14th January, 2024

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 13th & Sun 14th January 2024  

Volume 24.  Number 2

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The next draw in the Adamstown Lotto takes place this Monday 15th in the Community Centre for a Jackpot of

€8,200. Keep on buying the tickets – it could be your lucky day. Please leave books back in Cullen’s by 8pm on draw night.

THURSDAY NIGHT CARD GAME

Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances the weekly card game had to be cancelled this week. Hopefully the card game will resume this coming Thursday night 18th January. Apologies to all the card players for any inconvenience caused.

EXERCISE CLASSES

Adamstown Community Classes start up towards the end of January combining mornings & evenings with options for everyone. Monday mornings will see a new class for over 60’s working with the body through exercise and movement with the support of a chair. Family Fitness is a 30 min class designed for families to exercise together in a fun supportive environment.  Pilates will be twice a week. This class helps to support the body, posture, hips & lower back health. Creating balance, strength, coordination, stability and promotes healthy breathing habits that help us to manage pressure related to prolapse or pelvic floor issues.  For the morning fitness Ladies & Mum’s Exercise Together is a weight training strength & conditioning class for women where baby/toddler can come along too. Sarah is a certified pre & post natal exercise specialist, personal trainer, pilates and yoga teacher. You can find more details on Community Classes on Sarah’s website www.exercisetogether.ie or email her directly on

info@exercisetogether.ie . Watch out for more details over the coming weeks.

ADAMSTOWN ICA NEWS

Adamstown ICA held their first meeting of 2024 on Wednesday night 10th January in Coláiste Abbain at 8pm. After the prayer and singing of My Land, our President Helen Furlong welcomed new member Heléne Ford. It’s lovely to see new members joining our guild and everyone had big welcome for Heléne.

This a great time to join ICA, as plans being put in place for upcoming events and workshops. Bowling & Aqua Aerobics will commence in the next week or so, watch this space.

The raffle was won by Helen, and a lovely tea was served by Mary Lawlor and Dympna Rochford, thank you ladies.

All the ladies, plus some friends of ICA, twenty-six in total joined us to celebrate Nollaig na Mban on Saturday January 6th.

We enjoyed a leisurely day out to Newbridge Silverwear where we had lunch in the restaurant, followed by some bargain hunting in the store. Lots to be found on sale, some members even bought gifts for Christmas 2024! On then to Kildare Shopping Outlet for some more bargain hunting and food of course, to sustain us for the journey home. Looking forward to our next outing already! . Thanks to Coláiste Abbain for the use of the school for our meeting, it’s greatly appreciated.

We look forward to welcoming more new members in 2024.

YELLOWHAMMER  (Calvin Jones – Ireland’s Own)

Few Irish birds have a song that lends itself to description quite as well as that of the yellowhammer. It’s  “little bit of bread and No cheese” arrangement used to be a familiar sound of Irish farmland and hedgerows not so long ago. Alas, today, like so many of our farmland birds, the yellowhammer’s song is heard much less often. The yellowhammer is a colourful member of the bunting family and, as its name suggests, it’s plumage is dominated by yellow. Males in particular are a very striking bright yellow, and in breeding plumage can appear almost canary-like, but with narrow black lines around the eyes and cheeks and a rustler breast. Females are much duller than the males, but are still obviously yellow, with brown face markings and brown streaking on the body. This little robust bird reaches between 6-7inches in length, has a wingspan of 9-12 inches, and weighs 1-1.25 oz. It has a heavy-set body and the typically thick bill of a seed-eater. Their diet consists of mostly seeds, although they also hunt high-protein prey like insects and spiders, especially when feeding their young. Yellowhammers breed and overwinter in hedgerows, open farmland, woodland margins and rough scrub. They particularly love gorse and hawthorn thickets. Over the winter they form flocks, often mixing with other seed-eating birds to roam farm and scrub-land in search of food before retreating to communal roosts at night. In spring and early summer the male yellowhammer perches high in a tree or hedge and fills the air with his distinctive song: a series of repetitive notes that sounds like “chiz-iz-iz-iz-iz-iz-zeee” or with a healthy dollop of imagination, “a little bit of bread and NO cheese”. It ‘s call is a less memorable rasping “zit” or “dzuh” The female builds the cup-like nest on the ground, usually in thick cover on a bank or under a bush or hedge. The nest is made of grass and moss, and lined with animal hair or fine grasses. In this cup she lays 3-5 white eggs with purple blotches on the. They are often covered in dark markings that resembles scrawled handwriting. Eggs hatch after 11-14 days and the young yellowhammer stay in the nest for a further 16 days or so before they fledge. Yellowhammers raise two or sometimes even three broods of young per year. Yellowhammers are widespread and common throughout much of Europe, but have become much less common in Ireland. The species is red-listed on the Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland list, jointly compiled by Birdwatch Ireland and RSPB Northern Ireland, having suffered a 25%-50% decline in the 20 year period from 1972-1992. More recent surveys suggest that numbers continue to decline rapidly. The main cause for the yellowhammer’s declining numbers is the intensification of agricultural and the dramatic decline in arable and mixed farmland (more than 91% of Irish farmland is now under grass).  Other contributory factors are the destruction and over-management of our hedgerows, and the widespread use of herbicides to kill weeds, robbing seed-eating birds like the yellowhammer of their natural winter food supply.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 13th – Josie Galway,  & Pat & Catherine Doyle,

Breezemount (A)

Sun 14th – Nicholas & Mary Byrne, Kellystown (A)

Sat 20th – Joe Crosbie, Misterin & New Ross (A)

Sun 21st – People of the Parish.

