Adamstown Parish Newsletter Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd March 2025 Volume 25. Number 11 __________________________________________________________________________________…
9th February, 2025
Adamstown Parish Newsletter
Saturday 8th & Sunday 9th February2025
Volume 25. Number 6
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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO
The winning numbers in the Adamstown Lotto draw on Thursday 6th February were: 9 – 11- 12 – 22. There was no Jackpot winner, the following matched three numbers and each received €100. Patrick Fortune & Maria Murphy. The next draw is on Thursday 20th February in Cullen’s for a Jackpot of €3,600. Thanks for your continued support.
THURSDAY NIGHT CARD GAME
The weekly Thursday night Card Game continues in the Community Centre each week at 8.00pm. Winners on Thursday 6th February were: John Hanley, Martin Cahill, Matty Sullivan, Johnny Nolan, Pat Finn, Phil Jackman & Joe Kehoe.
ADAMSTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL NEWS
We had three acts in the Scór na bPáistí competitions in Rathnure Community Centre on Friday 31st Jan. There were figure dancers doing a six-hand reel who were up against very stiff competition and missed out on getting into the next round.
We also had Sarah Power doing solo singing and a ballad group of Sarah Power, Con Kickham, Patrick English and Darragh Rowlands who are all through to the next round.
Round 2 takes place in Gorey this week.
We are also delighted to have Solar Panels installed in the Primary School in the coming weeks. We are looking forward to becoming more energy efficient. This project is the result of the School Photovoltaic Programme through the Climate Action Fund.
COLÁISTE ABBÁIN NEWS
1st Year Boys Soccer Team marches into Leinster Cup Quarter Finals. A fantastic team performance saw our 1st Year Boys secure a comprehensive win over CBS New Ross on Tues last, booking their place in the Leinster Cup quarter-finals next week.
With outstanding shot-stopping from goalkeeper Will Fortune and goals from Charlie Redmond, Bobby Higgins, Bobby O’Shea and Patrick Murphy, this team continues to go from strength to strength. Best of luck next week boys.
WINNING ART COMPETITION: Congratulations to Niamh Cullen, who won 1st place in the 14-17 age group category of the Enniscorthy Credit Union Art Competition, and she also went on to win the Regional Level. Well done Niamh.
WEDDING BELLS
Our best wishes to Robert Delaney and Lorraine McDonald, Glenour who celebrated the Sacrament of Matrimony in St. Abban’s Church on Friday January 24th.
Beannacht Dé orthu.
THE GREAT FROST OF 1740 (Paula Redmond, Ireland’s Own)
Before the well documented Great Famine of the late 1840s and early 1850s a previous famine resulting from an extreme drop in temperatures occurred in 1740-1742. It is estimated that anywhere between 100,000 and 300,00 people died out of a population of 2.4 million at that time. A very violent storm struck Ireland in Dec 1739. This precipitated a period of extreme cold which saw the Boyne, Liffey, Slaney, Foyle and Lee rivers freeze over. Sections of the Shannon also froze. Europe was also struck by the extreme weather. The extreme cold commenced on Dec 29th 1739, which led liquids freezing indoors and ice sheets appearing at the mouth of rivers. Birds were reported to have dropped from the sky, frozen in flight. Some were initially amused by the freezing conditions – dances and carnivals were held in various locations on the ice. A hurling match is purported to have taken place on the Shannon and a fair held on the River Lee. Any initial novelty soon disappeared however. With the rivers blocked by ice, coal could not be delivered to ports. Potatoes, stored in the ground, were destroyed and mills seized up due to the freezing conditions. Animals such as cattle & sheep perished and large quantities of fish died. This soon led to widespread hypothermia and starvation amongst the population – especially the poor. Bodies of people who had frozen to death were discovered. People scavenged trees, hedges and nurseries for fire wood – fourteen people were imprisoned in Dublin for taking trees from the Phoenix Park. The city was also plunged into darkness as not only was the milling of rapeseed (required to make lamp oil) affected by the cold conditions, lamps themselves were going out. Three ships were lost in Dublin Bay.
A drought then occurred in spring 1740 which led to crop failures and further livestock deaths. Cold conditions returned the following winter leading to further food shortages and resultant food riots. The largest reported riot occurred on April 25th 1741 in Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, when a group of people attacked a boat and accompanying military party which was shipping oats to Waterford City for a famine relief scheme. The attackers took the boat and sixty barrels of oats. Five were killed and eleven wounded in the incident. Relief schemes were set up to help those affected by the famine. Some landowners provided an emergency feeding programme for the poor of Dublin. Others did little to help. In September 1741 a series of violent storms occurred. Leinster was particularly affected by the flooding which led to mills being damaged, houses being washed away and bridges collapsing. These events marked the end of the severe weather. The harvest of 1741 saw plenty of winter sown grains, with a shortage of oats & potatoes in some areas. However, with the rivers unfrozen delivery of food could resume. The period of the Great Frost remains to this day the longest period of extreme cold in modern European history.
