Ballyhea

LOTTO

The lotto was held on Monday, March 18, at the Idle Hour. There was no winner of the jackpot of €2,250.

The Numbers were 22, 24, 27. Lucky Dips: €50 to Teresa Morrissey c/o Mike Morrissey, €30 to Dimitri Van Dalen c/o Jim Codd, €20 to Sheila Morrissey c/o Mike Morrissey, €20 to Mason Copps c/o David Copps, €20 to Áine O’Shea c/o Ger O’Shea.

You can play the lottery online @locallotto.ie and thank you for your continued support.

CHURCH NEWS

SPRING (LENTEN) STATIONS – The Spring (Lenten) Station list is currently being drawn up for the parish. Anybody wishing to host a Station Mass in their home please contact the parish priest at 063 81470 or leave your name in to the sacristy. Ballyhoura, Loughlea and Glantane in the home of Eamonn and Eileen Stritch on April 5. Ballycosgry in the home of Paudi and Anne Morrissey on April 12. General Station in the church on March 29. Station Masses will be celebrated at 8 p.m.

PROCLAMATION OF EASTER – On April 21, we will celebrate the joy of Easter Day, the Paschal Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On May 30 will be the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On June 9 the feast of Pentecost. On June 20 the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. On December 1, the first Sunday of the Advent of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory forever and ever. Amen.

FORMS OF FRIDAY PENANCE – The following are suggested acts of Penance for Lent – Abstaining from meat, Abstaining from other food, Abstaining from alcoholic drink or smoking,

Making a special effort at involvement in family prayer, Making a special effort to participate in Mass on Fridays, Visiting the Blessed Sacrament, Making the Stations of the Cross,

Fasting from all food for a longer period than usual and perhaps giving what is saved to the needy,

Helping the poor, sick, old and lonely; From the statement on Friday Penance issued by the Bishops’ Conference, 2011.

PILGRIMAGE TO LOURDES – The Cloyne Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes under the Patronage of Most Rev William Crean DD Bishop of Cloyne and Pilgrimage Director V parish priest Fr Tobias Bluitt will take place from May 31 to June 5.

Details are on the Noticeboard in the church.

Bookings may be made through Joe Walsh Tours, 117 Patrick Street, Cork. Tel No: 021 4277959.

CHURCH COLLECTIONS – On the Sundays that there are two collections, the church door collection will be taken up at the offertory and the special collection will be taken up after Holy Communion.

VIDEO STREAMING – A video streaming facility has been installed in the church to allow weekday and Sunday Mass as well as funeral and wedding ceremonies etc. to be broadcast over the internet. While primarily intended for the sick and housebound, the service is also open to anyone who wishes to have it. The first phase is experimentally operative by logging on to the website mcnmedia.tv/.

Family and friends overseas might like to log into this website to see the Parish Masses and what is happening in the Parish Church.

CHURCH GATE COLLECTIONS – No church gate collection taken up at St Mary’s Church, Ballyhea is endorsed by the parish.

Any group or organisation intending to collect outside the church gates are asked to present copies of their permits in the sacristy, together with copies of letters of authorisation of those collecting on their behalf.

This should be done before the collection commences.

NEW CHURCH WINDOWS – The New Windows have been installed.

They are timber sash windows modelled on those of St John the Baptist Church in Kinsale which was built in 1832 by the same architect as Ballyhea, Br. Michael Augustine Riordan. One of the new windows installed in the church will become the Parish Memorial to the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland.

If anyone or any family wishes to sponsor a window, this can be done by a single subscription or by a number of subscriptions over a period of time.

One window will be open to public subscription, anyone can contribute any amount to it if they so wish. Please contact the parish priest – Monsignor O’Brien.

IRISH CATHOLIC – The Irish Catholic newspaper and the Catholic Voice are on sale in the porch of the church.

The Irish Catholic is priced at €1.80 and the Catholic Voice is €1. Association for Church Archives of Ireland Calendars are on sale in the church Porch at €5 each.

CATECHISM ONLINE – The Catechism of the Catholic Church can be viewed on this web page vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__ p8.htm.

SCHOOL/PARISH HALL COLLECTION

Those, who received the special envelopes for the school/ community hall are kindly asked to return these as soon as possible.

FIGHT FOR FIONN

Fight for Fionn is a charity set up to raise funds for Fionn Barry, a four-year-old boy from Ballyhea, who has a seriously debilitating and life limiting illness and needs 24-hour care. Currently development is under way to upgrade his home. A number of fundraisers are ongoing. To get more information please go to fionnbarry.com website or if you wish to make a donation the link is: gofundme.com/FightForFionn

GAA NOTES

COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP 2019 – Ballyhea have been drawn against Blackrock in the First Round of the Senior Hurling Championship 2019. This will be a big test so we wish the team and mentors every success.

GAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIPS – Applications are now being taken for the Gaeltacht Scholarship 2019. Please click on the following link Eolas ar Scoláireachtaí 2019 to down load an application form which includes details of the 2019 Gaeltacht Scholarship Scheme. This can be photocopied as needed. Note that this updated GAA Scholarship Application Form is required by the college with every application. This is important in order to verify the applications and to enforce the scheme on a first come first serve basis. Please also be aware that the Cork Scholarship Scheme applies to Coláiste na Mumhan, Beal Atha’n Ghaorthaidh only and does not apply to any other Gaeltacht College. Dates of courses, fees, application forms and other details are available on colaistenamumhan.ie.

ONLINE SHOP – The club’s online shop is proving to be very popular. All the latest club gear can be purchased from the O’Neill’s website. Check it out at oneills.com/shop-by-team/GAA/ ireland/ballyhea-GAA.html

INSTAGRAM – The club can now be followed on Instagram. To see the latest club pictures go to ballyheagaaclub.

MANAGEMENT TEAM – The New Senior Hurling Coach is Fergus O’Loughlin from Clarecastle with Selectors Mike Morrissey and Ray Ronan. Best of luck to all involved in the year ahead.

COMMUNITY ALERT

Ballyhea Community Alert has successfully set up a Text Alert Network to immediately alert our community when an incident occurs. Prompt information to and from Gardaí deters criminal activity. If you are interested in becoming a member of our Text Alert Network please phone any of the following people for information and sign up details – Phil Ryan 087 2937465, Pat Daly 086 1220114, James Horgan 087 2572271, Willie Meaney 087 1936842, Con Walsh 086 8570355. The fee for this service is €10 annually.

MEN ON THE MOVE

Ballyhea Men on the Move continues every Monday and Thursday in the gym of the new complex at 7.30 p.m. in Ballyhea GAA Club. All ages (currently ranging from 30’s to 60’s) and all levels of fitness are catered for. Participants from outside the parish are also welcome. Please come along and try it out.

SPEEDING

Speeding is still continuing to be an issue through the parish so please be aware of the speed limit of 60km. team from Boherbue in a County Final Competition. The team were eager to the task and rose to the occasion and won the County final Competition.

Congratulations and well done to all concerned.

COLÁISTE MHUIRE, BUTTEVANT

Is sending, two students, as helpers, on the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes this June.

The students involved are holding various fund-raising events throughout the intervening period.

Spring Station Masses are now being arranged locally.

A Cloyne diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place on May 31, 2019, to June 5, 2019, inclusive.

PARISH FOLK GROUP

Weekly lessons have resumed on Tuesday evenings, 7pm, in the Church.

CAHIRMEE SINGERS

The local choral group, Cahirmee Singers, held, an evening of, “Musical Melodies”, on Saturday last, March 23rd., 2019. The event was held, in the Muintir na Tire Hall, Buttevant, and a good attendance filled the venue.

A great evening of song, fun and merriment, was enjoyed by all, and refreshments were served, and much appreciated, by all.

Well done to all involved.

TIDINESS

Apart from the content of litter, on the local streets, It is sad to see that there is an abundance, of dogpooh, all over the footpaths, as it appears that some animal owners are not cleaning up, when their pets have done their business. It is hard, to avoid the soiling, in all places, which is unsightly, and can be dangerous, if stepped on, particularly, by our senior citizens.

Also, there is an amount, of litter, strewn all over the footpaths, and street, particularly at the weekends.

The majority, of this litter, is as a result of people dropping their remnants, , of their fast-food purchases.

Sadly, Buttevant has no onstreet litter bins, which would alleviate the problem, somewhat.

The bins were removed, originally, because people were depositing household rubbish, in the bins.

The new flower, and seating areas, are currently serving the town well, as litter deposit areas.

The entrances, to the town, from all directions, are also very unsightly, and an amount of household litter is causing the outlying areas, to appear untidy, unkempt and dis-pleasing,and unbecoming, to the eye.

A spontaneous visit, from the County litter warden, might help the current situation.

People should be more litter conscious, and take their litter, home with them.

Perhaps, the introduction of more secure litters bins, comparable to those in other towns, would help the local litter problem.

Maybe the introduction, of a weekly, or forthrightly “large super skip collection”, might alleviate the ever consuming litter dumping problem.

