28th May, 2023

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 27th & Sun 28th May 2023   

Volume 23.  Number 19

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The next draw in the Adamstown Lotto takes place this Monday 29th May in the Community Centre for a Jackpot of  €15,000. Do buy a ticket and be in with a chance.

Please leave books back in Cullen’s Gala by 8pm on draw night.

ADAMSTOWN GAA CLUB – Fittest Family 2023

The count down is on for Sunday June 4th.

Apparently the smell of deep heat around the parish is stifling at the minute with tired and sore limbs from training!

Please get those entries into Lorcan as soon as possible.

Looking forward to seeing everyone on the day – lots of special events for the kids. BBQ/teas an all round family fun day. Don’t miss it!!

COLÁISTE ABBÁIN NEWS

A huge well done to the young hurlers of Coláiste Abbáin who won their Leinster final on Monday last against Coláiste Eoín, Hacketstown. A great achievement for these young men.

We were delighted to welcome back our Sports Day after an absence due to Covid. The PE Department were busy with organising events, there was something for everyone.

Great fun was had with some fabulous pictures on our Face book page. Enjoyed by everyone. Well done to Mr.Larkin on a very well organised day.

Graduation 2023 – 26th May

Today marked a significant milestone in the education journey of our brilliant 6th year students. We would like to take this opportunity to wish them all the best in their upcoming examinations and future endeavours. A big thank you to their Year Head Ms. Murphy for all her work with the year group. We as a school community will miss them all very much. Remember dream, believe and achieve.

ADAMSTOWN ATHLETIC CLUB NEWS

Well done to all athletes who took part in the Sports Hub 2-day track and field events. Medal winners were: Girls u-11 100m – Grace White 1st; Boys u-14 100m Séan Walsh 3rd; Girls u-11 Long Jump – Grace White 3rd; Turbo Javelin Girls u-12 Lily O’Callaghan 1st; Halyley Lonergan 2nd; Boys u-12 Eoghan English 1st;  Shot Put Girls u-11 Pippa Fortune 1st; Lily Shannon 3rd;  Boys u-13 Will Fortune 1st. High Jump Boys u-14 Seán Walsh 2nd. Well done everyone.

90 YEARS  YOUNG

We send our congratulations to Tommy O’Connor, Misterin who celebrates his 90th birthday this weekend.

Wishing Tommy many more years of health and happiness.

Tommy celebrated his birthday with family and friends.

THE HAWTHORN (WHITETHORN)

(Irish Trees: Myths, Legends & Folklore – Niall Mac Coitir)

As we travel the rural roads at this present time it is impossible not to be amazed by the wonderful flowers on the Whitethorn. The branches are bent down with the masses of beautiful white flowers.  The whitethorn is closely associated with holy wells. A survey carried out by A.T. Lucas of 210 randomly chosen wells found that 103 had hawthorns present at them. Usually the wells were known for their healing properties and pilgrims often left offerings of rags hanging on the tree. In County Offaly there is a whitethorn associated with St. Kieran which stands in the middle of the public road because the local authority dared not cut it down when the road was being widened. All of the evidence clearly places hawthorn in the season of Maytime and the start of the bright half of the year in Irish tradition. Hawthorn is associated with the Ogham letter hUath which means ‘Fear’

Hawthorn was classified in early Irish law as an Aithig fedo or Commoner of the Wood. Although hawthorn’s wood is tough, it does not appear to have been used much in Ireland. The haws have been eaten but usually only when there is no other food available.

STRANGE BUT TRUE – (Ireland’s Own)

Alfred Nobel (1833-1896) a Swedish chemist, once spilled some nitro-glycerine liquid by mistake, as he was lifting a bottle of it from a box of fine powder called Kieseguhr. It should have exploded, as it is very easily set off. Instead it formed a paste with the powder. Nobel discovered that the mixture was still explosive, but much safer to handle.

He called it dynamite, from the Greek word ‘dunamis’ meaning power. Nobel made a fortune, which he then used to create prestigious annual awards, including his world-famous one for peace.

IRELAND OVER THERE!  (Ireland’s Own -Tom McParland)

About 32 million Americans – 9.7% of the total population -identified as being Irish in the 2019 American Community Survey conducted by the US Census bureau. Between 1820 and 1860, the Irish constituted over one third of all immigrants to the United States. In the famine-ravaged 1840’s, that figure rose to nearly half of all new settlers.

Those were the days when such separation meant forever.

