CoolgreanyJohnstown
MACRA NA FEIRME
Wicklow Macra Na Feirme are hosting a barn dance in Kinsella’s shed the Rock Gorey on Saturday night, October 14. Marty Mone is the band playing on the night there will also be a barbecue Tickets cost €20 and can be bought from Jenny at 087 4482601, Sarah at 087 9314592, Helen at 087 9003384 or Katriona at 085 1535678. Or find us on face book on Wicklow Macra Na Feirme. This is a night not to be missed, everyone welcome.
THRESHING/VINTAGE
Recycling Bins at Ballyfad School are being used as dump bins at present, as a television and other electrical goods have been dumped alongside the recycling bins, and people have been observed traveling from outside the Co Border to dump there, people are asked to refrain from dumping rubbish in the area.
HANDBALL
Coolgreany Handball lotto now stands at €2,100. Tickets are available locally at €2 in Jim Shorts, Coolgreany post office, O’Rafferty’s and Liam Clare. A new prize format is now in now in place, with no match 3’s, No Bonus Numbers, instead there is now seven lucky Dips worth €30 each, and one sellers prize. Congratulations to Mary Clare Gurteen, who won €30 on a lucky dip. Your support is very much appreciated by the club.
The prizewinners at the recent whist drive were: Top Score: C Doyle and E Whelan; second and third shared: B Farrell and T. McHugh and S Brady and M Whelan; fourth N Vickers and C Driver. Raffle: B Farrell, C Doyle and T. McHugh. Next whist drive will be held on Wednesday, October 18, at 8.30 p.m.
BINGO
Bingo continues as usual on Friday evening in the RDA hall commencing at 8.30 p.m. Great prizes on offer every week.
PURE MILE AWARD
Ballinabarney, Ballintombay, Ballyteigue Pure Mile are delighted to have been awarded Best Pure Mile 2017 at the awards ceremony in Brooklodge Hotel on October 3. The Pure Mile started in 2010 with six miles and this year over 50 local groups covered 150 miles of road in County Wicklow and South County Dublin.
We are delighted and honoured to win this award. Thank you to all of our group members for their outstanding contributions this year and to those in our local community who shared their expertise and attended events, helped with litter picks and shared our posts and photos.
The rituals and traditions of some of Wicklow’s 120 Holy Wells were recalled at the Historical Society’s meeting on October 2. Geraldine Lynch and Rosaleen Durkin gave an illustrated talk on the history of these wells, some of it quite contraversial.
Apparently, the overlay of Christianity on Druidic Wells was not always that successful and the resulting over-enthusiastic celebrations and excesses at patterns did not please successive Popes, nor local clergy either. Some Patterns were banned. The same thing happened in other countries in Europe.
However, in spite of that, Irish people persisted with their ancient traditions and there is a drive now by a voluntary group in Wicklow not only to re-discover lost wells but to mark them as heritage sites.
The very large attendance was indicative of how close the subject is to the hearts of so many and bodes well for the marvellous work of the dedicated preservationists.
Unfortunately, this was the last talk to be held in Avondale Community College and a new venue is being sought. The society would like to thank the college for its kind hospitality over the years and for accommodating so many late night meetings.
GARDEN CLUB
On October 12 our Thursday Talk is on Bees, Honey and the Environment. Speaker will be Willy O’Byrne and talk will be held in Jacobs Well, Rathdrum at 8 p.m.