4th May, 2025

Adamstown Parish Newsletter 

Saturday 3^rd & Sunday 4^th May 2025

Volume 25.  Number 17

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO

The next draw in the Adamstown Lotto takes place this Tuesday 6^th (due to Bank Holiday) in Brad Og’s for a Jackpot of €4,600. Please leave books back in Cullen’s Gala by 8pm on draw night. Thanks for your continued support.

THURSDAY NIGHT CARD GAME

The Thursday night Card Game continues in the Community Centre at 8.30pm each week. Card winners on Thursday 1^st May were: Matty Sullivan, Pat Murphy, Jer Sweeney, Tom Wickham, Tom Rochford, Michael McLoughlin & Sammy Elmes.

LOURDES TICKET DRAW

Our draw for the Lourdes tickets took place following 11.00am Mass on Sunday morning last. The three lucky people to win the tickets were: Frances Gallagher, Misterin, Michael Ridgeway, Misterin & Joe Bradley, Barrack’s Rd. We send our congratulations to them and hope they have a memorable experience in Lourdes later in the month.

A sincere thanks to all those who purchased tickets and to the volunteers who kindly called to houses in the Parish and distributed the tickets. Many thanks to Philip for his generosity in printing the tickets free of charge. Thank you all.

ADAMSTOWN CHILDCARE MEETING

You are invited to Adamstown Childcare Meeting on Tuesday 27^th May at 7.30pm ARC Family Resource Centre,

Adamstown. Y21 C8K1

If you need or want childcare in the next few years, we need to hear from you now.

(Raheen Community Development Group)

CULLEN’S GALA NOTICE

We are up and running with our reverse vending machine. Thank you for your patience.

MAN’S WEDDING RING FOUND

A man’s wedding ring has been found in St. Abban’s Church recently, please contact Cáit on 087 6964082 if this ring belongs to you, or you may know of someone who has lost their ring while attending St. Abban’s Church.

DID YOU KNOW?

The oldest harp in Ireland dates from about 1300.

It’s kept in Trinity College, Dublin.

THE ORIGINAL TRICOLOUR

The Black & Tans withdrew from New Ross in February 1922 and Capt. Carr on behalf of the Provisional Government handed over the keys of the barracks in Priory Street to Pat Cleary of Ballyanne, as Commandant of 1^st Battalion, South Wexford Brigade IRA. The ceremony included a parade of local IRA through the town and the raising for the first time, of an official tricolour outside the old Court House at Trinity Place. This original flag has been in the possession of the Old IRA down the years. It was carried, accompanied by an armed guard, up the Irishtown each Easter Sunday to the memorial service in St. Stephen’s Cemetery while the old soldiers could still march.

It was for years in the care of Jack Ryan of Mary Street and in 2023 it was presented to the Local Council. Mounted and framed, it now hangs in an honoured place in the Council Chamber at the Tholsel. It is believed to be unique as the only original official tricolour raised and flown in an Irish town.

(Parish Church, New Ross Newsletter – courtesy of Jim Sutton)

DIPPING INTO HOPE (Messenger Magazine)

An extract from Dipping into Hope by Alan Hilliard, forthcoming from Messenger Publications)

Geese

Nature can be one of our finest teachers, if we’d care to listen.

Every year I spot the arrival of the Brent geese. Having flown more than four thousand miles from Canada, stopping off at Iceland along the way, they spend their winter in places that are easier to live in. Geese have an incredible moral and physical compass, which assists them on their journey from Canada. For instance, their “V” formation allows for shared leadership and energy conservation – the one out front will drop back, allowing others to take the lead. Their constant honking reminds those leading the flock that they haven’t lost those who follow behind.  Scholarship reveals that when creatures like geese migrate, they don’t adopt the casual Irish attitude of ‘Ah, sure lads, we’ll see how it goes.’ They stick to a direct flight path, without veering left or right for the goose equivalent of a quick pint, a party or having the craic! Any stop on the route is purposely designed to further the journey’s progress. Detours, if they are made, are taken if the weather takes a turn for the worse. Recently I was reading a book about leadership by Hubert Joly. Reflecting on his most successful ventures he identifies two essential ingredients of leadership. Ironically these appear to be in the genetic code of geese. The elements are purpose and connection. There is no doubt that life can be difficult if we have lost our purpose. I recall the words of a wise man who once upon a time encouraged us to ‘look at the birds of the air’. If we find it difficult to take direction from the wisdom of our Christian tradition, perhaps we can look to the geese for similar inspiration.

