6th April, 2025

Adamstown Parish Newsletter 

Sat 5^th & Sun 6^th April 2025

Volume 25.  Number 13

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO RESULTS

The winning numbers in the Adamstown Lotto draw on Thursday 3^rd April were: 8 – 23 – 24 – 29. There was no Jackpot or match three winners including online players.

The following 4 were lucky dip winners: Richie Murray, Joe Bradley, Kathleen Whelan & Maureen Bradley who received €50 each. The next Jackpot is €4,400.

SHAMROCK VINTAGE CLUB

The Shamrock Vintage Club will hold the Annual Pat Byrne Memorial Road Run this Sunday 6^th April in Adamstown. Starting time is 1.00 o’clock. Registration from 11.30am.

All vehicles welcome and must be insured. Donations of food & prizes for raffle most welcome, also people to work on the day. Proceeds going to Raheen Community Centre.

THURSDAY NIGHT CARD GAME

The weekly Thursday night Card Game continues in the Community Centre each week at 8.30pm for the summer months.  Winners on Thursday 3^rd April were: Jim Wickham, Johnny Nolan, Micksy & Breda Bolger, John Hanley and Martin Cahill.

ADAMSTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE –

Market Place, Easter Egg Hunt, Live Music on stage.

The Easter Bunny is coming to Adamstown Community Centre Sunday April 13^th and we are super excited!

Yes, it’s Adamstown’s first Easter Themed Market Place next week! We will see a great variety of tables selling everything from handmade jewellery, homemade preserves, gluten free chocolate brownie, oil on canvas paintings, wooden crafts, bird boxes alongside Easter themed crafts for kids. We have Guess the weight of the Cake, Raffle, Live Music on stage. Teas & Coffees. All donations of cakes & sandwiches are gratefully appreciated. Our Easter Bonnet Competition begins at 1pm. Winners will be picked and announced at 2pm. We have a fantastic 1^st prize for the overall winner 2 tickets to the National Opera House to see “100 Years of Broadway” brought to the stage by Kiltra Music School. Doors open at 11.30am and we will be there until 3pm. Our live music on stage from 12 – 2pm.

We have our very own Folk Group and the beautiful voice of Meabh Galway joining us again. Oh yes, and a special visit from the Easter Bunny and the Easter Egg hunt will start from 1-3pm. We ask for all donations of cakes or sandwiches for the kitchen be left in the Community Centre from 10.30 – 11.30am. We are grateful for your support & donations. All proceeds raised on the day will go straight back into the future development of the Community Centre. We look forward to welcoming you all on Sunday 13^th April.

EXTRACTS FROM EULOGY READ AT PAUL (SPRAT)

O’BRIEN’S FUNERAL MASS ON 20^TH MARCH 2025

(Read by his sons Aaron and Nathan)

Good afternoon, everyone. On behalf of the family, I just want to welcome everyone here today. We can’t believe the support we’ve received from the community and wider area over the last few days. Sprat or Paul as he was christened, was born in 1966, the second son of Michael & Breda. Sprat spent his childhood in the Rock Lane before settling in Oldcourt with our mother Pauline. Dad learned all his early lessons sharing a room with 3 brothers. Sprat was always in trouble. Anything that could go wrong, it usually went wrong for Sprat. I think all the family understand that he cheated death plenty of times growing up. Sprat was famous for his attention to detail. Dad developed a love for machines, starting with lorries and then onto diggers and tractors in later years. In his most recent years, da got a new lease of life as he welcomed the next generation into the family, as he became a grandad to Logan and Liam. As a family, we cherish the times he got to spend on this new journey of life and we know the grandkids will remember these memories for the rest of their lives also. (Nathan)

As a family, we all knew da was never going to pass away quietly in the night. As much as it hurts, it feels right that he passed away the way he lived with adrenaline flowing through his body. He just loved the social life. He loved the live music and he loved the crack with his friends. No matter what was going on, Da just loved being involved. He would have loved being here today with everyone he cared about. But we know he is here, silent in the background. He would never take an occasion like this for granted. He would be stuck in the middle, just like he is right now. Front and centre with all eyes on him. Everyone here today has hundreds of things that they take for granted each and every day. The gift of waking up every morning is the greatest gift we ever receive. While there are things in my life, I have taken for granted. There are also many things the I certainly didn’t. One thing I never took for granted was how lucky I was to grow up with 2 parents who loved me, Nathan and Donna.