Faced by such a prospect, Irish émigrés did the next best thing to returning home. They gave part of the new country in which they’d settled the same name as the place they’d left. As a result, there are eleven Dublins, fourteen Belfasts, eight Antrims, six Corks, four Sligos and Westport, five Wexfords and – reflecting Northern Irish sectarianism – four Derrys and four Londonderrys. As well as two Kilkennys and Armaghs, there is one of Athlone, Dundalk, Carlow, Donegal, Fermanagh, Galway, Killarney, Limerick, Longford, Newry and Roscommon.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 27th – Ephraim Cloney, Ballagh (Month’s Mind)

Sun 28th – Francis Furlong, Misterin (A)

Sat 3rd June – Lewis James Bradley also Ellen Cummins, née Hayden, Brocurra (A)

Sun 4th – People of the Parish.

May they rest in peace.

Morning Mass each week day at 9.30am

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

Rosary at Knockreigh Grotto for the next few nights of May at 8pm.

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sat 27th – Neasa Cloney.        Sun 28th – Sheelagh Delaney

Sat 3rd June – Liam Whelan    Sun 4th – Callie Doyle

Sat 10th Cáit Bradley              Sun 11th – Kathleen O’Connor

Sat 17th T. J McDonald           Sun 18th – Kay Whelan

Sat 24th – Anthony McGee     Sun 25th – Neasa Cloney

ABORTION – Proposed changes

Copies of the Bishops’ Statement re the proposed changes are available in the Church Porch – please take one with you.

CHURCH ALTARS & DECORATION

Thanks to the ladies from Kellystown for looking after the Church and Altars for the month of May. It is now the turn of parishioners from Adamstown for the month of June.

June brings an end to the year’s rota of townslands, the draw for the remainder of 2023 & 2024 will be done during 10.30am Mass later in the month of June.

A sincere thanks to everyone who over the past year ensured that St. Abban’s Church & Altars were looked after with such dedication and care.

SYMPATHY Edward (Ned) Buckley, Brocurra R.I.P.

The death occurred on Tuesday 23rd May of Ned Buckley, Brocurra, following an illness. We extend our deepest sympathy to his sisters Kathleen, Margaret, Maisie, Bridget and brothers Paddy, Peter, Ger, Richie, Jim, extended family, neighbours and a wide circle of friends. Ned’s funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Abban’s Church, Adamstown on Friday 26th followed by cremation service in The Garden Chapel, Mount Jerome Crematorium, Dubin.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

ELLEN CONNORS R.I.P.

The death occurred on Thursday 25th May of Ellen Connors, Camross, Adamstown. To her husband Gerry, parents Betty and Paddy, brothers John, Jim, sisters Mary and Rosie, extended family and friends, the entire community of Adamstown and surrounds extends their deepest sympathy to all of Ellen’s family on her sad passing at such a young age. Ellen’s funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Abban’s Church on Sunday 27th May followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. May her gentle soul rest in peace.

FULTON SHEEN –

How a little girl’s Eucharistic faith inspired Fulton Sheen

Fulton Sheen was well-known for his habit of making a daily holy hour, no matter the time of the day. It was a permanent part of his schedule and reflected a deep love of the Holy Eucharist.  Sheen would often talk about a story of a little girl who was martyred in Communist China, reportedly dying at the hands of Communist soldiers. He offers a version of the story in his autobiography, Treasure in Clay, that sets the scene of this heroic girls. Elsewhere in China, a priest had just begun Mass when Communists entered and arrested him and made him a prisoner in a house adjoining the little church. From a window in that house he could see the tabernacle. Shortly after his imprisonment, the Communists opened the tabernacle, threw the Hosts on the floor, and stole the Sacred Vessels. The priest then decided to make adoration to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament as much as he could day and night. About three o’clock one morning, he saw a child who had been at morning Mass open a window, climb in, come to the sanctuary floor, get down on both knees, press her tongue to the Host to give herself Holy Communion.

The priest told me there were about thirty Hosts in the ciborium. Every single night she came at the same time until there was only one Host left. As she pressed her tongue to receive the Body of Christ, a shot rang out. A Communist soldier has seen her. It proved to be her Viaticum.

ADAMSTOWN N.S PARENTS ASSOCIATION

Date for your Diary:   Monday 12th June

Fundraiser – Clothes collection.

Time to clear out your wardrobe again

Clothes collection will take place on Monday 12th June outside Hall opposite the school from 9.00am – 9.30am

Good condition and reusable clothing, paired shoes, handbags, belts, hats, scarves are collected.

NO duvets, cushions, pillows, teddy bears or children’s toys collected. All funds going towards funds for school.

Thanks for your support.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK – Pope  Francis

Prayer for Strength and Peace

Lord, You are the light that guides my feet.

You are the map that gives me direction.

You are the peace that makes me strong.

You are the leader whom I faithfully follow.

May your light illuminate my life.

And your guidance bring direction.

May I find inspiration in your word.

And peace in my heart as I follow you.

Be with me, Lord this day, so that I may seek

your guiding hand in everything I do.

Amen.

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK  – (Helen Keller)

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.