14th May, 2023

Adamstown Parish Newsletter,

Weekend of Sat 13th & Sun 14th May 2023 

Volume 22.  Number 17

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ADAMSTOW LOTTO

The next draw in the Adamstown Lotto takes place this Monday 15th May in the Community Centre for a Jackpot of €15,000. Do buy a ticket and give yourself a chance of winning a huge amount of money. Please leave tickets back in Cullen’s by 8pm on draw night.

COVID BOOSTER VACCINE FOR OVER 70’S

Covid 19 Booster Vaccines will be available to all over 70’s in Adamstown Pharmacy until the end of May 2023.

It is recommended that all over 70’s receive a covid booster vaccine before the end of May. For all those interested please call Adamstown Pharmacy on 053 9240460 or

 053 9240454 to book an appointment.

ADAMSTOWN GAA NEWS

ADAMSTOWN FITTEST FAMILY – Sunday 4th June.

Adult Fittest Family Adult Course – Event June 4th

€200 per team – 4 per team

At Least one Female on each team

Age 14 and up can compete.

Contact Lorcan at 087 6148503

Adamstown Fittest Family – Under 8 and Down Course

Exciting new Addition €10 per child.

Adamstown Fittest Family – Under 13 to Under 9 Course

With new addition of Hanging Tough – …€10 per child.

ADAMSTOWN ATHLETIC CLUB

Well done to all our athletes at the County Championships last weekend. Special mention to the medal winners:

U9 girls Sarah 3rd long jump; u11 girls Grace 1st 100m & 3rd long jump; u12 girls turbo jav Lily 1st; Hayley 2nd;

U12 boys turbo jav Eoin 1st; u13 boys shot putt Will 1st;

u14 boys Sean 3rd 100m & 2nd high jump; u16 boys shot putt James 1st – great days competition and we will do it all again this Sunday at County Championships.

ADAMSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS

Women’s Health Pilates: Adamstown Community Centre

Starting this Tuesday evening 16th May at 7.10 – 8.00pm

The class will focus on breathing, posture, mobility, pelvic floor pressure management, strengthening & supporting the lower back, creating healthy postural habits.

Contact Sarah for more details 087 062 7563

RAHEEN NATIONAL SCHOOL REUNION

A reunion of Raheen National School past pupils will take place in the Horse & Hound, Ballinaboola, on Saturday 27th May at 8pm. All classes welcome, with live music entertainment on the night. It is a great opportunity to catch up and reconnect with old friends and to celebrate our shared experiences of Raheen National School. Donations in aid of future development of the school welcome on the night.

Your support, as always, is greatly appreciated.

THE HA’PENNY BRIDGE: 43 Metres of Dublin

One of Dublin’s most famous bridges across the Liffey turns 207 years this year. The bridge across the city’s River Liffey was first built in May 1816, it was originally called the Wellington Bridge, after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington. The building of the bridge replaced the ferry crossings that took Dubliners from one side of the Liffey to the other. As the old ferries fell into disrepair, Dublin Corporation’s John Beresford came up with the notion of building a bridge instead of mending the boats. He put the idea to the ferry company owner, William Walsh, who agreed with the idea. The toll to cross the bridge was set at a ha’penny, the same price as the ferry crossing it replaced, hence its famous moniker. Turnstiles were eventually installed and the fee, which had, by then, increased to a penny-ha’penny, was scrapped in 1919. The twelve-foot wide Ha’penny Bridge had several names attributed to it, even when it became officially the Liffey Bridge in 1922. Neither councillor nor piece of paper could shake the name given to it by county natives – the Ha’penny Bridge.

The bridge itself was manufactured in Shropshire, England by the Coalbrookdale Company – who were also responsible for the construction of the gates of London’s Hyde Park – and transported across the Irish Sea to Dublin. Due to the volume of footfall across the bridge every day over its two centuries, it was renovated in 2001, maintaining nearly all of the original structure of 1816.

(Pioneer Magazine)

WE DID NOT MAKE OURSELVES

Kirchner, famous astronomer, had a scientist friend who professed disbelief in God. Visiting Kirchner one day, this friend was admiring a working model of the solar system that stood upon a table; by turning a handle the planets could be made to revolve in their respective orbits around the sun.

‘Very ingenious indeed’ he remarked. “Who is the maker?.

‘Oh, nobody in particular.’  ‘But tell me, I want to know – who made it? ”Nobody made it. It just made itself.’

The friend began to see the point, and was annoyed. ‘I see, you are trying to be funny?

‘Isn’t it rather you that is funny’ You can’t believe that this little model made itself, and yet you can believe that the real sun and moon and stars, the whole vast universe in fact, came into existence somehow without any Maker!’