Pray for Geraldine Ridgeway, Misterin (A)

Pray for Jimmy Kelly, Tomgarrow (Month’s Mind)

May they rest in peace.

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sat 13th – Eoghan Greene.    Sun 14th – Neasa Cloney

Sat 20th – Liam Whelan.        Sun 21st – Kathleen O’Connor

Sat 27th – Anthony McGee.   Sun 28th – Ann Ryan.

SYMPATHY

We extend our deepest sympathy to Tommy & Kathleen O’Connor, Misterin and family on the death of Tommy’s sister, Mrs. Phyllis Brennan, Ballybrack, Dublin on 3rd January 2024.

Also to her son, daughters, extended family. Her funeral Mass

took place in St. James’s Church, Ramsgrange on Sunday last followed by burial in Ramsgrange Cemetery.

May she rest in peace.

WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY 18-25 January

You shall love the Lord your God…and your neighbour as yourself.

Observed 18-29 Jan since 1908, the Week of Prayer is frequently celebrated around Pentecost in the southern hemisphere. Burkina Faso, in the Sahel region of West Africa, is a country of 22 million people with a Christian population of

26 percent.  Its political and social situation is unstable, with many threats to peace and social cohesion. The theme, leading

to the parable of the Good Samaritan, and the material prepared during such a precarious period in the country’s history helps us to recognise that the love of Christ unites all Christians and is stronger than their divisions.

Material for the week is available in English and Irish at

https://ctbi.org.uk/.  The prayers and materials written for the Week may also be used throughout the year.

ROTUNDA MASTER ‘CAN’T REMEMBER’ LAST TIME ABORTION PROTEST TOOK PLACE.

The Master of the Rotunda hospital has admitted he ‘can’t remember’ the last time a pro-life protest took place outside the Dublin hospital. Prof. Sean Daly made the remark when asked about the abortion zones legislation set to make pro-life protests illegal within 100 metres of facilities providing abortion. His comments appear to be at odds with statements in the Dáil regarding the frequency of protests, with TDs claiming they are “constant, daily in some cases”. Sandra Parda of The Life Institute said “The Master of the Rotunda’s own comments show that the claims that this legislation is necessary is not based on reality”. “In fact, we know the truth is that the pro-life vigils and witnesses that take place, in the deeply concerning context of our rising abortion rate, are peaceful” Pro-life groups have said that the zones are unnecessary and discriminatory.  ( Ruadhán Jones – Irish Catholic)

DANA IN CONCERT AT BARNTOWN

Internationally renowned artist and Eurovision winner Dana will sing in Barntown Church on Sunday 11th February at 7.30pm. Joined by the local children’s choir at Barntown, local artists will also take part. Tickets €25 each can be bought from Barntown Parish Office on 053 9120853.

CHILDCARE & GENERAL OPERATIVE POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Anccr Area Development (CE Scheme) have the following vacancies: A Childcare Assistant to work in Raheen Childcare Center and General Operatives to work in Terrerath and other areas of our Scheme. This is a brilliant opportunity to re-join the workforce and upskill. The programme will provide the successful childcare candidate with a pathway to gaining a QQ1L5 or L6 Qualification in childcare while also gaining practical experience It will provide the General Operative candidate with practical experience and training in use of machinery and spraying etc., or training in the candidates own area of interest. To apply for this position you must be over 21 years (18 in special circumstances) and in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for 12 months, Ukrainians 9 months, or a dependant of a qualifying adult on jobseekers, etc.

If interested in this position, please phone Kay at ANCCR on 087 4144313

ADAMSTOWN N.S. PARENTS ASSOCIATION

We are having a Clothes Collection on Monday 29th January 2024. Drop off point – car park opposite school.

Your support is appreciated. All proceeds go towards Parent’s Association Fund.

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK – 22nd – 25th Jan 2024

The theme for this year is: Communities of Service.

Monday – Service in Our Community of Friends

Tuesday – Service in Our School Community

Wednesday: Service in Our Family Community –

Grandparents’Day.

Thursday – Service in Our Local Community.

Friday – Service in Our Faith Community.

On Wednesday the school are arranging a walk with grandparents.

ANNUAL SEANA GHAEL AWARDS

This year’s Seana Ghael Awards Ceremony takes

place this Sunday 14th in Ferrycarrig Hotel. Among the recipients will be: One of the presentations made to seven Gaels who have celebrated their 90th birthday will be Maureen O’Dwyer (Adamstown). In the New Ross District Awards section Oliver Furlong (Adamstown) will receive an award. Well done to both recipients.

Ferns Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes

Invalid Pilgrim Section – 16th – 21st May

Applications must be submitted by 1st March 2024.

Mass each week day morning at 9.30am.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday from 10am – 1.00pm.