was living in Kilmacleague East in Dunmore East. We pray that he may now rest in peace and we offer our thoughts and prayers to all his family.

Best Wishes.

There are are a number of people from our locality and surrounding areas who are recovering from operations or spells in hospital and on your behalf I would like to send them all our best wishes for a full and speedy recovery. I am 100% sure that many prayers are being offered for them and these prayers will continue.

Golden Jubilee
Our Parish Priest Fr.Mick will celebrate his Golden Jubilee in June and he would like to invite you all to celebrate with him at a special mass on Friday June 9th at 7.30pm in Ballyduff church. There will also be light refreshments served afterwards in the school hall. If you are unable to attend that mass then you can go along to Portlaw church on Thursday June 15th where there will be another mass of thanksgiving. This is a very important occasion in Fr.Micks life and so he hopes that you will join with to mark this fantastic milestone.

Hairspray!
The Star Struck Theatre School who run from Ballyduff Community Centre and consists of boys and girls from our locality will host their end of term show “Hairspray Jnr” from Tuesday May 23rd to Thursday May 25th at 7.30pm nightly. Tickets can be booked at any of the classes on Mondays or Wednesdays or you can text 087-911671. Tickets cost €10 per adult and under 12’s are €8 while family tickets cost €30. Please come along and support if you can at all

AGM.

Ballyduff AFC will host their AGM on Tuesday May 23rd in Ballyduff Community Centre at 7pm. All are welcome to attend this meeting. Please drop along if you feel you would like to get involved with your local club.

Happy Couple.

We send our heartiest congratulations to Deirdre Mackey, Ross who recently announced her engagement to Mark O Gorman. We hope this happy couple will enjoy a long and happy life together. I’m sure sister Louise will be on hand with lots of advice following her big day and brother Richard may know a good wedding band or two!

Bridge News.

The results of the last two bridge games are as follows:

24/04/2017

1st: Patsy Roche and Theresa Phelan
2nd: Michael O Donovan and Kathleen Collins
3rd: Anne Marie Brown and Nano Fitzgerald
4th: Geraldine McMahon and Anna Harney
02/05/2017
1st: Kathleen Collins and Patsy Roche
2nd: William and Anne Tobin.
3rd: Anne Marie Brown and Mary Prendergast
4th: Nan Murphy and Patrner.

Graveyard Mass.

Although it is a long while off yet it is a date that a lot of people like to mark in their diaries. Our annual graveyard mass will take place this year on Wednesday July 5th at 7.30pm. Many people from outside the parish like to attend this mass as they have relatives or friends buried here. Please spread the word to anyone you know who may be interested in attending. I will keep you reminded through these notes.

Training Hard.

The Ballyduff GAA Nursery and Academy are back in the field training hard. Aimed at boys and girls aged 4 to 10 years training takes place in Kildermody on Saturday mornings at 10.30am and on Wednesdays at 6.15pm. The children play and learn the skills of hurling and football in a safe and friendly environment. All coaches are fully trained and are Garda vetted. You are welcome to pop along to the training or if you need any further information please contact Brian on 087-2486423 or Rory on 086-6012394.

Fun Day Out.
The Swan Lodge Classic and Vintage Club will host The Mick Kirwan Memorial Tractor/Vehicle run on Sunday May 14th in Gardenmorris, Kill. Registration will take place at 11.30am. There will be a large amount of vintage machinery and vehicles on display but also a barbeque, music, displays and sideshows. All money raised will go to The Touching Hearts charity who are fundraising to build and equip a new more appropriate building for the students availing of The Sacred Heart Centre. If any of you have ever visited the centre you will know of the fantastic work the staff do but how badly they need more space and facilities. Imagine you can support their campaign while enjoying a brilliant day out. Come along and enjoy what is always a day of great fun.

