Duleek

DULEEK WOMENS FORUM

Those going on the trip to Guinness Hop Store on Tuesday 5th June; please meet on the village green at 10.30am, enquiries to Ann on 9823415.

BLESSING OF GRAVES

St Mary’s Abbey Old Cemetery takes place Saturday 9th June after 7.30pm Mass and Holy Cross Cemetery takes place Sunday 10th June at 2.00pm

SUMMER CAMP

Greenhills Summer Sports Camp will take place this year for two weeks: July 9th – 13th & July 16th – 20th. We have a wide variety of activities including The Rodeo Bull Ride & The Wipeout Game, which have been very popular in recent years. Book online at greenhillssummercamp.ie or by post. All enquires to 086-8386363.

DULEEK/BELLEWSTOWN ARA

Duleek/Bellewstown Active Retirement Summer outing to Athlone Castle and cruise on the Shannon is on Wednesday 4th of July at a cost of €73 pp. Bowls very Tuesday at 2pm. New members always welcome.

DULEEK FAIR WEEKEND

Duleek Fair Weekend takes place from Friday June 29th to Sunday July 1st, with fun, entertainment and activities for people of all ages. There will be several stalls on the village green on the Sunday. Any local businesses or community groups who would like a stall should ring 087 358 2562 or emailduleekfairday@gmail.com.

ART EXHIBITION

There will be an Art Exhibition of Simon Coleman R.H.A. paintings in the Courthouse on Friday 1st June from 7pm to 9pm, Saturday 2nd June from 12 noon to 3pm and Sunday 3rd June from 12 noon to 3pm. If anyone is interested in loaning a painting or sketch of Simon Coleman R.H.A. contact Noel Heeney on 086-1045125 or Sharon Keogan on 087-6773800 before 19th May.

QUIZ NIGHT

Duleek Bellewstown Ladies GFC are hosting a quiz night on Friday 1st of June at 8pm in the Carranstown Lodge, tables of four cost just €40. With prizes for 1st and 2nd place and a raffle on the night. cycling competition in Stamullen for many many years and influenced so many cyclist and cycling clubs across the north-east region and beyond.

They were also very much to the forefront of countless charitable events over the decades and the sudden loss of Gaybo earlier this year brought shock waves to all who had chance to meet with the local couple in their many walks of life.

The spirit of Gaybo was certainly present in Drogheda on Sunday May 20th last however and, as I passed through the Bolton Square area of the town as the cyclist from all over Ireland and beyond our seas were gathering for the beginning of this gruelling race, I noticed that it was trying its best to rain although the Friday and Saturday of that particular weekend were both great days of sunshine. Nothing unusual about a wee drop of rain when a great cycling event was being held in the area in the past under the auspices of the Stamullen Road Club and when Gaybo and Kay had planned all to perfection but could do little about the weather.

It appeared to me that on Sunday May 20th last, it tried its best to rain once more, but this time the storm-clouds passed and as the day progressed the weather actually improved. A sad & very poignant day for sure and although Gaybo was amongst all present, he was also very sadly missed. Dia Leat a Gaybo.

GORMANSTON GARDEN

The flower garden in the centre of Gormanston village looks a real picture of beauty at the moment with such an array of colour, design and setting and it immediately catches your eye as you approach.

Congratulations and well done to the local residents who have transformed this area in a particularly short period of time. Meanwhile, someone said to me recently that the old `grannystone` was no longer sitting along the roadside in Gormanston village. However, I did note that the old stone is still there, almost opposite the new flower garden and it is a little difficult to see at the present time due to the amount of weeds and vegetation that has grown up around it in recent weeks and almost smothering the stone out of view.

This old landmark, a stone sitting on the side of the road and which has the appearance of an old woman sitting down or squatting complete with large rounded body, neck and head, hence the name the `granny-stone`. It is believed from local lore that this stone was once located along the coast, possibly in the location of the former Lowther Lodge, known to locals as Filgates and that the stone was at one time used to secure boats at the cove at Lowther Lodge by holding the vessels by a means of a rope around the `neck` of the stone.

It is believed that the stone was then brought from the coast near Bremore to the village of Gormanston by a member of the Preston family, formerly Viscounts Gormanston from the nearby Castle in the village. The stone certainly has all the appearance of one that was indeed waterrolled or `waved-washed` and although it also looks very peculiar as it sits on the roadside in Gormanston village, there is no identifiable marks on the stone to indicate that its shape was ever touched and/or carved by any human hand! Anyway, the Granny-Stone is still there, the weeds just need to be clipped around it. In former days, the great Franciscan Order of Grmanston Castle and College would have this area of the village beautifully landscaped and manicured at this summertime of the year.

AMERICAN TOURISTS

A number of American tourists paid a visit to Stamullen old Chapel Ruins in Stamullen village last week and they also took in the archaeological sites and monuments at Gormanston, Herbertstown, Tir-Ri, Micknanstown and Greenanstown. The visitors, from the Cape Cod area, were highly impressed with both the built and natural heritage of the parish of Stamullen, along with being impressed with the fact that human beings have resided along the banks of the Delvin River for over five-thousand-years.

Of great interest and beauty to them was that of the wonderful yellow colours of the flowering Oil-seed-rape plant that is growing in abundance across the parish at the moment and many photographs were taken of the fields and landscape across the parish by the visiting tourists.