CHURCH NOTICES
IN MEMORIAM
Sat 8th – Jack, Marie, Patrick & Annie O’Gorman, Kellystown (A)
Also deceased members of the Cullen family, Lambstown (A)
Sun 9th – Sheila & John Murphy, Kellystown (A)
Also – Willie Stafford, Oldcourt (A)
Also – Tom Lacey, Woodview Drive (A)
Sat 15th – Paddy O’Connor, Newtown (A)
Also Willie Walsh, Woodview Drive, (Month’s Mind)
Sun 16th – People of the Parish
May they rest in peace.
Mass each week day morning at 9.30am.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Thursday from 10.00am – 1.00pm.
Tuesday February 11th – Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes
World Day of Prayer for the Sick.
There will be Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in St. Abban’s Oratory, commencing at 2.00pm. Holy Mass will follow at 3.00pm with anointing of the sick. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be available before Mass.
There will be no Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday February 13th.
READERS OF THE LITURY
Sat 8th – Annette English Sun 9th – Kathleen O’Connor
Sat 15th – Eoghan Greene Sun 16th – Neasa Cloney
Sat 22nd – Cáit Bradley. Sun 23rd – Amelia Swierczynska
Sat 29th – Anthony McGee. Sun 1st Mar – Betty O’Shea
FREEDOM TO LIVE FULLY, UNTIL DEATH COMES
A report on Assisted Dying presented to Dáil Eireann, calls on the Government to legalise assisted dying in certain circumstances. A total of 76 TD’s voted in favour of the Report.
56 rejected it, Taoiseach Micheál Martin expressed serious reservations about the recommendations.
The Irish Catholic Bishop’s Conference has published a statement called FREEDOM TO LIVE FULLY, UNTIL DEATH COMES. This is a subject that calls for awareness of the full implications of such legislation.
LOURDES PILGRIMAGE NOTICE
Lourdes Hospitality Committee are hosting four meetings coming up next week. All who are interested to travel this year to Lourdes as Brancardier, helpers or assisted pilgrims are more than welcome to attend:
Mon 10th Feb: Horse & Hound, Ballinaboola @ 7.30pm
Tuesday 11th Feb: White’s Hotel, Wexford @7.30pm
Wednesday 11th Feb: Reach, Bellefield, Enniscorthy @ 7.30pm
Monday 17th Feb: Gorey Pastoral Centre @ 7.30pm“
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK —“ANOIS TEACH AN EARRAIG”
The great Gaelic Poet, Anthony Raftery wrote his poem
Cill Aodain:
‘Now that spring has come, days will get longer,
And after Brigid’s Day I will raise my sails’
We have entered the month of February, St. Brigid’s month,
the beginning of Spring, month of lambs, calves and foals;
Month of three kinds of weather; wind, rain and snow.
We experience new life and light as nature
awakens in Spring. The days are getting longer
and the snowdrops and daffodils will soon be plentiful.
We pray, ‘God of nature, Lord of light, you have
Given us a world to respect and preserve.
We ask God’s blessings on our fragile earth and on
the people who live upon this earth, through the
gentleness of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.
POLITICAL CORRECTNESS OR TRUTH?
Hans Christian Anderson’s Fable ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ was written 200 years ago. For those unfamiliar with the fable, the Emperor is walking around naked. Two tailors promised to make the Emperor new clothes. They convinced the townspeople that they are able to see the Emperor’s new clothes. The Emperor struts around town and the townsfolk acclaim his majesty’s new outfit. All sing from the same hymn sheet. The song is number one in the charts! Its message is relevant – perhaps more so- for our generation. Anderson knew how dangerous it is to be seduced by the idea that what everybody says, is true. The townsfolk are fooled into believing the Emperor is wearing new clothes. The emperor’s nakedness, instead of being perceived as shocking and wrong is accepted as normal and fashionable because – to use a modern phrase – it was seen as politically correct. Finally, a little boy cries out.
“The Emperor doesn’t have any clothes on”. Everybody knows that but they were afraid to tell the truth. Suddenly, the townsfolk are emboldened by the child’s outspokenness and start whispering to one another “the child is right”. Their voices grow louder and become a resounding cry echoing across the kingdom. “Your Majesty! You are naked.
(Vincent Travers OP)
A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. If you can’t help them, at least don’t harm them.
A SMILE: – Walking with Grandma.
I like to walk with Grandma. Her steps are small like mine.
She doesn’t say ‘now hurry up’, she always takes her time.
I like to walk with Grandma, her eyes see things like mine do.
Wee pebbles bright, a funny cloud, half hidden drops of dew.
Most people have to hurry; they do stop to see.
I’m glad that God made Grandma, unrushed and young like me.