Successful Morning.
I spent a lovely morning on Thursday last at our local Alzheimers Tea/Coffee morning. Ballyduff Community Centre was the venue and our annual hostess Niamh Larkin was on hand to welcome us all in with a warm smile and a hot cuppa. Of course the smell of freshly baked scones and cakes was enough to draw anyone in. Niamhs helpful assistant on the day was Ann McDonnell who made sure nobody was left wanting for anything. Beautiful cakes, tarts and buns adorned the plates all freshly made by Niamh and Christine Tubbritt and of course we also had the now famous Trish Keegans scones. We were all entered into a raffle which had some fabulous prizes and would you believe I actually won a gorgeous bunch of flowers. This really was a lovely morning as always and a fantastic amount of €600 was raised. Niamh brings this money into The Pine Grove centre so the money stays locally. Niamh would like to say a big thank you to all who contributed in any way. Your kindness and generosity is greatly appreciated.

Weekly Adoration

A reminder to you all that adoration of The Blessed Sacrament takes place every Tuesday in our church from 12 noon until 7pm. All are welcome to drop in at any stage even if just for a few minutes and sit and rest with your own thoughts and prayers.

Triumphant Return.

Brian and his teamates from the Portlaw Village Wheelers cycling club have returned safe and sound from their 500 km charity cycle in aid of Crumlin Hospital and the Portlaw Red Cross. Talking to them all they were all overwhelmed by the fantastic response they received everywhere they went. They arrived back to Portlaw to be greeted with a heroes welcome. They would like to thank everyone who has donated money to these worthy charities and if you would like to donate you still can. We are all very proud of their achievement and we hope they are proud of their own committment and dedication to the event.

Bluebell Delight.

One of my most favourite sights at this time of year is the glorious sight of the bluebells on Ballyduff Hill. It always brings back memories of walking to primary school with my mother and stopping to pick bluebells on the way to put on the May altar in school. The smell and the sight of the bluebells always make me smile when I pass and now I pick them with my children . Do yourself a favour and stop to pick a bunch someday, you’ll love them.
“I walked into the lonely wood
And stared about the place I stood
The beauty of the tree lined glade
with shafts of light that pierced the shade
All filled me with a sense of awe
The bluebell carpet best of all.”

Bridge News.
The results of the latest bridge games played are as follows:

1st: Kathleen Collins and Celia Nugent
2nd: Mary Prendergast and Mary Flavin.
3rd: Breda Cowman and Patsy Roche.
4th: Joan Hartery and Ann Cox.

27-04-2017

1st: Patsy Roche and Theresa Phelan
2nd: Michael O Donovan and Kathleen Collins
3rd: Anne Marie Brown and Nano Fitzgerald
4th: Geraldine McMahon and Anna Harney.

Recent Deaths

We extend our deepest sympathies to May McGrath, Ballygarron on the death of her sister in Cork recently. We offer our thoughts and prayers to the family and pray that she may rest in peace.
We also extend our sympathies to Nano Fitzgerald, Ross on the recent death of her mother Mary Goff, Faithlegg. We pray that she may rest in gentle peace.

Thank You.
The Irish Pilgrims Trust recently held a church gate collection in Ballyduff and would like to thank everyone who supported them. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

GAA Lotto
The numbers drawn in the last lotto draw were 3, 14, 19 and 25. The three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Tina Mullins, Michael Mackey and Tony Larkin. The next lotto draw will take place on May 7th and will have a fantastic jackpot of €6800. Tickets cost just €2 or 3 for €5 and will be on sale all day at Centra on May 6th. Choose those four lucky numbers carefully and the jackpot could be yours!

Pretty Wedding

We send our warmest congratulations to Rory Smith, Ballyduff East and his beautiful bride Karen Caulfield who were married recently in Ballyduff Church. The couple were certainly blessed with beautiful weather on the day and the sun shone brightly for them and I hear that everyone had a wonderful day and weekend. We wish the happy couple many years of wedded bliss and wish them a bright and happy future together.

Community Alert
On Tuesday May 25th our local community alert group held their final meeting until the Autumn. The group would like to thank all those who have attended the monthly meetings and the guards from the Kilmacthomas station for all their support. This doesn’t mean that the group are going anywhere they will still be as active and the text alert scheme will still be up and going.
The group would like to thank James O Neill for attending the meeting and giving a very informative talk about the “Operation ID” scheme which involves marking your valuable items with your unique Eircode number, recording your marked property on a register list and displaying your operation ID sign on your property showing your participation in the program and discouraging burglaries and theft on your property. This is all done in conjunction with An Garda Siochana and the group hope to roll out this scheme in our area over the Summer months. Keep an eye out in these notes for more information and on the groups facebook page High Road/Ballyduff Community Alert.

