1st January, 2023

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 31st Dec & Sun 1st January 2023

Volume 22.  Number 52

WEXFORD K9 SEARCH & RESCUE

We are an all-voluntary non-profit organisation. At present there are trainee search teams in different counties throughout Southern Ireland. Wexford based Liam McCabe and myself Rachell Morris run the agency. We work the buddy system and this means we generally try not to go out searching alone. A buddy will watch the road from behind, look after communications and if the dog handler becomes injured or unwell during a search, the buddy can carry on with the search. It’s vital that the dog continues to search, as the missing person could be alive. It’s so important to get the dogs out as quickly as possible, as time can save lives.

Here in Oldcourt, Adamstown in the heart of the agency with search dogs, Rocky, Rocco and trainee girls Alexa and Riley. We are very thankful to Bob Nolan of Camross and Camross ICA for the use of the hall’s car park for training days. We have also started training in our own village of Adamstown. What our dogs are trained to do:

Trailing – A trailing dog is a dog who is scent specific trained.

The dog is given an item to sniff that the missing person has worn at the definite last point that the person was seen.

The dog will take us in the direction the person has walked.

A land cadaver dog – a trained detection dog and trained to detect a person who is deceased.

A water cadaver dog – this type of detection dog is trained to work on a boat and will show you, where the deceased person is.

Human remains detection dog – these detection dogs need excessive and precise training, they can even detect historical human remains buried hundreds of years ago. From archaeological to more recent graves.

Rocco received search dog of the year award in November and appeared on the Late Late show.

We also cover Waterford City for land and river searches and are linked in with Waterford City River Rescue.

It’s fantastic having the search dogs here in our community, but we wished no one ever went missing; it’s heartbreaking seeing families of the missing ones. It’s even harder when Rocky trails to a river telling me, yes, there is something there. We are usually the first to know this information and we pass it on to the Gardai.

(Thanks to Rachell Morris, Oldcourt for this item)

Annual General Meeting of Adamstown Ladies Football

Takes place on Sunday 8th January at 4pm in Adamstown Community Centre. Nominations for Officers of Club 2023, Motions & Recommendations for AGM to be submitted to secretary (adamstown.wexford@lgfa.ie) by 1st Jan please.

Parents, Players, Members, new Members, past Players who would like to help & contribute to running our club are welcome to come along to our AGM. This is your chance to have your say about how our club in run.

ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The next Lotto draw takes place on Monday 9th January for a Jackpot of €15,000. Do buy a ticket and be in with a chance.

ADAMSTOWN I.C.A. NEWS

Our monthly meeting was held on Mon 19th Dec in Brad Og’s. It was postponed from the previous week due to the bad weather conditions. There was a good attendance on the night. The President Anne Stafford welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming out, as it was so close to Christmas. Everyone was very pleased with the turn out at The Senior Citizen’s Christmas Party. Once the usual business was dealt with; we had some delicious hot food served by Bernie. Instead of exchanging gifts we had a collection for the Wexford Women’s Refuge.  After that we had some singing, line dancing and lots of laughter. Our next meeting is on January 10th. New members always welcome.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

PAT MARTIN, WOODVIEW DRIVE R.I.P.

The community of Adamstown was deeply saddened to hear

the heartbreaking news on Christmas morning of the sudden death of Pat Martin, 28 Woodview Drive. Pat who was well known in the area and lived here for many years. Pat is survived by his wife Eileen, sons Wesley, David and Calum, daughter Megan, mother Lena, brothers Paul, Willie, sisters Betty and Rita, grandchild Lee-Ray, extended family, neighbours and friends to whom we extend our deepest sympathy.  Pat’s funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Abban’s Church on Thursday 29th December followed by burial afterwards in Adamstown Cemetery.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

CHRISTMAS IN ST. ABBAN’S

Christmas in St. Abban’s this year was a wonderful occasion for parishioners and all home on holidays. There was a huge attendance at both masses. The Church looked splendid with the beautiful arrangements of seasonal flowers. A very sincere thanks to Catherine & John Hanley, Anne O’Brien, Lorna, Pawl, Sarah & Nicole Komsa, Cait & Joe Bradley for the preparation of the Church & Altars, Crib and Christmas Tree, for their wonderful talents and generosity of time.

Thanks also to parishioners from Knockreigh who so generously donated towards the decoration of the church.

Thanks to the Choir, Folk Group, Eucharistic Ministers, Readers for their input into the celebration of the Vigil Mass and Christmas Day Mass.  Thanks to T.J. McDonald for facilitating online Masses & funeral Masses during the year. 

Thanks to Fr. Nolan for his dedication and commitment to our Parish, not only at Christmas but throughout the year.

God Bless you all.