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 3^rd May – Breda O’Brien, Templeshelin (A)

Also – Sean Whelan and his parents William & Mary Anne Whelan, Kellystown (A)

Sun 4^th – Peter, Aoife, Tommy & Joey Kelly, Doononey (A)

Also – Jim & Mary Connors, The Hill (A)

Sat 10^th – Patsy O’Connor, Newtown (A)

Also – Kathleen Delaney, Glenour (Month’s Mind)

Sun 11^th – Peg Kelly, Coonogue, also her parents and Annie Kehoe (A)

May they rest in peace.

Mass for the repose of the souls of Pope Francis and Bishop Brendan Comiskey on Bank Holiday Monday (May 5^th) in St. Abban’s Church at 11.00am. May they rest in peace.

READERS OF THE LITURGY

Sat 3^rd May – Annette English.  Sun 4^th – Neasa Cloney

Sat 10^th – T. J. McDonald          Sun 11^th – Ann Ryan

Sat 17^th – Liam Whelan              Sun 18^th – Kathleen O’Connor

FEAST DAYS THIS WEEK

Br. Edmund Rice (1762-1844) comes from Callan, Co Kilkenny. After his young wife’s early death, he sold his possessions and dedicated his life to the education of the poor. To advance the work, he gathered other like-minded men who took religious vows together to work for the Catholic education of boys. He is a model of patient and cheerful acceptance of the sufferings God sends, a true lay apostle and a deeply committed religious.

ROSARY AT KNOCKREIGH GROTTO FOR MAY

The Rosary will be recited at Knockreigh Grotto each evening Monday – Friday at 8pm and everyone welcome to come.

The Month of Our Lady:

The month of May is set aside by the Church for special devotion in honour of the Mother of God. The Irish name for the month “Bealtaine” is associated with a pre-Christian festival celebrated at this time of year, while the English word “May” is derived from the name of the Roman Goddess who was Mother of all Gods.

As Canon Sheehan has written: “Somehow the fragrance and beauty of these May evenings hang round us, as incense hangs around a dimly lighted Church and often cling around a soul where faith and holiness have been banished” There are many hymns associated with our May devotion to Mary. One was recorded and sung by Irish Tenor Frank Patterson concluded with these words:

“O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today!

Queen of the Angels and Queen of the May”.

 ONE FORTUNE TELLER WHO WAS RIGHT

A woman went to Confession to a parish priest in (of course) the West of Ireland and said she had been to a fortune teller. “Did you now? And what did she say?” “Please, Father, that I was going to meet a bald-headed man and go on a long journey,”

“Well, now, isn’t that a strange thing! Here I am without a hair on my head, and aren’t you going to do the Stations of the Cross fourteen times.!”

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Our Lady of Fatima – Feast Day: 13^th May

Most Holy Virgin, who came to Fatima to reveal the graces hidden in the recitation of the Holy Rosary, inspire our hearts with a deep love of this devotion, that meditating on the Holy Mysteries, we may obtain the conversion of sinners and (here recall the other favours you are praying for), which we ask of you in this Novena. Amen.

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

We remember in our prayers the children from Adamstown National School who will make their First Holy Communion in St. Abban’s Church on Saturday 17^th May at 11.00am.

A THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – (Behroz Shah)

Helping one person might not change

the whole world, but it could

change the world for one person.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING BACK YOUR TRÓCAIRE BOX IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY DONE SO

The amount received to date is €980.00, a since thanks to all who have donated.

A SMILE – CREATION

Three men were arguing fiercely over whose profession was first established on earth. “Mine was,” said the surgeon. “The Bible says that Eve was made by carving a rib out of Adam.”

“Not at all,” said the engineer. “An engineering job came before that. In six days, the earth was created out of chaos. And that was and engineering job.” “Yes,” said the politician, “but who created the chaos?”