8th May, 2022

Adamstown Parish Newsletter

Weekend of Sat 7th & Sun 8th May 2022  

Volume 22    Number 19

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ADAMSTOWN LOTTO RESULTS

The winning numbers in the Adamstown Lotto draw on Monday 2nd May were: 8 – 16 – 19 – 23. There was no Jackpot winner including online sales.

The following 3 players matched three numbers and each received €70. Christine Mackey, Glenour, Bridget Kent, Ballinamona & Marie Bradley, Glenour.

The next draw is on Monday 16th May in the Community Centre for a Jackpot of €13,400. Do buy a ticket and be in with a chance.

ADAMSTOWN PHARMACY – COVID 19 BOOSTER

Adamstown Pharmacy are offering Covid 19 second booster vaccines to all people over the age of 65 years.

If it has been 4 months or more since your last Covid vaccine and you are over 65 years please contact Adamstown Pharmacy on 053 9240460 or 053 9240454 or at adamstownpharmacy@gmail.com to arrange an appointment.

ADAMSTOWN GAA

Huge congratulations to young rising stars – Martin Sinnott and Darragh Sinnott, both played integral roles in a Good Counsel College victory in the Leinster A Colleges Football final.  Martin started at midfield with Darragh at corner forward and both contributed handsomely in a 6-05 to 2-06 victory over St. Patrick’s, Maynooth.

ADAMSTOWN N.S. PARENTS ASSOCIATION

CLOTHES COLLECTION

Adamstown National School Parents Association is having a Clothes Collection, drop off point – St. Abban’s Hall across from the school on 24th May from 8.50am – 9.30am.

PA members will be around to help you with your bags.

Please donate clean, unwanted clothes, paired shoes, bags, belts. We DO NOT accept pillows/duvets, rugs.

Thank you for supporting Adamstown National School

SYMPATHY

The death occurred on Tuesday 3rd May of Sean Whelan, Kellystown. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife Kay, sons Liam, Maurice, Noel, daughter Geraldine, extended family, neighbours and friends. Sean’s funeral Mass was celebrated in St. Abban’s Church on Thursday last followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.

May his gentle soul rest in peace.

ADAMSTOWN TIDY TOWNS AWARD

Lorna Komsa and Patricia Quirke on behalf of Adamstown Tidy towns Committee received an award at the New Ross Municipal Awards night. Cllr Pat Barden presented the award for their voluntary work in keeping our village looking splendid by planting flowers and baskets, erecting bird & bat boxes and lots of other work around the place.

Well done to all involved, we do appreciate your time, effort and talents.

MAN’S BEST FRIEND  (Patricia O’Brien, Pioneer Magazine)

Why did the dog become known as man’s best friend, one might ask.  One riposte put forth is:

 ‘because he wags his tail instead of his tongue’

Dog has been man’s best friend for thousands of years, beginning with our cave-dwelling ancestors who would hunt for food escorted by wild wolves who would loiter around the caves to share the spoils of the gathering. Living amongst humans, they became domesticated and a faithful ally to man through the ages. The Old Testament figure, Tobias, sent by his father to retrieve money left in trust to a relative, was accompanied on his journey by the Archangel Raphael, and a dog – the dog being twice mentioned in the Book of Tobit.                  A Friend in Life and Death:

An urban myth – or – truth in a book found in Herculaneum is the touching tale of a dog who died alongside his master, a young boy, when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. Excavators discovered the skeletal remains of a dog lying across the remains of the boy. A silver collar lay at the site inscribed with the name ‘Delta’. It is said that the dog was caught by the sudden explosion of volcanic ash and debris as he made a last-ditch attempt to save his master’ s life.

Delta reportedly had already saved the young boy’s life on three previous occasions: from thieves, wolves and from drowning. St. Bernard de Menthon was founder of a monastery and constructor of a hospice in the Swiss Alps. He, along with his fellow Augustinian monks would go out, especially during snow storms to search for victims who had succumbed to the severity of the harsh weather on dangerous alpine mountain passes. They bred dogs, the St. Bernard as we now know them – known for their strength, keen sense of smell, intelligence and endurance to help with the rescue mission. Traditionally, the dogs carried a small keg reputed to be filled with brandy for the victim to drink and keep warm. Some stories tell of the barrels actually being filled with milk. Whatever the truth, these fearless furry friends have been credited with saving thousands of lives. The prolific English animal painter, Sir Edwin Henry Lanseer, recognised for his lion sculptures in Trafalgar Square in London, painted two St. Bernard dogs saving the life of a man. One dog is pictured with the barrel around his neck while the other stands over the fallen man. While most dogs are kept as domestic pets today, there are still numerous ways in which dogs can and do assist humans in a daily working environment.  Providing assistance to the blind and deaf, as therapy for children with learning difficulties, as comfort for those suffering with intellectual or psychiatric problems, assisting police with their powerful sense of smell in searches for missing people, sniff out illegal drugs or detect explosive devices. The final word on man’s best friend must surely go to the Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet, Sir Walter Scott, who beautifully expressed that

‘the Almighty, who gave the dog to be the companion of our pleasures and toils, has invested him with a nature noble and incapable of deceit….he has a share of man’s intelligence but no share of man’s falsehood…

CHURCH NOTICES

IN MEMORIAM

Sat 7th – Breda O’Brien, Templeshelin (A)

Also:      Michael Booth, Nicholas & Catherine O’Neill, &]

Maureen Donoghue, Misterin (A) Shane O’Neill, Carrigbyrne and deceased members of the Eustace family,

Eustace’s Corner.