ALERT

Following another spate, of break-Ins, and robberies, locally, we would all do well, to be on highalert, and vigilant, regarding our properties, and neighbourhood.

We should also be attentive, to our elderly residents, and living alone sick, and infirm, neighbours. Population in Buttevant, has increased, over the years, and we no longer know everyone who comes into Buttevant.

There is a CCTV system, within the town, but it does not cover all visible residential areas, and is only accessible to some appointed persons. Many people also find that CCTV, is an invasion of a persons private, and personal persona. People are always crying out, for better crime protection, many people do protest. But this is often a most desirable and worthwhile crime protection facility.

Crime is no longer committed, during the hours of darkness, and the majority of incidents, happen during daylight hours.

We should be alert to, and conscious of suspicious persons, acting suspiciously, and also be aware of unusual activities, and suspicious vehicles, operating in all areas.

Always report whatever persons, or unusual happenings, you may perceive, to the relevant authorities.

GARDAÍ

Buttevant has recently been assigned three garda personnel for a number of hours during the day.

Perhaps the presence of the gardaí ‘on the beat’ will deter the recent criminal activity in the area and give the local residents a sense of security. This development is more than welcome.

This service, at the convenience of the superintendent of the north cork region of the garda síochána, should be appreciated, respected and in no way maligned, as this service was constantly a source of local requestion by the local residents.

LOTTERY

Buttevant Soccer Club, promotes a weekly local lottery draw, to help finance the clubs’ expenses, and activities.

The winning, or sharing, of the substantial monetary jackpot, rests on the choice, of four lucky numbers, to match the four lucky numbers drawn, on draw night.

The lottery jackpot now stands at €20,000-, and will continue to rise, until won by some lucky entrant. The draw takes place, weekly, on Thursday night, at an appointed local public venue..

Your support is greatly appreciated.

DORADA DANCE SCHOOL.

Dorada school, of dance, continues to be a major player, in the entertainment scene, of Buttevant, with their weekly classes, continuing to nurture, dance, drama and entertainment in general, in all the pupils, attending.

The weekly classes are held, in the Muintir na Tire Hall, Buttevant, on Saturdays, and have resumed,following the mid-term break.

Commencing with , Tiny Tots classes at -12-noon. Intermediate classes will commence at -12.30p.m and the advanced class will begin at -01.30p.m.

All information can be had by contacting Theresa Hynes, on, -087-72324143-.

BINGO

The weekly bingo session continues, in Buttevant, on Monday night, in the local GAA., Hall, with numerous monetary prizes, to be won.

There is a substantial bingo jackpot, to be won, as well as an in-house lottery, and an extra sheet game. There is also a 50/50- draw for attendees.

The jackpot, now stands, at around the €-5900-, and will continue to rise, weekly, until won, by some lucky attendee.

The games get under at 08.30p.m and as the jackpot rises, so will the number of players attending.

The local GAA, hall is due to have some renovation work carried out, in the near future,and as a result, the bingo session, will be suspended for some weeks .

Patrons will be notified, in the local media, when this occurs.

BALLET

Further to all the other activities available, in the parish, Buttevant has also a regular ballet class, which is held weekly in the Muintir na Tíre Hall.

Membership is available to anyone who wishes to have their children learn the ballet form, and the tutor, of the art can be contacted, at the Muintir na Tíre Hall, during the weekly classes, on the appointed evening.

GAA

The local GAA, club is, at present, promoting a €15,000-Car Prize Draw, in conjunction with the Cork County GAA, Board.

This draw will be held in April -2019-, and will, no doubt, attract a full compliment of members. Tickets, sold by the local GAA club, will be entered into a separate Confined Draw, for the local club members.

Five people will then be drawn out, to partake in a final prize draw. Prizes, for the draw, will include prizes of -€250- to-€1500-, inclusive, on the appointed draw night.

Draw entry tickets, at -€20-, can be purchased from local club members, and local players.

The funds raised will be used to upgrade the playing pitch, and purchase, the necessary items associated with the pitch, and playing facilities.

HELPLINE

Buttevant Saint Vincent de Paul association, has a dedicated helpline, for those in the community, who may need assistance, to provide for themselves, or their families.

Please contact, -086-0209477, in strictest confidence.

ALERT

It is imperative to be ever vigilant, particularly as society, as we now know it, continues to change, day-by-day, and is ever challenging, with the value on life, people and property, and many personal possessions, being de-valued, by some sectors of society.

SYMPATHY

Is extended, to those who have suffered a bereavement, or personal loss, recently.

WELL WISHES

Go to those who are ill, at home or in hospital, , at this time.