 His friend went away rather thoughtful, and later changed his opinion.

You, too, did not make yourself. God made you – your body, allowing your parents to help Him; your Soul, direct from His own hands like a new coin from the Mint.

(F.H. Drinkwater – 250 Selected Catechism Stories)

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 13th – Patsy O’Connor, Newtown (A)

Sun 14th – Eunan Flood, Oldcourt (A)

Also            Mary Flood who died in December 2022

Sat 20th – Pat Foley, The Leap also deceased members of the O’Brien family, Adamstown & deceased members of the Foley family, Newbawn. (A)

Sun 21st – Tommy, Bernie Whitty, Oldcourt (A)

Pray for John Carr, Bree uncle of Ann Marie O’Shea who died last week.

May they rest in peace.

Feast days this week:

Tuesday 16th – St. Brendan.

St. Brendan was a Kerryman who was born in 486. He studied at Clonard under Finnian. His name is connected with many places in Kerry such as Ardfert and Mount Brandon. He visited Scotland and reached the Hebrides and possibly areas beyond. He founded a monastery in Clonfert in 568 and died there in 578. 

Thursday 18th – The Ascension of the Lord.

Morning Mass each week day at 9.30am.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday from 10.00am – 1.00pm.

Rosary at Knockreigh Grotto each week night at 8pm

for the month of May.

IT HAPPENED IN MAY – 13th May 1981

Pope John Paul 11 was shot at close range by Mehmet Ali Agea while riding in an open automobile in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Having recovered, the Pope held a private meeting with Agea and forgave him for the attempted assassination. A bullet recovered from the pope-mobile was given by John Paul to the local bishop in Fatima, who placed it in the crown of the official image of Mary in the shrine of Fatima. John Paul was also born this month, on 18th May.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION –

We wish the First Holy Communion children and their families every blessing and good wish as they celebrate their First Holy Communion in St. Abban’s Church this Saturday 13th May 2023.

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – Silence is Golden

(Divine World Missionaries)

There are so many instances when well-timed silence is better than speech.

When we don’t know what to say.

When we don’t know how to say it.

When others don’t care to hear it.

When talking would hurt another.

When we may later regret it.

 When the heart is so heavy that speech seems light.

When suffering prefers to remain mute.

When saying nothing is the grandest eloquence.

When quietude is more persuasive.

Remember – the stars shine in silence, and so can we.

OPPOSITION BILL SEEKS TO FULLY DECRIMINALISE ABORTION – (Irish Catholic)

The so-called ‘Pro-Choice Bill’ proposed by Brid Smith TD seeking to remove nearly all remaining restrictions on abortion aligns with the recommendations of the recent abortion law review, which has been criticised by pro-life groups. The bill will be given its second stage reading in the Dáil on Thursday, May 25th. The draft text would abolish the 3-day waiting period, which they call “patronising and unnecessary”. It would also remove the 12 week time limit for accessing an abortion on request: it would extend the

28-day mortality limit in cases of a serious life-limiting condition to one year; and it would remove the criminal penalties for illegal abortions. (Irish Catholic)

Note:

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has stated that he would be reluctant to make this change so soon after the Referendum.

 “What’s Another Year” was the title of the winning song in the Eurovision of 1980 sung by Johnny Logan. For the unborn child those three days could be the difference between life and death. Many of you may share the Taoiseach’s reservations.  Please make your views known to your local T.D. Many lives may depend on you.

MODEL OF ST. ABBAN’S CHURCH

Go on to the Adamstown Parish Face book page and see the beautiful model of St. Abban’s Church hand crafted by Tom Walsh, The Hill.  Fr. Nolan took this picture of Tom and his wife Mary with the model of the church at their home this week. A work of art Tom and well done.

ALONE LIBRARY INFORMATION SESSION

Drop into New Ross Library on Wednesday May 24th, from 10.30am to 12.30pm. to learn about the services that ALONE provides to support older adults to age happily and securely in their own homes, and with close links to their communities. Support Coordinator Natalia will be on hand to provide all the information you require and answer your queries. No need to book, just drop in. All are welcome.

Should you require additional supports to attend this event please contact New Ross Library at 051 421 877

PRAYER FOR PEACE

O Heavenly Father, God of love and peace, send down Your blessed peace into our hearts, our homes and our country.

O Lord Jesus, You died to make peace between God and mankind. We long for justice and peace. Send us your gift of peace.

O Holy Spirit, You work always for our peace. Show us the value of peace. Take away all sorrow and hatred from our hearts.

O Mary, Queen of Peace. We consecrate ourselves and our homes to your Immaculate Heart. Obtain for us the peace you promised to the world at Fatima.

Pray for us now and always. Amen.

TIP TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT

If it’s not dirty – wash at 30