AROUND THE DISTRICTS
Monageer CLOTHES COLLECTION
Monageer-Boolavogue GAA are running a Clothes Collection and would welcome all donations of unwanted clothes, paired shoes, hats, scarfs, handbags, bed linen (no duvets, or cushions please) curtains, towels etc. All donations can be left at the Old Complex – Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. every week.
FIRST RESPONDERS
In December 2 years ago we went live and since then we have managed to cover the service 24 hours a day. Thank you to everyone who has supported us along the way. If you would like to join this team of volunteers please get in touch all training provided.
MONAGEER FOROIGE
Well done to our young people tonight who did an amazing job singing. Thanks to Aislinn De Bhailisand our native all round star referee Michelle O’Neill thank you so much for coming you were such a pleasure to meet. Please come again. R.
300 – ONE DRAW
The winners of 300-1 draw were as follows ; first (€150) Mary Mitten, Ballymurtagh; second:(€40) Fran Fenlon, Ballysimon; third (€30) Kay O’Leary, Coolgarrow and fourth (€20) Seán Nolan, Tomsollagh.
CHURCH NEWS
DATA PROTECTION FORMS – These are for Euch. Ministers, Readers, gift bringers etc on table in Porch. Please sign it and return to priest as soon as possible. – Note – on May 25 this year this new law of the European Union came into force in Ireland and in the other 27 countries. It requires all of us to show special respect for and care of what are referred to as Sensitive Personal Data of other living people. This is now the law, so from the view point of the parish it is now necessary to get a person’s (or their family’s) permission to put his/her name in the Parish Newletter in relation to a baptism, martriahe or death and also in relation to putting names on list in connection with Readings, being a Eucharist Minister, bringing up the gifts etc.
MESSENGER – This is available as usual – please let priest know if you wish to get it for 2019, so that he can have the numbers right.
CHURCH 150TH ANNIVERSARY – The building of our church here in Monageer began in April 1870 when the foundation stone was laid. The new church was dedicated/blessed by Bishop Thomas Furlong on November 1, 1871. On that day, one reporter commented, church was ‘crowed to inconvenience’ Hence, our church will be 150 years in used as a place of worship on November 1, 2021., that is, in three years from Thursday, November 1.
We will no doubt celebrate this important parish occasion in some appropriate mamner. It is likely that the anniversary may be marked bythe production of a book just as we did for the centenary of Monageer School 2014. ‘Monageer Past and Present’ was a fine and interesting volume produced in 2013 about parish life then and now Bly the way the big word for a 150th annivesay is sesqui-centenary, a word which means ‘a centenary more by one half’.
SCHOOL DRAW
Winner is Beibhain Cox (€136) Tickets are available at all local shops.
TIDY TOWNS/ GROTTO GROUP
Recently our local Tidy Towns Committee received a National Award under the heading ‘Sustainable Development’ for their work on the Grotto Sensory Path and Woodland Walkway and €1,000 as part of the award. In recognition of this Wexford County Council made a special-presentation to the committee.
At the County Council’s annual Environmental Awards 2018 our Grotto Group won first prize for Best Community Project to improve Accessibility in Gardens/ Parks and received some prize money. In addition Jim Donohoe, Grane was honoured with an Award for Outstanding Individiual Contribution to the Environment. He has been a volunteer in our parish for over 50 years. His work is much appreciated and the Award well deserved. We congratulate all involved for their great work.
GAA CLUB DRAW
Our club draw, in association with the national club draw will take place at our AGM on December 28 For a €10 ticket you’ll be entered in this draw on December 28 and you’ll also be entered for the National Club draw which takes place in Spring 2019. Tickets are available from most members. Can sold tickets please be returned to Mary Carton or to Anne Fenlon in the Fás office prior to Christmas. All support is greatly appreciated.
GAA LOTTO
There was no winner of the jackpot which now stands at €5,500 – the numbers drawn were 2, 21, 23 and 31. There was no winner of match three to win/share €160.00/The next draw is on Tuesday, January 8, at 9.30 p.m. in the new GAA Complex. Seller’s prizes were won by Martina Murphy and Michael Rowesome. Raffle prizes were won by Catherine Fenlon, Gret Sweeney, Rose Rath and Anglique Mulhern.
Oulart CHURCH CHRISTMAS DRAW
The annual Christmas Draw in aid of St Patrick’s Church, Oulart will take place on Sunday, December 23. The tickets have been distributed to the houses in the parish, and as this is the only fundraiser for St Patrick’s Church, for the year, your generous support would be greatly appreciated. Tickets are only €2 each or a book of three for €5.
There are 14 valuable prizes to be won, including a Christmas Hamper, €100 cash, five Bags of Coal Nuggets, €50 cash, Vouchers for Corrigans and Pierce Redmond, a Róisín O’Grady CD as well as the usual seasonal prizes. Tickets should be returned to the Parochial House or to Pierce Redmond’s no later than Saturday, December 22, so that they can be prepared for the draw that takes place immediately after Mass on the Sunday.
CHRISTMAS IN THE CHURCHES
The Advent Penance Service will be held on Sunday, December 23, at 6.30 p.m. in the Ballagh and at 7.30 p.m. in Oulart. The Christmas arrangements for Masses are as follows: Mass on Christmas Eve will be celebrated in the Ballagh at 7.30 p.m. and in Oulart at 9 p.m. Christmas Day Mass in Oulart will be at10 a.m. and in the Ballagh at 11 a.m. Holy Communion will be brought to the sick and housebound in the Ballagh on Wednesday, December 19, at 10 a.m. and in Oulart on Friday the 21st at 9.30 a.m.