Date To Remember.
A very important date for your diary is Sunday May 14th when the Mick Kirwan Memorial Tractor/Vehicle Run will take place. Hosted by The Swan Lodge Classic and Vintage Club the venue is the stunning Gardenmorris, Kill and registration will be at 11.30am. The charity benefiting this year is The Touching Hearts charity who are fundraising to purchase and equip a new building as the present Sacred Heart Centre is not suitable for the childrens needs. What a great charity to support while having a most enjoyable day not only viewing the vintage vehicles but enjoying a BBQ, Music, Displays and Sideshows. Come along and join in the fun.

Tea Day.
The annual Alzheimers Tea Day will be celebrated on Thursday May 4th this year and you can support this wonderful charity by attending a tea/coffee morning in Ballyduff Community Centre on that day between 9.30am and 11.30am. All money raised stays local and is donated to The Pine Grove centre in Waterford. This is always a lovely event and one I look forward to every year. I happen to have been given some inside information and I can tell you that there are some very tasty treats lined up all homemade and fresh from the ovens that morning. Some fantastic raffle prizes have also been donated so you could have a very lucky day. Why not pop along for a cuppa and a chat, I can guarantee you’ll enjoy it. If you are unable to attend but would like to contribute pop it into an envelope and if you want to give it to me I will bring it along for you or pop into the hall and drop it in. I look forward to meeting you for a chat.

GAA Lotto

There was no winner of the last lotto draw and the numbers drawn were 6, 7, 15 and 17. There was no lucky winner of the jackpot but the three lucky dip winners of €50 each were Marie Galvin, Jack O Mahony and Dylan Whelan.

Recent Death.
We extend our deepest sympathy to Nancy O Sullivan, Matthews Cross and Peggy O Shea, Ballyduff Hill on the recent death of their beloved brother Joe. Joe had been living in Youghal for many years but was a regular visitor home and it has been lovely to hear many memories people here have of him from his school days and days playing hurling and football. Joe was first and foremost a wonderful family man and his daughters Isobel and Joanne and son Tony and his 9 grandchildren meant the world to him. The love of his life, his wife Eileen died 10 years ago and I suppose the only comfort the family now have is knowing that the two are now reunited and together was always when they were at their happiest. May the soil of Youghal rest lightly on Joe and may he rest in gentle peace.

Baby Boy
We send our warmest congratulations to Claire Wood in Manchester on the birth of her beautiful baby boy Jonah. Claire is the daughter of Pat and Kathleen Hennessy, Dooneen. Jonah is a most welcome baby brother for Aoife and all the family would like to wish this little family the very best that life has to offer. Best wishes from all here in Kilmeaden especially Pat and Kathleen, their other daughter Audrey Butler in Gortaclode and their son David in Melbourne.

Golden Jubilee
Our parish priest Fr. Mick will celebrate his Golden Jubilee as a priest this June and he wants to celebrate with all his parishioners and friends with a mass of Thanksgiving in Ballyduff church on Friday June 9th at 7.30pm. All the priests of the fraternal area of the diocese and all priests who served in this parish during Fr.Mick’s time have been invited. Fr. Mick hopes that all the people of the parish and former parishioners will join him for the mass and for some light refreshments in the school hall afterwards. There will be another mass of thanksgiving in Portlaw on Thursday June 15th. Fr. Mick has given 23 years of service to the parish of Ballyduff/Portlaw and so is the longest serving Parish Priest here in over 100 years.