CHURCH ALTARS & DECORATION

Thanks to the ladies form Knockreigh for looking after the church & altars for the month of December. It is now the turn of parishioners from Ballyvergin/Glenour for the month of January.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 31st – Michael Whelan, Tomgarrow (A)

Also          Fred O’Brien, Dublin (Month’s Mind)

Sun 1st Jan – James & Lila Kent, Adamstown (A)

Sat 7th Jan – Terry McDonald, The Leap (A)

Also               Statia & Syl Barron, Coonogue (A)

Sun 8th – Mai Whitty, The Ballagh (A)

Pray for Julia Weldon, Bonmahon, Co. Waterford (A)

Pray for Sister Maireád Hayden, Carnew (A)

Pray for Tom Galway, Tomgarrow (A)

May they rest in peace

We remember also in our prayers

Emeritus Pope Benedict XV1 who died Sat 31st December

May he rest in peace

Feast of the Epiphany Friday 6th January

Vigil Mass Thursday 5th at 7.30pm

Friday 6th January Mass at 10.30am

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sun January 8th. – Callie Doyle

Sat 14th – Eoghan Greene.  Sun 15th – Neasa Cloney

THE VIRGIN MOTHER OF GOD January 1st.

There was once an old lady dying in Wapping, in the East End of London. Over her bed she had a picture of the Madonna. The doctor attending her, probably meaning no harm, but fairly young and ignorant, said: “Well, granny, who is the film star over the bed?” “Film star?” she said, “That is the Virgin Mother”. “Virgin Mother?”  said the doctor. “Virgin Mother? Why, there never was such a Mother”. “Ah, doctor,

she replied, “there never was such a Son”

(Archbishop Heenan)

NEW YEAR WISHES

May the roads and paths of 2023 rise to meet us all with a kindly direction, and may we find God’s warm hand in all the New Year brings:

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:

“Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown”

And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God. That shall be for you better than light and safer than a known way.” So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night, and He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

A THOUGHT FOR THE NEW YEAR

Our life is a book of chapters three,

The past, the present and the yet to be.

The past is gone, it is stowed away,

The present we live with every day.

The future is not for us to see,

 It is locked away and God holds the key.

Wishing everyone a Happy & Peaceful

New Year.

EULOGY READ AT MARY FLOOD’S FUNERAL MASS BY HER GRAND DAUGHTER DAWN – 24th December 2022

Good afternoon and thank you all for coming to celebrate the life of a truly remarkable, strong, caring lady that was my Nanna Flood. Born in November 1930 to Denis and Kate Larkin in the little Lodge in Ballymackessy, then moving to the street in Clonroche. Nana was the youngest of three sisters, by not that much to her twin Peggy and oldest sister Brid. Each had their own task in the house after losing their mother at a young age. Nana’s role was the housekeeper, knitter and darner. Something that she continued with throughout her entire life, as can be seen from the hand-made rug on her stairs, to the 100’s of patches on jeans and overalls for us all. Nana spent many years working in Sheehan’s in New Ross (now Bridge Records). She told many a story of adventures in Ross and how much it has changed. A significant illness with T.B. saw Nanna spend a year and a half in the Sanatorium. This didn’t stop her from meeting the love of her life Eunan Flood and set them on 10 years of courting before marrying on 21st June 1961. The Clonroche couple moved to Oldcourt, Adamstown to start their new adventure. They moved into a mattress on the floor and briars coming in the window. They set about carving out their life together. Even though Nana lived in Adamstown 60 plus years, her heart was Clonroche always referring to herself as a blow-in. The joke was – the best thing to come out of Clonroche was the road to Adamstown.

Two became three in ’62 with the arrival of my Mam Mary, then baby Kay, born in ’64, but gained her wings at a tender age, put Nana into mourning. Working on building their life and home together, Nana suffered the devastating loss of her husband Eunan, on 16th May 1965, while being 6 months pregnant with my uncle Eunan. Nana wasn’t allowed to go to the funeral for fear of loss of the baby. Widowed with two young put on her wellies, rolled up her sleeves and forged on to build what she took so much pride in. Being helped along the way by her right-hand-man Tommy Furlong. A staunch Pioneer all her life, she loved their outings and social events. But as I learned from a young age, alcohol doesn’t count if it’s in the sherry trifle or Christmas cake. Forever a rambler, Nana had many a house to call to, and many an exciting adventure to go on. She worked hard, but loved the chats and banter. Many called to her door too, never leaving the house without getting tea or being fed, silage men and many people can attest to this. When Nana lost her mobility, her mobile phone became her new car, worse than a teenager, never off it, even up to recent times. I’d ask all here today to share your stories with us and amongst yourselves to keep her spirit alive, I will just leave you with these words –

“Gone from our home that smiling face, that cheerful loving way. The heart that won so many hearts in bygone happy days”  Rest easy Nana.

OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Thanks to all who help in producing our Weekly Newsletter, which was first published on 18th/19th December 1999.

If you have items for inclusion, please give to Betty O’Shea or Ellie Walsh or email to elliewalsh1949@gmail.com

Wishing everyone a Happy & Peaceful

 New Year.