I never took for granted the conversations we had, the advice that was passed on and the lessons that I learned.

The only thing I did take for granted was the amount of time we had left. The time needed to finish those conversations, to finish those projects and to finish our last bike ride home together. The chequered flag has waved on the race of life and Sprat O’Brien has claimed first place. Go well dad, and thank you for everything. (Aaron)

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 5^th April – Catherine & Michael Barron, Coonogue (A)

Also – Syl Furlong, Tomgarrow (A)

Also – Joe Kidd, Oldcourt (A)

Sun 6^th – Mary McCabe, Rathsilla  (A)

Also – Noel & Maureen Whitty, Clonroche (A) and Pat & Mary Ellen Lawlor and deceased members of the Lawlor family, Newtown (A)

Sat 12^th – Mary & Lisa Furlong, Tomgarrow (A)

Also Paul (Sprat) O’Brien, Oldcourt (Month’s Mind)

Sun 13^th – People of the Parish.

May they rest in peace.

Mass each week day at 9.30am.

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

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sat 5^th April – Anthony McGee.  Sun 6^th – Neasa Cloney

Sat 12^th – Annette English.       Sun 13^th – Kathleen O’Connor

SYMPATHY

We extend our deepest sympathy to Catherine & Liam Kelly and family, Doononey on the death of Catherine’s sister Doris O’Dowda, The Cools, Barntown on Wednesday last. Sympathy also to her husband Gerry, sons Kevin and Colm, extended family, neighbours and friends. Her funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Alphonsus’ Church, Barntown on Friday followed by burial in Whitechurch Cemetery.

 May she rest in peace.

We extend our condolences also to Pat & Angela Harrington and all the family on the death of Pat’s sister Kathleen Kehoe, Palace East on Friday 28^th March. Her funeral Mass was celebrated in Christ the King Church, Poulpeasty on Monday 31^st March followed by burial afterwards in Poulpeasty Cemetery.

May she rest in peace.

ADAMSTOWN PHARMACY NOTICE

From 7^th April to 30^th May 2025 Adamstown Pharmacy will be offering Covid-19 spring booster vaccinations to the following patients:

• Those aged over 80 (must be at least 3 months since last vaccination or covid-19 infection)
• Those aged 70-79 yrs. who have not had a vaccine since 30^th June 2024

Please phone 053-9240460 or 053-9240454 to arrange an appointment.

HOW RICH ARE YOU? (St. Martin’s Magazine)

One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, “How was the trip? “Very good, Dad!” “Did you see how poor people can be?” the father asked. “Yeah!” “And what did you learn?” The son answered, “I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon.”

When the young boy was finished, his father was speechless. His son added, “Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are!”

Isn’t it true that it all depends on the way you look at things?

MENTAL HEALTH ANNUAL COLLECTION

The Mental Health Annual Collection will be held this weekend of Saturday/Sunday 5^th & 6^th April after Masses in Adamstown. Please give generously to this worthy cause.

WEXFORD PARISH CARE FOR THE EARTH GROUP

“Once we start to think about the kind of world we are leaving to future generations, we look at things differently, we realize that the world is a gift which we have freely received and must share with others.  (Pope Francis)

MORNING PRAYER – Fr. Terence Harrington OFM Cap

So far today, God, I’ve done alright.

I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty selfish or over indulgent.

I’m very thankful for that, but in a few minutes God, I’m going to get out of bed, and from then on, I’m probably going to need

a lot more help. Amen.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – (St. Theresa of Lisieux)

The value of life does not depend upon the place we occupy, but upon the way we occupy that place.

IMAGINE – (Ireland’s Own)

Recycling one Glass Jar saves enough energy to power a television —- for three hours!!