KILLAVULLEN
Contact your local correspondent by email killavullennews@gmail.com
PARISH BUILDINGS
The recent wet weather has revealed the ongoing issue of dampness in our churches, especially at Annakisha. The problem is not a specific leak, but seepage into the walls from rainfall, that finds its way inwards to eventually become indoor humidity.
The moisture cannot egress due to the cement pointing in the external stonework. Conservation engineers have identified as a solution, a return to the building method used when the church was constructed, that of a lime-based mortar pointing. This allows the walls to “breathe” naturally. One of the gable walls has already been restored in this manner. The cost of applying the solution to the remaining parts of the building was estimated at €150,000 in 2019. The parish must realise this sum in its accounts before the work can proceed.
IRELAND READS DAY
Today, Thursday is Ireland Reads Day, a public libraries initiative in partnership with publishers, booksellers, authors, etc. By taking some time to yourself to relax and do something positive, like reading, you are looking after you mental well-being. You can find out more information on https://www.irelandreads.ie/ and pledge how much time you will read for on the day. Reading can take us anywhere when we have to stay at home.
LADIES FOOTBALL
Killavullen Ladies Football Club are asking for your help. If you do your shopping in Lidl you can download their Plus App to your phone and take part in their new campaign which may secure a new set of jerseys for our girls. Anytime you spend €30 or more and scan the app, you will get a digital stamp. Once you have 6 stamps you can submit them and select Killavullen as the club you wish to support.
It would be a great help to the club and a new set of jerseys would be a great saving on expenditure in the year ahead. There is only a short time for this promotion, so the club would appreciate all the support they can get. You can do your shopping in any of their stores, once you select Killavullen Ladies Football Club as your chosen team they will be given your stamps. This is a great way to encourage support from family and friends who are not even in the area, a way of connecting in a time when we are apart. Go raibh maith agaibh.
MARCH - THE LION AND THE LAMB
The proverb ‘March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb’ describes typical March weather. In the 19th century it was used as a prediction contingent on a year’s early March weather: If March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. A lesser used proverb says When
March blows its horn, your barn will be filled with hay and corn. “Blows its horn” refers to thunderstorms.
A THOUGHT WRITTEN BY DONNA ASHWORTH
You are not imagining it, nobody seems to want to talk right now. Messages are brief and replies are late. Talk of catch ups on Zoom are put on hold. Group chats are no longer pinging all night long. It’s not you. It’s everyone. We are spent. We have nothing left to say. We are tired of saying “I miss you” and “I can’t wait for this to end”. So, we mostly say nothing, put our heads down and get through each day.
You’re not imagining it. This is a state of being like no other we have ever known because we are all going through it together, but so very far apart. Hang in there, my friend. When the mood strikes, send out all those messages and don’t feel you have to apologise for being quiet. This is hard. No one is judging.
BALLYGOWN AND KILLAVULLEN NS
Enrolments for new pupils are now being accepted at Ballygown and Killavullen National Schools. For further information visit www.killavullenns.ie or www.ballygown.ie and click on the ‘Admissions’ tab for more information on the procedure.
LATE LATE SHOW ST PATRICK’S DAY SPECIAL
Ryan Tubridy and the show are looking for Irish people abroad to take part in this year’s extraordinary Late Late Show St Patrick’s Day Special which will air on Wednesday, March 17th, unprecedented in the history of the show. They are calling on the Irish abroad to take part virtually.
All you need to do is to go to rte. ie and find Late Late Show and apply. It might be a lovely surprise for some locals or indeed your own family if you share this information with your family and friends who are abroad. It would be lovely to see some familiar faces and voices in our homes.
PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
If you are self-isolating and need help with picking up shopping, a friendly phone-call, posting mail or need urgent supplies, then call the parish office (02246578) and a local member of the pastoral council will contact you to assist.
MEALS ON WHEELS
Mallow Meals on Wheels can provide a hot meal with either soup or a dessert Monday to Saturday for €5 per day to anybody in our parish who may wish to continue to avail of this service. If you would like more information please contact Sheila at 085 2414879 for details.
MASS
Mass is broadcast live every day at RTE NewsNow TV at 10.30am. Every second Sunday, Mass is broadcast at 11am on RTE TV One; on the other Sundays it is found on RTE NewsNow at 2.15pm. The readings of the day can be found at the parish website: www.killavullenparish.ie
PARISH OFFICE
The parish office at Ballygriffin is open. The weekly newsletter, together with other ideas for prayer and spirituality, are e-mailed to parishioners each week. If you know of someone who would like to be added to the e-mail, database please contact: parishofkillavullen@gmail.com
USEFUL HELPLINES AND SUPPORTS
ALONE manages a national telephone line and additional supports for older people who have concerns or are facing difficulties relating to Covid-19. Their support line is open seven days a week, 8am-8pm by calling 0818 222 024.
Cork County Council run a Community Call Helpline: this service is available to those who need practical support of someone to talk to. If you want to make contact please ring 1800-805819, text 0858709010 or e-mail covidsupport@corkcoco.ie
Mental Health Ireland: Information and support for people who experience mental health difficulties. Contact info@ mentalhealthireland.ie or 01 284 1166 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Jigsaw mental health support and advice to young people aged 12 to 25 years old and parents or concerned adults. Freephone 1800 544729 from 1pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Senior line: Confidential listening service for older people provided by trained older volunteers. Call 1800 804 591 from 10am to 10pm every day. Visit thirdageireland.ie
Samaritans: Emotional support to anyone in distress or struggling to cope. Contact jo@samaritans.ie. Freephone 116 123 every day 24 hours a day.
Text 50808 A free 24/7 text service, providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support for people going through mental health or emotional crisis. Text HELLO to 50808, anytime day or night. Visit www.text50808.ie for more information.
Pieta House: Telephone and textbased support counselling for people who are suicidal or engaging in self-harm. Freephone 1800 247 247.
Aware: Information, support and peer groups for people experiencing anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder and mood-related conditions. Freephone 1800 80 48 48 10am to 10pm every day.