Also:      Michael & Maura Hanly, Ballylanders, Co. Limerick.

Sun 8th – Peg & Joe Kelly, Coonogue (A)

Sat 14th – Patsy O’Connor, Newtown (A)

Sun 15th – Pat Foley, The Leap (A)

May they rest in peace.

Feast Day this week:

Friday 13th – Our Lady of Fatima

On 13th May 1917 in the village of Fatima, Portugal the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three young peasant children: Francisco, Jacinta and Lucia ages 10, 9 & 7 years

The children were tending their family’s sheep when a “Lady all in white, more brilliant than the sun. indescribably beautiful” standing above a bush, appeared to the children.

From May through to October 1917, the Lady appeared and spoke to the children on 13th day of each month.

Her last visit to the children was on October 13th 1917.

IRELAND NEEDS FATIMA – (Avril Phelan)

A Public Rosary will be held in Adamstown on Saturday 14th May at 4pm. Meeting outside the Church

MAY CUSTOMS

In Ireland May Day was a so-called ‘gale day’, when tenancies began or ended. At the beginning a half-year’s rent fell due. Hiring fares enabled farmers and householders to hire labourers and servants. They lined up with trade symbols. Letting of grazing and meadowland were available. Turbaries would be available for rent so that turf-cutting could start. In Ulster these activities were done on 12th May for a time after 1752 when the rest of Ireland adopted the Gregorian calendar. Farmers who still had hay and winter feed left, and wives who had eked out the flour, felt proud. (Celtic Folk Customs – Brian Day)

The summer was welcomed by setting up a May Bush.

The May Bush  – a branch or bough of a tree – was set up outside the house in the yard or fields to guard against bad luck. Whitethorn was the most popular tree for the May Bush. In different part of the country different trees were used, some places favouring the sycamore, others rowan, hazel or elder. The May Bush was decorated with flowers, ribbons, streamers and coloured eggshells saved from Easter eggs. In Dublin children collected contributions for decorating the May Bush, saying ‘Long life, a pretty wife and a candle for the May Bush’ To steal someone’s May Bush was to steal their luck.

(Celebrating Irish Festivals – Ruth Marshall)

The custom of putting up the May Bush has mostly died out now, one family in the parish have put up the May Bush every year without fail since 1959.

May Altars to honour Our Lady were also erected in houses, schools, with many processions taking place in towns and villages.

SWALLOWS (Jim Hurley, Nature Trail, New Ross Standard)

Swallows are one of the most popular and familiar birds in the world. Before humans evolved, it is assumed that swallows bred in caves and on cliffs, but over time they adopted humans as neighbours and moved from their traditional natural breeding places to buildings put up by people. It is now rare to find a swallow nest in a site that is not man made. Barns and outbuildings on farms are favoured locations for nesting and give the bird its full international name ‘Barn Swallow’. Since we normally have just one species of swallow in Ireland, the ‘Barn’ is dropped and the bird is just the swallow. Swallows usually arrive in Ireland around mid-April, having flown 10,000km from their winter quarters in southern Africa. They migrate during daylight, flying quite low. At night they roost in huge flocks in reedbeds and traditional stopover spots. The journey takes about four weeks, and males usually arrive first. For years people have celebrated the sudden appearance of swallows as the first sign that summer is on the way. Many farmers left barn doors open for them in the belief that the presence of breeding birds brought good luck.

FROM THE DIOCESAN PASTORAL COUNCIL

We continue our synodal reflections: This week we reflect on our relationship with other Christian faiths.

Since we all, with our centre in Christ, try to live his message of love we have much in common.

What are some fruits and challenges of our ecumenical relationships here in Ferns diocese?

ADAMSTOWN ICA NEWS

Our local ICA Guild has been very busy recently, rehearsing our entries for ICA’s Got Talent. This will take place in Camross Hall this Thursday May 12th at 8pm. Admission €5.

A night not to be missed, lots of music, singing, novelty acts, recitations & dancing, some lovely raffle prizes to be won, do come along & support your local guild. A group of ladies went to Wexford to see Downtown Abbey; the film last Wed night & had a very enjoyable time & would highly recommend it.

We’re all looking forward to the ICA Federation outing at end of June to see Riverdance The Musical in the Bórd Gais Theatre, Dublin, stopping off for dinner in Wicklow on the way home. We would like to see new members join our lively group for fun, friendship & the opportunity to learn new crafts if you so wish. Our next monthly meeting is this Wednesday 11th May at 8pm in Adamstown Community Centre & you can come along for the night just to see if ICA is for you.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK  – (Divine World Missionaries)

Life is a game; sometimes you win,

and sometimes you lose.

But no matter what your cards in life,

whether clubs, spades, or diamonds,

always remember – never play without a heart!