SCHOOLS CAROL SERVICE
The pupils of Scoil Mochua will present carols in St Patrick’s Church on Wednesday the 19th at 7.30 p.m. while the school-children from the Ballagh will hold their Carol Service on Thursday the 20th at 7.30 p.m.
SENIOR CITIZENS PARTY
The annual Oulart senior citizens Party will be held in the community centre on Sunday, January 6 (Lá Nollag nam Ban or ‘Little Christmas). If you know of any Seniors (over-65s) in the locality whose name should be added to the list of invitees please inform Seán Byrne (087 6486279) or Eddie O’Grady (087 2771735) or any member of the committee.
GET WELL WISHES
Best wishes for a speedy return to full health to the people from the area who are sick at home or in hospital. For security reasons and to maintain their privacy, their names will not be published unless requested by themselves or their next-of-kin. Don’t forget that on the First Friday of every month, the Rosary will be recited in St Mochua’s Church, at 7.30 p.m. for the intentions of the sick of the parish. Everyone is welcome to attend.
FAMILY NOTICES
If you would like these Notes to include details of your family births, marriages, deaths, anniversaries and achievements etc. please supply the relevant details (no later than Thursday at 8 p.m.) by phone, text, email or written note to Breda Jacob (086 1686978) or email mickjacobjr@yahoo.co.uk. There is no charge for including such items in the Local Notes.
RACE TO BE MAYOR
If you want to buy a real Christmas Tree to support Martin ‘Sponger’ Fortune’s Mayoral campaign, please place your order with Declan at 087 3456523, Tom at 087 6138210 or Martin at 087 9001220. The six foot trees sell at €30. Christmas Wreaths are also available at €8 each, two for €15 and three for €20.
OTHER MAYORAL EVENTS
As the ‘Race to be Mayor’ hots up, the organisers are being most creative, coming up with very interesting ideas. Phil Redmond’s team are holding a Road Hurlathon, from Raheenduff to Oulart on Sunday, December 30. Entry fee is €40 for a team of four. Martin ‘Sponger’ Fortune’s team will hold a Truck Run on Saturday, December 29, and a quiz on January 4.
SPLIT-THE-POT
Congratulations to the most recent winner of Scoil Mochua’s split-the-pot – Róisín Sinnott – who won €152. Entry envelopes are available from local businesses and from the school.
SCOIL MOCHUA NEWS
Christmas Carols will be sung in St Patrick’s Church by Scoil Mochua pupils on December 19, beginning at 7.30 p.m. The school will hold a ‘Christmas Jumper Day’ or ‘Casual Clothes Day’ on December 20 with the proceeds going to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin. The school will close, for Christmas holidays, at midday on Friday, December 21, and will reopen on Monday, January 7.
CHRISTMAS DECORATION WINNERS
Scoil Mochua held a competition among the various classes for an original Christmas Decoration and the following creative pupils were declared the winners: Cristian Valentin Pop (Ms Barron’s class), Finn O’Kane (Ms Rowe’s class), Seán Stafford (Mrs Codd’s class), Alex Kenna (Ms Lenihan’s class), Caoimhe Moore (Ms Griffin’s class), Caleb O’Kane (Mr McDonald’s class). The family winner was Alfie and Sid Parkin-Loughnane.
SCHOOL CALENDARS
Scoil Mochua’s 2019 Calendar was launched recently and they are available to purchase in the school, the local post office and Corrigan’s Spar. They cost €8 each, two for €15 and three for 20.
PEACE LIGHT
The 22nd Wexford Scout Group, Oulart will bring the Peace Light to Oulart Village just before Christmas and it will be in St Mochua’s Chapel on Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd. The Light will be taken from the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem and travel across the world by rail, boat and air and arrive in Dublin on Friday the 21st from where one of our local Scouters will collect a light and bring it to Oulart.
The light will be available after Masses on the Saturday and Sunday and people are invited to bring home a light to their homes, for Christmas. A tea light will be provided but people are asked to bring a vessel to transport their light home (a jam jar or lantern or something similar is suggested). Full details of the story of the Peace Light can be had by contacting any of the Scout leaders.
RACKARD LEAGUE
The winners of the Roinn ‘C’ Rackard League Football had a wonderful nigh last Thursday in the Ballagh Community Centre at their Medal Presentation. This was the first time the Ballagh and Oulart National schools have won a Rackard League title in football, making History for the parish. Well done to the boys and to their teachers, Miss Mary Delaney and Mr Derek McDonald, for all the work with boys.
There are 33 boys in the panel and their huge enthusiasm for football was evident in all the matches they played. A huge thank you also, to Anthony Masterson, Football Development Officer for the Co. Board, who presented the boys with their medals and a commemorative team photo.
Kevin Waters, chairperson of the Rackard League said that the boys were a fantastic group of boys and that was a bright future ahead for all of them. A massive big thank you to the teachers for all their input and to the parents/ guardians for getting the boys to the matches and to the parents’ association for getting hall ready and providing refreshments. It was a wonderful night that will be remembered for a long time.
MEDAL PRESENTATION
Next Friday, December 21, the under-13 County Premier Hurling Champions and the under-17 Roinn one runners-up will be presented with medals in Oulart Community Centre at 9 p.m. The presentation will be made by a surprise guest. Everyone is very welcome to attend and light refreshments will be served.