A Real Legend.
Our whole community and all the surrounding areas were plunged into saddness and shock a few days ago on hearing of the death of Michael Raher, Carrickphilip. I don’t think I have ever met a more popular man. He was loved by all who met him and he had great time for everyone he met. Always smiling and always ready to offer a word of encouragement Mike had a genuine interest in hearing how peoples lives were going and could have a conversation about any subject. Of course he was a fantastic family man and adored his wife Kathy and their precious sons. His face lit up when he spoke about them. No words we can offer can take away the loss the family feel but we most certainly offer our prayers and sympathies and pray that in the coming weeks and months they may find comfort in the wonderful memories they have of a husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend who was loyal, honest, hardworking, loving and a genuine all round good guy. If each of us can be a little more like Mike then we will make this world a better place. May his gentle sweet soul rest in peace and may God reward him for making this earth a better place.

Your Notes
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Bridge News.

Our local bridge club played their latest bridge game for some lovely Easter eggs and the results were:
1st: Michael O Donovan and Peggy Murphy.
2nd: Noreen Tubbritt and Monica Sullivan.
3rd: Kathleen Collins and Celia Nugent.
4th: Geraldine McMahon and Ann Kennedy.

Tidy Towns

Our local Tidy Towns Group have asked me to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported their recent Easter Hamper raffle. They would also like to thank all who donated items for the hamper and all who spent time at Centra selling tickets. The lucky winner of the raffle was John Fitzgerald, Carrickphilip and we hope John enjoys his prize.
The next Tidy Towns meeting will take place on Wednesday April 12th from 7.30pm in the Community Centre. All are welcome to attend this meeting.

Dr.Martin Centre

Our neighbours over in the Doctor Martin Day Care Centre in Portlaw have asked me to ask you all to think about volunteering some time to come along to the centre and help play games, sing, simply have a chat. If you feel like sharing your hobbies or talents please come along to a volunteer information evening in the centre on Wednesday April 12th from 7pm to 8pm. Refreshments will be served.

Commemoration.

An Easter Commemoration will take place after 10am mass on Easter Sunday at the monument opposite the church to honour the anniversary of the 1916 Rising. The Proclamation will be read and Ballyduff choir will sing the National Anthem as our Irish flag is raised. All are invited to come along and share this moment.

Fashion Show Success.

On Saturday April 1st the Ballyduff Community Centre Fundraising committee staged their Belles and Beaus Fashion Show in the school hall of Ballyduff N.S and what a night it was. The hall was transformed into a glamorous,elegant room which would leave the fashion centres of Milan and Paris green with envy. Our comperes for the night were the gorgeous Sarah Walsh and Claire Bowman and they kept the audience informed and entertained. Our models who all volunteered their time did a fantastic job and some of them looked very professional indeed. The committee would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the fashion show by buying tickets, sponsoring tables or spot prizes, modelled, helped out backstage. A big thanks to all at Ballyduff N.S who loaned us their hall and to Frankie Carlin for his invaluable help and to all the wonderful shops who allowed us to show off their wear. A huge thank you must go to Andrew and Mary in Kilmeaden Pharmacy who supplied beautiful goody bags for everyone. A fantastic amount of over €2500 was raised and the committee are extremely grateful.

Golden Couple

We send many congratulations and good wishes to a lovely couple Ned and Eily Mears in Kilmacthomas who recently celebrated 50 years of marriage. Eily is of course formerly O Leary from the High Road and she and Ned lived for many years in Gortaclode. They celebrated their anniversary by having a beautiful mass in Newtown church and then it was on to Kierseys in Kilmac for some delicious food and a dance or two. We wish this popular couple continued good health and happiness.

Skillfull Guys.

A big well done to Michael O Connor, A.J Bowman and Alex Reade who represented Ballyduff Lower N.S in the schools county hurling skills in Carriganore recently. The lads scored a very impressive 94 points making them runners up to the winners who scored 96 points so it was very close. The 3 lads received a Waterford jersey each and should all be very proud of themselves. They have certainly made their school and parish proud.

Easter Ceremonies.

As we enter Holy Week and Easter weekend here is a list of the times of the ceremonies in the church.
Holy Thursday- Mass of the Last Supper and washing of the feet at 7.30pm
Good Friday- Reading of the Passion, Holy Communion and Veneration of the Cross at 3pm
Stations of the Cross at 7.30pm
Holy Saturday- Blessing of Easter fire and water, lighting of new Paschal candle, renewal of baptismal promises at 9pm
Easter Sunday- 10am morning mass.